Podcasts about Holy Father

Read OnlineOvercoming the Gates of hellJesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:13–16The symbolism associated with Caesarea Philippi is central to today's Gospel. Located north of Jesus' home base in Capernaum, it was a predominantly pagan city known for its shrines to false gods. One of the most prominent was Pan, after whom the region was named Panias (later Banias). Pan, a Greek god, was honored at a shrine near a large cave and spring considered the entrance to Hades. Pan was the god of nature, shepherds, flocks, wild places, fertility, and rustic music, and was often depicted as half man, half goat, with horns and hooves. He played the pan flute and was associated with lust, chaos, and sudden fear—from which we get the word panic.Additionally, the city was the site of a temple dedicated to the late emperor, Caesar Augustus, who was worshiped as a god throughout the Roman Empire. It was into this spiritually dark pagan setting that Jesus led His disciples—on what may have been a two-day journey—for what culminated in a single, monumental question.Jesus took the Twelve away from the comfort of their familiar fishing village and Jewish neighbors for a reason. He wanted them to answer His question not in the midst of the familiar and safe, but in a place marked by spiritual confusion and idolatry. Why? So that faith could be professed even there, and divine grace could confront the darkness that permeated the region.At first, He asked who the people said He was. They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” But then He posed the question that reached the heart of His mission: “But who do you say that I am?” This was a moment of divine testing—one which Simon passed with profound faith: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus' extraordinary and consequential response has enduring significance to this day. He declared:“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:17–19).With these sacred words, Jesus founded His Church upon Peter, making him the first pope. In biblical tradition, a change of name signifies a new mission and identity. Simon, son of Jonah, was now to be called Peter—Petros in Greek and Cephas in Aramaic—meaning “rock.” Peter became the solid foundation upon which Christ's Church would be built. No pagan power, false god, or earthly ruler would ever overcome what Christ established with divine authority.Reflect today on the significance of the papacy. Even now, in the successor of Saint Peter, the words of Simon continue to echo throughout the world: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This is the pope's first and most important duty—to bear witness to Christ, the Son of God. Despite the personal weaknesses of some popes and the saintliness of others, it is Jesus who established Peter and his successors as the visible foundation of the Church. Pray for the Holy Father, and trust in the timeless witness of every pope since that first moment in Caesarea Philippi—a witness upheld not by human strength, but by Christ's own promise. To profess faith in the papacy is to profess faith in the One who instituted it and endowed it with His divine authority.My Lord, You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. With Simon, I profess this truth and place my faith in You, who established Simon, son of Jonah, as Peter—the rock and foundation of Your Church. I believe and profess that the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church, not because of human strength or perfection, but because of Your eternal promise. I pray for our Holy Father, the pope, and for all his successors. Make them true and faithful witnesses to the confession first spoken by Saint Peter. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Christ handing the Keys to St Peter, by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Dear Friends,I am unable to provide the usual prayer podcast for a few days due to a retreat followed by travel with family.  I put up the Morning Offering and prayers for the Holy Father for these days, and I will be back soon!  God Bless,DeannaStarting the morning off with God is the key to strength and success in your day!Support the show

Delivered by Kezia from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Daniel 7: 9-10.13-14; Rs psalm 97: 1-2.5-6.9; 2 Peter 1: 16-19; Matthew 17: 1-9.EYES AND EARS ARE ON GUARD Our meditation today has the theme: Eye and Ear are onGuard. There is a young man who was in his third time falling in love and forhim this last one should bring a positive outcome. The previous two alwaysended in sadness because there were many troubles and conflicts happened. Herecognized his own weaknesses that have contributed to the failure of thoseprevious love relationships. Then he spoke about it with his parents. Hisparents advised him, saying that the decision of heart of what to say and toact depends very much on one's ability to see and to hear. Our eyes and ears must always be active in order toperceive the reality of those whom we love. When you see that the person nextto you is busy with some activities, or when you hear that the person's voiceis very weak, your heart's decision will determine what action you can take infavor of him. That young man agreed to this advise and he promised to use thisthird opportunity of love relationship be meaningful and could go on to thelevel of marriage. Today, as we celebrate the feast Jesus who revealedHis glory or commonly known as the transfiguration day, the Word of God teachesus to experience the glory and greatness of God through our eyes that see andour ears that hear. All three readings describe the physical acts of seeing andhearing that were experienced by the prophet Daniel, the apostle Peter and histwo fellow apostles. They saw the apparition of God and heard the voice thatcame directly from the heavenly Father. Such faith experience of seeing andhearing directly the Lord is indeed desired by all of us. We desire to be thereon the Mount Tabor to witness God's glory like what the apostles hadexperienced.  In our case, our faith and spiritual experiences withthe Lord are indirect events, however, they are the representations that cometo us directly. Jesus represents or manifests His glory through the Holy Father,bishops or priests, or a brother and sister who offer goodness and charity tous. Jesus is truly present as the person from heaven, yet He is made into theEucharistic Bread which we always worship and eat. Jesus also stands at thepulpit and says directly to us the divine Word yet He is represented by a preacher.Such experiences are highly esteemed, and they indeed help our faith grow. Oureyes and ears are very instrumental for the growth of our faith. If we do not listen and see with proper intention andgood attention, we will lose the experience of the glory of God present inothers, the environment, and the events of our lives.Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O most loving Lord, may we always eager tosee and hear You in every situation of our lives. Hail Mary, full of grace ...In the name of the Father ...

