The Vatican

What about the ethical challenges facing major AI developers?

OpenAI and Anthropic are artificial intelligence (AI) companies that are not yet publicly traded on Wall Street. The chief ethics officer at OpenAI (ChatGPT), Chloé Bakalar, has left the company, while philosopher Amanda Askell (Anthropic) wants the chatbot Claude to have moral judgment.

Francisco Otamendi-August 22, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

The market for major artificial intelligence (AI) developers has certainly been turbulent in the first few months of 2026, particularly among powerful developers that are not yet publicly traded on Wall Street, such as OpenAI and Anthropic. 

Companies that, judging by their actions, each want to take ethical considerations into account in their own way, and that have sent experts to the summit Vatican event held in July at Castel Gandolfo, Global Nobel Laureates Assembly. 

In addition, these are AI companies that are preparing to go public, and news is leaking out about their preparations for filing paperwork for a potential initial public offering (OpenAI) and about the company's valuations, in the case of Anthropic.

For now, we'll set aside large publicly traded companies that stand to benefit most directly from the AI boom, such as Nvidia, Alphabet (Google), Microsoft, and Broadcom.

Technology is not neutral

Hovering over all these companies is the encyclical by Louis XIV ‘Magnifica humanitas’, which is not a treatise on AI, as the Pontiff himself explains (no. 97), but which devotes considerable space to AI, for example, nos. 97–111. 

Since its publication in late May, various authors have reflected on ideas the Pope's thought-provoking remarks. We have selected just two entries by Rafael Sanz Carrera:

“The analysis of the encyclical highlights a key point: technology is not neutral in its cultural effects. AI cannot be understood solely as an efficient tool, but rather as a phenomenon that reshapes the way we work, interact, and make decisions.”

“In this context, the magisterial text emphasizes a decisive principle: human dignity does not stem from technological progress, but rather precedes and judges it. This criterion serves as the foundation for ethical discernment in the face of any digital development.”.

Pope Leo XIV speaks with Christopher Olah, co-founder of the artificial intelligence company Anthropic, following a presentation on his first encyclical, ‘Magnifica Humanitas,’ at the Vatican on May 25, 2026. (Photo by CNS/Lola Gomez).

Some of the Pope’s statements in ‘Magnifica humanitas’

Here is a summary of some of Pope Leo XIV’s ideas on AI, which he has also reiterated in several audiences:

“… we must avoid the mistake of equating this “intelligence” with human intelligence” (no. 99).

“The use of AI is never a purely technical matter: when it becomes part of processes that affect people’s lives, it impacts their rights, opportunities, reputation, and freedom” (no. 102).

“In practice, entrusting an algorithm with the power to determine who is worthy and who is not—without anyone bearing the burden of that decision—means entrusting it with the task of redefining the limits of human possibilities.” (no. 103).

“We cannot view AI as morally neutral. In reality, every technical device embodies decisions and priorities: what it measures, what it ignores, what it optimizes, and how it classifies people and situations. If a system is designed or used in a way that treats some lives as less worthy, or excludes them without the possibility of appeal, it is not merely a tool that “must be used correctly”; it already introduces a criterion that contradicts the inalienable dignity of the person” (no. 104).

“For this reason, ethical discernment cannot be limited to asking whether we are using a particular system for a good or bad purpose” (no. 104).

“For AI to respect human dignity….”

“For AI to respect human dignity and truly serve the common good, it is essential that responsibilities be clearly defined at every stage: from those who design and program the systems to those who use them and those who decide to entrust specific decisions to them.” (no. 105).

“Calling for prudence, rigorous controls, and, at times, even a slowdown in the adoption of AI does not mean being opposed to progress, but rather exercising responsible care for the human family” (no. 106).

“I make a passionate appeal to those who develop AI systems. Technological innovation can, in a certain sense, be a human way of participating in the divine act of creation. Developers therefore bear a significant ethical and spiritual responsibility, since every project choice expresses a vision of humanity” (no. 111).

The OpenAI logo in this illustration dated June 11, 2026. (OSV News/Dado Ruvic, Reuters).

OpenAI's Chief Ethics Officer Leaves the Company

It is not hard to imagine the demands and complications that working under criteria such as those mentioned can pose for these companies and their executives. One of the consequences is resignations.

In the midst of summer, on August 14, people were recalling the exodus of some top talent from OpenAI. La Vanguardia reported on the departure of Chloé Bakalar, head of ethics, less than a year after she joined the company, as revealed by the Financial Times.

Bakalar was responsible for the ethical considerations involved in developing language models and human interaction with AI, according to a person familiar with her work. She was also the company's only ethics expert.

“We appreciate Chloé’s contributions,” a spokesperson said. “AI ethics is not the responsibility of a single person or team within OpenAI, and ethical considerations are deeply embedded in the model-building process, which is driven by several research teams.”.

“Ethics is, in fact, everyone’s responsibility, and I say this as someone whose job is to lead this effort,” Bakalar explained during a conference on AI. (..). “There should never be a single person who acts as the moral center of an AI developer.”.

Amanda Askell (Anthropic): Claude should act as a moral agent

Alan Rozenshtein and Kevin Frazier, executives at Lawfare, spoke in the first quarter of the year with Amanda Askell, head of “personality alignment” at Anthropic, about the Claude's Constitution, a chatbot or computer program capable of holding a conversation:

“We want Claude to act as a truly ethical person would in Claude’s situation.” “Our main hope is that […] Claude […] [will be] an ethical agent, generally reasonable and with practical skills…,” said Askell.

Anthropic has devoted a significant amount of space to explaining that 20,000-word constitution, which you can read here.

Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, answers questions during a press conference in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall on May 25, 2026, following the presentation of ‘Magnifica humanitas,’ the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV (Photo by OSV News/Yara Nardi, Reuters).

Claude's Ethics and Nature

As you can see, the section on the ethics of the Claude models states:

“Claude’s ethics: ‘Our primary goal is for Claude to be a good, wise, and virtuous agent who demonstrates skill, good judgment, subtlety, and sensitivity when making decisions in real-world situations, even in contexts of uncertainty and moral disagreement.»”.

The text adds that it expects Claude to uphold “high standards of honesty” and to employ “the nuanced reasoning we hope he will use when weighing the values at stake to prevent harm.” “He must never contribute significantly to a biological weapons attack,” it adds.

In the section titled ‘Claude’s Nature,’ the paper—of which Amanda Askell is the lead author—states that “in this section, we express our uncertainty as to whether Claude might have some form of consciousness or moral status (either now or in the future).”.

The challenge is multifaceted, and it has only just begun for these companies—and for everyone.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Read more
More on Omnes
Integral ecology

Short prayers to help us find God in every moment of the day

A short phrase can be enough to turn our hearts back to God at any time of day, as St. Josemaría taught when he recommended short prayers to keep our prayer life alive. Here are a few of them.

Teresa Aguado Peña-August 21, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

Prayer doesn't necessarily require a lot of time, complete silence, or an empty church. Sometimes a single sentence is enough. A few words spoken slowly—in the middle of work, while walking, as we get into the car, or just before replying to a message. A short prayer to remind us that God is there.

Ejaculatory prayers are short, simple prayers that we can repeat throughout the day to lift our hearts to God. The word comes from Latin iaculatorius, whose meaning was related to the act of throwing a dart, an arrow, or any object with force over a distance. Thus, ejaculations are short exclamations or prayers that a Christian’s love and trust send—like little arrows or darts—to the Lord, the Blessed Virgin, or the saints.

In his letters, Saint Paul exhorted us to “pray without ceasing.” And short prayers can be a means to that end. This is explained in *The Russian Pilgrim* (Monte Carmelo, 2009), a classic of Eastern Christian spirituality, which recounts the spiritual journey of a pilgrim who attains this union with God through the brief phrase  “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner.” He makes this prayer his own throughout the day and even learns to recite it in rhythm with his breathing. In this way, he managed to keep the name of Jesus—and also His mercy—on his lips, in his thoughts, and in his heart at all times.

St. Josemaría, faithful to his short prayers

In an interview about the founder of Opus Dei, Blessed Álvaro del Portillo quoted several short prayers that St. Josemaría used to recite, one of which was: “I am yours; I was born for you. What do you want from me, Jesus?”.

In this interview, the Blessed one recounted: “When I asked to be admitted to the Work, our Founder explained the spirit of Opus Dei to me, and advised me to say many ejaculatory prayers, make spiritual communions… and offer numerous small acts of mortification throughout the day. When he spoke to me about ejaculatory prayers, he explained: There are spiritual authors who recommend counting the ones you say throughout the day, and they suggest using beans, chickpeas, or something similar; putting them in one pocket and transferring them to the other each time your heart turns to God with one of those prayers. That way you can know exactly how many you’ve said and see whether or not you’ve made progress that day.» And he added: “I don’t recommend this to you, because there’s also the danger of vanity or pride. “It’s better to let your Guardian Angel keep track of them.”.

The founder of Opus Dei drew his short prayers from Scripture or Christian tradition. Thus, in point 92 of *The Way*, he recommended: “…when you don’t know how to move forward, when you feel yourself fading, if you cannot throw fragrant logs into the fire, throw in the twigs and leaf litter of little vocal prayers, of ejaculations, which continue to feed the blaze.”.

To start the day

  • «Lord, I place this day in your hands.».
  • «Jesus, everything for You and because of You.».
  • «Lord, may your will be done today.».
  • «Oh, Mother, be with me today.».
  • «Come, Holy Spirit.».
  • «O my Lady, O my Mother! I offer myself entirely to you on this day.».
  • «Lord, I entrust my mind, my words, and my hands to you for this day.».
  • «Lord, I offer this day to you; may everything I do be for your love.».
  • «Dear Father, I place my day, my joys, and my sorrows in your hands.».
  • «Good morning, Lord! Stay with me today and guide my steps.».

To ask for help

  • «Jesus, help me.».
  • «Lord, give me light.».
  • «My God, give me strength.».
  • «Jesus, I trust in You.».
  • «Lord, increase my faith.».
  • «Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten me.».

When We're Worried

  • «Jesus, I trust in You.».
  • «Lord, may your will be done.».
  • «Into your hands, Lord, I entrust my concern.».
  • «My God, You know what I need.».
  • «My God, in you I find rest.».
  • «My Lord and my God.».
  • «Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You.».

To Overcome Impatience or Anger

  • «Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours.».
  • «Lord, grant me patience and charity.».
  • «Jesus, help me to love.».
  • «Lord, put peace in my heart.».
  • «Mary, help me to respond with love.».

To Give Thanks

  • «Thank you, Lord, for everything.».
  • «Blessed be You, my God.».
  • «Thank you, Jesus.».
  • «I thank you, Lord, for this day.».
  • «Everything is grace. Thank you, Lord.».

To offer the job

  • «Lord, I offer this work to You for Your greater glory and the good of my loved ones.».
  • «Lord, bless the work of my hands today.».
  • «Everything for Jesus, everything for Mary, everything in imitation of Saint Joseph.».
  • «Lord, I offer this work to you.».
  • «Jesus, may I do everything out of love for You.».
  • «All for You, Jesus.».
  • «Lord, may my work bring you glory.».
  • «Jesus, work in me.».

Before starting a difficult task

  • «Lord, grant me patience and wisdom for this moment.».
  • «Holy Spirit, guide my hands and my mind.».
  • «Lord, may this work serve as atonement for my sins.».
  • «Dear Father, make my efforts today fruitful.».

To order for other people

  • «Lord, bless this person.».
  • «Jesus, take care of him.».
  • «Mary, take him to Jesus.».
  • «Lord, have mercy on us.».
  • «Jesus, help her and be with her.».

When we feel like we're drifting away from God

  • «Lord, do not let me stray from You.».
  • «Jesus, draw me close to your Heart.».
  • «Oh my God, here I am.».
  • «Lord, return to my heart.».
  • «Jesus, I want to be with you.».

To end the day

  • «Thank you, Lord, for this day.».
  • «Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.».
  • «Forgive me, Lord, and help me start over.».
  • «Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and soul.».
  • «Lord, stay with me.».
Read more
More on Omnes
Evangelization

Women supported Archbishop Fulton Sheen's missionary work

The Women were the driving force behind the missionary work of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, who will be beatified on September 24 in St. Louis. Now they have recalled the behind-the-scenes work in the the office of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. While the prelate was speaking, thousands of letters of thanks and donations were arriving.

OSV / Omnes-August 21, 2026-Reading time: 6 minutes

– Inés San Martín, OSV News

When Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is beatified On September 24 in St. Louis, attention will rightly focus on the famous televangelist, whose broadcasts brought Catholic teachings to millions of American households. 

But for two decades, behind Archbishop Sheen’s extraordinary influence, there was a group of virtually unknown women who opened thousands of letters, recorded donations, and thanked the donors. In short, they helped turn his words into material support for missionaries and fledgling churches around the world.

Sheen, national director of one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies

Archbishop Sheen served as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies, from 1950 to 1966. This society coordinates the World Mission Sunday, the annual global fundraising day that supports the Church's work in more than 1,100 mission territories.

This responsibility was central to Archbishop Sheen’s priesthood and public ministry. In addition to his work in radio and television, he traveled, preached missionary appeals, and served as editor of MISSION magazine, which began publication in 1951 by the national office of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.

Whenever the prelate spoke about the missions on television, delivered a sermon, or published a new issue of the magazine, the response came in the form of between 8,000 and 10,000 letters a day, filled with notes of thanks and donations.

Envelopes poured into the organization's national office in New York. Some contained large checks. Others contained just a few dollars, coins saved by children, or brief notes explaining the sacrifice behind the gift.

And behind the scenes, a small army of women opened those envelopes, recorded the donations, and made sure the donors received a response.

‘Our office would be overwhelmed’

Helen Fitzpatrick was one of “the girls,” as they’re still affectionately called. 

Helen Brady Fitzpatrick in her office at the national headquarters of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in New York City (Photo by OSV News/Timothy Fitzpatrick via the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation, Peoria, Illinois).

Fitzpatrick, who is now 89, began working part-time for the organization in 1954, while he was a senior at St. Vincent Ferrer High School in Manhattan. After graduating, he joined the staff full-time and remained there for about a decade.

Her main responsibility was to make sure that thank-you notes were sent to those who supported the missions. The work was constant.

“No matter where he was (Archbishop Sheen), the office was never short of work,” Fitzpatrick recalled. “Every time he sent out an appeal or printed the magazine, our office was swamped.”.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen celebrates Mass while officiating at the wedding of Helen Brady and Patrick Fitzpatrick. (Photo by OSV News/Helen Fitzpatrick via Pontifical Mission Societies)

Bernadette Schumann, also in her eighties, recalls that the women worked in two rooms, surrounded by correspondence linking ordinary American Catholics with the missionary Church.

Each envelope represented someone who cared about the missions

“There were so many letters and so much work, but we knew that every envelope represented someone who cared about the missions,” said Schumann, whom everyone calls “Bernie.” “We were proud to be a part of it.”.

Archbishop Sheen also made sure that the staff understood the spiritual purpose behind the paperwork.

“Every afternoon at three o’clock, we would stop whatever we were doing and pray together the World Missions Rosary”, Schumann said. “Bishop Sheen made sure that our work in the missions was always rooted in prayer. He also took the time to introduce us to visiting missionaries so we could see who we were helping, even though not all of us could accompany him on his missions.”.

From Cuba to New York, and off to work for the missions

For Beatriz Mendoza Orlansky, the path to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith began with exile and an unexpected change of plans.

She had ten siblings; she left Cuba with her family in 1960 and settled in Miami after Fidel Castro came to power. That same year, she traveled to New York with a cousin and a friend because, as she put it, “that was the dream we all had.”.

His family already knew Archbishop Sheen. Before the Cuban Revolution, he had traveled to the island to officiate at a relative’s wedding. The archbishop also arranged for his sister Sofía to receive a scholarship to attend Rosemont College, a Catholic women’s college in Pennsylvania that was then run by the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus.

Young, single, and hoping to become a flight attendant, Mendoza approached Archbishop Sheen with a request. TWA (Trans World Airlines), which he had dubbed “Fly with Angels,” sponsored his television show, and she wondered if he could put in a good word for her.

“He told me I wouldn’t become a flight attendant,” she recalled. Instead, Archbishop Sheen put her to work for the missions.

“My job was to open the letters, collect the money, and send the thank-you notes,” he said. “It was a privilege to work there with him.”.

By the time he joined the staff, the daily recitation of the rosary was no longer part of the office routine. But the 3:00 p.m. break remained.

“He would always come out at 3 p.m. and share a three-minute reflection with us that reminded us why what we were doing mattered,” she said.

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen turned radio and television into tools for evangelization (©OSV News).

«We do the impossible right away.».

During those years, the office began producing donor thank-you notes in-house—a task significant enough to resemble a small printing press. A sign at the entrance reflected the spirit of the staff: “The impossible, we do right away. Miracles may take a little longer.”.

Mendoza and her husband, Héctor Orlansky—an Argentine man she married 52 years ago—came to feel a deep admiration for Archbishop Sheen.

“He was one of my heroes,” said Héctor, “a man with a depth of knowledge and wisdom I’ve never seen in my life.”.

Dozens of women helped support the Society for the Propagation of the Faith during the 16 years that Archbishop Sheen served as its national director. Some married and started families. Others entered religious life. Most are no longer with us, and their contributions were often known only to their colleagues and family members.

The Missionary Calls of the “Microphone of God”

Mary Regis McLoughlin, who died in 2022, was the executive editor of MISSION magazine during the 1960s, overseeing its day-to-day operations while Archbishop Sheen remained its editor-in-chief.

Sister Marlene Brownett, a member of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus who died in 2024, worked in the Office for the Propagation of the Faith before entering religious life. She later became a close friend of Archbishop Sheen and served on the board of the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Foundation.

None of the women interviewed by OSV News expects to be in San Luis for the beatification. But the celebration will also belong, to some extent, to them and to the many women whose names have been lost to history.

Unbeknownst to the millions of people who tuned in each week to listen to the man known as “God’s microphone,” his work helped ensure that his missionary appeals inspired much more than just admiration. Letters were answered, donors were thanked, missionaries were supported, and countless small sacrifices were made toward the Church’s global mission.

—————–

– Inés San Martín writes for OSV News from Argentina. She is the editor of MISSION magazine, a publication of the Pontifical Society of the Masses. A version of this article will appear in a special issue of the magazine honoring its founder, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.

– This information was originally published in OSV News, and you can read it there here.

The authorOSV / Omnes

Read more
More on Omnes
Initiatives

«Hechos 29» Kicks Off in Costa Rica: First Steps Toward Building Bridges Between the Screen and the Community

"Hechos 29" kicks off in Costa Rica, an event where digital evangelists from various countries gather to build community and pray.

Juan Carlos Vasconez-August 21, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

With the goal of connecting the digital world with church community life, San José is hosting the sixth edition of “Acts 29” this week. The event brings together digital evangelizers from more than 20 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia to share experiences and gifts and to discern together new paths for mission in the digital world.

“Being and Doing the Church”

This first opening day laid the groundwork for what will be an intense week of work, prayer, and fellowship. Father José Juan Montalvo (“Father Borre”) reminded participants that the experience consists of “being and making the Church,” emphasizing that the most valuable content that can be shared on social media is none other than the authentic witness of a community that knows how to love one another. “May these days be about fewer screens and more eye contact,” he urged, proposing that participants live out the gathering through five key attitudes: seeking, listening, getting to know, finding, and sharing—far removed from any spirit of competition.

This communion became evident from the very beginning in the diversity of the participants. Unity in faith, spirit, and apostolic zeal blends harmoniously with the wide variety of personalities, interests, and opinions that come together in online evangelization.

Just as unity in God is infinite personal love—the Holy Spirit—so too are all expressions of unity and diversity called to be enlivened by charity.

Unity and Diversity

Only through that supernatural love do even opposing viewpoints and personal limitations cease to be a cause of division and become a shared treasure.

Likewise, our prayer for one another—lived out within the unity of the Church—directs these days toward the horizon that the Lord has set before us: “May they all be one, just as You, Father, are in me and I am in You” (Jn 17:21).

Connection Beyond the Screen

The opening of the event concluded with the celebration of Holy Mass presided over by Monsignor Daniel Francisco Blanco Méndez, auxiliary bishop of San José and coordinator of the communications center of the CELAM. In his homily, he warned against the temptation to replace Christ with one’s own image or with the tyranny of metrics and “likes.”. 

Technology is a valuable tool, but Jesus remains the undisputed center. With this as our starting point, “Acts 29” kicks off a decisive week to renew our commitment to fostering fellowship and leading people—beyond the screen—to a living encounter with the Lord.

Read more
More on Omnes
The Vatican

The Pope Links Wars to Environmental Degradation

In his message for the 2026 Day for the Care of Creation, Pope Leo XIV calls for transforming weapons into plows, drawing a connection between wars and the ecological crisis.

Paloma López Campos-August 20, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

On the occasion of the 11th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Pope Leo XIV has released his message for September 1, in which it calls for redirecting resources allocated to wars toward protecting the planet and promoting holistic human development.

The Ecological Impact of Armed Conflicts

Under the slogan inspired by the prophet Isaiah, «They shall beat their swords into plowshares» (Isaiah 2:4), the Pontiff denounces the fact that today’s world is mired in efforts aimed at violence, while the disruption of nature’s balance is accelerating.

In the document, signed on August 15, Leo XIV warns that war leaves behind «social and ecological destruction that lasts for generations.» As he explains, armed conflicts and environmental degradation create vicious cycles that pollute essential resources such as air and water, undermining food security and perpetuating poverty. For this reason, he asserts that war constitutes «a counter-testimony to the Gospel of peace» and represents a failure not only political, but «also moral and spiritual.».

The Root Cause of the Environmental Crisis

The Holy Father emphasizes that discord, violence, and ecological damage are not simply the result of imperfect structures, but are the «symptom of a profound dichotomy rooted in humanity itself.».

Quoting Benedict XVI, the Pope recalls that «external deserts are multiplying in the world because internal deserts have spread.» In this regard, he maintains that lasting peace and a genuine ecological conversion require a profound transformation of the human heart, the place where the struggle «between love and indifference, truth and illusion, justice and injustice» is waged.

Redirecting the energy of war

León XIV calls on the international community to envision a world where the efforts devoted to the destruction of war are channeled into «the fight against poverty, the protection of human dignity, and the reconciliation of divided peoples.».

He also emphasizes that the true tools for building peace are not weapons, but «truth, dialogue, patience, kindness, justice, mercy, understanding, care, and love.».

«We will move forward slowly but steadily, from the desert to the garden, from division to communion, and from violence to peace,» the Pontiff concludes in his message.

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Focus
  • Education
  • The USCCB’s director of education reflects on the state of Catholic schools at the start of the school year
Education

The USCCB’s director of education reflects on the state of Catholic schools at the start of the school year

The USCCB's director of education analyzes the challenges facing Catholic schools and highlights the return to traditional teaching methods, educational freedom, and the role of parents.

OSV / Omnes-August 20, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

With the start of the new school year just around the corner, OSV News asked John DeJak, director of the Secretariat for Catholic Education at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, to provide an overview of Catholic education in the country. As a former teacher and administrator who has worked in both diocesan and independent schools since the late 1990s, DeJak is in a unique position to assess the state of the nation’s approximately 5,800 Catholic schools, which serve nearly 1.7 million students. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Please describe your role. How do you advise the bishops on matters of Catholic education?

–I am the chief staff member of the bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education, and my jurisdiction covers Catholic education from preschool through high school across the United States, with an emphasis on institutional settings, including Catholic higher education—that is, all our Catholic universities and colleges—and the related public policies.

I have three other staff members and advisors who assist me, and I speak with Bishop David O’Connell several times a week. He is the bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, former president of The Catholic University of America, and chair of the Committee on Catholic Education of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). My job is to carry out his priorities—and those of the other bishops on the committee—in accordance with the USCCB’s mission.

What trends are new, and which ones are continuing in Catholic education?

–The committee of bishops has focused on several issues that have remained relevant under different presidents.

Before Bishop O’Connell, Bishop (Thomas) Daly (of Spokane) showed great interest in evangelizing those who are not affiliated with any religion or who have become estranged from the Church, with a special focus on young people and young adults.

According to him, an analysis of the data shows that many of our young people leave the Church at age 13 or 14. They view Confirmation as a «graduation» from the Church and never set foot in it again. We must examine this situation: What are we doing right, and what are we lacking?

That is one of the areas—a review of Catholic pedagogy and practice in light of what the Church has always done—that has been a project of the committee for several years.

Another important aspect is the emphasis on the inclusion of students with disabilities in our Catholic schools. Over the past 10 years, with the support and encouragement of the bishops, we have made significant progress in the way we serve all our Catholics. It is a mandate.

Another trend that has emerged since the COVID-19 pandemic—and has been exacerbated by cell phones and the ubiquity of technology—is the issue of student mental health. While family breakdown plays a role, there have also been spikes in depression and suicidal ideation as a result of these new technologies and social media, in a sort of culture of unreality.

It seems there is an increase in the number of independent Catholic schools operating outside the oversight of the dioceses. Is this a blessing or a challenge?

–The Church has always maintained that parents can choose the environment and school that best suit their circumstances and those of their child.

Some choose to homeschool their children. Others choose public school. Still others choose private schools. However, Catholic parents have a duty to educate their children in the faith.

This renewal of Catholic education—which includes some independent schools—is, in reality, a return to a coherent vision of reality, born from the heart of the Church. It helps students understand where they come from, where they are going, and why they are here. And this is what Catholic education has always done.

I believe it has had a stimulating effect on many of our diocesan schools, as well as on schools run by religious orders, so overall it has been positive.

Catholic education also appears to be going through a period of experimentation, with the rise of classical schools, microschools, and hybrid homeschooling. What do these emerging models tell us about innovation?

–What these new schools do is acknowledge the historical reality that, unfortunately, secularizing influences—the progressive education that began almost at the same time our bishops were founding the system of parochial schools—took hold in university departments of education and in the institutions where many teachers were trained. There, certain assumptions exist that contradict a coherent Catholic understanding of the world.

It is inevitable that we have not had access to certain things or received specific training, but it is our duty to understand this and try to get back on track. I believe parents are recognizing the impact of these secular influences, and this is evident in the dropout rates.

So, do you consider this experiment to be innovative, but also a return to the past?

–Yes, exactly. God raises up saints for the times when they are needed. I think something similar is happening here in terms of the renewed appreciation for traditional teaching methods. It’s about awakening these children’s sacramental imagination, so that when they look at the world, they know there’s more to it than that. There’s something deeper and supernatural behind it all. God is bringing all of this to life.

How does homeschooling in general fit into the broader landscape of Catholic education?

–People choose homeschooling for a variety of reasons, some financial, others philosophical. It is an integral part of Catholic education, and parents have the right to make that decision, given their circumstances. The Church has always emphasized the need for schools because it knows that parents cannot do everything, but it certainly does not oppose parents’ choice to educate their children at home.

The freedom to choose a school remains a hotly debated political issue. How does it fit into the current landscape and the future of Catholic schools?

–Freedom of school choice is a crucial issue for the bishops, particularly the federal tax credit for scholarships—also known as the Educational Freedom Tax Credit—which was part of the «One Big Beautiful Bill» passed last year. This is an opportunity for taxpayers to donate $1,700 to a scholarship-granting organization and have that donation count as a tax credit.

It has great potential if the Church takes advantage of this opportunity, as it allows parents and families to apply for scholarships. These are private funds, not federal funds, and they allow families to choose the school of their choice, which may be a Catholic school. .

This truly puts the power back in the hands of parents as the primary and most important educators. It would allow more families to attend Catholic schools and could be transformative if people take advantage of it—provided that communication is effective and people are aware that this option exists.

And, ultimately, that is an opportunity to save more lives.

The authorOSV / Omnes

More on Omnes
  • Resources
  • Debate
  • Why does the Pope ask that we respect the approved liturgical texts and rites?
Debate

Why does the Pope ask that we respect the approved liturgical texts and rites?

On May 20 of this year, Leo XIV announced a series of catechesis on the liturgy. Specifically, on the first document of the Second Vatican Council, the constitution *Sacrosanctum Concilium* (SC). The following Wednesday, he called for respect for the approved liturgical texts and rites. Now he has done so again.  

Francisco Otamendi-August 20, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

Regardless of other considerations raised by Vatican analysts—such as the consistory of cardinals scheduled for late June, which ultimately did not address the liturgical issue—the fact is that the Pope unexpectedly announced the May 20  marking the beginning of a new series of catechesis at the Audiencias. This time, the topic was the Sacred Liturgy.

The Pope emphasized, among other things, that the liturgy “touches the very heart of this mystery (the mystery of Christ). It is at once the space, the time, and the context in which the Church receives her own life from Christ. In the liturgy, in fact, the work of our Redemption is made present” (SC, 2).

And he quoted St. Augustine—as he did yesterday, August 19—who wrote that in celebrating the Eucharist, the Church “receives the Body of the Lord and becomes what she receives”: it becomes the Body of Christ, “God’s dwelling place in the Spirit” (Eph 2:22). This is “the work of our redemption,” which conforms us to Christ and builds us up in communion. 

Three Reflections by the Holy Father in May

The following Wednesday, May 27, the Pontiff addressed, among other things, three topics, and said the following:

1. Elements of divine institution.

“The Council affirmed that legitimate progress in the liturgy must also preserve sound tradition, and that ‘certain elements of the liturgy can never change because they are of divine institution.’”.

2. “Preserving tradition while remaining open to legitimate progress”

“To help the faithful access the wealth of the gifts of grace bestowed by the sacred liturgy, the Constitution *Sacrosanctum Concilium* therefore sets forth, in a very effective way, the path to follow: ‘Preserve tradition and be open to legitimate progress.’” (SC, 23)”.

