National Catholic Register @NCRegister

‘You Own the Word Catholic’: Higher Ed Leader Urges Bishops to Protect Catholic Identity at Universities Santiago Schnell called on bishops to take a more active role in safeguarding Catholic identity in education.⬇️ ncregister.com/news/you-own-t…

While most people are familiar with the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, few know of the Sacred Heart badge. Yet the badge begins with St. Margaret Mary Alacoque’s visions of the Sacred Heart in France, then appears in a Marian apparition, and obtains papal approval. Speaking of Jesus revealing his Sacred Heart, on July 2, 1674, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque said, “He promised to pour out into the hearts of all those who honor the image of His Heart all the gifts it contains in fullness, and for all those who would wear this image on their persons He promised to imprint His love on their hearts and to destroy all unruly inclinations.” She and her novices made many badges with the Sacred Heart image and wore them. It was worn under the bishop’s direction and credited with stopping the great plague in Marseilles in 1720. Read the full story at ncregister.com/features/sacre…

Before celebrating Mass at the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, ​​Pope Leo XIV took time to visit the crypt, pray before the Blessed Sacrament, and light a candle at the tomb of Venerable Antoni Gaudí, the genius who designed the iconic church more than a century ago. Gaudí, known as the “architect of God,” died in 1926, is buried in the basilica crypt, and his cause for beatification is still underway.

MADRID — This cityʼs Movistar Arena became a kind of modern “Court of the Gentiles” on Sunday, where faith and contemporary art met to explore the mystery of the human person under the guidance of Pope Leo XIV. The gathering brought together leading figures from Spanish culture with an international profile, including actor Antonio Banderas. Sports were represented by legendary badminton player Carolina Marín, a three-time world champion, while academia was represented by José María Coello de Portugal, vice rector for planning, coordination, and institutional relations at the Complutense University of Madrid. Representatives of labor unions and employers’ organizations also presented the Pope with their concerns and challenges, with the aim of working together to build a society oriented toward the common good and capable of overcoming fragmentation and polarization. Their presence was itself a sign that encounter remains possible even in a divided society. The historic meeting reflected the theme of the first papal trip to Spain in 15 years — “Lift up your gaze” — and Pope Leo XIV’s call to weave networks among different social actors, showing that beyond legitimate differences there is a firm desire to build strong, cross-sector alliances to face the challenges of the future. One of the highlights of the event was Banderas’ address, in which he recited a text on the bond between faith and culture. Read the full story at ncregister.com/cna/antonio-ba…

No, AI Isn’t Conscious. But Saying So Invites Further Discernment Pope Leo’s encyclical highlights fundamental questions about the nature of consciousness that can no longer be avoided.⬇️ ncregister.com/commentaries/n…

Rachel Campos Duffy: An American Love Story Built on Faith and Family The Catholic mother of nine and Fox News host explains to the Register why true patriotism begins in the domestic church.⬇️ ncregister.com/interview/murp…

The Pope's emotion was evident. This afternoon he experienced one of the most touching moments of his visit to Spain. The "son of Saint Augustine," as Pope Leo XIII has described himself on more than one occasion, arrived at the church dedicated to the saint of Hippo in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona. In this area, one of the city's most challenging, the Church of Saint Augustine is known as the "cathedral of the poor": an old Baroque church from the 18th century, deeply connected to ordinary people, migrants, and those living on the margins of society.

The Sagrada Familia awaits the historic arrival of Pope Leo XIV, one of the most anticipated moments of his visit to Spain. Gaudí’s masterpiece, the city of Barcelona, and thousands of faithful are preparing to welcome the Successor of Peter to this iconic place of worship. Video: Álvaro de Juana / EWTN News

The Strength of Jimmy Lai and the Weakness of Emperor Xi What can Catholics do for Jimmy Lai at the moment?⬇️ ncregister.com/commentaries/j…

Saludo cómplice del Papa a los periodistas en la abadía de Monserrat, justo antes de confiar su pontificado a la “Moreneta”.

Pope Leo XIV Addresses Difficult Questions About Selfishness, Suicide, and Forgiveness “We must, above all, ask the Lord for forgiveness” so that he may “expand the space for love within us precisely where we have been wounded” and thus, gradually, “transform resentment into mercy & compassion.”⬇️ ncregister.com/cna/pope-leo-x…

Pope Leo broke protocol to greet the thousands of people waiting for him outside the cathedral after his first event in Barcelona. “Bon dia i bona ora, germans i germanes!” he exclaimed—a traditional Catalan greeting that can be translated as “Good day and good weather, brothers and sisters!” The Pope clearly enjoyed using the Catalan phrases he already knows, opening his remarks in the local language before continuing in Spanish. Then, with a little help from the Archbishop of Barcelona, he concluded with a heartfelt “Adeu-siau!”—a traditional farewell meaning “goodbye” or “see you later.” For us, it felt like a whole new Duolingo level unlocked.