In this episode of In the News, co-host Julie Shore sits down with Father Michael Pray (parochial vicar of Saint Francis Xavier in Gettysburg and chaplain at Gettysburg College) for a warm, practical conversation sparked by Pope Leo's powerful prayer for the month of July. Father Pray opens by praying the Holy Father's own words—a moving plea to recognize and protect the “unique and unrepeatable value of every human being,” to tenderly care for fragility, and to make the Church an open home where no one feels unwanted. From there the two dig into what “image and likeness of God” really means, why grace is simply divine help we receive through the sacraments, and how a culture that cheapens life needs constant reminders that all lives matter—from the womb to the tomb, in war zones, immigration crises, mental illness, and everyday loneliness. They tackle the trap of reducing people to numbers (whether casualty counts or Instagram likes), the FOMO and objectification young adults face online, and the quiet power of “ordinary time.” Practical takeaways abound: how parents can help children see themselves as infinitely loved, why a simple smile or patient word can be a sacred act, and a clear challenge for listeners—give thanks for life and help those in need, one small daily encounter at a time. Thoughtful, grounded, and free of political slogans, this episode invites you to move beyond headlines and live the Gospel of life in the places that actually matter: your family, your workplace, and the person right in front of you. Listen now and rediscover why every human life is worth the total gift of ourselves.

Aaron’s Blessing 22 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 23 “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, 24 The Lord bless you and keep you;25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;26 the Lord lift up his countenance[a] upon you and give you peace. 27 “So shall they put my name upon the […]

Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest Lectionary: 405 The Saint of the day is Saint Ignatius of Loyola Saint Ignatius of Loyola's Story The founder of the Jesuits was on his way to military fame and fortune when a cannon ball shattered his leg. Because there were no books of romance on hand during his convalescence, Ignatius whiled away the time reading a life of Christ and lives of the saints. His conscience was deeply touched, and a long, painful turning to Christ began. Having seen the Mother of God in a vision, he made a pilgrimage to her shrine at Montserrat near Barcelona. He remained for almost a year at nearby Manresa, sometimes with the Dominicans, sometimes in a pauper's hospice, often in a cave in the hills praying. After a period of great peace of mind, he went through a harrowing trial of scruples. There was no comfort in anything—prayer, fasting, sacraments, penance. At length, his peace of mind returned. It was during this year of conversion that Ignatius of Loyola began to write down material that later became his greatest work, the Spiritual Exercises. He finally achieved his purpose of going to the Holy Land, but could not remain, as he planned, because of the hostility of the Turks. Ignatius of Loyola spent the next 11 years in various European universities, studying with great difficulty, beginning almost as a child. Like many others, his orthodoxy was questioned; Ignatius was twice jailed for brief periods. In 1534, at the age of 43, he and six others—one of whom was Saint Francis Xavier—vowed to live in poverty and chastity and to go to the Holy Land. If this became impossible, they vowed to offer themselves to the apostolic service of the pope. The latter became the only choice. Four years later Ignatius of Loyola made the association permanent. The new Society of Jesus was approved by Pope Paul III, and Ignatius was elected to serve as the first general. When companions were sent on various missions by the pope, Ignatius remained in Rome, consolidating the new venture, but still finding time to found homes for orphans, catechumens, and penitents. He founded the Roman College, intended to be the model of all other colleges of the Society. Ignatius of Loyola was a true mystic. He centered his spiritual life on the essential foundations of Christianity—the Trinity, Christ, the Eucharist. His spirituality is expressed in the Jesuit motto, Ad majorem Dei gloriam—“for the greater glory of God.” In his concept, obedience was to be the prominent virtue, to assure the effectiveness and mobility of his men. All activity was to be guided by a true love of the Church and unconditional obedience to the Holy Father, for which reason all professed members took a fourth vow to go wherever the pope should send them for the salvation of souls. Reflection Luther nailed his theses to the church door at Wittenberg in 1517. Seventeen years later, Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society that was to play so prominent a part in the Catholic Reformation. He was an implacable foe of Protestantism. Yet the seeds of ecumenism may be found in his words: “Great care must be taken to show forth orthodox truth in such a way that if any heretics happen to be present they may have an example of charity and Christian moderation. No hard words should be used nor any sort of contempt for their errors be shown.” One of the greatest ecumenists was the 20th-century German Jesuit, Cardinal Augustin Bea.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