3. Respect for the texts and norms of the liturgy

“In particular, I encourage all priests to respect the texts and norms of the liturgy with openness, humility, trust in God’s greatness, and sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion.”.

León XIV at the liturgical conference at Mount Angel Abbey (Oregon)

Now that summer is here, in conjunction with his catechesis on the liturgy (yesterday’s session brought the total to seven), Leo XIV has published a letter on the occasion of the liturgical conference taking place at Mount Angel Abbey (Oregon, United States). It is dated June 29, and you can read it here.

In light of what we have been discussing, the Pope has written to Cardinal Arthur Roche, Prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, and highlights three points.

The Pope's Emphasis: Liturgical Formation

On the one hand, it reflects Pope Francis’s emphasis in his Letter Desiderio Desideravi, on the need for careful and ongoing formation of both the clergy and the laity—the entire People of God—in order to revitalize the liturgical life of the universal Church (cf. no. 38). 

León XIV then reminds us that we must not ‘neglect to give priority in formation to those who, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, are called to be mystagogues—that is, to take the faithful by the hand and accompany them in their understanding of the holy mysteries’ (ibid.).

The Pontiff notes that “the first practical opportunities for liturgical formation arise from our regular practice of gathering each Sunday to celebrate the Eucharist.”.

Another Reminder Regarding Fidelity to Approved Texts and Rites

He adds that “to promote a dignified celebration of the sacred mysteries, we must emphasize the need for fidelity to the approved texts and instructions.”. 

At this point, he emphasizes that in his recent catechesis on Sacrosanctum Concilium , “I have drawn attention to the respect that all those called to prepare for the celebration of the divine mysteries—and priests in particular—must show toward the rites promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI and Pope Saint John Paul II.».

Pope Leo XIV presides over Mass at the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Assisi, Italy, on August 6, 2026, the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. (Photo by OSV News/Mario Tomassetti, Vatican Media).

Reasons for the Insistence

Anyone can surmise that the Pope’s insistence—especially on the part of priests—on respecting the texts, instructions, and rites approved by the Church is not random. If the Vicar of Christ insists on this matter, there must be reasons, and it stands to reason that the Roman Pontiff receives information from all over the world.

For example, it may not be uncommon for the celebrant to add words or omit words or phrases from the texts of the Eucharist, or to introduce unplanned rites. In colloquial terms, we might call these improvisation or creativity, sometimes motivated by tense situations related to migration—such as wars and conflicts—or other factors.

This summer, my family and friends have been observing this phenomenon, particularly in the Eucharistic Prayers of the Mass—especially during the rite of Communion—and, to a lesser extent, in the words of the Consecration.

Does this, then, hinder the celebrant's creativity?

The constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium The Second Vatican Council, as explained by Pope Leo XIV in his catechesis, stipulates that the sacred liturgy is the responsibility of the hierarchy. This pertains to the authority of the Church, as set forth in paragraph 22, according to a liturgy expert speaking to *Omnes*, who highlights paragraph 3: 

“Therefore, absolutely no one else—not even a priest—should dare, on his own initiative, to add, remove, or change anything regarding liturgical matters.”.

“That’s a powerful statement,” adds this expert. “The liturgy is not the property of the presiding priest; rather, the regulation of the liturgy falls under the authority of the Church.”.

“It may seem as though a priest can take certain liberties, but that is not the case. In this matter, he must conform to what the Church teaches.”.

These changes destabilize the Liturgy, and not infrequently distort it

The same sources refer to Article 59 of the Directive Redemptionis sacramentum, dated 2004, approved by Pope John Paul II and signed by Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship (2002–2008).

The text states: “Let there be an end to the reprehensible practice whereby priests, deacons, or lay faithful change and alter at their own discretion, here and there, the texts of the sacred Liturgy that they recite. When they do this, they destabilize the celebration of the sacred Liturgy and not infrequently distort the authentic meaning of the Liturgy.”.

Finally, the liturgist also mentions number 51 of the Instruction. This point states that “only the Eucharistic Prayers found in the Roman Missal or those that have been legitimately approved by the Apostolic See may be used (…). He adds, “It cannot be tolerated that some priests assume the right to compose Eucharistic prayers,” nor to change the text approved by the Church, nor to use others composed by private individuals.”.

Priests have creative freedom 

“The Church does not forbid priests from being creative, but priestly creativity—which has its place—does not consist in altering what the Church has received and established for the celebration of the Eucharist.”.

“The priest has a great deal of leeway to prepare a good homily, choose from the options provided in the Missal for the type of Mass to be celebrated, select the music, and so on,” notes the expert consulted, “but when it comes to the text established by the Church—especially the Eucharistic Prayer—he cannot become the author of that text.”.

“Faithfulness to liturgical norms is not a matter of rubricism or obsession, but rather faithfulness to the ministry we have received,” he concludes.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Read more
More on Omnes
Gospel

The Keys to the Kingdom. Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Vitus Ntube discusses the readings for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), corresponding to August 23, 2026.

Vitus Ntube-August 20, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

The key to understanding today’s liturgy is, precisely, the key. It is the image that links the first reading with the Gospel and opens us up to their deeper meaning. In our modern world, the traditional key may seem to be losing its importance. Physical keys are increasingly being replaced by digital credentials: phones, biometric scanners, facial recognition, and fingerprints. However, even as technology changes, the fundamental reality remains the same. Keys continue to grant access; they continue to open and close doors.

In the Gospel, we find the well-known scene of Peter’s confession of faith. After his reply that: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God”, Jesus entrusts him with a mission: “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven".

By handing the keys to Peter, Jesus entrusts him with the mission of leading people to Christ and opening the way to salvation for them. Peter not only receives the keys; he is also established as the rock upon which Christ will build his Church. These two images are closely linked. The rock signifies stability and firmness; the keys signify authority and service.

A similar scene appears in the first reading. Eliakim is entrusted with the key to David’s palace. He is given authority over the royal household: “It will open, and no one will close it; it will close, and no one will open it”. Like Peter, Eliaquín is also described as a steadfast supporter, “a stake in a safe place".

But what exactly do these keys tell us about Peter, the papacy, and the Church? A beautiful answer can be found in the Purgatory from Dante. In Canto IX, when Dante arrives at the gate of Purgatory, an angel opens the gate using two keys entrusted to Saint Peter: one of gold and one of silver. The golden key symbolizes the Church’s authority to forgive sins and bestow God’s mercy. The silver key symbolizes the wisdom, discernment, and understanding necessary to open the human heart. The golden key is the more precious of the two, but it cannot effectively fulfill its function without the silver key. The angel explains that the instruction received regarding the use of the keys is to open rather than to lock, provided that mercy is humbly sought.

This image beautifully expresses the Church’s mission. The keys are not given to keep people out, but to bring them in. They are instruments that grant access to Christ. The Church has received from Christ the mission to unlock the treasures of the Gospel, to proclaim the truth, and to lead all peoples to an encounter with Christ.

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Newsroom
  • Culture
  • The Humanity of Christ. Pompeo Batoni, The Sacred Heart of Jesus
Culture

The Humanity of Christ. Pompeo Batoni, The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Pompeo Batoni's painting "The Sacred Heart of Jesus" became the most influential image of this devotion by combining artistic beauty with profound spiritual symbolism. Through it, Christ is presented as a living love who is close to the believer.

Eva Sierra and Antonio de la Torre-August 20, 2026-Reading time: 7 minutes

ARTISTIC COMMENTARY

This image of Christ is one of the most widely recognized depictions of Jesus around the world. It shares certain similarities with Christ giving a blessing, by Antonello da Messina (which we discussed earlier), painted three centuries earlier, particularly in its compositional simplicity and the direct way in which Christ addresses the viewer. Against a dark background, Jesus appears as a young, serene, and compassionate figure, his gaze fixed on the viewer. Batoni follows the traditional symbolism of color in the depiction of Christ: the red tunic alludes to blood and martyrdom, while the blue cloak evokes water, the sky, and divinity. This combination has been used for centuries to express both the humanity and divinity of Christ.

The Revelation of Christ's Love

While in Messina’s work Christ is depicted giving a blessing, Batoni chooses to portray a deeply devotional moment: Jesus offering his Sacred Heart. Christ holds his burning heart in his left hand, and with his right hand—on which the nail wound is clearly visible—he points to us and invites us to follow him. The heart is depicted in great detail: it bleeds from a wound, is surrounded by a crown of thorns, and crowned by a cross—elements that symbolize Christ’s redemptive suffering and eternal love for humanity.

In the Gospel of John, it says: “One of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear.” (John 19:34). Christian tradition and the Church Fathers interpret this to mean that the spear pierced Christ’s heart. Batoni visually captures this theological interpretation. The Sacred Heart expresses Jesus’ boundless love and calls us to respond with love in our daily lives. The Christian vocation consists in conforming our hearts to the Heart of Christ: hearts filled with mercy, self-giving, and compassion. Jesus’ outstretched hand, depicted in foreshortening toward the viewer, invites us to contemplate his Heart and remember the sacrifice he made out of love for humanity.

From Mystical Vision to Artistic Model

Batoni’s work is closely linked to the visions of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647–1690), the French nun who promoted devotion to the Sacred Heart. She described the Heart of Jesus as “a throne of flames, more resplendent than the sun, transparent as crystal, with this lovely wound”. He was surrounded by a crown of thorns, a symbol of the suffering caused by sin, and crowned by a cross, a sign of the burden of the Passion he had taken upon himself since the Incarnation. Batoni, with great creativity, visually renders this description and, at the same time, humanizes the face of Christ, making him seem close and approachable.

Jesus is depicted in a three-quarter profile, gazing directly at the viewer. This intense gaze serves as an invitation to meditate on his redemptive suffering. Light radiates from his heart and partially illuminates his face, while the other half remains in shadow. This duality symbolizes the state of the soul when it turns away from the love and grace of Christ.

Pompeo Batoni was a renowned Italian painter, famous for his portraits of European nobility, especially the English who undertook the Grand Tour in the 18th century. However, he also received important religious commissions, and this painting became his most influential devotional work. The Sacred Heart of Jesus Batoni's work achieved enormous popularity and became the official symbol of devotion to the Sacred Heart, shaping Catholic spirituality in many countries.

The painting remains on display today on the altar of the north side chapel of the Church of the Gesù in Rome, where it continues to inspire prayer, contemplation, and gratitude for Christ's infinite love.

CATECHETICAL COMMENTARY 

The Incarnation of the Son of God, as explained in the previous issue of this series, implies that the Word—the second person of the Holy Trinity, consubstantial with the Father in His divine nature—assumes a human nature: the Humanity of Jesus Christ, who is thus fully God and fully Man. In this installment, we will delve a little deeper into the understanding and expression of the Lord’s Humanity, which was briefly touched upon in the previous installment.

This Humanity is particularly well represented in the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ, where the love of a human heart is united with the Love of a divine person, thus serving as the central organ of Christ’s Humanity and the place where divine Love itself is given to us in human love—that of the Son of God made man. That is why contemplation of the Heart of Christ—as Batoni so expressively captures it in his painting at the Gesù—is a sure path to deepening our understanding of the Lord’s humanity. Hence, Batoni emphasizes Christ’s human features to make him approachable and accessible. In turn, as Saint Teresa of Jesus taught with particular grace, the Humanity of Christ is the sure and pleasant path to a true life of prayer, for it is the Way that leads us to God. Therefore, a mistaken understanding of the Lord’s humanity—in body and soul—poses a serious obstacle to the true knowledge of God and to the proper development of the spiritual life. Throughout history, errors have arisen that have obscured, diminished, or distorted the characteristics of the human nature of the Son of God. Since these errors, though ancient, continue to arise today—albeit in various forms—it is important to recognize them so as not to fall into them, and thus to attain an understanding of Christ’s humanity that truly draws us closer to the Lord’s human identity and to His Sacred Heart.

True God and True Man

One of the earliest errors was to confuse Christ’s humanity with Christ himself—that is, to reduce him to the mere human figure of Jesus of Nazareth, an ordinary man adopted as God’s Son at his baptism. This error, known as adoptionism, holds that Christ’s humanity is merely God’s spokesperson and agent, but is not personally united to God Himself. Every time we speak of Jesus of Nazareth as a mere man, or a simple prophet, or a human teacher of wisdom, we fall once again into this oldest of errors.

This error, in turn, sparked the opposite reaction: Jesus Christ is so divine that his human nature—especially his body—is merely an appearance; he is not a real human being. This Docetism, therefore, would imply that it is not possible to represent, much less paint, God in Jesus Christ, since his body is not real; one could only access Him through spiritual and abstract meditation, as one would an idea inaccessible to the senses. Nothing better to counter this error than the words of Saint Teresa of Jesus: “I could only think of Christ as a man; yet I could never picture Him in my mind. That is why I was so fond of images. Woe to those who, through their own fault, lose this blessing! It seems clear that they do not love the Lord, for if they did, they would take pleasure in seeing His portrait.” (Life 9, 6). It is this experience that justifies and lends such value to paintings like the one by Batoni that we are enjoying.

Arianism held that Christ’s humanity was real and united to divinity, but not to the full, inaccessible, and exclusive divinity of the Father, but rather to a second-order divinity, which would be proper to the Son. Therefore, Christ’s humanity would not be a path to God, but would merely leave us on the threshold of divinity, since the Son is not consubstantial with the Father—that is, of the same divine nature—as we state in the Creed. With a simple phrase—“Jesus Christ is true Man and true God”—the Church shields us from these three errors, which remain more common than they seem.

A Person with Two Natures

The relationship between the true humanity of Jesus Christ and his full divinity is not easy to understand; hence, an excess of rationality or an overemphasis on the cultural peculiarities of each era can lead to imbalances in our understanding of it. Nestorianism, for example, held that Christ’s humanity was found in a human person, Jesus of Nazareth, while his divine nature resided in the Son of God. Thus, there would be one relationship between the believer and the person of Jesus and another with the person of the Son—a distortion that can occur when at times we pray to Jesus as a man and at other times we address the Son as God. On the other hand, Monophysitism held that Christ’s humanity, while not fictitious, was dissolved and rendered nonexistent in the infinity of the divinity of the Word, much like when Christ is contemplated solely in his divine majesty, forgetting the humility and gentleness proper to the human Heart of the Son of God (Mt 11:29).

Nor is it easy to view Jesus’ humanity as a concrete—and, above all, complete—human existence. Apollinarianism viewed the Lord’s humanity as mere corporeality, since his soul, or spirit, was the divine Word. If this were the case, it would be difficult to explain how Jesus grew in true human knowledge of reality (Lk 2:52). On the other hand, Monotheletism stripped Christ’s humanity of its will, since the only will in Him was the divine will of the Son of God. Consequently, his acts of obedience to the Father and of self-giving in the service of humanity would no longer be regarded as examples for any human will, since they sprang from a purely divine will.

Thus, as sometimes happens today, we forget that Jesus Christ has a fully human soul, with human knowledge and a human will, united to the Wisdom and Will of the Word in the person of the Son. For this reason, the formula used by the Council of Chalcedon to define the relationship between the two natures—human and divine—in the single person of the Son of God remains relevant today, just as explained in the previous issue.

A formula that, in a way, is also present in the words with which the Second Vatican Council offers us this excellent reflection on the true humanity of Christ, which we can meditate on so that our understanding of Christ’s humanity may be complete and true: “The Son of God worked with human hands, thought with a human mind, acted with a human will, and loved with a human heart. Born of the Virgin Mary, He truly became one of us, except for sin.” (Gaudium et Spes 22).

Title of the work: Sacred Heart of Jesus
Author: Pompeo Batoni
Century: XVIII
MaterialOil on canvas
Location: Church of the Gesù, Rome
The authorEva Sierra and Antonio de la Torre

Art historian and Doctor of Theology

Read more
More on Omnes
The Vatican

The Pope Praises Sacred Music, a Symbol of Ecclesial Communion

At Wednesday’s audience, Pope Leo XIV stated that the musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value. He emphasized that music is an integral part of the liturgical celebration—not merely an adornment—and that singing fosters ecclesial communion.

Francisco Otamendi-August 19, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

Music is an integral part of the liturgical action; it is not merely a decoration for the celebration. The musical tradition of the universal Church is a treasure of inestimable value that fosters communion, the Holy Father emphasized during his catechesis on this Wednesday in August at St. Peter’s Basilica, in the presence of 5,000 faithful and pilgrims.

Among them, those from Lebanon greeted the Pope with particular joy when he mentioned their country in his message to the Arabic-speaking pilgrims, as did the Poles—as is customary—and the English- and Spanish-speaking pilgrims, who are also typically the loudest.

Sacred music, which is closely linked to the liturgical celebration, is not merely a decoration

León XIV continued on Wednesday at the Audience his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council's constitution *Sacrosanctum Concilium* (SC), specifically Chapter 6, which is devoted to sacred music. 

He began his remarks by referring to paragraph 112 of the document. “The musical tradition of the universal Church constitutes a treasure of inestimable value, which stands out among other artistic expressions, primarily because sacred song, together with the words, constitutes a necessary or integral part of the solemn liturgy.”.

He continued: “Sacred music, therefore, will be all the more holy the more intimately it is united to the liturgical action, whether by expressing prayer with greater delicacy, fostering unity, or enriching the greater solemnity of the sacred rites” (ibid.). 

Here we find the core of the Council’s teaching, which confirms and elaborates on the ministerial role of music in the liturgy, as previously highlighted by St. Pius X in the Motu Proprio *Inter sollicitudines* (November 22, 1903). “In fact, music is part of the liturgical action, and is not merely an ornament of the celebration,” the Pope emphasized.

St. Augustine: “Singing is the mark of those who love”

In the liturgy, singing and playing music mean praying, attuning one’s heart to that of one’s sisters and brothers and to God, through active participation in the mystery being celebrated, the Pope continued in his reflection.

Music, in fact, expresses the emotional dimension of prayer, as St. Augustine states: ‘Cantare amantis est,’ that is, ‘singing is proper to those who love’ (Sermo 336,1). “This is very important, because it helps us open our hearts to God’s action through grace and allow ourselves to be shaped by it.”.

“Singing, moreover, fosters communion. Through harmony, voices help to unite hearts, overcoming differences among people and bringing everyone together in praise of God. In this way, it becomes an epiphany of the Church, a tangible manifestation of the communion that is part of its very nature,” emphasized Leo XIV.

Some Requirements of Sacred Music

The Pope also mentioned some requirements, which stem from the profound theological significance sacred song, as an integral part of the liturgical celebration.

The first is that, regardless of trends or the personal preferences of the authors, it must be appropriate in every respect for the occasion. 

Furthermore, the Pontiff said, “the form, especially in its melodic aspect, must be both noble and simple, of high musical quality and easy to perform, especially when it is intended to be sung by the entire assembly (cf. SC, 121).”. 

For the same reason, “the Council recommends that the texts also be appropriate, profound, and at the same time easy to understand, drawing primarily on Sacred Scripture, the liturgical books, and the spiritual Tradition of the Church.”.

Active Participation of the Faithful

The Pope highlighted a passage from Benedict XVI’s exhortation *Sacramentum caritatis* while analyzing the extensive attention that *Sacrosanctum Concilium* devotes to the active participation of the faithful (cf. no. 114). 

This “must be understood […] based on a deeper awareness of the mystery being celebrated and its relationship to daily life” (Benedict XVI, Apostolic Exhortation Sacramentum caritatis, 52) in a ‘spirit of ongoing conversion that must characterize the life of every believer’ (ibid., 55). 

Specific modes

The Holy Father also recalled the specific way in which this participation of the faithful can be realized through the unique role of sacred music, according to SC:

“The acclamations of the people, the responses, the psalm singing, the antiphons, and the hymns” and “a sacred silence” (SC, 30) “are to be encouraged,‘ with an exhortation ’to each person, whether minister or layperson, to perform ‘all and only what is proper to them by the nature of the action and the liturgical norms’ (SC, 28) within the harmonious balance among the various ministries, the different contributions, and the moments of silence.”. 

Gregorian chant, without excluding other genres

The Council also attaches great importance to the Gregorian chant, without excluding other genres of sacred music from the celebration, the Pope noted.

With regard to inculturation, including in the realm of sacred music, the Pope has summarized the provisions of SC: in particular, it emphasizes “the importance of taking the musical traditions of different cultures fully into account as part of people’s religious and social lives.“ For this reason, it is recommended, on the one hand, that an appropriate ”education in religious sensibility“ be implemented for all (SC, 119) and, on the other hand, ”as far as possible […] to promote the traditional music of their people, both in schools and in sacred celebrations” (ibid.). 

Training and practice in seminaries, novitiates, and houses of study

Finally, in a catechesis that was somewhat longer than on other Wednesdays, the Pope stated that composers of sacred music must know and preserve the Church’s musical heritage, citing St. John Paul II, *Quirógrafo on Sacred Music*, November 22, 2003, 3). 

It has also reiterated the recommendation of the Council Fathers to “promote the study and practice of sacred music ‘in seminaries, in the novitiates of religious orders of both sexes and in houses of higher learning, as well as in other Catholic institutes and schools’ (SC, 115) and to ensure that musicians and singers receive a solid liturgical formation (cf. ibid.). 

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Focus
  • Family
  • Paloma and Juan Luis, parents of a son with a disability: “Sergio is our angel»
Family

Paloma and Juan Luis, parents of a son with a disability: “Sergio is our angel»

Paloma and Juan Luis see Sergio, their son with a disability, as an «angel» who has taught them to live in the present, be grateful for what they have, and grow in family love.

Álvaro Gil Ruiz-August 19, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

Paloma and Juan Luis are the parents of four children. One of them, they say, is an “angel.» When they come from Heaven, they don’t arrive with a manual under their arm; you have to get to know them, and it takes a while, but in the end, they all tend to show great affection and become something very special to the family—in this case, Sergio. 

It all began in 1997, when they were expecting their third child. The pregnancy went well, but the delivery was complicated, and the baby was deprived of oxygen for a while, which led to severe developmental delays and a behavioral disorder. So why call him an “angel” if the outlook wasn’t promising at all? There’s an explanation for everything. At first, it wasn’t easy at all, as it entailed a great deal of responsibility, some guilt, and a lot of uncertainty, but over time, everything fell into place for this “angel,” and now he brings great joy to this happy family. We were able to interview the two main characters in this wonderful and heartwarming story, which we share below. 

Paloma and Juan Luis, how did your family start to grow?

–We both wanted to start a family, although we couldn't agree on how many children to have; Juan Luis wanted a large family, but I wasn't so sure about that. 

When our first daughter was approaching school age, we took her to Senara (a corporate initiative of Opus Dei), and it was there that Juan Luis discovered his calling as a supernumerary.

When she was 5, our second daughter was born, followed by Sergio, and then a fourth child after Sergio.

Financially, things were going very well for us—we had good jobs and a nice home, and we were in good health, too.

Paloma, what was it like when Sergio arrived? What did that mean for you all? How did you feel at first?

–Sergio’s arrival was a joy because he was our third child and our first son after two daughters, and we were very excited, but when he was born, we realized that something wasn’t right. We later learned that there had been fetal distress during labor, which led to Sergio being hospitalized in the ICU for 12 days.

The first year was really tough—constant visits to different pediatricians. We knew something wasn't right, but no doctor could tell us what it was.

I felt completely overwhelmed; I just kept wondering why this was happening and what would become of him. I felt very frustrated and, above all, very helpless, and on the verge of depression. On top of that, he wouldn’t eat and was malnourished, so he had to undergo a temporary gastrostomy for six months—which he ended up keeping for 10 years.

I was so worried about the future that I wasn't living in the present; for a long time, I didn't enjoy it. In fact, when someone told me it was a gift, it made my blood boil.

But thank God, one day something just clicked for me, and I realized I couldn't go on like that—that it wasn't helping my son or the rest of my family at all—and everything changed; I no longer felt like I was in a dark pit.

And you, Juan Luis, how did you take it? What did your kids think?

–I used to think God didn’t love me very much, because everything was going so well for us, and when Sergio came along, it was a gift to be given the responsibility of caring for an angel.

During that first year, I did what Saint Monica did with her son: I talked to God more about Paloma and to Paloma less about God

Our daughters were young at the time; they didn't really understand what was going on, but they did compare their brother's development to that of other children or their cousins and noticed that he wasn't doing the same things.

Paloma, what have you learned during this time? What has living with an angel meant to you?

–During this time, we've learned to enjoy the moment; we don't make long-term plans, we live one day at a time, and we thank God for what we have—we don't focus on what we lack. 

Living with him has helped us grow and become better people; it has changed the way we view life and live it.

Juan Luis, why is Sergio such a sweetheart to you guys?

–His arrival has brightened our lives in a unique way; his disability doesn’t set limits, but rather opens paths for us toward greater sensitivity and a deeper love. With him, we learn to celebrate every small step forward, to see the world through a different lens, and to discover the strength that comes from love. That’s why he’s our angel—because, without even trying, he makes us better people every day.

Juan Luis, what is your family like now? What joys does Sergio bring you?

–We’re a very close-knit family; everything revolves around Sergio. The joy of each day comes from taking care of him and being there for him, because due to his special needs, there are many things he can’t do on his own.

Paloma, what advice would you give to everyone who faces a surprise like the one you did, but is less prepared in every way?

–It's very hard to give someone advice because everyone deals with what happens to them in a different way.

It really helped me to see how Juan Luis dealt with it, and drawing closer to God gave me more confidence and a great deal of inner peace.

I think the key is to seek love and support from your immediate family and professional help from the appropriate specialists, and over time, everything will fall into place.

More on Omnes
Evangelization

Lebanon: The Holy Valley

This valley is the stronghold of the Maronite Church. For centuries, during times of persecution and instability, the Maronites literally entrenched themselves in Qadisha, building monasteries, communal monasteries, and hermitages where they preserved texts, liturgies, and memories; and it was from here that the Lebanese national identity emerged, shaping the country in the centuries that followed.

Gerardo Ferrara-August 19, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

To Lebanon We've already devoted several articles to it: a small country with a vast cultural, human, and religious heritage. Now, just as I did with some Syrian shrines which I had the privilege of visiting on that same trip in 2008, I want to write about its heart: the Qadisha Valley and its monasteries.

Lebanon in the Morning

Lebanese mornings have those scents and flavors that aren't easily forgotten. And if you wake up in the mountains, with a breathtaking view before you—from the southern foothills of the Port of Beirut to the coast of Jounieh—the awakening is even more delightful.

The horn honks, and two black Range Rovers, packed with boisterous Lebanese, come to remind you of the day’s itinerary: breakfast with «kanafeh» on the outskirts of Beirut, a visit to the cedars of the Forest of the Cedars of God («Arz ar-Rabb»), arrival at the Holy Valley, and a visit to the monasteries.

The trip

In Lebanon, even cars have personality: from personalized license plates to roaring engines ready to tackle the grueling climbs and steep gradients that, over the course of about ten kilometers, take you from the sea to an altitude of 2,000 meters through twists and turns, narrow streets, and intersections.

And don't expect the trip to be a breeze if they're stuffing you like a turkey at every turn and your head won't stop turning to take in the wonderful scenery—the mountains, the sea peeking out from one curve to the next, and villages perched on the cliffs.

Nor can one expect the large group of hikers—all Lebanese except for yours truly—spread out among three SUVs, to move in an orderly and precise manner. Everyone stops wherever they want and for as long as they want; while you’re visiting a spot, you lose sight of the other two cars and might discover that one has gone ahead to the next stop and the other is still parked at the last rest stop.

The Cedars

First stop: one of Lebanon’s two most important nature reserves dedicated to cedars. This one is called «Arz ar-Rabb.» It is a wonderful place, a symbol of a country that was once completely covered by cedar forests, which, over the millennia, were even used for King Solomon’s Temple and contributed, along with purple dye, to the prosperity of the Phoenicians. Today, not much remains, but what we behold in the shade of these immense trees is a glimpse of paradise.

“No one’s going to touch you here! You’re in our territory!” a friend from the region—a Maronite stronghold for centuries—smiles at me, patting me on the back. And in that single sentence alone, I sense the reality of Lebanon—made up of peace and coexistence, but also of wars and entrenchment in one’s own ethnic and religious identity. And it all alternates, accumulates, and is assimilated, but it is never forgotten.

The Qadisha Valley

It is said in Lebanon that the fog rising from the Qadisha Valley is, in fact, the incense rising from its monasteries. And, in a way, that is exactly what Qadisha is: a holy valley («qadisha» in Aramaic means precisely «holy»), literally carved into the mountainside, opening up like a treasure cave.

Here, centuries of Maronite monasticism have shaped not only the spiritual landscape but also the physical one, leaving a visible mark on the cultivated terraces, the houses clinging to the rock face, and the trails connecting hermitages and monasteries—just as in the Mount Athos.

One detail that often catches the attention of visitors to Maronite churches and monasteries is the coexistence of monastic communities and hermitages. A monastic community (from the Greek «koinós bios«, «life in community») refers to a way of sharing life and prayer among two or more monks. The hermitage, on the other hand, is the retreat to which some monks withdraw for periods of more intense prayer—sometimes for the rest of their lives—while still welcoming pilgrims and the devout.

This valley is the stronghold of the Maronite Church. This Church, which follows the Syro-Antiochene rite and is in communion with Rome, originated precisely in these mountains, following in the footsteps of Saint Maron, a Syriac monk of the 4th–5th centuries. For centuries, during times of persecution and instability, the Maronites literally entrenched themselves in Qadisha, building monasteries, communal monasteries, and hermitages where they preserved texts, liturgies, and memories; and it was from here that the Lebanese national identity that shaped the country in subsequent centuries emerged.