After a process spanning two decades, two Catholic priests martyred for their faith under the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia in the early 1950s—Fathers Jan Bula and Václav Drbola—have been beatified.

A 12-year-old boy from Santa Catarina, Brazil, is drawing attention on social media for an unusual mission for someone his age: making rosaries from seeds known as "Our Lady's Tears" and distributing them to children in hospitals. Samuel Hoffmann, who lives in the city of Brusque, participates in hospital evangelization efforts and has found a simple way to leave a meaningful gift for the children he visits. With his own hands, he cultivates the plant, harvests the seeds, and turns them into rosaries that he gives away during his visits. The story began several years ago, when he grew in devotion to Our Lady. According to Samuel, it all began when he was seven years old and watched Catholic programs every day with his grandmother. Soon afterward, he received an invitation that would change his life. "When I was eight or nine years old, Sister Terezinha invited me to visit the hospital. We would play music for the children, but I wanted to leave them a gift that would remind them to pray." The solution came from an unexpected place. One of Samuel's uncles brought home seeds from a plant popularly known as "Our Lady's Tears," or the Lily of the Valley. Samuel decided to plant them in the backyard. As the plant grew, he came up with the idea of using the seeds to make rosaries. "When you visit a child's room and see that what you're bringing has made them happier, it makes me happy too," Samuel said. Today, the rosaries have become part of the mission carried out during hospital visits. While many children his age spend their time playing video games, scrolling through social media, or watching television, Samuel dedicates part of his days to prayer, evangelization, and making rosaries that he personally delivers to young patients. His mother, Maristela Hoffmann, believes her son's journey of faith has transformed their entire family. "In fact, he was the one who sought us out and brought us along. He brought us even closer to the Church," she said. She also emphasized the importance of Christian witness. "It's beautiful to see so many young people following this path. People need to bear witness to inspire others to do something for their neighbor." Samuel's grandmother has closely followed his journey and becomes emotional when speaking about her grandson. "Today, I see his faith growing so much, and it makes me very happy." What began as a simple devotion to Our Lady has become a small mission. Through seeds, rosaries, and hospital visits, Samuel offers children something that cannot always be found in medicine or treatments: the assurance that they are not alone. At just 12 years old, he continues doing what he believes God has called him to do—a child bringing hope to other children. churchpop.com/12-year-old-bo…

As World Cup excitement builds across the United States, the Archdiocese of Atlanta is launching a special initiative to welcome soccer fans traveling to the city. Communications Officer for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Maureen Smith, shares more about the initiative.

❤️ This Thursday, the U.S. bishops, including Archbishop Lori, will consecrate our nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As we prepare for this historic moment, we invite you to pray the Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and join Catholics across the country in entrusting our nation to Christ's love, mercy, and protection. 🙏 Will you join us in prayer? Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. #SacredHeartOfJesus #ConsecrationOfTheUSA #CatholicChurch #ArchdioceseOfBaltimore #PrayForAmerica

Large crowds of the faithful gathered in Ireland over the weekend for major Catholic events. In Knock, more than 13,000 people took part in the 41st All-Ireland Rosary. Meanwhile, in Cork, thousands participated in the city’s 100th Eucharistic procession.

At the conclusion of the Prayer Vigil in Barcelona, Pope Leo kissed a cross inspired by the altar crucifix of the Sagrada Família, the great basilica that has become synonymous with the city itself. The image of Christ Crucified stands at the heart of Gaudí’s masterpiece, pointing beyond its celebrated architecture to the center of the Christian faith. The Holy Father then paused in prayer before Our Lady of Montserrat, La Moreneta, whose beloved shrine has drawn generations of Catalans and many more pilgrims and saints, including St. Ignatius of Loyola, to seek the Blessed Mother's protection and intercession.

Scintillating discussion on "Conversations with Consequences" this week with @NotreDame Law Professor Paolo Carozza (and Oversight Board Co-Chair of @Meta) on Magnifica Humanitas and AI: "We never speak without there being implicitly and behind every word that we're saying, some implicit understanding of what reality is, what humanity is, what's important and what's not important, what's to be valued and what's not to be valued. And therefore, that's true of these the use of language by these technologies as well. And that that's where it gets extremely sensitive because that introduces the question of control and power. Who's training them? Who's deploying them? Who's setting guardrails for them? What values are they in their use of language drawing?" @NDLaw @Meta

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