John 17:11-12 “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are. While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.” While Jesus was in this world, He had a job to do, namely, first, to manifest the name of the Father to those the Father gave Him and keep them in His name. This is revealed in vs. 6. Jesus said, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world.” In vs. 12, we see second that Jesus also kept them in His name. He guarded them—that is, all that the Father gave Him. In these two verses, Jesus, knowing that He is leaving this world to go to the Father, has a request of the Father. He asks the Father to keep His disciples in His name so they may be one even as He and the Father are one. I have suggested that the name that Jesus manifested is love. I think this is confirmed when we notice that whatever the name is, it is what unifies the Father and the Son and will also unify the disciples. Love is the perfect bond of unity according to Paul (Col. 3:14). Therefore I conclude that the name that has been manifested and in which we are kept is the love of the Father and the Son for His own. Now let's connect the dot of the glory of God that the Father and Son had before the foundation of the world. That glory is their love! Listen to what Jesus says only moments after these words. It is recorded in John 17:22-24. “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” What is that glory He wants us to see? The love of the Father for the Son. So today, let us be encouraged by these words. Our Father keeps us in His love, the same love He has for His own Son, Jesus. As we live to love with Jesus today, we do so because of the grace of God bestowed upon us in giving us His Son. Jesus in us loves those He puts in our paths. We simply love with Him. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

Steve Ray talks about grandparents in the Bible and their important role in family life. Linda Carl visits to give important info about why yoga is NOT for Catholics. T's Two Sense talks about the Holy Father's message on summertime and not leaving God on vacation + St Kateri Tekakwitha. Plus, Newman Guide News with Kelly Salomon features Benedictine College's President Stephen D. Minnis to talk their 250th event for the United States!

James 5:13-18 | John 17:6-21Prayer is the fuel behind every other "one another" command. You cannot sustain the carrying, the forgiving, the serving, the truth-telling without it. But this sermon doesn't guilt people into better prayer - it shows them they're not praying into a void. Jesus is already praying. We join what He's already doing. James 5:13-18 (ESV)Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.John 17:6-21 (ESV)“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

"Born in Asia and educated in Constantinople, he went into the army after completing his studies and became an officer. Reading the Holy Scriptures, he came upon the Saviour's words: 'If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell all thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me' (Matt. 19:21). These words made such an impression on him that he sold and gave away all that he had, and went off to the desert. After long asceticism and striving for purification, he founded the community of the 'Wakeful Ones' (Acoemetae) with a special rule. According to this rule, the services in the church continued day and night in unbroken sequence. The brethren were divided into six groups, each having its appointed hours of day or night to go to church and take over the reading and singing from the previous group. He travelled a great deal over the East, bringing people to faith in Christ, disputing with heretics, working miracles by God's grace and growing old in the service of the Lord Jesus. He finished his earthly course in Constantinople in the year 430, where his relics revealed the miraculous power and glory with which God had glorified His holy servant." (Prologue)

Over the past several days, many parishioners have asked what recently happened with the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) and why there has been so much discussion surrounding the ordination of bishops without papal approval. In this video, Fr. Jonathan Meyer explains: The history of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) Why the events of July 1 trace back to 1988 and earlier What automatic excommunication means Why apostolic succession and communion with the Pope are essential to the Catholic Church The difference between the SSPX and communities that celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Mass while remaining in full communion with the Catholic Church Why this situation is about ecclesial unity and obedience—not simply about the Latin Mass This is a sad moment for the Church and an opportunity for all Catholics to pray for healing, unity, and reconciliation. As Fr. Jonathan reminds us, our love for the Church is expressed through communion with the successor of St. Peter and fidelity to the apostolic faith handed down through the ages. Please continue to pray for the Holy Father, for the Church, and for all those seeking full communion with Christ and His Church. #CatholicChurch #SSPX #SocietyOfStPiusX #Pope #CatholicTeaching #ApostolicSuccession #FrJonathanMeyer #CatholicFaith #Unity

Today, we're continuing a mini two-episode series on the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV. Last week, host Mike Jordan Laskey spoke with the theologian Anna Rowlands, who was involved in the launch of the Holy Father's new encyclical Magnifica humanitas. Today, Mike's guest is Christopher Lamb, a long-time and extremely talented Vatican correspondent who currently works for CNN. Chris recently traveled with the Pope and the Vatican press corps to Spain, where Pope Leo held some huge public events, visited the famous La Sagrada Familia church, and met with migrants on the Canary Islands. Mike asked Chris what stood out about the trip and what it revealed to him about Pope Leo's approach to his pontificate. They also talked about the encyclical and what he's thought about its reception. Chris is also the author of a new book called “American Hope: What Pope Leo XIV means for the church and world.” Mike caught up with Chris while Chris was in London doing some events around the book, so if you hear some background noise here and there, that's because the very full life of an international journalist and author doesn't always include access to pristine, isolated recording conditions. But you'll be able to hear everything he has to say just fine. And we think you'll find it a fascinating look behind the scenes of the work of a journalist covering the Vatican. Christopher Lamb: https://www.christopherlambmedia.com/ Chris' new book, "American Hope": https://bookshop.org/p/books/american-hope-what-pope-leo-xiv-means-for-the-church-and-world-christopher-lamb/add13c5382df6666?ean=9781035440573