The monasteries of the valley

Beyond the cedars, the car I’m riding in is the first (and the only one for several tens of minutes!) to arrive at the first monastery we visit: Deir Qannoubin, perhaps the most unique site for the Maronite Church. A monk explains to me that between 1440 and the 19th century, the patriarchs of the Maronite Church resided here (today the official seat is in Beirut, while the summer residence is in Dimane, also in the valley). In the chapels of Deir Qannoubin, as if cradled in the belly of the rock, lie the tombs of numerous Maronite patriarchs.

We stop for a moment of quiet reflection and then set off again before the others. “They’ll catch up with us anyway!” my carmates explain.

So, we headed toward Deir Mar Licha, another monastic center in the valley where it is evident, given the lush natural surroundings, that true monasticism is not a «fuga mundi,» but rather, I would say, an authentic «intelligentia mundi»: a way of being and understanding creation more deeply, and helping to shape it. Examples of this, in addition to the cells, are the vegetable gardens, the paths, and the terraced fields, which remind me of those at the Benedictine monasteries in Subiaco, near Rome.

A stop in Qozhaya (whose name, in Aramaic, means «treasure of life») is also a must. This monastery is famous not only for the age of its structure but also because, since 1584—thanks to a former student of the Maronite College in Rome—it has housed the first printing press in the Middle East. This makes it clear that its treasure also lies in the preservation and dissemination of culture.

We continued on toward Dimane (and I remember that, along the way, my questions about why we weren’t all traveling in a single, orderly convoy caused more surprise than indignation, as did my requests to stay a little longer at a monastery). This is where the Maronite patriarch’s summer residence stands, like a beacon overlooking the valley.

The stop under the waterfall

At last, the trio of all-rounders has managed to get together for what matters most: lunch!

In fact, between one monastery and the next, we stop in the shade of a small waterfall to enjoy a delicious Lebanese lunch at a local restaurant.

The wooden tables under the trees, the paper tablecloths, and the slightly rickety chairs, with the stream below us accompanying the parade of «hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush,» grilled meat, warm bread, and tomatoes—are the perfect setting for a way of life—the Mediterranean and Lebanese way—that is a continuous interweaving of the sacred and the profane, laughter and tears, heated arguments, hugs, and smiles.

And at the end of that day in August 2008, what remained with me was, certainly, the chaos of a disorganized group, the rush to run from one monastery to another (along with my stubborn insistence on straying from the itinerary), ancient cedars, and delicacies of every kind; but also a sense of nostalgia for a country I hope to visit again soon—a country I hope will always be, as Pope Francis described it, a message of peace—and for its people, that they may preserve “the dignity of faith, the nobility of hope. Just like the dignity and nobility of the cedar, the symbol of the country!”.

Read more
More on Omnes
The Vatican

Leo XIV now has his own Vatican coins

Vatican City is minting new coins featuring the likeness of Pope Leo XIV and is also commemorating the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi.

OSV / Omnes-August 18, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

Attention, numismatists. The Vatican City State Mint has issued a new series of coins to commemorate the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV and the Jubilee Year of St. Francis of Assisi.

The first papal portrait in nearly a decade

The first series of euro coins from the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV features both the portrait and the coat of arms of the 267th successor of Peter. The series also includes a special five-euro commemorative coin depicting the moment when St. Francis renounced his worldly possessions before the bishop of Assisi to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, with the obverse showing the portrait of Pope Leo XIV.

This is the first time in nearly a decade that the Vatican has issued coins bearing the portrait of a pope. In 2017, Pope Francis requested that his portrait no longer appear on Vatican coins, making the Vatican at that time the only euro-issuing country without the image of its head of state on its circulating coins.

From a collector's item to a coin for everyday use

The euro became the official currency of Vatican City in 2002. According to Coins Weekly, Vatican euro coins command very high prices among collectors due to their limited mintage and the high demand for the smallest mintings of all euro coins.

The current set of commemorative coins, with a face value of 3.88 euros, sells for 39 euros (about $45) on the official website of the Vatican's numismatic office. In 2009, the Vatican agreed to put at least 51 % of the minted coins into circulation at their face value, rather than solely as collector’s items, which led gift shops at the Vatican Museums and other businesses in the microstate to begin giving the 50-cent coins featuring the papal coat of arms as change.

Sister Raffaella Petrini, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist who serves as President of the Government of Vatican City State, recently described the Vatican City State Mint as «not only a place of production, but also a repository of historical and economic memory because, through the processes of engraving, casting, and minting, it creates coins that imprint a message of universal significance on metal.».

A design with references to Louis XIV

Distinctive elements of Pope Leo XIV’s coat of arms appear on the new Vatican two-euro coins, which feature a lily—symbolizing purity and devotion to the Virgin Mary—and a flaming heart pierced by an arrow resting on an open book, emblematic of Augustinian spirituality.

The design of the Vatican’s new coins is the work of Italian artist Daniela Longo, who also designed the coins for Pope Francis and Benedict XVI, as well as the special «sede vacante» coins issued in 2005 following the death of John Paul II. «Sede vacante» is the period during which the See of Rome is vacant prior to the election of a new pope.

The authorOSV / Omnes

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Columnists
  • With an Open Heart. How can we teach that God cares for us and loves us?
ColumnistsJuan Ignacio Izquierdo Hübner

With an Open Heart. How can we teach that God cares for us and loves us?

The Sacred Heart of Jesus is presented as a response to the desire to teach and experience God’s love, an experience that the documentary about Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque brings to the big screen.

August 18, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

It’s always a challenge to introduce students to the big questions of life. Among them, the question of love is undoubtedly the most difficult. That’s why, these past few days, I was so grateful to be invited to the preview from the documentary Sacred Heart: His kingdom will have no end.

          The gathering had that festive atmosphere typical of World Youth Day or meetings with the Pope: priests, religious brothers, and nuns—about 200 people—filled the movie theater. We sat down, the lights went out, and a young woman influencer He put it into context. “This production was an unprecedented success in France. They weren’t expecting many people, but half a million ended up attending. Since then, the feature film has been touring the world. It hits Chilean theaters this Thursday, August 20.”.

What is the plot? Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (a nun of the Order of the Visitation in Paray-le-Monial, 17th century) received as a gift a spark from the Heart of Jesus. Through that grace, she personally experienced something of the love that God has for humanity. Centered around this theme, the film weaves in testimonies from people who experienced a transformation in their lives following their encounter with the Lord.

After an hour and a half, we left feeling moved, hearing all kinds of comments. “I really wish the students preparing for Confirmation could have come to see it,” remarked the chaplains from a school. “Did you cry?” others asked, somewhere between genuine curiosity and joking. As for me, I left in silence, feeling a bit overwhelmed. I got on the subway to head home and couldn’t bring myself to read a single line on my Kindle. I was in a state of shock… Is it possible to live like that—like Saint John resting on Jesus’ chest, day and night? I haven’t been able to get that question out of my head…

Along with this, I know there is a treasure here for my classes: How can I teach that God cares for us and loves us? The Sacred Heart of Jesus is, without a doubt, a powerful answer.

The authorJuan Ignacio Izquierdo Hübner

Lawyer from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, Licentiate in Theology from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross (Rome) and Doctorate in Theology from the University of Navarra (Spain).

More on Omnes
  • Focus
  • Evangelization
  • Jordan is preparing for the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus' baptism in 2030
Evangelization

Jordan is preparing for the 2,000th anniversary of Jesus' baptism in 2030

Jordan has announced the start of preparations for the historic celebration of the 2,000th anniversary of the Baptism of Jesus in 2030, at the site where it took place, in Bethany Beyond the Jordan, also known as Al-Maghtas.  

OSV / Omnes-August 18, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

– Dale Gavlak, Amman (Jordan), OSV News

Jordan has kicked off preparations to celebrate the 2,000th anniversary of the Baptism of the Lord four years from now, in 2030, at the very site where St. John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ, in Bethany, as described in the Gospel (John 1:28–34).

To date, four popes have visited this site of great religious significance: Saint Paul VI in 1964, followed by Saint John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. Jordan It is the only country to have hosted all four popes, who recognized the site's importance.

Pilgrims bathe on the Israeli bank of the Jordan River, overlooking Jordan, on January 28, 2023, at one of the sites traditionally believed to be the site of Christ's baptism (Photo by OSV News/Tom Tracy).

On August 12, Jordanian Prime Minister Jafar Hassan signed the agreements to begin development work on the land adjacent to the Site of the Baptism, in order to commemorate the second millennium of Christ's baptism in 2030, by order of King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Construction of a Museum of Baptism and Other Initiatives

The projects, with a total budget of $120 million, include the construction of a Baptism Museum and a village for pilgrims and visitors, as well as the development of nature trails near the World Heritage Site, in accordance with UNESCO’s recommendations for the site’s conservation.

King Abdullah and his government are working with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the Council of Church Leaders in Jordan, including Auxiliary Bishop Iyad Twal, the Latin Patriarchal Vicar in Jordan. At the same time, they are coordinating ideas and efforts with Christian churches and institutions around the world.

Millions of pilgrims are expected

The organizers said they expect millions of Christian pilgrims and other participants to arrive at Jordan to take part in this historic commemoration of the Site of the Baptism, the starting point of Christ’s earthly mission following his baptism in the Jordan River.

In a file photo, rosaries are displayed in a souvenir shop as Orthodox Christian pilgrims make their way to Mass at a baptismal site on the banks of the Jordan River. (Photo by OSV News/Muhammad Hamed, Reuters).

‘A prophetic sign of unity’

During a meeting held on May 18 with King Abdullah and the country’s clergy, Cardinal Pizzaballa emphasized that “the Lord’s baptism is not merely a historical event of the past, but an eternal moment that still challenges each one of us.”.

“In it we see the humility of the Son of God, who entered the waters of the Jordan to sanctify creation and open the way to salvation for all of us,” said the cardinal. 

“Baptism marks the beginning: the beginning of Christ’s mission and the beginning of our new life in it,” he said.

A clergyman carries the Gospels as the concelebrants enter in procession for Mass at the Catholic Church of the Baptism of Christ in Bethany Beyond the Jordan, near Amman, on January 9, 2026. (Photo by OSV News/Alaa Al Sukhni, Reuters).

Not merely a memory of the past, but a prophetic sign of unity, peace, and living faith

Recognizing King Abdullah’s work as custodian of the holy Christian sites and his efforts toward peace, Cardinal Pizzaballa stated that, by commemorating the baptism of Christ, “we can make 2030 not only a remembrance of the past, but a prophetic sign of unity, peace, and living faith for the whole world.”. 

“May God be with us all as we prepare for this important event,” he added.

Jafar Hassan, Prime Minister of Jordan, highlighted Jordan’s message of coexistence, respect for others, peace, love, and human brotherhood. He also stated that the second millennium of the Baptism of Jesus Christ reflects Jordan’s historical and religious standing and its role as a global destination for Christian pilgrimage. 

Hassan stated that the government is mobilizing all available resources to support the event, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen Jordan's position as a land of religious heritage and a global destination for Christian pilgrims.

———————

Dale Gavlak writes for OSV News from Amman, Jordan.

This information was originally published in OSV News. You can read it here.

The authorOSV / Omnes

Read more
More on Omnes
The Vatican

León XIV denounces social injustices and calls for peace

León XIV advocates for a two-state solution to the conflict in the West Bank, while denouncing social injustices.

Editorial Staff Omnes-August 17, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

During the recitation of the Angelus In Castel Gandolfo on August 16, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the Gospel passage about the Canaanite woman to denounce social injustices and issue a strong call for international peace.

In his address, the Pontiff emphasized that we can learn «humility and determination» from the figure of the Canaanite woman, recalling that through faith we come to understand that «God’s table is set for everyone and that no one is left with only crumbs.».

The Pope has asserted that «the inequalities, discrimination, and barriers that trample on the dignity of so many of God’s sons and daughters are unbearable.» He also called on the Church not to be afraid to «share the peace of Christ beyond the boundaries that have already been drawn.».

Urgent Call for a Two-State Solution in Palestine

After the Angelus prayer, the Holy Father turned his attention to the conflict in the Middle East. Leo XIV once again condemned the suffering of the civilian population: «I reiterate my call for an end to the repeated acts of violence against the Palestinian civilian population in West Bank".

In light of this escalation, he has urged diplomats and global institutions to act swiftly: «I urgently call on the international community to ensure progress toward a two-state solution, in the interest of a just and lasting peace.».

Sports as a Force for Peace and a Greeting to Pilgrims

The Pope also mentioned the Mediterranean Games, which will begin this week in Taranto, with athletes from Africa, Asia, and Europe participating. The Pontiff expressed his hope that this sporting event would become «a harbinger of peace and brotherhood among the peoples of this region and the entire world.»

 Finally, he addressed a few words of affection to the faithful in attendance and sent his blessing to the participants in the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Piekary Śląskie, in Upper Silesia.

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Focus
  • Evangelization
  • Rhoda Wise, a housewife from Ohio and a mystic with stigmata, near the altars
Evangelization

Rhoda Wise, a housewife from Ohio and a mystic with stigmata, near the altars

Rhoda Wise, a resident of Ohio, was a layperson, a wife, and an adoptive mother, but she was also a stigmatized mystic. After a life marked by adversity, she may now be declared Venerable by the Church.

OSV / Omnes-August 17, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

– Anna Dougherty, OSV News

Wise’s cause for canonization took an important step forward on July 7, when the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio (United States), announced that the official “positio”—a comprehensive document detailing his life of virtue and the alleged miracles—had been submitted to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

The Dicastery will investigate her life, determine whether she should be declared venerable, and recommend to the Pope that he make such a declaration.

The Life of Wise

Wise was declared a Servant of God in 2017 when the late Bishop George V. Murry of Youngstown initiated her cause for canonization. She was born into a Protestant family of modest means in 1888, according to the EWTN program “They Might Be Saints” (They might be saints),” broadcast July 7, 2022. She endured a life of adversity, including infertility, the loss of one of her two adopted daughters, and an alcoholic husband who couldn't hold down a job. 

In the 1930s, Wise suffered from several health problems, including an 18-kilo ovarian cyst and a foot fracture that did not heal properly. During one of her hospital stays, she befriended the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, who taught her to pray the rosary and told her about St. Thérèse of Lisieux, to whom she eventually developed a deep devotion. According to her diary, she was received into the Catholic Church on January 1, 1939.

Miraculously healed after a vision of Christ and Saint Teresa

On May 8, 1939, doctors at Mercy Hospital in Canton, Ohio, sent her home to die. The painful wound in her abdomen, resulting from abdominal surgery, had become infected, and several surgical attempts to remove an abscess had failed. Shortly after returning home, she began to have visions of Christ and, later, of St. Teresa.

After having a vision of Christ and Saint Teresa on June 28, 1939, she wrote in her diary that she had been miraculously healed. 

“I was amazed to discover that the wound on my abdomen had completely healed,” he wrote. “My family and friends were overjoyed, and in the days that followed, many people came to my house to see me.”.

According to the website for Rhoda Wise's House and Grotto, She continued to have visions until her death in 1948, and beginning on Good Friday, April 3, 1942, she experienced the stigmata every first Friday of the month, from 12:00 to 15:00, until 1945.

Stigmata on his forehead, hands, and feet

Bleeding stigmata appeared on Wise's forehead and continued to appear and bleed intermittently over the next two years. In 1943, bleeding stigmata appeared on his hands and feet, as well as on his forehead. Many visitors to Wise's home witnessed these stigmata.

As her reputation for holiness spread, many visitors came to speak with her and pray outside her home, which remains a place of pilgrimage to this day. 

Ryan Schweitzer, who has served as assistant director of the Wise home and nonprofit organization in Canton since the fall of 2023, said that in 2025 alone, 5,500 people from 19 countries visited the home. Healing—both physical and spiritual—is common at the home, Schweitzer said. 

The Lord told him that there would be many miracles there

“Our Lord had told Rhoda that there would be many more miracles here, in this place—many more wonderful miracles than the ones she experienced—and Our Lord has kept His word,” Schweitzer told OSV News.

In 2018, Dr. Mark Shoag was diagnosed with stage 4 sarcoma and given six months to live. As chemotherapy took its toll on his body, his wife, Betsy Shoag, read Wise’s diary to him, according to the EWTN program.

One day, when Mark was too weak to get out of bed, Betsy took his shirt to the Wise family's house to pray for a miracle. When she returned, she found Mark awake and asking for permission to leave the house. 

“I went from believing that science could explain everything to believing that… miracles exist,” said Mark, who survived eight years longer than expected before passing away in 2024.

“Without Rhoda Wise, there would have been no Mother Angelica, founder of EWTN”

EWTN traces its origins to a miracle that took place at the Wise family home. 

According to EWTN, As a teenager, Mother Angelica—then Rita Antoinette Rizzo—was taken to see Wise in the hope of being cured of a debilitating stomachache caused by a rare condition called gastrointestinal ptosis. .

The EWTN program about Wise recounts that Rhoda recommended that Rita pray a novena, after which her stomach ailment suddenly disappeared. This miracle changed the course of her life, prompting her to take religious vows and, later, to found EWTN. 

Rita joined the Congregation of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, taking the name Sister María Angélica de la Anunciación, and in 1981 she founded what is now a global Catholic media organization.

“If Rhoda Wise hadn’t existed, Mother Angelica wouldn’t have existed, because her healings led her to her vocation and to EWTN,” said Karen Sigler, who directs the Rhoda Wise Shrine.

Next Steps

Father John Sheridan, of the Diocese of Youngstown and the liaison for Wise’s cause, said that Wise’s “positio” will be reviewed by two Vatican commissions: the theological commission and the historical commission. 

“The historical commission will examine the life and times of Rhoda Wise, who grew up in Ohio, United States, beginning in the 1880s, and lived through the Great Depression and World War I and World War II,” Father Sheridan told OSV News. “Theologians will examine the claims that she was a mystic and that she experienced stigmata.”.

These commissions will submit separate recommendations to the bishops, cardinals, and experts who make up the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The dicastery may then recommend to the Pope that he declare the candidate’s heroic virtues and that the Church grant him the title of “Venerable.”.

The next steps in the canonization process are beatification and canonization. In general, each step requires that a miracle attributed to Wise’s intercession have been verified.

She could be the patron saint of those who struggle with addiction

If she is ever canonized, Father Sheridan remarked that she could be the patron saint of those struggling with addiction, since her husband eventually overcame his alcoholism. She could also be the patron saint of homemakers or adoptive mothers. 

“Rhoda Wise embodies the virtues of patience and perseverance,” Sheridan said. “She lived in poverty, and even though many people came to her home, she never tried to get rich. She continued to live in the same humble home and lead a life of extreme poverty. I think there’s something beautiful about that.”.

——————

Anna Dougherty writes for OSV News from Texas.

This information has been originally published in OSV News, and can be found at here.

The authorOSV / Omnes

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Newsroom
  • Culture
  • Books
  • “Dialogues on Faith” (2025), a conversation between Martin Scorsese and Antonio Spadaro 
Books

“Dialogues on Faith” (2025), a conversation between Martin Scorsese and Antonio Spadaro 

The renowned Martin Scorsese discusses faith and prayer in "Dialogues on Faith," a conversation with Antonio Spadaro.

Andrés Cárdenas Matute-August 17, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

When Martin Scorsese was a child, he assisted Father Francis Principe—an important figure in his life—at Mass. After the blessing, little Martin would wonder, “Why can life go on as usual after what just happened? Why haven’t the Body and Blood of Christ moved the world?”.

He recounts this in a conversation with Antonio Spadaro, a priest and essayist, in Conversations About Faith (ESPASA, 2015). There is much discussion of the filmography of the director of *Raging Bull* (1980); perhaps even more extensively about “Silence” (2016), “Killers of the Flower Moon” (2023), and, at times, about “The Last Temptation of Christ” (1988). Scorsese devotes a few lines to the Dardenne brothers because “they make films of spiritual suspense” about people who “seem neither good nor bad—they’re just people”; and he gives the priest—months before Pope Leo XIV himself recommended it to everyone—a copy of “The Practice of the Presence of God” by Brother Lorenzo: “When I was little, I used to ask myself, ”What’s the point of praying? What does it mean to pray for something? Why is it done within the four walls of a church?“ Brother Lorenzo provided the answers. His whole life is prayer.‘.

There is one thing that interests Spadaro—as it does anyone interested in stories—and that is the theme of freedom: the depth of the stories depends on how freedom is understood from an anthropological perspective. They have this conversation in the context of the writer Marilynne Robinson, until the priest asks directly: Do you believe in a character’s predestination? “Obviously, as creators of works of fiction, we know what our characters are going to do. But when it comes to finding the right way to tell these stories, it’s important to keep in mind the mystery of humanity. Why do they do ‘that’ instead of ‘the other thing’? Human freedom is undoubtedly important in my films; otherwise, we wouldn’t be talking about redemption. When Father Principe told us, ‘You don’t have to live like this,’ he was actually telling us that there was another spiritual path that would not only take us out of the neighborhood but would also open our hearts and minds. He was teaching us that we had the freedom to choose.”.

Read more
More on Omnes
ColumnistsBryan Lawrence Gonsalves

The Rise of Pregnancy Outsourcing

Surrogacy is becoming increasingly common, especially among celebrities, politicians, and public figures with high purchasing power, who often openly describe it as an empowering and transformative path to parenthood.

August 17, 2026-Reading time: 6 minutes
RelatedRelated News"Surrogate motherhood is violence" says UN Special RapporteurRelated NewsPope Francis' prophetic call to abolish surrogacy

Surrogacy is an arrangement in which a woman carries and gives birth to a child for another person or couple, who then become the child's legal parents. The Catholic Church has consistently opposed this practice; the Pope Francis’ spoke out against it, and Pope Leo XIV reiterated those concerns in January, followed by the Holy See’s statement at the United Nations in March. In June, several governments also raised their concerns about the surrogacy before the UN Human Rights Council.

Despite these warnings, surrogacy is becoming increasingly mainstream, especially among celebrities, politicians, and public figures with high purchasing power, who often openly describe it as an empowering and transformative path to parenthood.

Even more shocking is the fact that surrogacy is already a multimillion-dollar industry in which people with considerable financial resources can pay women—often from more modest backgrounds—to carry their children. This raises questions not only about the morality of surrogacy itself, but also about wealth, power, women’s dignity, the commodification of children, and the kind of society we are building around motherhood.

No one can know the circumstances behind every decision to resort to surrogacy. Infertility, medical complications, or other deeply painful circumstances may be involved. But as the practice moves beyond exceptional cases and becomes increasingly common, there is one question that deserves greater attention: What happens when the wealthy can outsource the physical demands of pregnancy to women with fewer economic options?

When Pregnancy Becomes a Commodity

For years, Hollywood has been one of the most visible showcases for surrogacy. A quick search will reveal countless examples of actors, models, and other public figures who have welcomed children through this practice. What was once generally considered an exceptional response to serious medical circumstances is increasingly being presented as a routine reproductive option. It is no longer discussed solely in the context of infertility.

Furthermore, the popularity of so-called “social surrogacy” makes this shift particularly striking. In these cases, surrogacy is sought for professional, social, or aesthetic reasons. Underlying this is the perception that pregnancy does not fit well with a professional career—either because someone does not want the physical changes associated with pregnancy, or because taking time off from work could mean missing out on opportunities.

Whatever the individual circumstances may be, the rise of social surrogacy runs the risk of treating the physical realities of pregnancy as obstacles to be overcome through money and technology, rather than realities to which society should adapt by supporting and caring for pregnant women. This also reflects a deeper problem in our modern culture, which often measures a person’s worth by their productivity. Thus, pregnancy is viewed as unproductive, since it requires time, energy, and sacrifice, and motherhood can temporarily disrupt a woman’s career and financial prospects.

What we are witnessing is a system in which wealthy families increasingly have the option of shifting the costs and physical burdens of pregnancy onto someone else. Surrogacy is often presented as a step forward and as an expression of reproductive autonomy. The language of free choice is appealing, but it can mask a harsher reality: one party’s freedom may depend on another’s economic vulnerability.

The Fundamental Paradox of Subrogation

With surrogacy, the burdens of pregnancy do not disappear; they are simply transferred. Pregnancy does not become any less demanding just because someone else is willing to carry the child. The physical risks, medical monitoring, pain, and potential complications are simply borne by another woman’s body.

The power imbalance becomes even more troubling when contractual agreements dictate what a surrogate mother can eat, drink, or do during her pregnancy, or when the intended parents demand that the pregnancy be terminated because the baby has been diagnosed with a disability or a health condition. Whatever the circumstances of each specific case, these scenarios highlight how easily pregnancy can become subject to the terms of a contract.

That is why we cannot ignore the social and economic inequality inherent in surrogacy. The question is not whether people who turn to surrogacy sincerely want to have children. Undoubtedly, many do. The question is why it is so consistently women with fewer financial resources who bear the physical burden, while those with greater financial means can commission a pregnancy.

Just as wars are an age-old phenomenon that send young people off to fight and die, surrogacy is the way the wealthy distance themselves from the physical burdens of pregnancy by placing them on those from more modest backgrounds.

When this happens, the abuses suffered by surrogate mothers are overlooked and disappear from public debate. While attention naturally focuses on the prospective parents and their desire to start a family, the woman who is actually carrying the child in her womb becomes almost invisible, reduced to the means by which that desire is fulfilled. Her body risks becoming, in practice, infrastructure for someone else’s family.

The war in Ukraine brought this dynamic into particularly sharp relief. When Russia invaded the country, international media reported on intended parents who were unable to pick up the babies born through surrogacy because the children remained in Ukraine. The language used was often shockingly commercial, framing the crisis around parents who could not retrieve the children they had commissioned, while the women who had carried those children received far less attention. This revealed how easily the surrogate mother can disappear entirely from the narrative.

The Politics of Reproductive Dynamics

The surrogacy industry thrives on a constant supply of poor and vulnerable women who, faced with harsh economic conditions, become surrogate mothers. At its core, this system turns women’s bodies into a market, and we see this happening all over the world in countries such as India, Thailand, Nepal, and, in recent years, Nigeria and Georgia.

We may be witnessing the emergence of a new reproductive class, in which those with sufficient wealth can free themselves from the physical demands of pregnancy while women with fewer economic options bear those demands. In California, a surrogacy arrangement can easily cost more than $150,000 once fertility treatments, medical care, legal fees, agency fees, and compensation are factored in. This is not an ordinary consumer expense. It is an industry accessible primarily to people with considerable purchasing power.

For most of human history, pregnancy was one of the few biological realities that transcended class barriers. Women experienced vastly different levels of medical care and living conditions, but pregnancy itself could not simply be transferred to another person. With surrogacy, this reality changes.

This change is particularly significant in our modern culture, which places enormous pressure on women’s bodies. Hollywood and much of the entertainment industry in general reward youth, thinness, beauty, and constant professional availability. Pregnancy can disrupt all of that. Hence, the wealthy can buy into an arrangement in which another woman’s body bears the physical costs of reproduction, while the economic system that makes it difficult to balance pregnancy with work remains virtually unchanged.

That is toxic capitalism, a lack of ethical morality, and a disregard for innate human values—all of which, taken together, are making their way even into the womb itself.

Building a Culture of LifeBuilding a culture of life

Instead, we should work toward a culture of life that truly prioritizes the family. In a society that genuinely values motherhood, pregnancy should not be viewed as a burden or a career setback that women must find ways to avoid. This requires affordable child care, safe working conditions, and meaningful social protection for families.

The desire to have a child is deeply human, and infertility can cause profound suffering. But a good desire does not make every means of fulfilling it morally good. Instead of building a society in which the wealthy can outsource pregnancy to poorer women, we should build one in which motherhood is supported, protected, and valued.

The Catholic perspective is based on a simple principle: neither the mother nor the child exists to serve the desires of another person. Both possess an inherent dignity bestowed by God. The question, therefore, is not merely whether technology allows us to outsource pregnancy, but whether this is the kind of society we should want to build.

The authorBryan Lawrence Gonsalves

Journalist and essayist born in the United Arab Emirates and based in Lithuania. He is a contributor to Omnes, EWTN News and CNA Deutsch.

Read more
RelatedRelated News"Surrogate motherhood is violence" says UN Special RapporteurRelated NewsPope Francis' prophetic call to abolish surrogacy
More on Omnes
  • Focus
  • Evangelization
  • Pro-life activist Paul Vaughn shares his journey from evangelism to Catholicism this Easter
Evangelization

Pro-life activist Paul Vaughn shares his journey from evangelism to Catholicism this Easter

Paul Vaughn, a pro-life activist and father of 11 children, transitioned from a leadership role in Protestant communities to the Catholic Church along with his wife and four of his children after years of questioning his faith.

OSV / Omnes-August 16, 2026-Reading time: 3 minutes

As his family grew to 11 children, Paul Vaughn gradually got used to people assuming that he and his wife, Bethany, were Catholic.

They are now.

During this year’s Easter Vigil, this 59-year-old pro-life activist from Centerville, Tennessee, Bethany Vaughn, and four of her children transitioned from evangelical Protestant Christianity to full communion with the Catholic Church at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in the nearby city of Columbia.

Paul Vaughn explained to OSV News that, like so many others, his journey to the fullness of the Catholic faith has been a winding path of faith, during which he had previously held leadership roles in a Reformed Baptist congregation and in an independent Presbyterian congregation that he himself had helped found.

Commitment to the Defense of Life

The legal proceedings involving the pro-life activist, which have now concluded with a settlement with the federal government—announced on July 28—for more than one million dollars from a Department of Justice compensation fund, also had their ups and downs.

Vaughn was one of 23 activists pardoned by President Donald Trump in January 2025 after being convicted of violating the federal Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act). On March 5, 2021, Vaughn had participated in a protest that blocked the entrance to an abortion clinic in Mount Juliet, a suburb of Nashville.