2 Corinthians 12:5-10….I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.When we look at our lives, they are full of victories and full of setbacks. In these verses, Paul clarifies the true source of strength. God's strength. He also speaks of ‘a thorn in the flesh', placed there to keep him from being conceited. It's interesting to reframe the challenges in our life, failures in our life, and seeing even those play a divine purpose in our lives. What area of your life feels weak right now? What is the difficulty in your life right now?"When I am weak, then I am strong."This message is countercultural to our society which preaches self-reliance. Can you admit your weakness to God right now?Ask for him to give you not only the strength to make it through but also the awareness that in your weakness, He is strong, Turning all things for your good and His gloryLet's pray: “Holy Father, thank you for your power that shines in my weakness. I confess my failings, I confess my weakness, and I acknowledge those areas of struggle and hardship in the very areas where are you are shining brightest through me.”

Read Online“Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:17–19Though the Church will suffer in many ways, She will ultimately overcome all things. As we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, we are reminded of this truth by pondering their lives as two of the greatest pillars of the Church. Neither imprisonments, persecutions, nor apparent defeats kept them from fulfilling the mission God gave them. Likewise, the Church will never be overcome, for She remains under the guardianship of divine providence.The Church shall prevail for one simple reason: Jesus said so. He founded the Church upon the Twelve Apostles, giving unique and supreme authority to Peter: “I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Though Peter's given name was Simon, Jesus changed it to Peter—Petros in Greek and Cephas in Aramaic. Both terms can be used as a man's name but also mean “rock.” Hence, Peter, and the Apostles in union with him, become the rock and immovable foundation upon which the Church is built.By giving Peter “the keys to the Kingdom of heaven,” Jesus granted him singular authority to teach, govern, and sanctify with divine authority. This authority did not end with Peter; it is passed on to his successors through the office of bishop. Since Peter died in Rome, Rome remains the see of the Church's divinely established governance.Though Peter offers the Church the stability and clarity necessary as the immovable rock foundation, Paul reflects the Church's missionary role to bring the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This is seen especially in today's second reading, where Paul, facing the end of his earthly life, proclaims that he has “competed well,” “finished the race,” and “kept the faith.” His life was poured out as a libation for Christ, tirelessly laboring to make the Gospel known to all nations. While Peter ensures the Church's unity and fidelity to divine truth, Paul embodies her zeal to spread that truth to every corner of the world, calling all people into communion with Christ and His Church.Peter and Paul remain spiritually alive and active today through the unbroken tradition God established through them. Often at World Youth Day, when the Holy Father is present, young people chant, “You are Peter!” It is a beautiful expression of their faith in this foundational truth Christ established. Though every pope is a sinner like the rest of humanity, faith leads us to look beyond human weakness to see the successor of Saint Peter, the solid rock to whom Christ entrusted the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus, Peter's mission remains alive today, not only in the person of the Holy Father, but also in our faith in his divinely given authority.Saint Paul remains alive today through the ongoing fulfillment of the mission God gave him. His burning zeal to proclaim the Gospel lives on in every missionary endeavor, every act of evangelization, and every effort to spread the Good News to the ends of the earth. His spirit is especially present in those who courageously preach the Word, catechize the young, defend the faith, and labor tirelessly for the salvation of souls. Just as Peter ensures unity and fidelity, Paul inspires action and outreach, so that the Church may extend Christ's Kingdom to every land and heart.Reflect today on these pillars of the Church and acknowledge the living witness they gave and continue to give. Renew your faith in Peter, alive in the Holy Father, professing him as the rock foundation. See Paul at work by recognizing the missionary activity of the Church, carried out by countless souls with zeal and courage. Allow their witness to inspire within you a deeper love for the Church, and commit yourself anew to the mission entrusted to you: to remain firmly rooted in the truth and to bring that truth to the world with boldness and charity.Saints Peter and Paul, God called you in powerful and unique ways, making you pillars of the Church. Please pray for us, and for the entire Church, that we may continue the mission Christ entrusted to you. I especially entrust myself to that mission and pray that I may remain faithful to it in imitation of your example. Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Saint Peter & Saint Paul by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