Vaughn was not sentenced to prison, but rather to three years of probation following six months of house arrest.

«The process itself is the punishment,» he said. In addition to having to report to a probation officer, Vaughn explained that he had to report his income and was not allowed to travel for work—as a co-owner of a small Internet service provider—without permission.

He and Bethany were at the 2025 National March for Life in Washington when the pardons were announced. He described it as «a great ecumenical moment in support of life. Everyone stopped and came together in a spirit of unity.».

More settlements are expected from the Department of Justice. Vaughn and some of the other pro-life activists were represented by the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based law firm specializing in religious freedom.

Paul, a native of Arkansas, and Bethany, originally from Texas, met in the 1990s while providing counseling on the sidewalk outside abortion clinics, after serving in the Navy following high school and while working for IBM. Over time, he became president of Personhood Tennessee.

The Vaughns' eleven children range in age from 31 to 5, and six of them are already married. Paul Vaughn explained that the size of his family was not the result of any detailed plan.

What led you to Catholicism?

«We’re not great theological thinkers. God said that children are a blessing. Let’s make family our top priority, striving to do what’s right and enjoy that blessing,» he said.

They had always had Catholic friends in the pro-life movement, but Vaughn said the decision to convert to the Catholic faith began «probably four or five years ago. «We began to see many shortcomings in the leadership of our church and in our own spiritual journey.»”.

At that time, he was one of the three elders in his Baptist congregation, which was an independent Presbyterian congregation.

«We simply realized that the independent church model wasn’t working. There was no consistency in worship practices,» he explained.

«Protestants,» he noted, «have hang-ups about the Pope and Mary: they don’t understand what they believe in, but they know they’re supposed to have them.».

The Joy of Conversion

Joining the Catholic Church, he said, brought him «incredible joy.».

He said, «Of course, I haven’t regretted it at all. The focus is entirely on our relationship with Christ and on growing in grace with Him.».

Translation generated using the free version of the DeepL.com translator

Kurt Jensen writes for OSV News from Washington.

The authorOSV / Omnes

More on Omnes
ColumnistsPeca Macher

When the Dream of Reason Terrifies

We have to accept that beauty, goodness, and truth can be revealed when we stop trying to control the experience.

August 16, 2026-Reading time: 3 minutes

When we look at something, the first thing we do—consciously or unconsciously—is ask ourselves if we recognize what’s in front of us, what it looks like, or what it reminds us of. That recognition triggers emotions associated with the stimulus. We then construct our own narrative and evaluate the experience.

The world is not neutral. It enters us through the senses and elicits a response. The mind identifies an emotion and, through memory and intelligence, transforms it into a feeling and interprets it. As Byung-Chul Han points out, “Feelings are narratives. Emotions are impulsive.” (“The Salvation of Beauty”).

When faced with a stimulus, we experience pleasure or pain, and the option to fight or flee arises almost automatically. We interpret reality from our own perspective and, based on that, regulate our behavior and our relationships with others and with the world. Paying attention to this process creates a pause between the stimulus and the reaction and allows us to decide whether to react or respond.

Fear and the Limits of Reason

Fear is one of the most primitive emotions and arises almost immediately in response to certain stimuli. The fear of the dark is one of the first fears we experience. Where understanding is lacking, the imagination can fill the void with threats. Reason then acts as a light that allows us to discern and understand the unknown.

But there are experiences—such as death or pain—for which reason does not always provide answers. When faced with something that overwhelms us, we can run away, hide, or give up.

Running away is the most instinctive response. Hiding means protecting oneself, putting on masks, playing roles, or putting up walls. The third option is to surrender. This does not mean giving up, but rather acknowledging that we are facing something beyond our control and accepting the limits of our ability to understand.

The Contemplation of Art and the Coexistence of Opposites

Something similar happens when we encounter a work of art. When we stand before it, we seek to identify and understand what it depicts, what it means, what it resembles, or how it was made. The mind quickly tries to construct an explanation and bring the experience to a close. Contemplating it requires allowing the work to affect us before we rush to interpret it.

Art can do something different with the things that frighten us. It sheds light because it plays with shadows, with what is broken and with what is ugly, without hiding or shying away from them. It looks at them and transforms them, bringing together the beautiful and the terrible, light and darkness, what we understand and what remains a mystery. In this way, it seeks a lost unity among opposites.

Surrendering to a work of art does not mean giving up reason, but rather allowing reason to come later. It means accepting that not everything has to be interpreted. Standing before what we do not understand can give rise to a question and become a form of knowledge.

Digital Noise and the Value of Silence

To do that, we need a break. And a break requires silence.

We live in a time when silence makes us uncomfortable. Images, words, notifications, and information fill every void. Algorithms detect what captures our attention, and fear, outrage, and confrontation are often more effective than calm at holding it. While we believe we’re choosing what we see, we can become trapped in narratives that feed our fears, polarize our perspectives, and erect walls between us and others.

In that void, we can regain the distance needed to observe what is affecting us, what we are believing, and where our attention is being directed. Where noise seeks to provoke an immediate reaction, silence introduces a pause. And in that pause, we can take another look.

Learning to Be Attentive: Lessons from the Breeze and the Water

The account of Elijah in the First Book of Kings conveys this powerfully. The prophet comes out of the cave and seeks God in the wind, in the earthquake, and in the fire. “But the Lord was not there.” Then comes “the sound of a gentle breeze,” and it is there that Elijah recognizes His presence.

What is essential doesn't always come on strong. Sometimes it requires us to pause, listen, and stay put.

Something similar happens to Peter when he walks on the water. As long as he keeps his eyes on Christ, he moves forward. But when he feels the wind and becomes afraid, he stops surrendering. He tries to take control and begins to sink. Fear has shifted his focus to his heart, where he seeks a foundation in reason.

Elijah and Peter speak to us, in different ways, about the same attitude: learning to listen. Not everything that is important demands our attention with a clamor. Some things can only be perceived when we are silent.

The revelation of what is essential, without domination

Contemplation requires silence. To stand in the presence of what we do not understand is to accept that beauty, goodness, and truth can reveal themselves when we stop trying to control the experience.

The authorPeca Macher

Peca Macher is an architect and art curator, founder of Präsenz, a project that integrates art, education and conscious leadership through pausing, looking and listening. With more than 25 years of experience in cultural management and reflection, she writes and researches about memory, aesthetic experience and art as a tool for personal and social transformation. She is the author of the book Präsenz. Art as a tool for human and educational transformation.

More on Omnes
  • Newsroom
  • The Vatican
  • The Pope extols love and the purity of the soul on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary
The Vatican

The Pope extols love and the purity of the soul on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary

León XIV has returned to Castelgandolfo to celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The glorification of Mary in soul and body teaches us that our true beauty lies in showing, even in our flesh, the signs of love that has no end, he stated in a beautiful homily.

Francisco Otamendi-August 15, 2026-Reading time: 6 minutes

During the Mass for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at the Pontifical Parish of St. Thomas of Villanueva in Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father Leo XIV offered a hymn to the love and purity of the soul of the Mother of God and our Mother. The Mass was concelebrated with the Bishop of Albano and the Augustinian parish priest, and concluded with a Marian antiphon.

In its homily, has invited us to follow the light of the Risen One by looking to Mary, whom “God crowned with glory in soul and body, and whom He has given to us as Mother, guide, companion on our journey, and protector on the path to Heaven.”.

Assumed into heavenly glory, body and soul

"It is with great joy that I celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption with you again this year," the Pope began in his homily during the Mass, in which he explained the Church's teaching on today's feast.

That “Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory” (Pius XII, Apostolic Constitution *Munificentissimus Deus*, November 1, 1950), and this Mystery reveals to us the fulfillment of the fullness of grace that God bestowed upon her at her Immaculate Conception.”.

"That is why many works of art depict her, at the end of her earthly life, as a beautiful young woman who is physically rising from the earth toward heaven," the Pontiff continued. 

“They are inspired by the scene described in the passage from Revelation that we heard in the first reading: ‘A woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet” (Rev 12:1), to signify that in Mary’s heart are found heaven and earth, time and eternity.”.

In this way, the Pope has begun a profound and beautiful reflection on love. “What do we have in common with the wonderful young woman we see depicted in our altarpieces?” he asked. 

The Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Fra Angelico).

True beauty shows the signs of love

“To understand this, we must hold together the two signs we have mentioned: the incorrupt body of the Mother of God and her immaculate heart. It is the purity of the soul, in fact, that in Mary—as in us—by God’s grace illuminates and transfigures the whole person, leading her to the glory of Heaven,” the Pope noted.

“The glorification of Mary in soul and body teaches us that our true beauty does not lie in hiding the signs of the passing of time, but in revealing, even in our flesh, the signs of love that never ends.” (cf. 1 Cor. 13:8).”.

Reexamine hedonistic and consumerist values

The Holy Father then invited us to reexamine many of the aesthetic standards—predominantly hedonistic and consumerist in nature—that the world imposes on us. And to encounter “people whose faces are marked by the years and by suffering, yet who are capable of radiating serenity, kindness, and peace to those around them; just as one might encounter others who are perhaps outwardly attractive, yet hard and cold on the inside.”.

"It is easy to understand where true beauty lies and where, on the other hand, there is still a need for conversion, forgiveness, and healing," said Leo XIV.

Where to Find Divine Beauty

The Successor of Peter, also following in the footsteps of St. Augustine, has shown us the way: “If we truly wish to discover and cultivate the divine beauty that surrounds us and for which we were created, as well as to spread it around us, we must learn to read it both in the tender face of a child and in the wrinkles of an elderly person. In the liveliness of a young person as well as in the composure of an adult, in festive decorations as well as in everyday clothing and work tools.”. 

Listening to love stories, “man’s most beautiful adornment”

"We must listen to the unique love stories that each of these realities tells us, recognizing them as little flashes in the sky," he urged.

“Love is man’s most beautiful adornment: the love that transfigures, transforms, ennobles, and lifts us up; that makes us light, free, and close to God, even through life’s ups and downs,” the Holy Father said.

The miracle that Maria experienced in her heart

The miracle that Mary, the virgin of Nazareth, experienced in her innocent heart—and which led her to the glory of Heaven—is the meeting of opposites, as she herself testifies in the inspired words of the Magnificat, which we have heard in the Gospel (cf. Lk 1:46–55). 

In this canticle, the Pope emphasized, “through the humble expressions of her faith, the Mother of Heaven speaks to us in simple terms about great mysteries. God, who becomes man in her to save humanity, (…), her status as «humble servant», the “small dimension” in which we, too, can encounter the Lord, as St. Paul VI said. 

Today's Mystery: True Charity: family scenes

We need not look far to find the sublimity of the Mystery we celebrate. We can find it wherever there is true charity, as Leo XIV emphasized, describing scenes familiar to us all:

“In the eyes of a father and mother returning home after a day’s work, tired but happy to be with their children. In the faces of grandfathers and grandmothers who, despite the difficulties of old age, find unexpected energy when caring for their grandchildren. Or even in the commitment of young people who strive to grow up pure and honest, ready also to go against the grain when it comes to “what everyone else is doing.” Finally, in the work of so many men and women who, day after day, with faith and dedication, help bring a little bit of Heaven to earth and the earth to Heaven.”. 

The beautiful face of the Assumption—the faces of the people who are by our side

The Pope has further clarified his words: “The most beautiful face of the Assumption is unique; it transcends any possible representation, and yet, at the same time, it is familiar to us: it is the face of the people who are by our side, even at this very moment—the brothers and sisters with whom we share, in faith, the daily offering of our lives.”. 

For this reason, the Pontiff concluded, the community of believers sees itself reflected in the woman of Revelation, and the Second Vatican Council describes Mary as ‘the image and beginning of the Church, […] a sign of certain hope and comfort’ (Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium, 68). In her holy humanity, by the grace of God, lies ours as well; we are called to live her same fullness of life and to share in her same glory.”.

Angelus: The Assumption, a feast day of great importance

Following the celebration of Holy Mass, Leo XIV led the congregation in reciting the Marian prayer of the Angelus from Liberty Square in Castel Gandolfo, before a large crowd of faithful from Italy and other countries

At the beginning of his address, the Pope noted that the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is “a feast of great importance, both for Catholic theology and for popular piety; indeed, it is a celebration that is deeply cherished in many communities, especially where the cathedral or parish church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption.”.

Two iconographic depictions: the ‘Dormition’ of the Mother of God and the Virgin in Heaven

To contemplate this mystery of the faith, we can turn to the two iconographic models that artists have used over the centuries to depict it, he explained.

The first, the oldest—and the only one for nearly a millennium—depicts the “Dormition” of the Mother of God: she is shown reclining on a coffin, asleep in death; surrounding her are the apostles, who venerate her, deeply moved, in prayer; standing in the center is the risen Jesus, who holds Mary’s soul in his arms, as if she were a newborn child. 

Second, the more recent iconography, which developed later in the West, shows us, by contrast, the Virgin Mary in full figure, in heaven, surrounded by light, often with angels and saints around her. 

The fullness of life “awaits us as well, at the end of time”

Some artists have combined both depictions, the Holy Father explained, portraying the glorious Virgin above and her empty tomb below—often filled with flowers of various colors—with the apostles gazing up at her in heaven. This second model highlights the truth that Mary was assumed into heaven body and soul—that is, in the entirety of her person. 

“The fullness of life, which we joyfully admire today in Mary, ‘also awaits us at the end of time,’ as Leo XIV emphasized, when—as St. Paul says—the Risen Christ ”will transform our humble body, in the likeness of his glorious body’ (Phil 3:21), clothing what is corruptible with incorruptibility and what is mortal with immortality (cf. 1 Cor 15:54).”.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Columnists
  • María, the Eclipse, and the Blindness of Love
ColumnistsAntonio Moreno

María, the Eclipse, and the Blindness of Love

Devotion to Mary leads us to Christ, but making the Virgin Mary the center can cause us to lose sight of the «Sun that rises from on high.».

August 15, 2026-Reading time: 3 minutes

A few years ago, a well-known brand of baby food conducted an interesting test on a group of children to demonstrate that the sense of beauty changes from childhood to adulthood. To do this, the children were brought one by one in front of a table covered with portraits of women and asked to choose the prettiest one. Most of the images were of advertising models, but among them was one of a woman who was, let’s say, quite ordinary. Surprisingly, all the children thought the most beautiful woman was, in fact, the least striking one according to the beauty standards of fashion magazines. The explanation had nothing to do with a shift in perception from childhood to adulthood; rather, the photo of the woman chosen as the most beautiful was, in fact, that of the mother of the child taking the test. 

When it comes to our mothers, we tend to exaggerate and let love cloud our judgment. Our mother is the most beautiful, but she also makes the best potato omelet and the best rice dish. And what about the meatballs? Our mother is usually unbeatable at almost everything, and she makes us lose our objectivity so many times. 

We also go too far with our heavenly mother, the Virgin Mary—not out of malice, but out of an excess of love—and it is good for us to make this known and take precautions so that we do not err ourselves or lead those who observe us from the outside into error. 

During these days, when the Feast of the Assumption is celebrated throughout the Catholic world, bringing together millions of the faithful, we can reflect on what the Catechism tells us about the veneration of Mary. It states that she «is rightly honored by the Church with a special devotion. And, in fact, from the earliest times, the Blessed Virgin has been venerated under the title «Mother of God,» under whose protection the supplicating faithful seek refuge in all their dangers and needs»; though it also warns us that «this devotion […] although entirely unique, is essentially different from the worship given to the Incarnate Word, as well as to the Father and the Holy Spirit.» Although, it adds, «it promotes it very powerfully.» Herein lies the key to the famous «Ad Jesum per Mariam» (To Jesus through Mary), which explains that devotion to Mary is a very good path to reaching the true God. 

When Devotion Is Limited to Mary Alone

However, there are still manifestations of popular piety that remain stuck in a loop focused on «per Mariam» without reaching «ad Jesum» and what it entails to become his follower. There are also those who, despite the Council’s insistence that «we must not expect another public revelation before the glorious manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ,» spend more time paying attention to supposed new revelations from the Virgin Mary than to the Gospel—the place where Christ, the Incarnate Word. He is the Word we must listen to.

Putting Mary before God can lead us down the same path as those who, despite the warnings, watched last Wednesday’s solar eclipse without proper protection and ended up in the emergency room. It is true that Mary, like the moon, is sweeter to look at, more pleasing, because she is closer to us. Marian devotion is more appealing because the girl from Nazareth is one of our own, but let us not forget that her radiance is only a reflection of the light of the «Sun that rises from on high.» If we insist on equating her so closely with God that she hides His face from us, we may become blind—that is, we may end up believing in anything but the true God revealed in Jesus Christ. 

The moon that lights the way to heaven

The identification of the Virgin (or her archetypal figure, Mother Church) with the moon—the famous «mysterium lunae»—dates back to the early centuries of Christianity. The «woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet» from the Book of Revelation—an image so perfectly embodied by Our Lady of Guadalupe—is Mary clothed in Christ, according to the Church Fathers. The moon, with its cycles, is also a symbol of the passage of time. Therefore, by placing her above it, we are shown a woman who transcends time, for she was chosen even before she came into existence (Immaculate Conception) and, after her time on earth, now lives forever in body and soul in heaven (Assumption).

Pope Francis also shared another lunar image of Mary with us on the very day of the Assumption. He said that, just as the first man to set foot on the moon said, «This is one small step for a man, but one giant leap for mankind,» so too did little Mary, through her Assumption, take the first step as one of us into heaven, thereby opening the way for all of humanity along with her.

So, let's congratulate ourselves on this small but significant step we're celebrating these days, and let's not forget our protective glasses when we contemplate the mystery of a mother we love madly—lest her beauty blind us.

The authorAntonio Moreno

Journalist. Graduate in Communication Sciences and Bachelor in Religious Sciences. He works in the Diocesan Delegation of Media in Malaga. His numerous "threads" on Twitter about faith and daily life have a great popularity.

Read more
More on Omnes
Initiatives

MerydeMaria, Catholic jewelry by a young entrepreneur: «The Virgin Mary is the undisputed star»

Meritxell Abadia, a young woman from Catalonia, turned her own conversion into an evangelization project through blessed jewelry and social media.

Teresa Aguado Peña-August 15, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

At just 22 years old, Meritxell Abadia (Mery), an advertising and marketing student, has launched MerydeMaría, a jewelry brand founded with a purpose: to bring people closer to God through beauty, social media, and pieces blessed at various Marian shrines.

Her story is intertwined with that of her own conversion. Although she grew up in a Catholic family, Mery says her faith was superficial. Adolescence, personal problems, and a few relationships led her to drift away from God until she hit rock bottom. It was then, one morning, that she entered the church in her town with her mother and grandmother. There, before the Blessed Sacrament, she experienced a peace she hadn’t felt in years.

«I felt that God was waiting for me behind the church and saying to me, »You’re finally here,’” she recalls. Since then, Meritxell has shared how she began to heal, to leave behind environments that weren’t good for her, and to trust in God. From that experience came MerydeMaría, a project that aims to put his knowledge and creativity to work in the service of evangelization. «I am the hands, but they are the true driving force behind all of this,» he says, referring to God and the Virgin Mary.

In this interview, Meritxell talks about her conversion, the founding of MerydeMaría, and her understanding of evangelization.

What has life been like before and after you encountered God personally?

–Encountering God has changed the way I understand life: it has led me to rethink my work, some of my friendships, and the way I treat others—but also the way I treat myself. I’ve incorporated habits like prayer and have learned to seek out what brings me closer to the Lord.

It has been a process marked by fears and difficulties, even within my own family, because people may have a certain image of you and expect you to always remain the same. But we can change, listen to the Lord, and grow. For me, conversion has been precisely that journey of transformation.

What was it like to combine your work with your faith?

–When I became a believer, I asked myself what I was contributing through my work. My business was doing well and bringing in money, but it no longer fulfilled me. Through prayer, I gradually placed everything in God’s hands and realized that He was calling me to a different purpose.

I had always worked with jewelry, so I realized I could do it from a place of faith. That’s how the idea was born to create Catholic jewelry, made in Spain and blessed at various shrines. It all came about through prayer, and over time I’ve been able to reinvest the brand’s profits to visit those places, have the jewelry blessed, and personally experience that journey.

For me, MerydeMaria isn't just about jewelry—it's also about my own journey of faith. In order to share that with others, I have to live it myself. I also believe that a piece of jewelry can be something beautiful that sparks an interest in faith and leads to conversations about God.

What role does the Virgin Mary play in your life and in MerydeMaria?

–The Virgin Mary has always played a very important role in my life. Ever since I was little, I’ve visited the Pilar Shrine in Zaragoza often, and I’ve always worn the Pilar ribbon, so this is the devotion I feel closest to.

The Virgin Mary is very much on my mind, both personally and in the brand name itself. “Mery” comes from my name, and “María” refers to the Virgin Mary, who is the central figure of MerydeMaria. For me, the name expresses exactly that: that everything be done according to God’s word.

Over time, I have come to appreciate the richness of the various titles of the Virgin Mary. I know that they all refer to the same Virgin Mary, but each one reminds me of a different aspect of her story and her mission. Fatima, for example, speaks to me of prayer and peace; Lourdes instills in me hope and trust in the midst of suffering.

I talk to the Virgin Mary every day. I feel as though she is my mother and the great intercessor who brings our petitions to the Lord. Visiting her shrines and learning about the history of each of her titles has greatly deepened my devotion and helped me grow closer to her.

You take all the jewelry to Marian shrines…

–Yes. It was important to me not to talk about the various titles of the Virgin Mary without first having visited her shrines and learned about their histories. That’s why, whenever possible, I’ve taken the jewelry to these places to have it blessed and to personally experience what they represent.

When it hasn't been possible to visit a shrine, I've looked for other ways to bless them, such as taking them to a cathedral or using holy water. The goal is for all the jewelry to be blessed, whether at a shrine, by a priest, or with holy water.

How have young people responded to your evangelization efforts on social media?

–In my prayer, I asked the Lord and the Virgin Mary to bring MerydeMaria to the people who need to get to know her. That’s also how the idea came about to use social media not only to showcase the jewelry, but also to offer something more and spread the Gospel.

I started sharing stories about Marian devotions like Fatima, important dates in the Church’s calendar, and everyday situations related to faith. After all, we’re young, and we all experience fears, doubts, or moments when we don’t understand what God is asking of us. I try to convey those experiences in my posts so that others can relate to them.

The response has been very positive. I get messages from people telling me that a post has helped them better understand something they were going through. For me, even if a post reaches a lot of people, if it truly helps just three, it has already served its purpose.

What do you think young people need to hear? 

–Young people need to hear words of hope and, above all, Pope Leo XIV’s words: «Lift up your eyes,» which made me reflect deeply.

We all face challenges and have our own crosses to bear, but we must try to face life with confidence, love, and hope. Social media can be frustrating because it presents an idealized image of life, when in reality we all go through difficult times.

Faith does not promise that everything will turn out well or that we will not face trials. It reminds us that God is present even in those trials and that our lives have a purpose. That is why my message to young people is to trust and keep hope alive.

More on Omnes
Resources

The Day Heaven Lost Its Breath

The author presents a short story about the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her coronation as Queen of all creation.

Eloy Asenjo, Carpenter-August 15, 2026-Reading time: 8 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsOrigins of the liturgical celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In a small house in Ephesus, time seemed to have stood still. For many years now, Mary had been the beacon of the nascent Church; she was the one who sought out the disciples one by one to comfort them, and she cared for them all with the tenderness of a hen caring for her chicks, but her strength was gradually failing her.

That August 15th dawned like any other day. Seeing that María was taking a long time to come downstairs, one of the holy women cautiously went up to her room and found her in bed, her face more beautiful and serene than one could imagine, as if she were in a deep sleep. When she approached and gently touched her side, there was no response.

“Juan, come quickly!” she whispered, with tears in her eyes. 

Soon the house was completely filled. The disciples, the neighbors, and a legion of children who sincerely loved Mary came running. But there was no cold, no fear, and no smell of death. There was a gentle light enveloping the room, and a peace so deep that you could almost touch it. Amid a sacred silence, broken only by the occasional sigh or the tender sniffles of the little ones, Mary opened her eyes. She smiled, sought out the gaze of each person to say goodbye, and began to rise. Jesus had decided to take her, body and soul. She who had been preserved from sin was now preserved from corruption by death. She was going to Heaven, yes, but so that she could simultaneously be at the side of each of her millions of children on Earth.

While the world was filled with a mystical joy, a blessed chaos broke out in Heaven, because Mary’s arrival caught the angels completely off guard.

“But how can he already be here?!” exclaimed Saint Gabriel as he ran through the heavenly hallways with a bundle of scrolls under his arm.

The welcoming committee was completely overwhelmed. There was no time to rehearse a new symphony; the heavenly looms couldn’t keep up with the millions of orders for formal gowns, and the cooks were running back and forth from the pantry to the stoves with their hands on their heads, because there wasn’t enough time to prepare anything worthy of Her.

Gabriel, who had had a complete soft spot for Mary ever since the day of the Annunciation, swallowed hard. He knew that to convince Saint Michael, the unyielding leader of the heavenly host, he needed to present a solid and irrefutable argument; that’s why, before going to find him, he ran toward the great hangars of light to speak with Saint Raphael, the director of the Custodians’ department.

“Rafael, the Mother has arrived, and up here everything’s a mess!” Gabriel exclaimed breathlessly. “If we go to Miguel, he’ll tell us that protocol is sacred.” But if you come with me and explain to him the immense preparations your guards need to make in her honor, he won’t be able to refuse. We can’t botch things up for Her sake!

Raphael, whose gaze always radiated infinite peace and wisdom, smiled immediately and nodded. With the combined weight of the two archangels, they went to meet Saint Michael. They conveyed their deep concern to him, and—to Gabriel’s surprise—Raphael’s intervention and the logic of the situation caused Michael to set aside his usual rigidity.

“You’re right,” Miguel agreed firmly. “When it comes to Her, we can’t wing it. Come with me so you can present your case to Headquarters.”.

The three Archangels plucked up their courage and knocked on the door of the Holy Trinity. When they entered, God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit looked at them with amusement, since, naturally, nothing had taken Them by surprise.

“There’s no time, is there?” said the Father, breaking the silence with a smile. “No, Lord, because it’s Her!” exclaimed Gabriel, his heart in his throat.

Jesus stepped in, winking at Gabriel to assure him that he would speak with his Mother and apologize for not having given her advance notice of his Coronation, while the Holy Spirit offered a full week’s extension. The three archangels breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time in the history of eternity, Saint Michael called an emergency meeting to change the plans, and when he announced to all the angels that the Coronation was being postponed for seven days so that everything would be perfect, the entire Heaven erupted in applause. Only Mary could work the miracle of making St. Michael be flexible!

It was seven days of feverish activity. While the choirs rehearsed and Saint Michael organized the protocols, Mary walked around happily, taking in the grandeur of her new home. She had encounters that brought Heaven to tears of joy: she embraced Saint Joseph, her parents Joachim and Anne, and her cousin Elizabeth. But without a doubt, one of the most moving moments was the incredible snack party she organized with the Holy Innocents: a vast gathering of children whom the horror of abortion had prevented from seeing the light of day on Earth. Mary surrounded those innocent and pure souls—who were never born—with overflowing love, showering them with affection, kisses, and caresses, making them feel the warmth of the Mother whom the world had denied them.

However, what fascinated María most during those seven days of truce were not the golden palaces, but the immense, light-filled hangars where the Guardian Angels worked. Saint Raphael, grateful for having been part of the entourage that managed to halt time, welcomed her with a deep bow.

“Mother,” he said in a melodious voice, “I know your body is here, but your heart is still down there, beating for your children. Let me show you how your army works.”.

Raphael guided Mary through endless legions of angels, who were preparing themselves in sections as small as a millimeter. Maria watched the feverish activity with eyes full of wonder and a protective zeal that set her soul ablaze. Saint Raphael first pointed out a section where the angels were reviewing maps crisscrossed with golden threads, explaining that they were the guardians of young people, children, and adolescents. Their mission was to whisper in their ears amid the storms of adolescence, to safeguard their innocence, and to help them discover the beautiful calling that God had planned for each of them.

María approached one of those young guardians who was sharpening his invisible wings before setting off for Earth, and touched his shoulder with divine tenderness: 

“When my son suffers because he doubts his path,” María whispered to the angel, “tell him that I myself will sustain him. Don’t let him stumble.”.

Saint Raphael then took her to a vast wing bustling with activity, where four entire legions were assigned to watch over men and women with a vocation to marriage—a section where Saint Gabriel was lending a hand by coordinating them. Raphael explained to her that they had an extremely difficult task: to keep the fire of everyday love alive, to offer patience on weary nights, to heal the wounds of pride, and to protect the homes of the Earth. Mary, moved as she recalled her own little home in Nazareth, thought that through them she herself would enter the kitchens, the living rooms, and the sleepless nights of every family to be the Peacemaker.

They continued walking, and Rafael showed him the two legions assigned to guard those who had dedicated themselves to God through apostolic celibacy, and two others dedicated to the families of religious, whose angels were dressed in the colors of the religious habits of Earth. Finally, they beheld the ministerial archangels, whose sole purpose was to assist the priests and deacons at the altar.

Upon seeing this marvelous display, Mary understood the magnitude of Divine Love. The angels were the bridges, but she would be the map. Looking at Saint Raphael, Mary smiled with a heavenly determination:

“Rafael, your department is going to have a lot of work to do. Because from now on, every prayer, every Hail Mary, and every tear my children shed on Earth will become a direct order for you. You will be my hands and my feet down there.”.

Rafael, moved by the brilliance of his new Queen, nodded enthusiastically, assuring her that everyone was ready and that they were just waiting for her crown so they could begin flying under her command.