"A great ascetic and wonderworker of the Egyptian desert, he was a contemporary of Patriarch Theophilus and the Emperor Theodosius the Great. He is called 'the Standard-Bearer' because he once helped the Emperor Theodosius to gain a victory over enemy forces by his prayers. When the Emperor summoned him to Constantinople, he replied that he was unable to go, but sent his torn and patched monastic habit and his staff. Going out to battle, the Emperor put on Sennuphius's habit and carried his staff in his hand, and returned victorious from the battle." (Prologue)

As you probably heard, Pope Leo XIV released his first encyclical letter in May. Titled Magnifica humanitas, the document is a 42,000-word reflection on what it means to be human in our technology-obsessed age of generative artificial intelligence. The Pope officially released the document during a press conference at the Vatican, which the Holy Father himself attended — an unusual move for pontiffs. Sitting at one end of the dais was Christopher Olah, one of the founders of Anthropic, one of the largest AI companies in the world. His presence made a lot of headlines, too. Right next to Olah was a theologian named Anna Rowlands, and she's our guest today. Professor Rowlands is the St Hilda Professor of Catholic Social Thought & Practice at Durham University in the United Kingdom. At the press conference, she delivered a stirring 10-minute address on how the encyclical offers the church and the world valuable insights into protecting human dignity and the common good in these uncertain times. Professor Rowlands is no stranger to the Vatican. In fact, she was involved in one of these press conference panels for the release of Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli tutti, and she has been involved in leading the Synod on Synodality process since 2023. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her about the press conference itself and how she decided on what she wanted to say in her address. They also talked about how the encyclical has been received and the material in the letter she finds most compelling. Mike also asked her to respond to one of his favorite critiques of the encyclical and of what generative AI is doing to our brains and souls. It was a wide-ranging conversation and we're sure you'll see why we think Professor Rowlands is one of the deepest and most brilliant thinkers you could ever hope to meet. Professor Anna Rowlands: https://www.durham.ac.uk/staff/anna-rowlands/ Her full speech at the encyclical launch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqapjl7m7V8 The encyclical critique discussed: https://hedgehogreview.com/web-features/thr/posts/should-the-lion-lie-down-with-the-electric-lamb AMDG is a production of the Jesuit Media Lab, which is a project of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the United States. www.jesuits.org/ www.beajesuit.org/ twitter.com/jesuitnews facebook.com/Jesuits instagram.com/wearethejesuits youtube.com/societyofjesus www.jesuitmedialab.org/

Many people have missed a lot of the deeper ideas that Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on AI is built on. Matthew Leonard and Michael Matheson Miller expose not only those deeper currents, but some of the darker forces which the Holy Father is addressing.

Inland Empire Church of Christ

Inland Empire Church of Christ

This week on the show, Becket Fund President Mark Rienzi joins Ashley McGuire to discuss a deeply moving letter sent by Pope Leo himself ahead of the firm's 2026 Canterbury Medal Gala. Then, Catholic psychologist Dr. Gregory Popcak breaks down a viral moment on forgiveness from the Holy Father's trip to Spain and shares his BeDADitudes for being an awesome dad this Father's Day. Finally, Monsignor Roger Landry details the incredible effort to coordinate 70,000 Rosaries for Fulton Sheen's upcoming beatification—and how women religious have already pledged 50K of them! Tune in every Saturday at 7 AM and 5 PM ET on EWTN Radio.

Patrick tackles the heated debate over renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War, weighing whether this signals realignment or empty bravado, while threading through the risks faced by religious minorities as government classifications shift and anti-Catholic voices grow bolder among power brokers. One moment snaps into focus on the rise of Christian nationalism and the uneasy possibility of theocracy-influenced policy; the next, Patrick pivots to the digital anxieties fracturing generations as technology encroaches on how people gather and worship. Listeners drop raw testimony about confession and faith, lending the episode its unpredictable charge. Patrick reads and responds to emails questioning the way he says “The Department of War” (00:53) Jamie – Regarding the Dept. of War list, is it a bigger concern that Catholics one day will be taken off that list of recognized religions? (05:39) Patrick reads and responds to a Mormon military officer’s post about the Dept. of War’s updated list of recognized religions (18:55) Patrick in Atlanta - The liberal inroads have been made in the military and degraded the morale and morality of the institution. The reset on the name of it is according to structure change and organizational change. (23:51) Ann - Will the Archdiocese of Military Services be protected and will Mass continue for the Catholics overseas? (28:32) Bear attacks in Japan (33:36) Patrick responds to an email about young people not liking A.I. (39:20) Jennifer (email) - I almost became a Sedevecantist. Be careful who you listen to and notice who's making money off telling lies about Holy Mother Church and our Holy Father. (46:03) Amy (email) - I have been on cloud 9 since my valid confession

Full Text of Readings Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr Lectionary: 357 The Saint of the day is Saint Boniface Saint Boniface's Story Boniface, known as the apostle of the Germans, was an English Benedictine monk who gave up being elected abbot to devote his life to the conversion of the Germanic tribes. Two characteristics stand out: his Christian orthodoxy and his fidelity to the pope of Rome. How absolutely necessary this orthodoxy and fidelity were is borne out by the conditions Saint Boniface found on his first missionary journey in 719 at the request of Pope Gregory II. Paganism was a way of life. What Christianity he did find had either lapsed into paganism or was mixed with error. The clergy were mainly responsible for these latter conditions since they were in many instances uneducated, lax and questionably obedient to their bishops. In particular instances their very ordinations were questionable. These are the conditions that Saint Boniface was to report in 722 on his first return visit to Rome. The Holy Father instructed him to reform the German Church. The pope sent letters of recommendation to religious and civil leaders. Boniface later admitted that his work would have been unsuccessful, from a human viewpoint, without a letter of safe-conduct from Charles Martel, the powerful Frankish ruler, grandfather of Charlemagne. Boniface was finally made a regional bishop and authorized to organize the whole German Church. He was eminently successful. In the Frankish kingdom, he met great problems because of lay interference in bishops' elections, the worldliness of the clergy and lack of papal control. During a final mission to the Frisians, Boniface and 53 companions were massacred while he was preparing converts for confirmation. In order to restore the Germanic Church to its fidelity to Rome and to convert the pagans, Saint Boniface had been guided by two principles. The first was to restore the obedience of the clergy to their bishops in union with the pope of Rome. The second was the establishment of many houses of prayer which took the form of Benedictine monasteries. A great number of Anglo-Saxon monks and nuns followed him to the continent, where he introduced the Benedictine nuns to the active apostolate of education. Reflection Saint Boniface bears out the Christian rule: To follow Christ is to follow the way of the cross. For Boniface, it was not only physical suffering or death, but the painful, thankless, bewildering task of Church reform. Missionary glory is often thought of in terms of bringing new persons to Christ. It seems—but is not—less glorious to heal the household of the faith.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

We continue to sift through Pope Leo's 'Magnifica Humanitas' with Professor Paolo Carozza of Notre Dame's Law School. Also serving as chair of the Meta Oversight Board, Carozza explained why he thinks the encyclical is "a profound and prophetic document," and why there is a need now to "develop a new politics" for the "whole persons and for all persons," as the Holy Father wrote. As we look ahead to the beatification of soon-to-be-Blessed Fulton Sheen, Msgr. Jason Gray joins, executive director of the Archbishop Fulton Sheen Foundation, to share insights about his life of virtue, and all the step-by-step documentation that is collected and vetted when preparing a cause for sainthood, including details about the many possible miracles that are being explored. With big news from the Vatican this week. Msgr. Roger Landry shares his moments with Pope Leo, and reacts to the big news of Montse Alvarado being appointed to the position of Prefect of Dicastery for Communication, the first laywoman to ever hold that position.

We explore the message of the Holy Father on May 13, 1946. Please support the Our Lady of Fatima Podcast:http://buymeacoffee.com/TerenceMStantonLike and subscribe on YouTube:https://m.youtube.com/@OurLadyOfFatimaPodcastFollow us on X:@FatimaPodcastThank you!

This past week, as I said at the beginning of Mass, has been quite a week for me. It was extraordinary.  I had the opportunity to sit in the Synod Hall  as the Holy Father gave his new encyclical, Magnificat Humanitas, to the world. I am still unpacking the magnitude  of the event in my life,  but there are some things that really stood out for me. 

Wisdom studies, implicit learning, arsenokoitai and more on Called to Communion with Dr. David Anders.

Hour 3 for 5/29/26 Drew, Fr. Rocky, and Preston Allex discuss the Holy Father's new encyclical on A.I. (1:00). Then, Drew welcomes (now-Father) Scott-Vincent Borba to discuss his life as a multimillionaire cosmetics founder (25:01) to Catholic priest (39:18). Links: Pope Leo's Encyclical Relevant Radio's Encyclical Overview

With the release of Pope Leo's highly anticipated encyclical on artificial intelligence, Dr. Fernanda Psihas, considers the document under the lens of the feminine genius as we look to the Blessed Mother for guidance to be 'weavers of hope' as the Holy Father urges us all to do. As a scientist and physicist, she found Pope Leo's words to be very unifying especially when bridging the gap between science and faith. As the Holy Father also emphasized the importance of speech and how that shapes the culture, we talk with Rob Greving about the 'Apostolate of Courtesy' and why we must work to bring back manners in this digital age where saying hello has become a novelty. Greving points to the wisdom of St. Francis de Sales, who says "our everyday lives of getting dressed, getting the kids out," is a "good opportunity for acquiring the true and solid virtues . . . a continual martyrdom." Msgr. Roger Landry also prepares our hearts for Holy Trinity Sunday, saying it's the most important lesson of the Catholic faith, "because it's who God is." Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!