And then, the big day arrived. A brilliant path, like the moon’s reflection on a calm sea, stretched from Mary’s house to a staircase of flowers where the Trinity awaited. Heaven was an ocean of colors: the martyrs were dressed in red, the virgins in blue, and the saints in the purest white, and some of them wore a beautiful green border that ran along the edges, sleeves, and collars of their robes. They were the lay saints, «the saints next door.».

This chromatic detail holds a profound meaning: while the great saints on the altars were celebrated for their miracles or extraordinary martyrdoms, they represented the holiness of ordinary life. The white of their garments proclaimed the purity of their baptism, but green was the color of hope and of ordinary life on Earth: the color of days spent in unseen labor, of patience in sleepless nights, and of hidden faithfulness within the home.

They were the mothers and fathers who made the dining table a sacred place, the professionals who worked with integrity, and the ordinary neighbors who quietly lent a helping hand—souls who did not live on the margins of the world, but who reflected God’s love in the heart of their own neighborhoods, walking side by side with each and every one of us.

At twelve o’clock sharp, the bells rang out, and the Angelus began to sound as the procession set off. First came the mothers and grandmothers, scattering rosemary; then, young virgins, perfuming the air with orange blossoms. Just before Mary appeared, that blessed group of boys and girls dressed in red stepped forward: the Holy Innocents whom Mary had comforted days earlier, who now walked with immense, heavenly smiles, scattering joyful jasmine petals along the way.

When She appeared, the music ceased for a moment, and the entire Heaven held its breath, for no one had ever seen such beauty. Mary wore a white gown so radiant that she seemed «clothed in the sun,» a radiance that illuminated without hurting the eyes. She wore a blue Immaculate Conception cloak and a simple hairstyle adorned with jewels that shone like the moon and the stars.

Upon seeing her, the orchestra began to play a heavenly and majestic rendition of the Magnificat. Mary, blushing at so much love, began to climb the staircase, while the seraphim scattered rose petals and filled the air with their fragrance. Upon reaching the top, she prostrated herself in adoration.

Jesus stood up, gently took her by the hand, and turned her around so she could face all her people. The Father stood to her right, Jesus to her left, and the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, fluttered just behind her head. Saint Michael stepped forward carrying a splendid crown with twelve stars, and at that moment, all of Heaven knelt on the ground. The voices of millions of angels and saints thundered in unison, reciting the litanies: «Mother of God! Gate of Heaven! Queen of Angels! Queen of Peace!». 

The Trinity placed the crown upon his head, and Heaven erupted in applause. The most magnificent fireworks ever seen painted impossible patterns of light across the celestial firmament, bringing the spectacle to a close with a silhouette that moved everyone to tears: a giant rosary formed by stars of light.

And then the grand procession began! Saint Michael set out behind majestic banners bearing the Queen’s regalia, followed by his ministering archangels. Behind them marched the legions of religious and consecrated persons. Next, Saint Gabriel led the four legions of guardians of marriage with a steady stride. And bringing up the rear of the procession, with a joyful and hopeful radiance, appeared Saint Raphael, guiding the guardians of young people and children.

As he passed before Mary’s throne, Rafael raised his pilgrim’s staff, and all the guardian angels spread their wings at once, offering a tender and solemn greeting. They knew that, from that moment on, their missions on Earth would be imbued with the spirit and support of the Queen of Heaven.

When the grand *Salve Regina* ended—sung with such enthusiasm that it made the stars tremble—the banquet began. But Mary, true to her maternal nature, did not sit on her throne. Wearing her magnificent sun-like gown and blue mantle, she began to walk among the tables. She tasted a bite of each dish, laughed with Saint Raphael as they discussed the upcoming «protection strategies» for the next day on Earth, and with her gentle gaze, she made sure that none of her children—neither in Heaven nor on Earth—would ever feel alone again.

The authorEloy Asenjo, Carpenter

Read more
RelatedRelated NewsOrigins of the liturgical celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
More on Omnes
The Vatican

León XIV Calls for Protection of Displaced Minors

Pope Leo XIV has released his message for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, focusing on displaced children.

Paloma López Campos-August 14, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

Pope Leo XIV has published his message for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, to be held on September 27, 2026. Under the theme “Even just one of these little ones,” the Pontiff calls for attention to be focused on children affected by migration, whom he describes as “the most vulnerable among global migration flows.».

In the document, dated August 11, 2026, the Pope denounces the fact that millions of children and adolescents are forced to flee their homelands due to wars, poverty, violence, and environmental disasters. Leo XIV warns of the many tragedies these minors face, including separation from their families, “deaths along the way, human trafficking, recruitment into armed conflicts,” sexual violence, and forced marriages. Given this situation, he warns that migrant children are easily “relegated to invisibility because they lack adults to protect them.”.

The Dignity of Minors

Recalling Pope Francis’s message from 2017, Leo XIV reiterates that these children They are vulnerable because they are “minors, foreigners, and defenseless.» However, the article also highlights the spirit of solidarity shown by families, educators, volunteers, and communities who do not look away and “dedicate themselves to healing the invisible wounds of these children.».

Drawing inspiration from the Gospel, the religious leader calls on society to overcome indifference and not to reduce human beings to mere statistical data. He emphasizes that every child possesses infinite dignity and that welcoming a migrant child is an act of humanity and faith.

The message concludes with a strong call for collective responsibility structured on several levels: at the personal and ecclesial levels, it calls on Christian communities to make hospitality “a constant pastoral practice” and to integrate refugees and immigrants, preventing their isolation and rejection.

In interfaith dialogue, it encourages different faith communities to cooperate in creating safety nets to prevent the “risk of radicalization by extremist groups.” And it urges civil institutions to reaffirm the “best interests of the child” and to adopt effective legal protections, “promoting family reunification.».

Protecting Human Rights

On this last point, Pope Leo XIV cites his recent address to the Spanish Parliament in Madrid, delivered on June 8, 2026, to call for a shift in the focus of the debate: “from the mere management of migration flows” to the protection of human rights through a “coordinated, supportive, and effective response.”.

Finally, the Pontiff emphasizes the need to take action in the countries of origin to eliminate the causes of flight and entrusts migrant children to the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary.

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Focus
  • Evangelization
  • Miracles of the Virgin Mary and Nature: ‘The Sun Danced,’ Snowfalls, Flowers…
Evangelization

Miracles of the Virgin Mary and Nature: ‘The Sun Danced,’ Snowfalls, Flowers…

On the occasions of the Virgin Mary’s most well-known apparitions, inexplicable, miraculous events related to nature have occurred. The ‘dance of the sun’ in Fátima, the flowers blooming in winter at Tepeyac (Guadalupe), and the snowfall on August 5, 358, in Rome.

Francisco Otamendi-August 14, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

Throughout the history of the Church, some apparitions of the Virgin Mary have been associated with extraordinary events that, in popular parlance, are often referred to as ‘miracles of the Virgin’ and are linked to natural phenomena.

At times, there is a certain reluctance to use the term “miracles,” even in church language. However, the miracles of Jesus recounted in the Gospels were indeed numerous. 

One need only read, as early as chapter 8 of the Gospel of Matthew, the first three miracles cited by the evangelist: the healings of a leper, a centurion’s servant, and Peter’s mother-in-law. Before that came the turning of water into wine at the wedding in Cana and the miraculous catch of fish, followed by the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, the raising of Lazarus from the dead, and many other miracles.

With the miracle at the wedding at Cana (the episode of *The Chosen* on this topic is magnificent), which St. John recounts at the beginning of chapter 2, the manifestation of the glory of the Son of God begins. “At Cana in Galilee, Jesus performed the first of his signs (miracles), through which he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him,” writes St. John. And there was his Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary, collaborating in Jesus’ work of salvation.

The extraordinary events that have occurred in connection with apparitions of the Virgin Mary have not been formally declared miracles by the Church, but we can note a common thread among several of them: they involve nature—the sun, snow, flowers…. Let’s briefly look at some of them.

Pope Leo XIV leaving the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome (Photo: CNS/Vatican Media).

The August Snow at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome

One of the oldest Marian stories of this kind is set in Rome in the 4th century. This is how it has said Gerardo Ferrara.

“According to tradition, the founding of Santa Maria Maggiore began with a dream and culminated in a snowfall—something rare enough in Rome, let alone in August—in the year 358, during the pontificate of Pope Liberius (which is why the basilica is also called “Liberian”). The Virgin Mary appeared in a dream simultaneously to the Pope and to a Roman patrician named John, commanding them to build a church on the spot where, the following day, they would find snow. And on the morning of August 5, on the Esquiline Hill—one of the seven hills of Rome—snow was indeed there.”.

The memory of the August snow lives on today in a celebration: Every August 5, the basilica commemorates the “Virgin of the Snows” with a shower of white petals falling from the top of the dome during Mass, similar to the shower of red petals at the Pantheon on Pentecost.”.

Fátima: The Sun That “Danced” in 1917

Perhaps no other phenomenon related to a Marian apparition has achieved as much notoriety as the so-called ‘miracle of the sun’ at Fátima. On October 13, 1917, during the last of Our Lady’s apparitions to the three shepherd children—Lúcia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, now canonized—a crowd gathered at Cova da Iria that the Shrine of Fátima estimates numbered between 50,000 and 70,000 people.

Lucia had announced that a sign would occur that day. Following the apparition, the phenomenon that would later be known as the ‘dance’ or the ‘dance of the sun’ took place. The account from the Portuguese newspaper O Século, published on October 15, 1917, describes how the sun appeared to tremble and make sudden movements that observers considered extraordinary. The Shrine of Fátima itself reproduces the testimony from that time and estimates that some 70,000 people were present.

Among other things, Manuel Fernando Sousa e Silva mentions the name of the author—the journalist Avelino de Almeida, a non-believer—in his book published by Homo Legens titled *The Little Shepherds of Fátima*. He also includes testimonies from scientists who visited the site. Ricardo Cardoso In *Omnes*, he has explained all the relevant aspects of these apparitions, based on Sister Lucia’s accounts (‘Memoirs of Sister Lucia”)’).  

The solar phenomenon, combined with the message from Our Lady

It could be said that, at Fátima, the sign—the solar phenomenon—was linked to the Virgin’s message: prayer, conversion, and penance, and, in a very special way, the daily recitation of the Rosary. 

It is significant that the phenomenon was witnessed by a crowd. It is precisely this circumstance that explains much of Fatima’s historical impact. And above all, the fact that Our Lady had repeatedly promised that in October she would perform a miracle so that everyone would believe in the authenticity of the apparitions, writes Sousa.

The Virgin of Guadalupe appears to the native Juan Diego (Wikimedia commons).

Guadalupe: The December Flowers and the Image on the Tilma

According to the guadalupana tradition, in December 1531, the Virgin Mary appeared several times to Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin, an indigenous man who has since been canonized, on Tepeyac Hill (Mexico). During these apparitions, the Virgin asked him to go see Bishop Fray Juan de Zumárraga to request that a church be built on that site and to convey her message of love. The bishop asked for a sign as proof of the message’s authenticity.

In the next apparition, our Blessed Mother Mary of Guadalupe instructed Juan Diego to cut roses of Castile that miraculously bloomed in Tepeyac -something impossible in that time, December, and place- and to take them to the bishop wrapped in his tilma. 

When he unfolded it before Fray Juan de Zumárraga, the flowers fell away, and the image of the Virgin Mary was miraculously imprinted on Juan Diego’s tilma, revealing her face and figure. In light of this sign, the bishop believed and ordered the construction of the requested church, giving rise to a deep devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, throughout the Americas, and around the world. 

On the other hand, there are numerous facts—at least nine—that experts have concluded are scientifically inexplicable, upon analyzing the ayate or tilma belonging to the indigenous man Juan Diego, which bears the image of the Virgin. These conclusions concern the tilma itself and, above all, the eyes of Our Lady.

Lourdes: The Spring That Gushed From the Rock

In Lourdes, on February 11, 1858, the Virgin Mary appeared for the first time to Bernadette Soubirous in the grotto of Massabielle. The apparitions continued until July 16, for a total of eighteen. In 1862, the Bishop of Tarbes, Monsignor Bertrand-Sévère Laurence, officially recognized the authenticity of the apparitions following an investigation.

One of the decisive moments took place on February 25. According to Bernadette’s account, the Lady told her to drink and wash herself at a spot in the grotto. The young girl dug into the ground with her hands, and water began to flow. That spring later became one of the defining symbols of Lourdes and the source of the water used by pilgrims.

The Healings

Lourdes has one exceptional feature: healings. Since the apparitions, thousands of cases have been reported of people who claim to have regained their health after visiting the shrine. To study these cases, the Office of Medical Verifications was established in 1883, specifically for the purpose of subjecting the alleged healings to rigorous, peer-reviewed medical investigation.

Caution is important. Not every healing that occurs in Lourdes is considered miraculous by the Church. The Shrine currently reports more than 7,000 recorded cases of healing, 70 of which have been recognized as miraculous by the Church. The procedure requires that doctors determine that the healing cannot be explained by current medical knowledge and that it meets the criteria for being considered extraordinary, lasting, and complete. It is then up to the competent ecclesiastical authority to rule on its miraculous nature.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Newsroom
  • Culture
  • From Mexico to the Vatican: The Catholic shrines that draw millions of people each year
Culture

From Mexico to the Vatican: The Catholic shrines that draw millions of people each year

From Mexico to Jerusalem, Catholic shrines and churches are scattered throughout the world, welcoming millions of visitors each year.

Paloma López Campos-August 14, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

Whether out of sincere devotion, admiration for architecture, or simply curiosity to witness large-scale cultural events, religious tourism draws huge crowds all over the world.

From Mexico City to Jerusalem, these are the most visited Catholic shrines on the planet, the history behind them, and the impressive visitor numbers they attract.

Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe (Mexico City)

With between 18 and 20 million visitors annually, it is the undisputed queen of Marian pilgrimages. Located at the foot of Tepeyac Hill, its history dates back to 1531, when the Virgin Mary appeared to the indigenous man Juan Diego.

The image miraculously imprinted on her tilma (blanket) is today the most venerated object of faith in the Americas. Every December 12, the site is flooded with a massive tide of devotees who arrive on foot, by bicycle, or on their knees to sing “Las Mañanitas” to her.

Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe (CNS photo / Paul Haring)

St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican (Vatican City)

It is the nerve center and spiritual heart of the Catholic Church. It receives between 15 and 18 million visitors annually. Built over the tomb of the apostle Saint Peter, the current basilica—the work of artists such as Michelangelo and Bernini—is both a sacred temple and one of humanity’s most important open-air museums.

Between the Wednesday papal audiences and the endless lines to see the “Pietà,” the Vatican is a constant hub of faith and tourism.

St. Peter's Square at the Vatican (CNS photo / Vatican Media)

National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida (Brazil)

Latin America has once again set a record with the world's second-largest basilica by floor area, second only to St. Peter's. This basilica welcomes between 12 and 13 million visitors annually.

Its history began in 1717, when three fishermen pulled a small terracotta statue of the Virgin Mary from the waters of the Paraíba do Sul River. Today, Brazil’s patron saint is honored at a massive shrine in the state of São Paulo capable of accommodating tens of thousands of worshippers at the same time.

Exterior of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Aparecida (OSV News photo / Carla Carniel, Reuters)

Notre-Dame and Sacré-Cœur (Paris, France)

Paris isn't just about the Eiffel Tower. The Sacré-Cœur Basilica, perched atop Montmartre Hill, draws crowds with its views and its uninterrupted Eucharistic adoration, which has been taking place since the late 19th century.

For its part, the legendary Notre-Dame Cathedral, following the devastating fire of 2019, regained its splendor, drawing more than 10 million visitors in its first year after reopening and reaffirming its status as a jewel of world Gothic architecture.

Each of these two temples receives between 10 and 12 million visitors annually.

Sacré-Cœur Basilica in France (OSV News photo / Stefan Wermuth, Reuters)

Shrine of St. Pio of Pietrelcina (San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy)

There is a small corner of the Apulia region that became a mass phenomenon thanks to Padre Pio, a Capuchin friar famous for his stigmata, his mystical gifts, and his dedication to the confessional during the 20th century. His tomb and the modern church designed by Renzo Piano welcome a constant stream of pilgrims seeking solace or miracles, with annual visits reaching as high as 7 million.

Pope Francis prays before the body of Padre Pio, which is preserved at his shrine (CNS photo / courtesy of the Shrine of St. Pio of Pietrelcina)

Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes (France)

In 1858, a young shepherdess named Bernadette Soubirous claimed to have seen the Virgin Mary in the grotto of Massabielle. A spring flowed from there, and it is said to have miraculous properties.

Today, Lourdes is the premier destination for the sick and people with disabilities from around the world, known for its torchlight processions and baths in holy water. It welcomes about 6 million people each year.

Facade of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes (CNS photo / Paul Haring)

Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal)

In the midst of World War I (1917), three shepherd children claimed to have witnessed the apparitions of the Virgin Mary and the famous «three secrets of Fátima.» The vast esplanade of the shrine, which is twice the size of St. Peter’s Square, is particularly impressive on nights in May and October, when thousands of lit candles illuminate the darkness. That is why it welcomes nearly 6 million pilgrims each year.

Procession at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima (OSV News photo / Pedro Nunes, Reuters)

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)

The final destination of the historic Camino de Santiago, this cathedral It has been the guardian of the tomb of St. James the Greater since the 9th century.

Although it attracts conventional tourists, what makes it unique is the thousands of pilgrims who walk hundreds of kilometers on foot from different parts of Europe to embrace the Saint and watch the famous Botafumeiro swing. Together, they account for nearly 5 million visitors annually.

Pilgrims arrive at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (OSV News photo / Felix Ordonez, Reuters)

Church of the Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem, Holy Land))

Theologically speaking, there is no place more sacred to Christianity. The basilica encompasses Golgotha (where Jesus was crucified) and the empty tomb of the Resurrection.

Its custody is shared among several denominations (Franciscan Catholics, Greek Orthodox, Armenians, among others), making it a fascinating—and sometimes complex—mosaic of traditions and liturgy.

Each year, the Holy Sepulcher It receives between 2 and 4 million visitors.

Facade of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
Facade of the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
Read more
More on Omnes
Evangelization

Saints of Auschwitz: Kolbe, Stein, the Salesians… The Goal: Education

Educating young people was “dangerous” to the Nazi occupiers. For this reason, Auschwitz-Birkenau—the German name for the Polish town of Oświęcim—and Dachau were large extermination and detention camps. In addition to Maximilian Kolbe, whose feast day the Church celebrates on August 14, and Edith Stein, there are other saints from Auschwitz.

Francisco Otamendi-August 13, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

One night in 1941, a prisoner escaped from the Auschwitz concentration camp, and according to the Nazis, for every man who escaped, ten others were to be put to death. The first to be chosen was 41-year-old Polish Sergeant Franciszek Gajowniczek. Amid the silence, he began to weep and say, “My God, I have a wife and children. Who will take care of them?” Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to take his place, saying, “I volunteer to take this man’s place; I am a Catholic priest and a Pole, and I am not married.”.

The officer agreed, and Father Kolbe was sent, along with the other nine, to a cell where they would receive neither food nor water. On the second or third day, some of them began to die. Meanwhile, prayers and hymns to the Virgin Mary could be heard coming from that dungeon.

August 14, 1941

The Germans had a Polish guard in charge of removing the bodies of those who died and emptying the latrine in the cell. He has recounted this, and his account is on file with the courts and in the Vatican archives. Kolbe and three others survived until the fifteenth, Pedro Estaún has said. The commander needed the cell for a new group of prisoners and ordered the camp doctor to administer an injection of carbolic acid to extinguish the last breath of their lives. It was August 14, 1941. Kolbe was 47 years old.

Kolbe's sacrifice was not an isolated act of heroism. His life was filled with surrender to God. At the age of thirteen, he entered the seminary of the Conventual Franciscan Friars in Leopolis. In 1931, the Pope called for missionaries to evangelize Asia. Maximilian volunteered and was sent to Japan, where he remained for five years. 

Survivors at Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945 in Oswiecim, Poland, where it is estimated that more than one million people perished (Photo OSV News/Yad Vashem Archives via Reuters).

At the Nazi extermination camp, he was sent to forced-labor camps, and, like his fellow prisoners, he endured humiliation, beatings, insults, dog bites, and jets of ice-cold water when he was racked with fever, thirst, and hunger, as well as the endless back-and-forth of dragging corpses from the cells to the crematorium… Auschwitz was the antechamber to hell, Estaún recounts.

Beatified by St. Paul VI, canonized by St. John Paul II

Pope Saint Paul VI declared him blessed in 1971. Among the pilgrims who came from Poland was an elderly man named Franciszek Gajowniczek: he was the man for whom Kolbe had offered his own life thirty years earlier. 

Years later, St. John Paul II, following his election as Pope, visited Auschwitz and said, “Maximilian Kobe followed Jesus” example; he did not suffer death but gave his life.” On October 10, 1982, the Polish pope canonized him before a crowd in St. Peter’s Square.

The Auschwitz State Museum, where approximately 1.3 million people were deported and about 1.1 million were murdered, documents that as many as 149 male Catholic priests and religious were exterminated at the camp; they belonged to 23 different religious congregations, in addition to diocesan priests.

Just as well known as Maximilian Kolbe—or perhaps even more so—is the Carmelite nun Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), about whom the Argentine spoke on the 9th Irene Chikiar, author of the biography “Edith Stein: Jew, Philosopher, Saint,” in an interview titled “The Saint Teresa of Our Time.”.

Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints (center), at the Shrine of St. John Paul II in Krakow, Poland, on June 6, 2026, concelebrating the Mass of beatification for nine Polish Salesian priests murdered in German Nazi concentration camps during World War II. (Photo by OSV News/Courtesy of Malgorzata Latawiec).

Leo XIV: “victims of persecution by totalitarian regimes”

Nine Polish Salesian priests, who were murdered in Auschwitz and Dachau, were beatified at the Shrine of St. John Paul II in Kraków, during a Mass presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, on June 6 of this year. 

The ceremony highlighted not only their martyrdom, but also their lives as educators, pastors, and mentors to young people.

Pope Leo XIV, after leading the Angelus prayer on June 14, remembered those who had recently been beatified, and said: “They were all beatified as martyrs, as victims of persecution by totalitarian regimes because of their faithfulness to Christ.”.

“They gave their lives to educate young people, and that is why they posed a threat to the occupying forces,”, told OSV News Father Dariusz Bartocha, provincial superior of the Salesian Province of Kraków. 

Destroying Education 

Father Bartocha stated that the Nazi occupation authorities viewed the Polish clergy, teachers, and intellectuals as obstacles to their plans to destroy national identity and suppress the resistance. 

In fact, Dachau became the main concentration camp for imprisoned Catholic clergy. Nearly 2,800 clergymen were held there during the war, including some 1,780 Poles, according to Poland’s Institute of National Remembrance. These clergymen ranged in age from 30 to 60. Some were parish priests, others were teachers, seminary professors, school administrators, and youth ministry coordinators. 

The True Winners

For Father Pierluigi Cameroni, Postulator General of the Salesians, the significance of the new martyrs goes far beyond the history of the war. 

Citing St. John Paul II’s description of the 20th-century martyrs as “anonymous soldiers in God’s great cause,” Father Cameroni told OSV News that the nine Salesians demonstrate that “when death seems to have triumphed, the true victors are those who, by suffering for the faith, share in an extraordinary way in the Cross of Christ and adhere to his plan of salvation.”. 

Stanislawa Leszczynska, a midwife at Auschwitz

Among the people on whom the Church has focused its attention are also married women with children, such as the midwife Stanislawa Leszczynska.

Since the Nazis executed pregnant women, Stanislawa She had to improvise a “delivery room” next to the boilers, which were full of insects and damp. 

That place, however, became a refuge for thousands of mothers and unborn children. The midwife’s Catholic faith led her to baptize every newborn by making the sign of the cross on their foreheads. “Mutti,” as she was called, remained in Auschwitz until its liberation by Soviet troops on January 26, 1945; she died in 1974, and her cause for canonization has been introduced in the Diocese of Łódź.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Read more
More on Omnes
Experiences

Why Serve? Young People’s Experience of God at the Order of Malta Camp

More than 550 young people from 25 countries are gathering in Javier to serve people with disabilities and, through service, discover a concrete way to encounter God.

Teresa Aguado Peña-August 13, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

Last week, Javier Castle served as the meeting place for more than 650 young people from 24 countries. Young people with disabilities and volunteers between the ages of 18 and 35, along with helpers (volunteer assistants) participated in the 41st International Summer Camp of the Order of Malta. From August 3 to 10, a gathering took place that, year after year, builds a community in which serving others is also a way of encountering God.

The camp was held, not by chance, at the birthplace of St. Francis Xavier, one of the great missionaries of the 16th century and co-founder of the Society of Jesus. His life, dedicated to evangelization and service, inspired this year’s gathering, whose motto was «Surge et ambula,» «Arise and walk.».

A community, not a welfare project

The Archbishop of Pamplona, Monsignor Florencio Roselló, officially opened the camp and explained to the participants the meaning behind this year’s theme.
«This isn’t just a motivational slogan; it’s not just a theoretical concept,» he said. The goal, he added, «is not to eliminate vulnerability, but to ensure that no one is trapped in it.».

The Grand Commander of the Order wanted to emphasize that the Malta Camp should not be viewed as a charitable project, but rather as «a temporary community where we help one another,» he said. An experience that, in his opinion, will ultimately transform those who participate «far more than you can imagine.».

Alongside the Grand Commander, the Grand Hospitaller, Josef D. Blotz, and the Order’s Prelate, Monsignor Luis Manuel Cuña Ramos, have participated over the past few days. Pope Leo XIV also wished to be present with a message addressed to the young people. The Pontiff expressed his spiritual closeness and hoped that the week would be «an opportunity to contemplate the beauty of God, forge friendships, and strengthen the sense of Christian responsibility.» In addition, he encouraged them to respond generously to the Lord’s call to serve others and to help build «paths of authentic brotherhood and peace» in their communities.

This year, young people from 24 countries participated, and more than 14 languages were spoken during the event. Peru, Mexico, and Estonia were represented for the first time, while Lebanon returned after a two-year absence due to the ongoing conflict in the country. Since 1984, the gathering has brought together young people with disabilities and volunteers from around the world every summer. This year, the event has also been marked by a return to the Order of Malta’s roots and to spirituality, with a special focus on the sacramental life, the celebration of daily Mass, and extended periods of Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, as Father Pablo Lora, chaplain of the Order of Malta and one of the twenty priests who accompanied the young people, highlighted to Omnes.

«With My Mind on Heaven»

For Juan Martínez Luque, this isn't his first camp. He attended his first one, held in Rome, «just to put it on his resume.» But that first experience left a lasting impression on him: «The first year was such a great experience that I’ve been coming back for five years now,» he says.

For him, the camp is an opportunity to pause and look at his own life in a different way. Interacting with families and people with disabilities makes him realize the effort it takes to cope with certain situations and leads him to feel «quite grateful for what we have.» Volunteering, he explains, allows him to break out of his routine and discover other realities.

And it is precisely during that service that Juan says he encounters God. «Absolutely, all the time,» he replies when asked if he discovers God during camp. He experiences this especially in the closeness among all the participants. Juan says that he leaves every camp «with his mind on Heaven.».

Praying While Working

Lucía Roca de Togores also came to Javier because of a personal connection. Her sister is participating in the camp, and it was important to her to accompany her on an experience she knew meant a great deal. Among the memories she takes with her is a conversation with Guedal, a sister of the Order, in which they discussed how those who receive service can end up teaching more to those who serve.

After a year and a half of preparation, he acknowledges that the work has been intense. However, it is precisely in the midst of that exhaustion that he discovers a spiritual dimension: «That’s when you really see how God is at work in the service we’re performing, no matter how hard it may be.».

The camp, she says, is «full of spirituality, but also full of work.» It is in the midst of that work that Lucía says she encounters God. For her, talking with those she serves is «a way of talking with God.».

Why serve it?

The experience described by these young people is directly linked to the charism of the Order of Malta itself. Monsignor Luis Manuel Cuña Ramos explains that faith and service are inseparably linked in the Order’s identity. Its original charism is expressed in the defense of the faith and in service to the poor and the sick, whom it traditionally refers to as «poor lords» and «sick lords.».

The difference, the prelate explains, lies in our perspective. «Through faith, through prayer, the Lord gives us the ability to see Jesus himself in the sick, in the poor, and in the pilgrim.» That is why, he emphasizes, the Order does not simply engage in philanthropy: «We practice charity.».

Prayer and service feed into one another. In order to recognize Christ in others, we must first encounter Him through the Word of God and prayer. And that encounter then allows us to «pray while we work,» as Lucía explained.

For Cuña Ramos, Christian service also stems from a prior experience of love received. A young person may begin serving because they feel called, but they stay because they discover the joy of giving of themselves. «It’s not done as a job; it’s not done out of obligation,» he affirms. If that were the case, they would eventually give it up. When asked why they serve, the ultimate answer is one: «The Lord.».

The prelate explains this by recounting an anecdote about one of Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s nuns. After seeing her tend to the wounds of a dying man, a journalist told her that he wouldn’t do that even for a million dollars. The nun replied, «Neither would I.».

That, explains Monsignor Cuña Ramos, is the secret: «Doing it because we feel loved, forgiven, cherished, and desired by God.» Those who know they are loved can pass on to others that same love they have received.

The Future of the Order of Malta

The camp also holds significance for the future of the Order of Malta. According to its prelate, these gatherings allow young people from different countries to discover that, although they come from different cultures, they share the same charism and the same desire to serve the Lord through the poor and the sick.

«It is an experience of the Church, of catholicity,» he says. And it is also an opportunity for participants to discover a possible vocation within the Order itself: «They are the future of the Order.» From these gatherings, he explains, future vocations may emerge—as knights, ladies, members of the Order, or chaplains.

But the future could also take a different form. With a touch of humor, Monsignor Cuña Ramos speaks of a reinterpretation of the acronym for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta: «Sovereign Matrimonial Order of Malta.» At the camps, he explains, many young people get to know one another because they share the same charism and the same outlook on life—including marriage and love as a form of service.

These gatherings have also given rise to families connected to the Order, who in turn can become «young evangelizers and evangelizing families.».

More on Omnes
Gospel

The Test of Faith: Raising the Bar. 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Vitus Ntube discusses the readings for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A), corresponding to August 16, 2026.

Vitus Ntube-August 13, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

Today’s Gospel passage reveals a side of Jesus that we are not accustomed to seeing. At first glance, it may surprise us and even baffle us. However, upon deeper reflection, we discover a valuable lesson about faith and about God’s openness to all peoples, races, and nations.

The Gospel recounts the test of a foreign woman’s faith. It is as if Jesus were gradually raising the bar to see how far her faith could go. The scene resembles a high jump competition: every time the bar is raised, the athlete manages to clear the new height. That is precisely what happens in today’s Gospel.

Three times the woman encounters what appears to be rejection. First, she is ignored. She respectfully pleads, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is possessed by a very evil demon.”. However, Jesus does not say a single word to her. Undeterred, she persists. Through the disciples—who intercede on her behalf—she continues to plead. But even their intervention receives another discouraging response: “I have been sent only to the lost sheep of Israel".

Then comes the final test, the most difficult of all. Jesus says to him, “It's not right to take the children's bread and feed it to the puppies.”. Many would have walked away hurt and offended. But this woman refuses to give up. With admirable humility, she replies: “You're right, Sir; but even little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table”. At that moment, she surpasses the highest standard. She has passed every test of faith. Her perseverance, humility, and trust win Christ’s heart. Not only is her daughter healed, but she also receives one of the greatest compliments ever spoken by Jesus: “Woman, how great is your faith!”. We see, then, that God is not indifferent to our needs or our pleas. The Gospel encourages us to continue asking with humility and perseverance.

What makes this woman’s faith even more impressive is that she is a foreigner: a Canaanite. Yet, through her faith, she ceases to be a stranger. It is interesting that the Canaanite woman remains anonymous. We do not know her name. We cannot call her by name as we do with Mary Magdalene, Martha, or Veronica. Yet it is precisely her anonymity that directs our attention to what truly matters: faith. She is remembered not for her social status or her achievements, but for her faith. In her faith we behold God’s irrevocable gift, a gift open to all.

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Newsroom
  • The Vatican
  • Pope Leo XIV will visit the Republic of San Marino and Rimini on a busy pastoral trip on August 22
The Vatican

Pope Leo XIV will visit the Republic of San Marino and Rimini on a busy pastoral trip on August 22

Pope Leo XIV will visit the Republic of San Marino and Rimini on August 22, a one-day trip with a packed schedule.

Paloma López Campos-August 12, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

Pope Leo XIV will make a pastoral visit to the Republic of San Marino and the Italian city of Rimini on Saturday, August 22, 2026. During the visit, the Pontiff will also participate in the «Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples.».

An Institutional and Religious Morning in San Marino

– Supernatural agenda The Holy Father’s visit will begin early, with takeoff scheduled for 8:00 a.m. At 9:00 a.m., the Pope will land at the Torraccia airfield, from where he will travel to Piazza della Libertà in San Marino. There, he will be received at 9:45 a.m. with military honors and the playing of the official national anthems, before entering the Public Palace alongside the Captains Regent.

Inside, after being introduced to the Secretaries of State, the Pope will hold a private meeting and sign the Book of Distinguished Guests in the Council of the Twelve Chamber. Subsequently, at 10:40, he will hold a meeting in the Grand and General Council Chamber. At 11:15, Pope Leo XIV will step out onto the central balcony of the Public Palace to greet and bless the faithful gathered in the square.

The visit to San Marino will continue at the Basilica at 11:45 a.m., where he will be received by the Bishop of San Marino-Montefeltro, Monsignor Domenico Beneventi, and the rector of the Basilica, Don Marco Mazzanti. At the basilica, the Pope will participate in the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the veneration of the relics of San Marino alongside priests and diocesan representatives. After a final greeting to the faithful outside the Basilica and a farewell to the authorities, the Pontiff will depart from San Marino at 12:45.

Before arriving in Rimini, the itinerary includes a strictly private stop in Pennabilli, where the Pope will visit the community of Augustinian nuns at the Monastery of St. Anthony of Padua.

Afternoon at the «Meeting» and a Mass attended by a large crowd in Rimini

At 2:45 p.m., the Pope will arrive at the Rimini Fairgrounds heliport to join the «Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples.» His itinerary will begin at 3:00 p.m. with visits to the exhibitions dedicated to St. Augustine and Leon Harmel. Later, at 3:30 p.m., he will greet participants at the «Villaggio Ragazzi» and hold a large gathering in the Main Auditorium at 4:00 p.m.

The final leg of the trip will take place in downtown Rimini. At 5:30 p.m., the Holy Father will go to the Cathedral for a heartfelt meeting with the sick, people with disabilities, and people living in poverty who are assisted by Caritas.

The grand finale of the pastoral visit will take place at the Port of Rimini, where at 6:30 p.m. he will preside over a solemn Eucharistic celebration. At the conclusion of the Mass, at 8:00 p.m., Pope Leo XIV will bid farewell to the authorities and depart for the Vatican, where he is scheduled to land at 9:00 p.m.

Read more
More on Omnes
The Vatican

Pope Leo XIV urges people to attend Mass on Sunday—not just virtually

At Wednesday’s General Audience, the Holy Father encouraged the thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter’s Basilica to sanctify Sunday by participating in Holy Mass, “not just by attending virtually.” He once again prayed for the victims of the earthquake in Colombia and recalled the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.

Editorial Staff Omnes-August 12, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

Before more than 5,000 faithful gathered in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Leo XIV consecrated the Audience on Wednesday, regarding the Liturgical Year, while commenting on the Second Vatican Council’s constitution ‘Sacrosanctum Concilium.’. 

In his address in various languages, the Pontiff has stated that “celebrating the Eucharist is essential for sanctifying Sunday,” since, according to the Council Fathers, listening to the Word and participating in the Body of Christ entails the festive gathering of the faithful. 

In his remarks to Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, for example, he encouraged them to “sanctify Sunday by participating in Holy Mass, not just by attending virtually”

This assembly “cannot be replaced by a merely virtual presence, nor can it be reduced to a merely passive gathering,” he noted. The liturgical assembly, in fact, takes place through the active participation of brothers and sisters, gathered together to “give thanks to God, who has brought them to new life through the living hope of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”.

The Foundation of the Liturgical Year: Sunday

“The liturgical year should be understood as a constant renewal of the work of salvation that Christ carries out throughout history. Throughout this annual cycle, the Church remains in touch with the Lord’s redemptive action, so that the faithful may be filled with the grace of salvation.”.

Leo XIV quoted Pope Pius XII in the encyclical Mediator Dei, when he wrote that the liturgical year “is not a cold and lifeless representation” of the past or the “recreation of a reality from times gone by,” but rather “Christ himself who perseveres in his Church” and continues his “journey of mercy” so that “the souls of men may come into contact with his mysteries,” which are present and constantly at work.

The Pope went on to emphasize that the encounter with Jesus, who died and rose again for us, is the goal the Church pursues and the center of every celebration. The Council Fathers established Sunday—the “dies Domini,” “the Lord’s Day”—as the foundation of the liturgical year. 

St. John Paul II taught in his Apostolic Letter *Dies Domini* that Sunday is the Lord’s Day, the Church’s Day, humanity’s Day, and, finally, ‘the day of days,’ since Sunday is the weekly Easter. 

“Even in those languages where the reference to the ‘day of the sun’ has prevailed (Sunday, Sunday), one can glimpse the connection with Christ: «Christ is the true »sun of righteousness’ who enlightens every person!” said the Pope.

At the beginning of his catechesis, Leo XIV recalled that the term “liturgical year,” used to describe the annual sequence of Christian celebrations, was introduced into the Church by the Servant of God, Abbot Prosper Guéranger (1805–1875), and since then, it has been defined and explained in the papal magisterium.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Commemoration of Martyrs and Saints

Before concluding his catechesis, the Successor of Peter noted how each celebration has been added to the liturgical year, intertwining “the faith and devotion of the Church”: the celebration of the weekly Passover since the second century A.D.; then the annual Easter, “the greatest solemnity”; Pentecost 50 days later…

“The subsequent development of the Christmas season, modeled after the Easter season, has allowed us to relive the mysteries of the Incarnation of the Word of God, of his birth, and of his manifestation to the world.”.  

Similarly, the inclusion of the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the commemoration of the martyrs and the other saints. He noted that “the liturgical year thus represents, in a sacramental way, the teaching of the history of salvation, guiding the faithful from the expectation of the Messiah to the fullness of the Paschal Mystery and the anticipation of future glory.”.  

Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Saint Maximilian Kolbe

In his remarks to the Polish pilgrims, the Pope recalled the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which the Church celebrates on August 15, and the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe on the eve of that day.

“August is a month filled with important anniversaries for you. Through Mary’s intercession, victory was achieved on August 15, 1920, in the Battle of Warsaw, which changed the course of Polish and European history. On the Vigil of the Assumption, we celebrate the liturgical memorial of Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe, who offered his life for a fellow prisoner in the German Nazi camp at Auschwitz. May the memory of these events guide us along the path of peace shown by the Immaculate Conception. My blessing to all!” 

Solidarity with the people of Colombia

Addressing the Spanish-speaking pilgrims, the Holy Father he reiterated his “solidarity with the Colombian men and women who suffered the effects of the recent earthquake, which caused numerous deaths and injuries, as well as extensive property damage. While I pray to the Lord for the eternal shame of sinners, I offer my prayers for their families and for all those affected by this tragedy. I express my gratitude to all those working on rescue efforts and providing assistance to the victims.”.

After the final blessing, the Pope said, “In a few days we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am pleased to urge you to constantly direct your prayers to the Mother of God, following her example by fully embracing the vocation to closeness with the Lord and concern for others. My blessings to all of you!”.

The authorEditorial Staff Omnes

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Newsroom
  • The Vatican
  • «Technology for Disarmament» will be the theme of the upcoming World Day of Peace
The Vatican

«Technology for Disarmament» will be the theme of the upcoming World Day of Peace

For the 2027 World Day of Peace, Pope Leo XIV has chosen the theme: "Disarming Technology, Serving Peace: Politics as a Preventive Responsibility.".

OSV / Omnes-August 12, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

The Vatican announced on August 11 that Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 2027 World Day of Peace will focus on «disarming technology» and the moral responsibility of political leaders.

The theme will be «Dismantling Technology, Serving Peace: Politics as a Preventive Responsibility,» according to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.

«His Holiness wishes to draw attention to the moral responsibility of those called to serve in the public sphere, and urges everyone to defend human dignity and contribute to building peace, beginning with «disarming technology,»» the dicastery said in a statement.

World Peace Day is celebrated each year on January 1, the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The Pope sends a message for the occasion, which the Vatican forwards to governments around the world.

The Risks of Delegating War to AI

Based on Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical, «Magnifica Humanitas,» on the ethics of artificial intelligence and the protection of the human person, the message will contain a warning about the risks involved in entrusting military decisions to artificial intelligence.

The announcement comes after several Nobel laureates, inspired by the Pope’s encyclical, gathered in Rome on July 16 to sign a declaration calling for a global treaty that would ban the use of artificial intelligence in nuclear launch systems.

Protecting Human Responsibility

«Pope Leo XIV makes a fervent appeal to the international community to promote common agreements capable of safeguarding human responsibility and humanitarian principles in situations where human life and peaceful coexistence among peoples are at stake,» the statement said.

This will be the 60th World Day of Peace, a tradition established by Pope Paul VI and inspired by Pope John XXIII’s encyclical «Pacem in Terris.».

– – –
Courtney Mares is Vatican editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.

The authorOSV / Omnes

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Focus
  • Evangelization
  • Diane Foley: «I could not have endured the murder of our son without my faith in God»
Evangelization

Diane Foley: «I could not have endured the murder of our son without my faith in God»

Diane Foley, the mother of journalist James W. Foley, recounts in American Mother (Albada) on how her faith sustained her after her son's murder and led her to meet with one of the men involved in his death: "I wanted to give him the chance to vent and explain himself."

Teresa Aguado Peña-August 12, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

Diane Foley is, as she says, first and foremost a mother. She is the mother of American journalist James W. Foley, who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012 and killed by the Islamic State two years later. But Diane’s story was marked not only by loss, but also by a journey of faith, forgiveness, and the search for truth—a journey that even led her to come face to face with one of the men involved in Jim’s death.

Founder of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, an organization dedicated to defending the safety of journalists and supporting U.S. citizens who have been kidnapped or unjustly detained abroad, Diane has turned her suffering into a call for hope.

In October 2021, he met with Alexanda Kotey, one of the members of the jihadist group known as «the Beatles,» to listen to him and talk to him about his son.

That experience, along with the Irish writer Colum McCann, was documented in American Mother (Albada), a book that is not only the story of a tragedy, but also a reflection on pain, dignity, mercy, and the possibility of continuing to love in the wake of horror. «I am a mother. That’s all, and it’s more than enough,» Diane says in its pages.

After being received in audience by Pope Leo XIV, Diane Foley has spoken on numerous occasions about how faith and prayer were the source of strength that enabled her to endure her son’s captivity and murder. In this interview, she remembers Jim as a man committed to truth, peace, and service to others, and she shares how mercy can open a path even in the midst of the deepest suffering.

In the book, you say that, above all else, you are a mother. How has the meaning of motherhood changed after everything you’ve been through with James?

– Motherhood has been and continues to be one of the greatest gifts of my life. I’ve always loved children, and I feel deeply fortunate to have had five healthy children.

The joy of motherhood has only grown deeper over the years, with the arrival of our adult children’s loving spouses and the arrival of each of our eight beloved grandchildren. We now have grandchildren ranging in age from 6 months to 19 years.

James continues to inspire me to feel a deep sense of gratitude for family, regardless of the challenges each family faces.

During James's kidnapping, how did you manage to cope with the uncertainty without losing hope?

– I managed to get through it thanks to my deep faith in a loving and merciful God, and the support of my family and friends.

Jim returned from his unjust detention in Libya, by the grace of God, so I held onto a deep hope throughout his captivity in Syria.

At the time of Jim's kidnapping in Syria, I was working on the fourteenth meditation of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, which proved to be of great help to me.

The book reveals a constant tension between the need for justice and the desire not to let oneself be consumed by hatred. How have you learned to live with those two realities?

–Both of these realities are part of my faith. God judges, but He always offers His infinite mercy, love, and forgiveness.

What led you to meet with Alexanda Kotey, one of the men involved in the kidnapping and murder of your son? Was there ever a moment when you thought you wouldn't be able to do it?

–Kotey offered to speak with the victims, so he showed himself to be open to dialogue. He knew that Jim would have met with him to try to understand why he had become a jihadist and had harmed so many people. He wanted to give him a chance to vent and explain himself; and he hoped that Jim would also listen to what I wanted to share about him. He also hoped that Jim would tell us where he had been buried. He was curious and hopeful to learn something about Jim’s final days.

On the morning of my first meeting with him, I began to lose the courage to face him, and I had to get down on my knees and pray, asking for God’s mercy and grace. I had to pray before each of my three meetings with Kotey.

During that encounter, did you discover something about evil, forgiveness, or the person standing before you that you never would have imagined?

–First of all, I was surprised that the twenty people in the room seemed to fade into the background; I felt as if only Kotey and I were talking.  Alexanda had a lot to say about his hatred for the West and how everything he had done, he had done as a loyal soldier of ISIS. He tried to justify his actions and downplay his role in Jim’s kidnapping and torture. She also expressed deep regret for my pain as a mother at every turn, both in person and in the three letters that followed. However, she never apologized for what she did to Jim.

I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as I was surprised by the great compassion I felt for him. He is the same age as one of our youngest children. We all make mistakes and need forgiveness. Hate hurts everyone… His hatred and the murder of Jim and so many others have caused terrible pain and loss not only to us, the victims, but also to himself. It is very likely that Kotey will never see his four young daughters, his wife, his mother, or his former home in the United Kingdom again; so he has lost his freedom and a large part of his life. Hatred causes pain and loss to everyone involved.

What role has faith played throughout your career?

–My faith has played a vital role over the past 12 years. I could not have endured the horrific murder of our oldest son without my faith in God and in the goodness of others.

After James's death, you founded the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation. What have you learned from supporting other families going through the terrible ordeal of a kidnapping or wrongful detention?

–I have learned that channeling my pain to support other families whose loved ones have been kidnapped or unjustly detained abroad, as well as to protect journalists, has brought me comfort and joy.  Furthermore, Jim’s challenge to me to have moral courage and to inspire others has challenged and inspired me to persevere and remain hopeful.

What message or lesson do you hope readers will take away when they close the last page of American Mother?

–I hope that others will be inspired by Jim's life to use their talents and their lives to benefit others.

I also hope that readers will reflect on how important faith in God and participation in a faith community can be in their own lives. I am certain that I could not have endured Jim’s captivity and murder, nor would I have had the strength to establish the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, without my faith, my faith community, and the kindness of others.

Each of us has the opportunity to bring hope and love to others every day.

American Mother: Courage in the Face of Terrorism

Author: Colum McCann
EditorialAlbada : Albada
Year of publication: 2026
Pages: 316
More on Omnes
Books

Is God greater than a dragon?

When a young child wonders how big God is, his father has the answer: ‘Let’s find out together.’ The versatile actor, director, and film producer David Henrie, his wife María, and the publisher have begun promoting the book *Is God Bigger Than a Dragon?*, although it officially comes out in November.  

Francisco Otamendi-August 12, 2026-Reading time: 3 minutes

‘Is God Bigger Than a Dragon?’ is a Christian picture book by David Henrie and his wife María about God’s love. Perfect for bedtime stories, baptism gifts (and other occasions), and family Bible reading time, according to the publisher. Ascension Press.

On August 6, @DavidHenrie posted the following message on X: “I’m so excited to finally share something María and I have been working on… our first children’s book, *Is God Bigger Than a Dragon?*. I just announced it on @GMA (Good Morning America).’.

A story that sparks the imagination

“The book was inspired by the questions our own children ask about God, faith, and the world around them,” Henrie added. “We wanted to create a story that sparks the imagination, directs families to Scripture, and reminds children that no matter how big their fears are, God is greater.”

“It's been a ”special experience‘ for the family,’ said the actor, best known for his role as Justin Russo alongside Selena Gomez in Disney's *Wizards of Waverly Place*, and for the series ‘Seeking Beauty,’ which she created and hosted in collaboration with EWTN Studios.

On his Instagram account, @davidhenrie's post—which included a few photos—was similar and also had a promotional angle. “We can't wait for you to read it this November. Pre-order the book at Amazon. I'm starting a group chat for everyone who requests it in advance on Instagram, and I'll add you to our chat so you can learn more about the book and the @Ascension Press movement.”.

David Henrie presented the book on the famous morning show ‘Good Morning America,’ broadcast by the American network ABC.

About the Book: Bringing the Bible to the Family

Created in collaboration with the publisher behind the chart-topping podcast ‘The Bible in a Year’ (with Father Mike Schmitz), ‘Is God Greater Than a Dragon?’ offers parents, grandparents, and the whole family a valuable resource for introducing the Bible to children ages 3 to 7 and starting conversations about faith at home. 

It is illustrated by Adam Gustavson, whose work has appeared in more than 30 children's books, as well as on posters, in periodicals, and on murals.

María Cahill Henrie

María Cahill Henrie is passionate about her faith and her family. In 2011, she was crowned Miss Delaware and embarked on a career in the entertainment industry. In 2017, she married David Henrie, and they began their journey together in the Catholic faith and family life. They have three children.

His first book is about a boy who asks his father if God is bigger than whales, dinosaurs, dragons, monster trucks, and even New York City. 

Jonathan Roumie: “The Timeless Wisdom of Scripture”

One of the best-known endorsements for David and María Henrie’s book comes from Jonathan Roumie, the star of ‘The Chosen.’ The Catholic publishing house Ascension Press includes it as a featured recommendation: 

“David and María beautifully and poetically capture the timeless wisdom of Scripture in a warm, accessible, and family-centered storybook, revealing to children the immensity of God’s love for them,” wrote Jonathan Roumie.

David Henrie and his wife, María, with the Archbishop of Los Angeles, Archbishop José H. Gomez, in a photo from his Instagram account @davidhenrie.

He was introduced to them by the Archbishop of Los Angeles

In January of this year, actor David Henrie announced on Instagram that the Archbishop of Los Angeles, José H. Gómez, had introduced him to his wife, María. He posted a video showing him alongside María and Archbishop José Gómez during the red-carpet premiere of the EWTN+ original series ‘Seeking Beauty,’ as reported by ChurchPop, the Colombian media outlet Razón y Fe, and others.

“Thank you, Archbishop Gómez, for introducing me to her!” David Henrie wrote about his wife María following the premiere of his EWTN+ series, *In Search of Beauty*, according to Jacqueline Burkepile.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Read more
More on Omnes
Latin America

The Pope Expresses His Solidarity and Prayers in the Wake of the Earthquake in Colombia

The Holy Father Leo XIV has sent a telegram of condolences to the Archbishop of Cartagena and President of the Colombian Episcopal Conference, Monsignor Munera Correa, in which he prays for and expresses his solidarity with the victims and all those affected by the earthquake in Colombia.  

Editorial Staff Omnes-August 11, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

In a telegram In a message signed by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Pope Leo XIV has sent his condolences and prayers for the victims, all those injured and affected, and the entire Colombian people, following the earthquake that struck the country on Monday.

The text of the telegram reads as follows: “The Holy Father, deeply moved upon learning the painful news of the earthquake that has severely affected several areas of Colombia, causing deaths and numerous injuries, as well as serious material damage, including to many churches, offers prayers for the eternal rest of the deceased, and offers his prayers to the Lord for the speedy recovery of those affected by this tragedy.”.

Cardinal Parolin also asks the president of the Colombian Bishops“ Conference to convey ”the heartfelt condolences of His Holiness Leo XIV to the families who, in this hour of deep sorrow, are mourning the loss of their loved ones.”.

Likewise, the Vatican Secretary of State assures the Pope’s “spiritual closeness” and “expresses his gratitude to all those who, with generous dedication, are working to search for, rescue, and assist the victims.”.

Ask for the gifts of strength and hope

Finally, “through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” the Holy Father “asks the Lord to pour out upon the beloved people of Colombia the gifts of spiritual strength and Christian hope, and he cordially imparts his apostolic blessing to them.”.

Monday's earthquake in Colombia, a month and a half after Venezuela, has so far left around 130 dead, more than 500 injured, and numerous people missing.

The figure does not include the deaths and injuries reported in surrounding municipalities and towns, where buildings have also collapsed and hospitals, airports, public services, and transportation systems have sustained damage.

The Church in Colombia: One Family in the Face of Adversity

The Colombian Episcopate has stated He also expressed his solidarity with the victims of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake and called for a response to the emergency based on solidarity, responsibility, and fraternity. 

Cardinal Luis José Rueda Aparicio, the nation’s primate, has called on people to turn this tragedy into an opportunity to “rebuild ourselves from the heart” and overcome divisions.

As it happens, just four days ago, the new president of the Republic, Abelardo de la Espriella, took office for the 2026–2030 term.

The authorEditorial Staff Omnes

Read more
More on Omnes
  • Newsroom
  • Culture
  • Books
  • José Molero: “The important thing is to put the right story in the hands of each child at the right time”
Books

José Molero: “The important thing is to put the right story in the hands of each child at the right time”

In this interview, writer José Molero describes the keys to helping young and old alike appreciate and enjoy reading.

Maria José Atienza-August 11, 2026-Reading time: 6 minutes

José Molero (Alfacar, Granada, 1937)—known as Pepe—has led a rich and happy life, but above all, a surprising one, especially during his youth. This native of Granada, a mining engineer—a field to which he devoted his early professional years—eventually found his way into teaching, a field in which, in addition to his dedication and undeniable talent, he also began to make his mark as a writer. Focused on young adult literature, though with a few forays into poetry, 

His latest book Ariadne and the Whispering Forest, published by the Strogoff Publishing House, delves into a magical forest, filled with voices and characters through whom a young girl, Ariadna, unravels the essential questions of life: friendship, respect, solidarity… 

In this conversation with Omnes, Molero emphasizes that today the enemy is not “a shortage of books—more are being published than ever before—but the dictatorship of distraction.”. 

Mining engineer, professor… How did you get into writing for children and young adults? 

–I think I got into it quite naturally, although even back in high school I was writing short stories and enjoyed making up stories. When I chose a primarily technical major, creative writing took a back seat.

The real turning point came years later when I began teaching. My daily interaction with students reignited my passion for writing, and, almost without realizing it, I discovered that children’s and young adult literature was an extraordinary way to spark curiosity, instill values, and inspire a love of reading. Since then, I have published more than 500 short stories and several young adult novels.

Over time, I’ve come to realize that teaching and writing are two activities that feed into each other. Spending time with children and teenagers allowed me to better understand their way of thinking, their concerns, and their sense of humor, and all of that found its way into my stories. Thus, what had started out as a youthful hobby has ended up becoming one of the most exciting aspects of my life.

You've been a teacher for many years—how has young people's access to reading changed? 

–I think people have never read as much as they do now, at least if we consider the number of words that pass before our eyes every day. Just look at how glued we are to our cell phone screens: instant messages, subtitled videos, constantly updating news… 

Today, the greatest enemy is by no means a shortage of books—more are being published than ever before—but rather the tyranny of distraction. We live under a constant barrage of stimuli that push us to quickly move from one piece of content to another, making it increasingly difficult to engage in the slow, reflective, and quiet reading that a good book demands—and that leaves an indelible mark. 

That’s why I always encouraged my students to set aside at least ten minutes a day for reading. I didn’t suggest they start with the great classics or turn reading into a chore, but rather that they discover the pleasure of opening a book on their own initiative. Once that small habit takes root, everything else follows almost naturally: concentration improves, vocabulary expands, expression becomes more refined, and, above all, one’s understanding of reality broadens. 

I believe that every child or young person who discovers the joy of reading represents a small victory over the superficiality of our times. And that discovery almost never happens by chance. Behind it, there are usually parents who read with their children at first, or a teacher who enthusiastically recommends a book. That is almost always where a reader’s true journey begins—a journey that, once truly embarked upon, lasts a lifetime.

Are there any «surefire» stories? What books do you consider essential for a family library?

–I don’t think there are any foolproof stories, because every reader is different—just as there are no definitive lists of books. Rather than searching for the perfect book, what’s important is putting the right story in each child’s hands at the right time.

In a family library, however, I do consider the great classics to be essential—The Little Prince, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, The Wizard of Oz…— because they have stood the test of time and continue to captivate generations of readers. Alongside them, it’s worth including magnificent contemporary works such as The Chronicles of Narnia, poetry books—encountering poetry is essential during childhood—and adventure novels that fuel curiosity, imagination, and the desire to continue discovering the world.

But, above and beyond any list of titles, the best book is the one that, once finished, sparks a child’s desire to pick up another one. That’s where the true habit of reading begins—and with it, a journey that can last a lifetime.

These days, many parents feel «overwhelmed» by the vast selection of children’s and young adult literature. How can they choose books of high literary quality that also convey a sound worldview and a positive view of humanity? 

–That’s a very timely question, because there have never been as many children’s and young adult books as there are now, and yet that very abundance can be overwhelming for many families. My first piece of advice is not to be swayed by trends or bestseller lists. A good book isn’t necessarily the one that sells the most or the one with the biggest marketing campaign. marketing not the most striking one, but the one that lingers in the reader's memory after the book has been closed.

It’s a good idea to look for well-written works with careful language, believable characters, and clever plots. But literary quality, while essential, isn’t enough. Books also nurture sensitivity and help shape a way of looking at the world. That is why it is important for them to convey a hopeful vision—so necessary today—of what it means to be human, where values such as friendship, truth, generosity, hard work, good humor, responsibility, and forgiveness are embodied in the characters’ lives rather than presented as a sermon.

I would also advise parents not to try to navigate the thousands of new options on their own. It’s worth trusting the judgment of good teachers, librarians, and digital platforms such as Delibris or prestigious institutions and media outlets. And, whenever possible, read with your children or, at the very least, take an interest in the books they read. Sharing a story and talking about it is one of the best ways to educate.

Ultimately, a good book does not indoctrinate, but neither is it morally neutral: every story or poem conveys a certain view of people and life. The best literature does not lecture; it offers guidance. I know from experience that a child learns much more from an admirable character than from a brilliant speech.

Children's and Young Adult Literature: What Can It Teach Us Adults? 

–Children’s and young adult literature can teach adults a great deal because it doesn’t trivialize life’s big issues; it makes them clearer. Children retain a sense of wonder that we adults lose almost without realizing it. That’s why, when a writer truly connects with a child, they’re also building a bridge to adult readers.

The best children’s books don’t have two levels of interpretation: one for children and another for adults. They convey a single truth, told with such depth and simplicity that anyone can be moved by it. They explore themes of friendship, fear, loss, hope, and love with an authenticity that we often miss in many books written exclusively for adults.