Hour 1 for 5/26/26 Drew, Fr. Rocky, and Preston Allex discuss AI and the Holy Father's new encyclical. Topics AI hallucination (15:58), manipulation (19:49), and water shortage (27:50). Then, Ambassador Joseph Cella covers the latest in Iran (38:22). Link: Pope's New Encyclical Overview of Encyclical on Relevant Radio

2 Corinthians 12:5-10….I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.When we look at our lives, they are full of victories and full of setbacks. In these verses, Paul clarifies the true source of strength. God's strength. He also speaks of ‘a thorn in the flesh', placed there to keep him from being conceited. It's interesting to reframe the challenges in our life, failures in our life, and seeing even those play a divine purpose in our lives. What area of your life feels weak right now? What is the difficulty in your life right now?"When I am weak, then I am strong."This message is countercultural to our society which preaches self-reliance. Can you admit your weakness to God right now?Ask for him to give you not only the strength to make it through but also the awareness that in your weakness, He is strong, Turning all things for your good and His gloryLet's pray: “Holy Father, thank you for your power that shines in my weakness. I confess my failings, I confess my weakness, and I acknowledge those areas of struggle and hardship in the very areas where are you are shining brightest through me.”

FROM THE CATHEDRAL OF ACERRA (Naples) POPE LEO XIV MEETS WITH THE BISHOPS OF CAMPANIA, CLERGY AND RELIGIOUS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF VICTIMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION. (The content of this podcast is copyrighted by the Dicastery for Communication which, according to its statute, is entrusted to manage and protect the sound recordings of the Roman Pontiff, ensuring that their pastoral character and intellectual property's rights are protected when used by third parties. The content of this podcast is made available only for personal and private use and cannot be exploited for commercial purposes, without prior written authorization by the Dicastery for Communication. For further information, please contact the International Relation Office at relazioni.internazionali@spc.va)

Today’s Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel – John 17:11b-19 – Lifting up His Eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in Your Name that You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are One. When I was with them I protected them in Your Name that You gave Me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to You. I speak this in the world so that they may share My joy completely. I gave them Your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world but that You keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate Myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.” Memorial of Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest Saint Bernardine, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day

Original Post Date: May 15, 2024 === Gospel John 17:11b-19 Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one. When I was with them I protected them in your name that you gave me, and I guarded them, and none of them was lost except the son of destruction, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you. I speak this in the world so that they may share my joy completely. I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world but that you keep them from the Evil One. They do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world. Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. And I consecrate myself for them, so that they also may be consecrated in truth.” Reflection There are many ways to understand the message of Jesus, but the one that is expressed here is really important. It is Jesus came into the world to reveal the truth, reality, what life is really for and what it's about and how we're supposed to live in it and change it. We have been set apart, consecrated with the power to hold and to teach and to be in the truth. That's our destiny, and that's the work of God within us. Closing Prayer Father, so much of what you teach, we first have to believe in before we understand it. Give us the wisdom to stay with you, even though we're not sure what you're asking of us. Give us perseverance, curiosity, imagination so we can find and live in the truth. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brian Niebrugge is back with us to break open teachings from St. Josemaría Escrivá! Today Adam and Brian discuss fidelity and love to the Church, the Holy Father, your local Bishop, and your Pastor. Adam reflects on the day's Gospel reading.  Download the Covenant Network app today! Pray the Visual Rosary at VisualRosary.org For more information on Covenant Network, visit OurCatholicRadio.org