It's no coincidence that some of the great classics of children's literature continue to stay with us throughout our lives. Platero and I, for example, was never intended by Juan Ramón Jiménez to be a book exclusively for children. In fact, in the preface he admits that he wrote it «…I don’t know for whom…,» making it clear that it was intended for any reader capable of being moved. The same is true of The Little Prince and so many other works that, over time, have come to find readers of all ages.

This shows that great books are ageless; they have readers. And perhaps that is one of the main lessons of good children’s literature: to remind us that growing up isn’t about losing the ability to be amazed, but about preserving it. An adult who shares a good book with a child isn’t just teaching them to read; they’re also rediscovering, almost without realizing it, a purer, freer, and more human way of looking at the world.

What does your latest book of short stories offer, Adriana and the Whispering Forest?

–My latest book, Adriana and the Whispering Forest, is, in a way, the embodiment of everything I’ve been telling you about children’s and young adult literature. It brings together fifteen stories featuring Adriana—though it could be any boy or girl—during her adventures in a forest where fantasy becomes a path to discovering reality.

Each adventure presents a different challenge and offers readers the chance to grow alongside the protagonist. There is a clear homage to some of the great classics of children’s and young adult literature, from The The Chronicles of Narnia, from C. S. Lewis to characters and myths such as Merlin or King Midas, because great stories never cease to engage with one another and continue to have much to say to readers of different generations.

I wanted to write a book in which adventure, humor, mystery, and imagination are not merely a form of entertainment, but rather a vehicle for exploring essential questions: good and evil, fear and courage, friendship, solidarity, the importance of knowing how to listen, and the ability to marvel at the beauty of nature.

If, upon closing the book, a child feels the urge to keep reading and also asks themselves an important question about life, I’ll consider the goal achieved. 

As an author, it gives me great satisfaction to see that Adriana and the Whispering Forest It is winning over young readers, educators, and families alike.

Adriana and the Whispering Forest

Author: José Molero Fernández
Editorial: Strogoff
Year of publication: 2026
Pages: 180
More on Omnes
  • Columnists
  • The Immense Power of “I Love You”
ColumnistsLupita Venegas

The Immense Power of “I Love You”

Love doesn't just need to be felt—it also needs to be expressed: psychology, neuroscience, and the Christian faith explain why hearing «I love you» can strengthen bonds and heal the heart.

August 11, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

María had spent the entire afternoon preparing dinner. It was her fiftieth birthday that day. Her children arrived one after another, hugged her affectionately, gave her flowers, and began to chat. Her husband arrived a little later. He kissed her on the forehead and said, “I’m so glad dinner’s ready.” During dinner, they talked about work, politics, and their grandchildren. As the day drew to a close, María smiled and gave thanks to God… but as she went to bed, a tear rolled down her cheek. It wasn’t ingratitude. She had been hoping to hear a phrase that never came: “I love you.”

Her husband loved her deeply. They had spent thirty years together. He worked hard, was responsible, and had never let her down. However, she needed to hear what he took for granted.

How many stories like this are there? Parents who never tell their child how much they love them because they think it “will go to their head.” Adult children who never express their affection because they’re too shy. Friends who say goodbye without knowing that it will be the last time they see each other. Marriages where love exists, but remains hidden behind the daily routine.

Why do two such simple words hold so much power? Because human beings were created to love… but also to know that they are loved.

Contemporary psychology confirms this. Psychiatrist Daniel Siegel, one of the leading experts in interpersonal neurobiology, explains that our brain does not develop in isolation. It is literally shaped within emotional relationships. The quality of our bonds alters the neural connections that regulate our emotions, our ability to trust, and even the way we cope with suffering.

Neuropsychiatrist Allan Schore has shown that repeated experiences of affection during childhood shape the development of the right hemisphere, which is responsible for emotional regulation. In other words, the brain learns a sense of security when it experiences expressed love. It is not enough simply to love; love needs to be felt.

Research by Dr. John Gottman, based on decades of tracking thousands of married couples, shows that the happiest couples are not those who never have conflicts, but those who maintain a very high proportion of positive interactions. Among these, verbal expressions of affection, admiration, and gratitude stand out. Words strengthen the bond because they constantly remind the other person, “You’re still important to me.”.

Neuroscience also explains this phenomenon. When a person hears sincere words of love, the brain releases oxytocin, a hormone associated with attachment, trust, and cooperation. Neuroeconomist Paul Zak found that higher levels of oxytocin promote empathy, reduce distrust, and strengthen social bonds. At the same time, levels of cortisol—the primary stress hormone—decrease.

A genuine “I love you” doesn’t just stir our emotions. It also calms the brain. But we can go even deeper.

The psychiatrist Viktor Frankl asserted that the highest human experience consists in discovering the unique and irreplaceable value of another person. To love means to see in another person possibilities that they themselves may not yet be able to see. When we say “I love you,” we are implicitly saying, “Your existence is of immense value to me.” That explains why the absence of those words leaves such deep wounds.

Many adults remember perfectly well that their homes were never lacking in food, clothing, or education. However, they grew up with a painful inner question: “Am I really important to anyone?”

The philosopher Edith Stein wrote that a person only comes to know themselves fully when they are looked upon with love. Our identity awakens under the loving gaze of another. First, that of our parents; then, that of those who walk alongside us; and, finally, that of God.

St. John Paul II developed this same idea from the perspective of Christian anthropology: human beings cannot fully understand themselves except through love. We were created for communion. That is why isolation is so painful and why loving words have such healing power.

St. Thomas Aquinas defined love as “desiring the good of another” (wish another well). That desire must certainly be expressed through actions, but also through words. Because words make the invisible visible. They are the bridge between the heart and the one who longs to be loved.

God himself chose to reveal himself in this way. The entire history of salvation can be understood as the story of a God who insists on telling humankind, “I love you.” The Father’s voice resounds at the Jordan: “This is my beloved Son” (Mt 3:17). Jesus repeatedly tells his disciples: “I have loved you” (John 15:9). And Saint John sums up Christian identity with an extraordinary phrase: “We have come to know the love God has for us, and we have believed in him.” (1 John 4:16).

Before asking us to love, God lets us know that we are loved. Perhaps that is the secret. Words of love do not create love, but they do reveal it, strengthen it, and make it believable.

Let’s never assume that others “already know.” They may sense it, but the human heart needs to hear it. A child who frequently hears “I love you” builds a stronger sense of self-worth. A teenager finds refuge from the pressures of the world. A married couple strengthens their bond. A grandparent discovers that they are still valued. A friend regains hope.

We don’t know what our last conversation with our loved ones will be. That’s why we shouldn’t hold back. Maybe today, someone close to us doesn’t need advice, a correction, or a gift. Maybe they’re just waiting to hear, from our lips, those two words that have the power to calm the mind, strengthen the heart, and remind them that their life is worth living:

“I love you.”

The authorLupita Venegas

More on Omnes
Gospel

Heaven is where God is. The Assumption of Mary (A)

Vitus Ntube discusses the readings for the Assumption of Mary (A) on August 15, 2026.

Vitus Ntube-August 11, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

Today the Church celebrates the great Marian solemnity of the Assumption: “that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever-virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”. Defined as dogma by Pope Pius XII on November 1, 1950, this truth of the faith continues to bear abundant spiritual fruit in the life of the Church.

Today’s Gospel helps us understand why Mary was assumed into heaven. Two virtues stand out in particular: her humility and her faith. During her visit to Elizabeth, Mary sings the Magnificat, a hymn that reveals the secret of her greatness. Mary does not exalt herself; she acknowledges that it is God who has done great things for her. She recognizes herself as the Lord’s humble servant. “He has looked upon the humility of his servant”, he proclaims, and “exalts the humble".

Mary did not lift herself up to heaven; it was God who lifted her up. Her humility made her receptive to God’s grace and action. The proud seek to exalt themselves, and in doing so, they become incapable of being lifted up by God. The humble, on the other hand, allow themselves to be lifted up by Him.

G. K. Chesterton once wrote that “Angels can fly because they don’t take themselves too seriously”. Pride weighs us down; humility gives us wings. It is no coincidence that Fra Angelico painted angels with extraordinary lightness, almost like butterflies. The Assumption reminds us that God exalts the humble and lifts up those who surrender themselves completely into His hands.

Mary's faith is equally central to today's celebration. Pope Benedict XVI observed that Mary's true greatness lies in her faith. Even before Mary sang the Magnificat, Isabel had already recognized this greatness: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!””. But Isabel goes even further and identifies the deepest reason for Mary’s blessedness: “Blessed is she who has believed, for what the Lord has told her will be fulfilled.".

Mary’s faith was a total commitment to God’s plan, a complete surrender of herself into His hands. Her faith allowed God’s greatness to work within her. Because she believed, God worked wonders in her life, culminating in her assumption into the glory of Heaven.

Mary was taken up into heaven to be with God forever. Heaven is where God is. To be in heaven is to be with God. And in God there is room for all of us. As we celebrate this solemnity, we can ask Our Lady to intercede for us, so that we may grow in humility and faith—qualities that allow God to accomplish great things in our lives.

Read more
More on Omnes
Evangelization

The Tears of Saint Lawrence: When the Stars Remember a Martyr

Every August, the Perseids light up the sky, and Christian tradition links them to the tears shed by Saint Lawrence during his martyrdom.

Teresa Aguado Peña-August 10, 2026-Reading time: 3 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsThe star shower named after a saint

Every August, one of the year’s most famous astronomical spectacles takes place. It is the Perseids, a meteor shower that peaks around August 10–13 and which, in Spain and other countries with a Christian tradition, is known as «the tears of Saint Lawrence.» The coincidence with the saint’s feast day, which the Church celebrates on August 10, gave rise to a tradition that for centuries has linked the memory of a martyr with the stars that seem to fall from the sky.

The Perseids are dust particles and other debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle that the Earth passes through each year as it orbits the sun. When these particles enter the atmosphere at high speed, they heat up, burn up, and produce the flashes of light that we see from Earth as shooting stars. Their radiant—that is, the point in the sky from which they appear to originate—is located in the constellation Perseus. This is the source of their astronomical name: the Perseids.

But science does not explain the popular name «Tears of Saint Lawrence.» To understand it, we must look back at the story of a young deacon of the Church of Rome, whose memory became associated with that August night.

A Deacon in the Service of the Poor

Saint Lawrence was a deacon in Rome and one of the men closest to Pope Sixtus II. As archdeacon, his responsibilities included administering the Church’s assets and caring for those most in need. He devoted himself to caring for the sick and to looking after orphans, widows, and marginalized people. Lawrence became a much-loved figure in Rome, and even after his death, he was immediately the object of popular veneration.

According to tradition, during the persecution under Emperor Valerian in the year 258, Pope Sixtus II was arrested and executed along with several of his deacons. Lawrence was arrested shortly thereafter. The prefect of Rome then demanded that he hand over the Church’s property.

The deacon asked for a few days to gather them. But, according to tradition, he used that time to distribute among the poor the goods entrusted to his care. When he returned before the authorities, he did not bring with him riches or material treasures. He was accompanied by a crowd of needy people whom the Church was helping. Pointing to them, Lawrence is said to have uttered one of the most famous phrases associated with him: «These are the treasures of the Church.».

Lorenzo was sentenced to be burned to death on an iron grate, suffering a slow and agonizing death. It is said that in the midst of his martyrdom he exclaimed, «Turn me over—I’m already done on this side.» According to legend, his tears are the «stars» that will fall from the sky in the coming nights.

Why «Tears of Saint Lawrence»?

According to an ancient Christian tradition, the shooting stars that appear in the sky around the feast of Saint Lawrence are said to be his tears, shed from the heavens in remembrance of his martyrdom. Another tradition speaks of small particles, or «lapillis,» coming from the flames of the gridiron on which he was burned.

Thus, the image of a saint’s tears appearing to fall upon the earth transformed a celestial phenomenon into an expression of the Christian memory of Lawrence.

Saint Lawrence is also one of the best-known martyrs of the Church of Rome. His veneration has been documented since the 4th century, and his name has become closely associated with the city of Rome and Christian tradition.

What Really Falls from the Sky

The Perseids, then, are neither falling stars nor tears turned into light. They are meteors produced by particles entering Earth's atmosphere at very high speeds.

Every year, around August 12, Earth passes through the region of space containing the debris left behind by the aforementioned comet Swift-Tuttle. This comet, composed of dust and ice, follows an orbit around the Sun that takes about 133 years to complete. Its last close approach to the Sun occurred in 1992, and the next one is expected in 2126.

When the tiny particles in that swarm enter the atmosphere, friction with atmospheric gases causes them to heat up and burn up. The flash we see from Earth’s surface is what we call a meteor. So, even though we commonly refer to them as «shooting stars,» we aren’t actually seeing stars—we’re observing the luminous trail produced by tiny fragments of cometary material.

RelatedRelated NewsThe star shower named after a saint
More on Omnes
  • Columnists
  • Whatever Happened to the Working Man's Restaurant? 
ColumnistsBryan Lawrence Gonsalves

Whatever Happened to the Working Man's Restaurant? 

The disappearance of simple, affordable restaurants reflects a society in which eating out is no longer a daily necessity but has increasingly become a luxury.

August 10, 2026-Reading time: 6 minutes

A few weeks ago, I called the only Mexican restaurant in my city that advertised a party platter. I was planning a small gathering with friends and liked the idea of everyone assembling their own tacos.

I asked if they offered takeaway. I would place the order, walk there myself, pay, collect it, and leave. "No," they said. "We only offer dine-in."

Disappointed, I began searching for alternatives. Surely another Mexican restaurant in the city would offer something similar. None did.

Instead, I found menu after menu charging extraordinary prices for what should be ordinary food. Burritos that once sold for three euros when I was a university student now cost nine. Other restaurants charged nearly twenty euros for a plate of enchiladas.

Twenty euros!? Unbelievable! My first thought was almost "those enchiladas better cure cancer if they cost that much."

It wasn't merely shock from the high price and small quantity. It made me wonder what had happened to restaurants that existed simply to feed people.

When Dining Out Becomes a Luxury

I will admit that maybe my shock is because I tend to be unfashionable. When I go to a restaurant, I am not looking for exposed brick walls, artisan lighting fixtures, handcrafted ceramic plates, fancy menus. I do not particularly care whether the furniture was designed by Scandinavian architects or whether the waiter explains where every ingredient was sourced.

I simply want an affordable meal that tastes good and leaves me full. In many ways, I have what could only be described as plebeian tastes. An example being that I drink cheap instant coffee, the type that serious coffee enthusiasts, like my fiancée would probably refuse to acknowledge as coffee at all. I eat to live rather than live to eat. If a meal is affordable, filling, and enjoyable, I am happy.

Somewhere along the way, however, restaurants seem to have forgotten people like me.

Dining out increasingly feels less about eating and more about purchasing an experience. Restaurants seem to be competing on aesthetics, branding, exclusivity and who can keep increasing prices without driving away customers. The food itself almost becomes secondary. Meanwhile, ordinary working-class people are left wondering when a burrito became a luxury purchase.

A Lesson from Warsaw

Whenever I think about this, my mind returns to a trip I made to Warsaw while I was still at university. A Polish friend took me to a Vietnamese restaurant tucked away on an ordinary street. It was not the sort of establishment that would ever appear in travel guides or Instagram posts. If you are not careful when walking the street, you would miss the entrance to the restaurant. 

The tables were made from cheap white plastic, while the menu was a single laminated sheet of paper and the décor was almost non-existent.

At the counter sat a Vietnamese girl, perhaps eleven years old, quietly doing her homework. My friend placed our order in Polish, and she responded fluently before taking our payment and returning to her mathematics.

Her parents cooked in the kitchen behind her. When the food was ready, she rang a small bell and invited us to collect our bowls.

For five euros I received an enormous bowl of steaming Vietnamese noodles. It was fresh, delicious and to me, a poor university student without a job, it was honest and filling.

There was no show or drama, no attempt to sell us an "experience." No theatrical presentation. Just a hardworking Vietnamese immigrant family feeding their community.

Years later, I remember almost nothing else from that day in Warsaw. I don’t remember the places I visited or the people I met or even what that day looked like, but I do remember those noodles and that Vietnamese restaurant.

The Disappearance of the Ordinary

What happened to places like that? They once existed in nearly every city. Small family businesses where the owner knew regular customers by name. Restaurants that did not aspire to attain Michelin stars but simply sought to provide good food at fair prices.

These establishments served students living on tight budgets, they fed construction workers looking for a quick lunch. They served young families who wanted a simple night out. They gave poor pensioners the experience to eat something affordable without worrying about their wallets. In general, they helped people who simply wanted a decent meal without wondering whether they had just spent half their grocery budget.

Today, many of these places seem to be disappearing. Some have undoubtedly been driven out by rising rents, inflation, increasing labor costs or competition from larger chains.

Cities are often increasingly filled with restaurants designed for special occasions rather than everyday life. Reservation-only dining, with carefully curated interiors and where premium pricing is presented as normal.

There is nothing inherently wrong with fine dining. The problem arises when ordinary dining begins to disappear altogether. Every society needs places where ordinary people can gather without feeling excluded by price. 

A Catholic Perspective

This is more than just food. Restaurants have always been places where communities gather and by doing so, they bind a neighborhood together. 

Economic life should never exist solely to maximize profit. Markets are valuable servants, but they make poor masters. Businesses naturally seek to earn a living, and there is nothing immoral about making a profit. Yet profit should remain the reward for serving society, not society's ultimate purpose.

When businesses can no longer afford to serve ordinary people or choose not to, something valuable is lost.

The Church has long taught that economic life exists for the human person, not the other way around. Pope St. John Paul II, in Laborem Exercens, reminded us that work possesses dignity because it serves people and families. Likewise, the Church teaches that society should be ordered toward the common good, ensuring that ordinary people can participate fully in economic and social life.

The little Vietnamese restaurant in Warsaw embodied many of those principles without ever preaching them. You had a family worked together in service to their neighborhood, they charged prices that ordinary people could afford, their labor was not glamorous, but it was dignified and no doubt, a worthy sanctification of its own when offered up to God. They were not selling a premium sense of exclusivity either but rather were offering hospitality in their own way.

The Gospels repeatedly place Christ around a table. He dined with fishermen, tax collectors, and sinners, and when He fed the multitudes, He did so not with extravagant delicacies but with loaves and fishes, the simple food of ordinary people. 

In first-century Galilee, barley bread and fish from the Sea of Galilee formed the staple diet of labourers, fishermen and the poor. Even after His Resurrection, Christ prepared breakfast of bread and fish over a charcoal fire for His disciples on the shore, meeting them once again amid their ordinary working lives.

The Last Supper reminds Christians that a shared meal is more than a means of satisfying hunger; it is an expression of communion, fellowship, and hospitality. It is no coincidence that so many of Christ's encounters with others took place over and around food, 

The Christian tradition has long understood that welcoming others to the table is one of the simplest and most profound acts of charity. 

What We Have Lost

I do not believe every restaurant should be inexpensive. There will always be room for fine dining, ambitious chefs and culinary artistry. But there should also be room for the working man, for the students with 10 euros in his wallet, for a young family celebrating a birthday, for a pensioner who simply wants a hot meal without worrying about the bill and for friends gathering around tacos without needing to reserve a table weeks in advance.

Maybe what I miss is not cheap Mexican food at all, maybe I miss a society that made space for ordinary people.

The little Vietnamese restaurant in Warsaw had no designer furniture, no polished branding, and no carefully curated image. Yet it possessed something increasingly difficult to find: honest work, fair prices, genuine hospitality and food that welcomed everyone.

Those are the hidden gems our cities once had and I cannot help but wonder whether, in chasing sophistication, we have forgotten the simple virtue of feeding our neighbors well.

The authorBryan Lawrence Gonsalves

Journalist and essayist born in the United Arab Emirates and based in Lithuania. He is a contributor to Omnes, EWTN News and CNA Deutsch.

More on Omnes
The Vatican

The Pope Puts Young People (and Wars) at the Center of His Attention

Following the news about World Youth Day in South Korea and the gathering in Assisi, Leo XIV once again turned his attention to young people during the Angelus, encouraging them to draw inspiration from saints such as St. Dominic, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), St. Lawrence, and St. Clare of Assisi. He also called for peace in Sudan, Ukraine, and Russia.

Francisco Otamendi-August 9, 2026-Reading time: 3 minutes

The Pope has once again turned his attention in a special way to young people during these summer months. To young people and to wars.

In the Angelus on this 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time, after greeting the young people from the St. Mary Magdalene Community of the Diocese of Milan, he stated that “the presence of so many youth groups, who choose to devote a few days of their vacation to educational activities and fellowship, is a sign of hope; just as was the gathering of the young Franciscans, whom I had the pleasure of meeting last Thursday in Assisi.”.

Saints: Getting to Know Exemplary Witnesses to the Gospel

He then strongly urged young people to let themselves be “inspired by exemplary witnesses to the Gospel” whom the liturgical calendar presents to us during these days.

And he referred to “some wonderful saints whom I invite you to get to know better: yesterday, the great Saint Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers; today, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Edith Stein, a Carmelite nun murdered in Auschwitz and co-patroness of Europe; tomorrow, Saint Lawrence, deacon of the Church of Rome; the day after tomorrow, Saint Clare of Assisi, who left a life of comfort to follow Jesus—poor and humble—following the example of her fellow citizen, Saint Francis. ”Dear young people, let yourselves be inspired by these exemplary witnesses to the Gospel!”.

In the Storm on the Sea of Galilee: Jesus Does Not Abandon Us

Before reciting the Marian prayer of the Angelus, the Successor of Peter commented on this Sunday’s Gospel, which tells us of “Jesus, who, on the Sea of Galilee, walking on the water, joins the disciples in the midst of a storm (cf. Mt 14:22–33).”.

Toward the end of the night, Jesus came out to meet them on the choppy waters, and they, frightened, mistook him for a ghost (v. 26). But He said to them, ‘¡Cheer up, ’It’s me—don’t be afraid!” (v. 27). 

The Lord’s presence changes everything, the Pope said. “Peter even manages to take a few steps across the waves toward Him; then he becomes frightened, begins to sink, and Jesus saves him. When the Master gets into the boat, the storm subsides, and then a profession of faith springs spontaneously from the disciples‘ hearts: ’Truly, you are the Son of God” (v. 33).”.

“Don’t let success go to our heads”

This miracle teaches us something important, the Pontiff emphasized. “First and foremost, not to let ourselves be carried away by success and never to be presumptuous; and, at the same time, not to despair, even in moments of darkness, when we feel powerless in the face of problems and, despite our efforts, it seems to us that we are moving backward rather than forward.”. 

“No matter what, Jesus never abandons us, and if we welcome him humbly into the boat of our lives—through prayer, the sacraments, and listening to his Word—we will find peace in him, as well as light and strength for our journey.”.

Sudan, Ukraine, Russia

After reciting the Angelus, the Holy Father expressed his solidarity with all the people of Sudan, especially those in the city of El Obeid, and renewed his call on the authorities to guarantee humanitarian corridors for the civilian population, and urged the international community to support efforts aimed at achieving an immediate ceasefire. 

In closing, he encouraged prayer, “asking the Lord to sustain those who are suffering, to convert the hearts of those who sow violence, and to grant the peace we so long for.”.

Along the same lines, he revealed that he continues to receive distressing reports of innocent people being killed and wounded in Ukraine and Russia. These tragic events are occurring one after another—indeed, they are multiplying—resulting in an ever-increasing number of civilian casualties, including children. 

War only leads to more war and immense suffering

”I stand in solidarity with the families of the victims, with the wounded, and with all those who are suffering as a result of the ongoing conflict," said Leo XIV.  

“In the face of so much suffering, I renew my impassioned call for respect for international humanitarian law and for both sides to put an end to attacks on civilian targets. War only breeds more war and causes immense suffering. It is time to stop the spiral of violence and make way for diplomacy and dialogue to pave the path toward peace.”.

The authorFrancisco Otamendi

Read more
More on Omnes
Books

Edith Stein, the Saint Teresa of Our Time

In a definitive biography, Irene Chikiar examines the life of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross as a quest for meaning.

José María Navalpotro-August 9, 2026-Reading time: 7 minutes

August 9 marks the feast day of one of Europe’s greatest contemporary saints: Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Edith Stein. An outstanding philosopher and disciple of Husserl, she was Jewish, converted to Catholicism, became a Carmelite, and was martyred during the Nazi persecution at the Birkenau concentration camp. She is one of the patron saints of Europe. Possibly the best biographical account ever written about her can be found in the monumental biography Edith Stein. Jewish. Philosopher. Saint, Published by Taurus in 2025 and written by the Argentine author Irene Chikiar Bauer. 

The author of the book holds a Ph.D. in Literature from the National University of La Plata in Argentina, a master’s degree in Sociology of Culture and Cultural Analysis, and is a professor at the University of San Martín and the University of San Antonio de Areco; she is also the author of another comprehensive biography of Virginia Woolf. She is in charge of Omnes in Madrid to promote the book about a leading philosophical and religious figure.

What attracts you to Edith Stein's profile? Why did you become interested in her? 

–When John Paul II canonized her in 1998, I first learned about this woman. I find her journey—from Judaism to her departure from her parents’ faith at age 13—truly remarkable. She considered herself an agnostic, devoted herself to her studies, and loved literature and history. Then she discovered philosophy and began asking herself the great questions of human existence—which are the great philosophical questions—but ones focused more on experience, on understanding the world, and on understanding oneself. Through this process, she came to conversion.

I believe he is a key figure for our times—times in which reason and religion are often seen as separate, at least among the general public. 

And she chose the religious path when they wouldn't let her be a teacher or lecturer, despite her success; she had always wanted to be a Carmelite, and when that path was cut off, she felt it was time to do what she had always wanted: to enter the Carmelite Order.

She has many qualities that make her special. In the book, for example, her pioneering feminism is highlighted.

–Virginia Woolf, who is the subject of my other, earlier, voluminous biography, is also a pioneer and a forerunner of feminism, but she did not define herself as such. And she was born in 1882. Edith was born nine years later, but unlike Virginia Woolf, she did go to college, and there she discovered she was a feminist, because she believed that women should have the same rights as men. Some of her friends were studying at the university, but they were grappling with their “double vocation”: What if they got married? Would they have to give it all up? Many didn’t see having a family as compatible with having a career. She firmly believed that it was possible to do both. In that sense, she considered herself a feminist and said so. 

She is also a political activist, because she was active in the Weimar Republic. Of course, she soon became disillusioned, because she says that to be in politics, you need a strong conscience and a thick skin. 

From that moment on, he devoted himself entirely to philosophy—and through philosophy. It was during this phase of phenomenology that his path to conversion took shape. She was not the only one, because Husserl had also converted to Christianity, and Adolf Reinach—an exceptional figure who was Husserl’s chief assistant—also converted. Some conversions stem from a deep, personal conviction, occurring during truly tragic moments. This is extremely striking to us today—to people who lack religious experience. We see people going through truly horrific experiences, and instead of resenting life and giving up on everything, they find this religious experience and the search for the transcendent.

As a nurse

Edith Stein worked as a nurse during World War I. How did this work influence her? 

–It’s essential. She can’t stand the fact that while Reinach and all her male friends are at war, she can’t do anything. She volunteers to be a nurse. First, she goes to the clinic where her sister Erna is a doctor, gets trained, and then leaves.

This is extremely important for nurses. In fact, she devotes the longest section of her autobiography to her time as a nurse, and she does so with great precision. She writes with a deep commitment to what the work entails. She has such empathy for the sick that I believe that experience served her well when she wrote her thesis on empathy. Because of what she experienced there—she had to care for patients who couldn’t even speak, who had to communicate with their eyes, or who didn’t speak the language—, 

The theme of empathy in Stein is a very modern one, in the sense that it’s highly relevant today, isn’t it? 

–Empathy is a word that is often used but rarely put into practice. Edith Stein contrasts with earlier views that claimed empathy was simply feeling for someone; she says that is not the case, but rather feeling what the other person feels, while recognizing that those feelings belong to the other person. That is true communication; anything else is mere contagion. That empathy also requires an ethical decision, and in that regard, Edith Stein was a master.

She always made ethical decisions with regard to others, and she asserts that “the purpose of humanity is for one’s voice to resonate with those of others.”. 

There is also something very interesting about how she never renounced her Judaism, at a time when there was tremendous anti-Jewish propaganda in Germany. As a professor and lecturer—and already a Catholic—she said this: “The Lord chose a people to be born among them; during his earthly life he spoke the language of this people, thought in their metaphors and images, observed their customs, devoted all his energies to them, and has given each people a mission on this earth and for eternity, and to each individual, a mission within this people.” She is an ecumenical, forward-thinking, incredible woman.

He is a leading figure, but I'm not sure if he is well enough known. 

–She is little known, except in Catholic circles—especially among Carmelites—because once she entered the Carmelite Order, she was no longer interested in being a renowned philosopher. Then the Nazis came, they killed her, and no one wanted to remember her.

I'm very pleased to have brought in a publisher like Penguin (Taurus)—which is a global publisher and not a religious imprint—to publish this author.

A book by Alasdair MacIntyre has been tremendously helpful to me, because he, too, from a philosophical perspective, writes about the importance of Stein and many of her insights—which, had she been able to continue working within philosophy, who knows where they might have led—and which were later developed by phenomenology as well. She made some remarkable contributions, such as her attempt to reconcile phenomenology with St. Thomas Aquinas.

It's also a bridge between faith and reason, isn't it? 

–That’s what struck me so much. A person who turns her back on her parents’ faith, who declares herself an agnostic, who throws herself into her studies like a madwoman—brilliant—and values reason above all else, eventually finds her way to religion and that reconciliation between knowledge and spirituality, which are not mutually exclusive. That’s really striking.

To Faith Through Reason

She comes to faith through reason…

–Yes, it stems from agnosticism. So how did she come to have such a profound religious experience? When Edith Stein wrote her autobiography, Nazism was already at the height of its power, and her confessors, within the Catholic community, asked her to write her story because they saw it as a way to counter the horrific Nazi propaganda.

So she writes to portray the reality of Jewish family life, which had nothing to do with what Nazi propaganda depicted. But since she was writing within that context as well, there are also many things she likely left unsaid. 

Why did she convert while reading St. Teresa? 

–When she begins to think about a transcendent figure—about God—she says, “My path will lead me to Christianity,” but she doesn’t know whether she’ll become Lutheran, like most Germans, or Catholic. Like Edith Stein, she doesn’t just sit around waiting to see what happens; instead, she starts reading everything she can: Lutheran theology, Catholic theology… At one point, she comes across the book by Teresa of Ávila, The Book of Life. And she realizes that this is her path, and she wants to become a Carmelite. Why? One thing Teresa doesn't mention is that her grandfather was Jewish. When you read the Book of Life, it's clear that Teresa is always saying that what matters is how you act in the world—your actions—not where you come from. 

To me, Edith Stein is the Saint Teresa of our time, although the context is different, because we don’t live in a religious society. Saint Teresa and Saint John lived in a very religious society; they had many enemies, but they also had many followers, which is why they were able to bring about reform and found convents. Edith Stein came along in the 20th century, at a time characterized—following positivism—by the reign of reason.

It's truly incredible that, even so, she would return to the path of spirituality. 

It should also be noted that St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa, even though they had many enemies, were surrounded by people who loved them at the end of their lives. Edith Stein died alone in a concentration camp, surrounded by victims like herself. 

Could he have avoided his martyrdom? 

–She could have escaped. At one point, the Carmelites in Germany, in order to protect her, proposed sending her to the Netherlands, but when the war broke out and the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, they tried to get her out of there. They tried to take her to Switzerland, but one of her sisters, who had also converted, was working as a gatekeeper at the convent, and Edith Stein refused to leave without her sister. Amid these delays, the Nazis finally took her away in retaliation for the Dutch bishops’ letter against Nazism, as part of a campaign of vengeance aimed at rounding up all Jews who had converted, as well as many people who had married Jews. These were the first deportations of Jews to concentration camps. That is where she was killed—in Birkenau.

What is his most notable trait?

–The name she chose when she entered religious life is telling. She chose Teresa, obviously after Teresa of Ávila; Benedicta, because she spent a lot of time with the Benedictines (many wondered why she didn’t become a Benedictine); and de la Cruz. Her name says it all—it embodies that consistency and those values. 

What is striking about Edith Stein, what is moving about her, is that search for meaning. Many Catholic biographies have described her as a seeker of truth. But from a more secular perspective, she is a seeker of the meaning of life.

Edith Stein. Jewish. Philosopher. Saint

Author: Irene Chikiar Bauer
Editorial: Taurus
Year of publication: 2025
Pages: 768
Read more
More on Omnes
Integral ecology

Acutis AI: This Is How Leo XIV Wants Us to Experience the AI Revolution

Peter Cooney, co-founder of Acutis AI, analyzes the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and explains why Pope Leo XIV urges us to face the challenges of artificial intelligence without fear.

OSV / Omnes-August 9, 2026-Reading time: 4 minutes

Artificial intelligence is rapidly bringing about the end of the world as we know it, but Pope Leo XIV has an urgent message for everyone: don't run away from the changes brought about by AI; instead, face them head-on.

That was just one of the conclusions reached at a conference held on August 1 at the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington, where the Pope’s recent encyclical was discussed: «Magnifica Humanitas: »On the Protection of the Human Person in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Peter Cooney, co-founder of the Acutis AI web platform—named after St. Charles Acutis and designed as a Catholic alternative to conventional AI systems by offering answers based on Church teaching—explained Pope Leo XIV’s extensive document to the attendees.

«It starts off strong: humanity faces a crucial decision. It gets right to the point. If you look at other encyclicals, they usually start off in a much gentler tone,» said Cooney, a 21-year-old senior majoring in economics at the University of Dallas. «So I think what Pope Leo is telling us is: this is important; listen up; pay attention.» And there are good reasons for that, given the speed at which AI is spreading into all areas of daily life.

Unprecedented technology

Cooney noted that on November 30, 2022, the launch of ChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot, was announced on the social media platform Twitter, now known as X. Within five days, it already had more than one million users; now, less than four years later, it has more than one billion monthly active users. «This is the fastest-growing technology we’ve ever seen in the world,» Cooney said. «And I think there are some aspects of this technology worth highlighting that set it apart from those of the past.».

Among those differences, he said, are the diversity of AI users (ranging from children to the military); the concentrated ownership of AI (Cooney estimated that fewer than 10 companies control 95% of the current market); and the competitive race for AI between the United States and China (with the goal of turning this powerful technology into a weapon). «What we have is a handful of companies in two of the world’s most powerful nations competing to create the most advanced AI models to gain a military advantage,» Cooney emphasized. «And that same technology is present in the Chromebooks children use in their classrooms. This is the world the Holy Father is heading into.».

Even so, the Catholic Church is not without answers. With this encyclical, Pope Leo XIV has «established the Church as a moral authority on this issue,» Cooney said. «Which gives technology leaders good reasons to read the rest of what it has to say.».

The Three Dangers of Artificial Intelligence

According to Cooney, the pontiff points out three particular dangers of AI: the ease with which results can be obtained; its appearance of objectivity where none actually exists; and its ability to simulate human communication.

While AI can be truly useful, «if we stop thinking things through and simply delegate all of that to AI, we’ll lose the ability to think,» Cooney suggested, «which is a fundamental part of what makes us human.» He also confirmed that, when it comes to AI, «every response is based on probability. Basically, it’s about doing mathematical calculations and finding the highest probability that the next word will be correct,» Cooney said. «AI is not neutral.».

On the subject of human communication, Cooney added, «If we’re not careful, we may allow AI to gradually take away our human relationships… it can erode human relationships.».

What's at stake

Cooney noted that Pope Leo XIV asserts that these threats endanger truth, work, and freedom.

Truth, because AI exacerbates the problem of misinformation through its ability to manipulate images or videos; work, because using AI to replace employees undermines their human dignity; and freedom, because it’s easy to feel like you’re making a choice when, in reality, your decisions are heavily influenced by AI.

However, Cooney confirmed that Pope Leo remains hopeful. «He doesn’t say we should hide from AI or run away from it. He acknowledges all the dangers and the state of confusion and fear that prevails in the world,» Cooney said. «But he calls on us to build. He says that, despite this downward spiral, we can also glimpse a large part of humanity striving… to build the holy city.».

Don't run away—build instead

Pope Leo XIV’s exhortation, «Magnifica Humanitas,» calling on people to embrace their role as disciples of Jesus Christ in an «era of digital transformation,» is undoubtedly thought-provoking.

«Let us not be afraid to get our hands dirty in the «work in progress» of our time,» writes Pope Leo XIV in the encyclical. He urged people «not to be passive spectators of social and cultural divisions, nor mere commentators on what is falling apart, but men and women willing to enter into the works of history —research laboratories, technology companies, schools, the media, institutions, and local communities—to rebuild what has collapsed and protect what is under threat.».

According to Cooney, Pope Leo’s call to the men and women of today «is to build without fear, to protect our children, and to entrust everything to Mary.».

Disciples of Christ in the Digital Age

In response to Pope Leo’s call, Cooney offered three personal suggestions. «We can’t be afraid of AI. We have to learn how to use it—and learn how to use it well,» he said.

He also urged parents to «talk to their children and their schools to find out how AI is being used. Because it’s being used in practically every school… it’s important for them to understand how it works and the problems it sometimes presents.» And finally, Cooney recommended prayer. «I would say try to pray a few Hail Marys every day for world peace,» he said, «and that the world may resolve this together.».

OSV News correspondent Kimberley Heatherington reported from Washington.

The authorOSV / Omnes

More on Omnes
  • Newsroom
  • Culture
  • Hidden for Centuries: How the Recently Identified Sermons of St. Augustine Were Discovered
Culture

Hidden for Centuries: How the Recently Identified Sermons of St. Augustine Were Discovered

After lying hidden for centuries, a research team has identified two new sermons by St. Augustine.

OSV News Agency-August 9, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes
RelatedRelated NewsWho are the Augustinians, the order of Pope Leo XIV?Related News10 times Pope Leo has quoted St. Augustine in his speeches

– OSV News / Katarzyna Szalajko

Two previously unknown sermons by St. Augustine have been identified in a 12th-century manuscript preserved in Poland, offering researchers a rare and new window into the mind of one of Christianity’s greatest theologians more than 1,600 years after he preached them.

The discovery was made in a 12th-century manuscript preserved in the diocesan library in Pelplin, in northern Poland, following nearly two years of research by experts from Germany and Austria. The sermons, which will be published in a critical edition in late 2026, address Saul’s encounter with the witch of Endor in the Book of Samuel.

The manuscript had long been cataloged in the library’s collection, but no one had studied it in depth prior to the recent collaboration with researchers from Germany and Austria, Father Jan Walkusz, director of the Pelplin Diocesan Library, explained to OSV News.

“Only recent research by experts from Bad Doberan, Würzburg, and Vienna has shown that the manuscript contains two previously unknown sermons by the Bishop of Hippo”, said the priest.

How the Rigorous Academic Research Began

The story began with a phone call.

“In 2024, Paul Nebauer from Bad Doberan contacted me… who had found a medieval manuscript containing sermons attributed to Augustine in the diocesan library in Pelplin,” Christian Tornau, a Latin scholar and professor at Julius-Maximilians University in Würzburg, told OSV News.

“He asked me for help identifying and translating the texts,” the professor added.

Nebauer, a member of the Bad Doberan Monastery Association, has spent years tracking down medieval manuscripts from the former Cistercian abbey. Its library was destroyed during the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century.

During his research visits to Pelplin in 2024 and 2025, Nebauer identified six manuscripts that clearly originated in Bad Doberan. One volume immediately caught his attention.

Two keywords caught the researcher's attention

“At first, the brief table of contents offered little information about the content,” Nebauer told OSV News. “It was only the keywords ‘Phytonissa’ and ‘Resuscitatio Samuelis’ that drew my attention to the biblical story of the witch (diviner) of Endor.”.

In the First Book of Samuel, chapter 28, King Saul consults a medium who summons the prophet Samuel before his final battle against the Philistines. This episode has long posed a challenge for Christian interpreters, as it appears to show a medium exercising power over one of God’s prophets.

Nebauer “found the text very unusual: words like that from St. Augustine?” he recalled. Realizing that the manuscript required expert analysis, he contacted Tornau. The 12th-century manuscript was copied in Bad Doberan, possibly from a now-lost manuscript from Amelungsborn Abbey.

Two new sermons that have never been identified before

Father Walkusz explained that the manuscript arrived in Pelplin through the Cistercian monks. When the monks of Bad Doberan established a daughter abbey in Pelplin in the 13th century, “it was customary among the Cistercians to provide the new community with the necessary liturgical and theological books,” he told OSV News. “That is how this volume containing the sermons of St. Augustine, along with other manuscripts from Bad Doberan, came to Pelplin.”.

Of the six sermons preserved in the manuscript, four were already known to experts, while two had never been identified.

“We were, of course, fascinated by the idea of having discovered new sermons by Augustine,” Tornau told OSV News, “but we soon became skeptical because in some passages the sermons did not seem to have been written by Augustine.” The team, which was joined by researchers Dorothea Weber and Clemens Weidmann from the Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum (CSEL) in Vienna, spent nearly two years transcribing and analyzing the texts, including during a summer school in 2025 attended by about 20 specialists.

“Ongoing philological work” for nearly 2 years

“Our final conclusion that they are indeed authentic is the result of nearly two years of ongoing philological work,” Tornau said.

The experts based their conclusion on liturgical, linguistic, and theological evidence that consistently points to St. Augustine as the author. Clemens Weidmann of the CSEL, who also worked on the edition, noted that attributing the manuscript to St. Augustine was only the starting point. “However, this alone is not enough to prove Augustine’s authorship, because many inauthentic sermons are falsely attributed to him in the manuscripts,” he told OSV News.

“Since the preacher is thus indistinguishable from Augustine, we consider it methodologically sound to attribute the work to Augustine rather than invent an anonymous ‘student’ or ‘follower,’” Tornau explained to OSV News. “No disciple or later author would have been so familiar with Augustine’s style and thought as to compile an ‘Augustinian sermon’ that brings together so many stylistic features found throughout his entire body of work,” Weidmann added to OSV News.

Cultural and Religious Treasures from the Pelplin Collection

Father Walkusz stated that the discovery also highlights the importance of the Pelplin collection itself. “The discovery of these sermons proves beyond a doubt that the meticulously preserved collections in Pelplin hold immense cultural and religious treasures, accessible to researchers from around the world,” he told OSV News.

“New discoveries of works from Late Antiquity are always a sensation,” Weber, a retired professor and longtime scholar of Augustine at the CSEL, told OSV News. The newly identified sermons also offer an unusually personal glimpse of St. Augustine as a preacher, she emphasized.

“It’s extremely fascinating to see how Agustín explained to the congregation why he hadn’t had a chance to prepare the Bible passage he was supposed to preach on,” Weber told OSV News. “He initially tried to buy some time to organize his thoughts, and yet, despite improvising, he achieved his usual stylistic brilliance and a clear structure in his complex argument,” he added.

The sermons focus on one of the most debated episodes in the Old Testament. According to Tornau, early Christian interpreters generally proposed two explanations for Saul’s encounter with Samuel: either God allowed the prophet to appear despite the sorceress’s actions, or Saul was deceived by an evil spirit posing as Samuel. Rather than insisting that only one interpretation is correct, St. Augustine carefully examines both.

What St. Augustine Addresses in His Sermons

“In his new sermons, Augustine analyzes both options—their pros and cons—and concludes that both are acceptable because neither runs counter to the Christian faith,” Tornau explained to OSV News.

“This openness to differing interpretations of Scripture is characteristic of Augustine in general.”.

Weber pointed out that this approach sets St. Augustine apart from many other early Christian authors.

“Augustine’s goal is not to prescribe a single ‘correct’ interpretation, but rather to explore the range of possible interpretations that remain within the framework of Church doctrine,” he said. “There aren’t many of Augustine’s sermons that take such a systematic approach to an exegetical problem and that, therefore, demand a high level of intellectual engagement from the audience.”.

St. Augustine “resolves the issue in a very elegant way”

Nebauer believes that this openness is precisely what makes the newly discovered sermons relevant today. “The story of the ‘witch of Endor’ poses a challenge to faith in God,” he told OSV News. “However, St. Augustine resolves the issue very elegantly.”.

“It presents several possible interpretations, refrains from passing a definitive judgment, and allows its listeners to draw their own conclusions.” Researchers note that the most surprising theological insight appears near the end of the newly identified texts. “The most notable element of the new sermons is the idea that Saul, after hearing Samuel’s prophecy, may have repented and been redeemed,” Tornau explained to OSV News.

“It is indicative of Augustine’s independence of judgment and his willingness to consider that everyone—even those who seem most wicked—is capable of being saved through God’s grace,” Tornau told OSV News. “This combines intellectual honesty and episcopal humility in a remarkable and deeply Augustinian way.”.

This article was first published in OSV News. We are reprinting it on Omnes with permission. You can read the original article in English. HERE.

The authorOSV News Agency

Read more
RelatedRelated NewsWho are the Augustinians, the order of Pope Leo XIV?Related News10 times Pope Leo has quoted St. Augustine in his speeches
More on Omnes
Evangelization

From Prisoner to Deacon: Robert Ehnow Found God in Prison

Robert Ehnow went from serving a prison sentence to being ordained a deacon and dedicating his life to supporting prisoners, convinced that justice does not end with punishment but must pave the way for forgiveness and restoration.

Charlie Camosy / OSV News-August 8, 2026-Reading time: 5 minutes

How does one go from serving a prison sentence to having a closer relationship with God? Robert Ehnow, director of the Office for Life, Peace, and Justice for the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, is in a unique position to answer this question, as he went from prison to being ordained a deacon in 2025 and on to working in prison ministry. He recently spoke with Charles Camosy of OSV News about his experience and what Catholics should know about the prison system. 

Can I ask you about your story and how it led you to write a book titled *All Things New: A Journey from Fragility to Restoration*?

—My story really begins after I retired from the Marine Corps in 2008; I had a successful 20-year career as a Marine Corps officer. My wife and I bought a business when I retired from the Marine Corps, and the business did very well for three years.  

I was making more money than I could ever have imagined, and my goal was to make even more. I suppose you could say that my moral compass wasn’t pointing north at that point in my life. In January 2011, 25 federal agents raided my home and my business and informed me that I was the subject of a federal investigation. 

In an instant, my life changed completely. Over the next decade, I faced criminal charges, a federal trial, incarceration, the collapse of my business, personal bankruptcy, and multiple civil lawsuits. The difficult time my wife and I were going through coincided with God’s call for us not only to draw closer to Him, but also to equip ourselves to serve Him and His Church. Both Colette and I were shattered and humiliated, and through God’s grace, we were able to rise above our suffering and pain to be transformed into something new—hence the book’s title: «All Things New.».

When I started working for the Diocese of San Diego in 2018, I began sharing my personal story about my experience with the criminal and civil legal systems. Many people encouraged me to write a book, but I wasn’t ready because my story wasn’t over yet. Colette and I didn’t emerge from our «valley» until 2020, and then the COVID-19 pandemic presented us with a different kind of «valley» for all of humanity. 

It was during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic that God called me to consider the possibility of being ordained a deacon in the Church, and I began my diaconal formation in the summer of 2020. The formation process to become a deacon lasts five years, and, to be honest, I had serious doubts about my suitability and my commitment to becoming a deacon. It was my sister Colette, my pastor, and others who encouraged me to take things slowly, one year at a time.  

When I was ordained in May 2025, my story of personal growth—from adversity to restoration—was complete, and that was also when I finished the draft of *All Things New*. It was not my decision, but God’s, that allowed me to finish the book after my ordination.

I'm going to talk with you about your story and your book during a webinar on August 10, which is also the feast day of St. Maximilian Kolbe. How does his story relate to yours?

“While I was in prison, I watched a documentary about St. Maximilian Kolbe. I followed his story and discovered that he was the patron saint of prisoners. I began to ask for his intercession and asked him to guide me toward a better relationship with God.”. 

I was released from prison in 2015, and for a couple of years—while I was back in college completing my doctorate—I drifted away from St. Kolbe in my prayer life. In July 2018, I began working for the diocese, directing the diocesan prison ministry. The following month, in August, one of my colleagues gave me an icon of St. Maximilian Kolbe to inspire my work in prisons. 

The icon of Father Kolbe still hangs at the entrance to my office; it is a reminder of the sacred nature of our work and of the sacrifice he made so that another might live. Father Kolbe is a modern saint who voluntarily gave his life for another—an example of unconditional self-sacrifice, in the manner of Christ. As I began to carry out my ministry in the diocese, I once again asked Father Kolbe to guide me and intercede before the Lord for the success of our ministry.  

In Chapter 2 of *All Things New*, I write about the story of St. Kolbe and how his story, along with those of other saints, provided me with guidance and inspiration during my time in prison and, later, in the work I do on behalf of prisoners in the diocese.

In what ways do the ideas that interest you manifest themselves today?

“No one wants to be in prison, but it also offers abundant opportunities for growth, especially spiritual growth. My Catholic faith not only endured but grew exponentially during my incarceration.”.  

During my time in prison, I read voraciously, and that reading led me to reflect deeply on issues that concerned me, particularly justice. I had broken the law and had to face the consequences of my actions. In my opinion, the process I went through within the system focused less on justice and more on punishment and retribution. 

Through my own experience within the system and my research following my incarceration, I discovered that our justice system rarely aligns with our values as citizens and Christians. Jesus is perfect justice. God’s justice is not focused solely on punishment. Accountability and punishment are elements of justice, but they are meant to be sanctions that lead to restoration.  

Divine justice focuses on restoring relationships and making amends for the harm caused. God perfects justice through love, mercy, and forgiveness. I believe we must strive to align our justice system with the divine model, where mercy and forgiveness provide the opportunity for true reconciliation and restoration.

As is often the case with many problems, these seem so vast and deeply rooted that it can be difficult to know where to start when trying to bring about change. How might people who are moved by your story and your advocacy work address this issue in their own lives? 

— «All Things New» seeks to transform hearts. We all make mistakes, and we all fall short of the ideal God has for us. Yet God loves us despite our mistakes and sins. All too often, we condemn others and seem not to care whether there is a path to forgiveness and restoration. As Catholics, we live in the world, but we are not of this world. 

Ideally, justice for us should be aligned with God’s justice, where accountability and punishment may be necessary, but mercy, forgiveness, and restoration are the ultimate goals.  

I believe that for all of us who think about or care about justice, it all begins with a change in perspective and a refocusing on divine justice. Once we understand justice according to God’s purpose, we can begin to advocate for it and educate others about it.

Charles Camosy teaches moral theology and bioethics at The Catholic University of America in Washington.

The authorCharlie Camosy / OSV News

More on Omnes
Culture

Catholic Scientists: Enrique Gutiérrez Ríos

Enrique Gutiérrez was a great chemist born in Madrid who went on to hold professorships in inorganic chemistry.

Ignacio del Villar and Alfonso V. Carrascosa-August 8, 2026-Reading time: 2 minutes

Enrique Gutiérrez Ríos (December 12, 1915 – August 8, 1990) was a chemist born in Madrid who, in 1940, began his doctoral dissertation at the Institute of Soil Science under the supervision of Father José María Albareda, who greatly influenced his scientific and administrative training. He later held the chair of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Granada and the Complutense University of Madrid. At the latter, he served as rector (1964–1967).

His scientific career was also closely linked to the CSIC, where he held various positions: director of the Zaidín Experimental Station in Granada (1954–1957) and of the «Elhuyar» Institute of Organic Chemistry (1983–1984), as well as vice president (1967–1971) and president (1973–1974).

He also held important positions at various institutions: he served as president of the Royal Spanish Society of Physics and Chemistry (1966–1970) and of the National Council of Education (1968). He also earned his doctorate honoris causa from the University of Granada in 1972 and received the Individual Research Award from the Juan de la Cierva Foundation (1948), the Francisco Franco Prize for Science (1966) and the José María Albareda Prize (1969), as well as the Grand Cross of the Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise. Furthermore, he was a member of the Royal Academies of Pharmacy and of Exact, Physical, and Natural Sciences, and held prominent positions in government and scientific circles: he served as president of the Advisory Commission on Scientific and Technical Research of the Office of the Prime Minister, as a Councilor of the Realm representing Spanish universities, and as director of the CSIC’s «Elhuyar» Institute of Inorganic Chemistry.

As a researcher, he focused on structural inorganic chemistry, with a special emphasis on clays, bentonites, and montmorillonites, introducing innovative techniques such as X-ray crystallography for the thermal and structural characterization of silicates. He published more than 150 papers in national and international journals, obtained patents on minerals and interlaminar compounds, and wrote seminal books such as Inorganic Chemistry, who influenced several generations of chemists. He also took an interest in science outreach and culture, publishing various works and biographies of Spanish scientists.

As for his faith, he joined Opus Dei in 1954 and remained a member until his death, which occurred in Madrid. He was married and had six children.

The authorIgnacio del Villar and Alfonso V. Carrascosa

Public University of Navarra and SCS-Spain / Researcher at the CSIC.

Read more
More on Omnes
Integral ecology

Where is God not?

In the face of the throwaway culture, we must uphold the value of every life and our duty to tenderly support those who suffer the most.

Eloy Asenjo, Carpenter-August 8, 2026-Reading time: 3 minutes

From a strictly scientific point of view, it is becoming increasingly difficult to uphold the theory that we are merely a cosmic accident, a simple product of chance. At the very least, in the most immediate sense, we are the fruit of the love of a man and a woman who have loved us, love us, and will love us regardless of what we were, are, or will become. But for those of us who also view the world through the eyes of faith, the perspective broadens infinitely: we know that we are the dream of a God who is Father. A Father who, like anyone who loves their children, has planned for us a kind of «novel» in which we are called to be the true protagonists.

Sometimes we decide to stray from the script and ignore the call. However, what is truly revolutionary about this Author is that He never closes the book. As Pope Leo XIV recalled during his recent and moving visit to the Brians 1 Correctional Facility, the mistakes we make do not define us. God always waits.

If our existence is so valuable, if every person is a unique and irreplaceable embodiment of dignity, at what point did we start to believe we had the right to play at being the directors of life and death?

Where is God in suffering?

It’s true that life can be tough. It deals us setbacks, throws our plans into disarray, and confronts us with situations that, at first glance, we can only describe as bad. In the midst of the shipwreck, when pain is at its worst, the human temptation is to fall into despair, indifference, or resentment, crying out the eternal question: “Where is God?” I prefer to turn the question around by drawing on an old lesson my mother taught me when I was a child: the real question we should be asking ourselves is, “Where isn’t He?”

It lies in fragility, in vulnerability, in those who have no voice. That is why, when faced with the turmoil of a high-risk pregnancy or the diagnosis of a serious and terminal illness, the response of a mature and compassionate society can never be the easy way out. In keeping with the prayer intention the Holy Father proposes for this month of July, the true challenge is to ask the Lord of life to «heal our hearts of indifference» so that we may learn to «tenderly support the fragile and courageously defend those who have no voice.» Succumbing to the throwaway culture through abortion or euthanasia is not a sign of progress, but of surrender.

Those of us who have been close to those crossroads know all too well the weight of reality. The initial fear and pain in the face of the uncertainty of a pregnancy are immense. But how few speak of the other reality—that of the immense joy and deep peace that fills a mother and a family when, overcoming adverse prognoses and social pressures, they courageously decide to carry that pregnancy to term. There is no greater human triumph than discovering that life, even when it comes with difficulties, always finds a way if given a chance.

To be there until the very last breath

That same truth applies to the other extreme of our existence. I have experienced this firsthand just this past two weeks, with the passing of my brother Javier. If we had chosen the path of indifference, the laws of cold pragmatism would have robbed our entire family of something sacred: more than a week of shared emotion, of necessary goodbyes, of forgiveness
comforting and, paradoxically, a source of immense joy at the gift of his life and at being able to be by his side—thanks to good palliative care—until his last breath.

Respect for human life is neither an abstract concept confined to a laboratory nor an ideological debate on a political platform; it is the defense of the mystery that dwells within every person from their very first moment until their last breath on earth. To love life as God loves it means to embrace it in its entirety—with its light and its cracks. It means proclaiming, through the steadfast witness of our daily actions, that fragility is not eliminated—it is sustained.

The authorEloy Asenjo, Carpenter

More on Omnes
United States

Kansas Opens a New Seminary in Wichita After 20 Years of Planning

A diocese in Kansas will open its own seminary in late August, fulfilling a dream that has been in the works for more than two decades.

OSV / Omnes-August 8, 2026-Reading time: 3 minutes

- Gina Christian, OSV News

The Diocese of Wichita, in Kansas, announced on August 6 that Bishop Carl A. Kemme will formally establish The San Felipe Neri Seminary. The name comes from the 16th-century priest and founder of the Congregation of the Oratory, who helped revitalize both the clergy and the Church during the Counter-Reformation.

“The seminary's rector was ”known for his joyful spirit, his profound holiness, and his dedication to the formation of priests and to evangelization through genuine friendship,' Bishop Kemme stated in a diocesan press release.".

Starting August 26, The New Seminar It will succeed the St. Joseph Formation House, which Bishop Kemme inaugurated in 2017 “to provide local formation for university seminarians,” according to the diocese.

Father Chad Arnold, a diocesan priest who has directed the formation house since 2023, has been named founding rector of St. Philip Neri Seminary. Fathers Garett Burns and Michael Brungardt, who are also diocesan priests, have been appointed vice-rectors for pastoral formation and academic formation, respectively.

20 years of planning and development and sentences

The seminar’s opening marks the culmination of more than 20 years of planning and development for the project. It had even been “shelved” for more than a decade after initial discussions and feasibility studies were conducted in the early 2000s, according to the seminar’s website.

Bishop Kemme revived the idea in 2017 and opened the St. Joseph Formation House as a two-year program. The initial enrollment of seven seminarians soon doubled to 16, prompting the diocese to purchase a convent to house them and expand the formation team.

Bishop Carl A. Kemme of Wichita, in an undated photograph (Photo by OSV News/Courtesy of the Diocese of Wichita).

By 2019, the formation house had become a full-fledged four-year university seminary, partnering with Newman University in Wichita to educate seminarians. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the first class of graduates from the Diocese of Kansas—five in all—completed the program in 2020.

42 men are preparing for the priesthood

The program's first priests were ordained in 2024, bringing the total to 10 to date, and three dioceses in Kansas —Wichita, Salina, and Dodge City—will be served by the future seminary.

“What began with seven seminarians has grown into a thriving community of 42 men preparing for the priesthood and serving in three dioceses in Kansas,” the diocese said in its press release.

“The growth of this program has been made possible by the prayers, generosity, and sacrifices of countless faithful Catholics throughout our diocese,” said Father Arnold. “This achievement belongs to the entire diocesan family. We are deeply grateful to all who have supported priestly vocations and helped make this day possible.”.

“The founding of St. Philip Neri Seminary is a moment of deep gratitude for the Diocese of Wichita,” Bishop Kemme said. “It reflects the Lord’s abundant blessings on our efforts to foster the priestly vocations ”and our commitment to forming holy, joyful, and faithful priests who will serve the people of God for generations to come.".

—————–

Gina Christian is a multimedia reporter for OSV News. You can follow her on X @GinaJesseReina

This information was originally published in OSV News. You can consult it here.

The authorOSV / Omnes

Read more
More on Omnes