Read Online“Lifting up his eyes to heaven, Jesus prayed, saying: “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.”  John 17:11In the ancient world, a name was not only a means of identification but also an expression of the authority and power that the person possessed. For instance, when a king or ruler issued a decree, it was done “in the name” of the king, meaning with his full authority and power behind it.In the Bible, the “name” of God is much more than a simple designation or label; it signifies the full revelation of God's identity, character, and power. The concept of God's name is deeply tied to His nature and His actions in the world. His name represents who God is and His relationship with His people.In the Old Testament, God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and instructed him to go to Pharaoh to bring His people, the Israelites, out of Egypt. Moses inquired, “But... if I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, ‘What is His name?' what do I tell them?” God replied to Moses: “I am who I am.” Then He added: “This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:13–14).God's mysterious name—“I AM WHO I AM” or simply “I AM”—is also His identity. It expresses God's eternal existence and His self-sufficiency. He is the one who exists by His own nature, without beginning or end, having sovereignty over all creation.In John's Gospel, Jesus identifies Himself with the divine name numerous times: “I am he;” “I am the Bread of Life;” “I am the Light of the World;” “Before Abraham was, I AM;” “I am the Gate;” “I am the Good Shepherd;” “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life;” “I am the True Vine;” and “I told you that I AM.” Therefore, when Jesus prayed to the Father, “Holy Father, keep them in your name that you have given me…,” His prayer was authoritative, by which the Father's will is implemented, because Jesus is I AM, and in that name, He prays.Jesus' prayer was “that they may be one just as we are one.” This prayer should give us great hope. To “be one” with God, just as the Father and Son are one, reveals that we are called to share in God's very life, to be united to Him in a way that goes beyond intellectual agreement or friendship. We are invited into God's unity, taking our identity in Him, sharing in His very essence and life. We become members of Christ's Body, the Church, acting in Him, with Him, and through Him. This is why Jesus said three times during the Last Supper that whatever we ask the Father in His name, He will give us.In 2 Peter 1:4, we read that God's power has enabled us to escape corruption and evil desire and has bestowed upon us “precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature.” This foundational Scripture has led many Church Fathers to speak of our high calling to “divinization.” As Saint Athanasius of Alexandria famously said, “For He was made man that we might be made God; and He manifested Himself by a body that we might receive the idea of the unseen Father; and He endured the insolence of men that we might inherit immortality” (On the Incarnation, 54:3).Reflect today on the high calling you have received. You are invited to share in God's life, to take your identity in Him, to live and act in God's divine name, exercising His authority and manifesting His sacrificial love. This is only possible when we are united to Christ as He is united to the Father. We become one with God, by His will, with His authority and grace. What high dignity we have received to act in His name and with His authority! Have hope in the ability to be drawn into this high calling, taking on this new identity, so that Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper becomes a reality in your life. My divine Lord, the great I AM, You have existed from all eternity as the one and eternal God. You invite me to share in Your life by uniting me with You in Christ through His humanity. I accept this high calling and pray, as You prayed during the Last Supper, that I may be one with You—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and live and act in Your Name. Jesus, I trust in You.Image via Adobe Stock Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

John 17:1-11   Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”

On this episode, you are in for a treat as Pastor Keeyon interviews his long-time friend, Antonio Byrd. Antonio walks us through his faith journey and highlights how important it is for us to bask in the unconditional love of Christ. That same love that enoucarges us to be one as we read in our scripture reading. John 17:1-11, CEB Jesus prays1When Jesus finished saying these things, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, so that the Son can glorify you. 2 You gave him authority over everyone so that he could give eternal life to everyone you gave him. 3 This is eternal life: to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent. 4 I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 Now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I shared with you before the world was created.6 “I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from this world. They were yours and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 This is because I gave them the words that you gave me, and they received them. They truly understood that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.9 “I'm praying for them. I'm not praying for the world but for those you gave me, because they are yours. 10 Everything that is mine is yours and everything that is yours is mine; I have been glorified in them. 11 I'm no longer in the world, but they are in the world, even as I'm coming to you. Holy Father, watch over them in your name, the name you gave me, that they will be one just as we are one.

He [Jesus] lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son that the Son may glorify You, since You have given Him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory that I had with You before the world existed. I have manifested Your Name to the people whom You gave Me out of the world. Yours they were, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything that You have given Me is from You. For I have given them the words that You gave Me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. All Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your Name, which You have given Me, that they may be one, even as We are One.” (John 17:1b-11)

As we mark 1 year of a Leonine papacy, Katie Prejean McGrady joins to reflect on the accessibility of Pope Leo XIV and what it was like to MC an event with the Holy Father and 5 teens who asked about mental health, prayer life, and AI. We also look ahead to his upcoming encyclical and the lens of joy he might bring to the topic of humanity while delving into the dangers of artificial intelligence. Leah Libresco Sargeant discusses the latest baby news with #4 on the way for the Vance's and why the family plan is always subject to change. She also touches on the Supporting Newborn Parents Act and why it's a big win for growing families. Msgr. Roger Landry points our hearts to the Ascension as we look to the Gospel this Sunday. Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!

Through studying the names of God, we understand our God is a personal God. In the past 9 devotionals, we've seen 10 names and we now know so much more about our God. As YHWH, God has revealed himself to be so near that he's our very breath. As Adonai, God reveals that he is our Master, and therefore responsible for our care and our protection. As Elohim, God reveals he is our Creator who continues to create and make us a new creation even today. As El Shaddai, God reveals he is the Almighty one whose hand is in everything. As Yahweh Rapha, he tells us we can count on him to be the LORD who meets us in the bitterest of places in life and heal us. As Yahweh Mekaddishkem, God makes us forever good enough by calling us his own, making us holy and then teaching us to rest in him. God has revealed himself as a Shepherd, caring for his sheep. Through Jesus, God is revealed as Abba, Papa. Then Jesus goes on to call him Holy Father and Righteous Father. We now have 10 names for God, each that reveal his character, his power and his heart towards us. Have you been using these names in your conversations with him? Have you been calling on him by specific name according to how you need him to show up for you? He promises to respond. Now, we go even deeper. Beyond these 10 names, we read of dozens of other names given to God by people in the Bible who have had a personal encounter with him. The names they give God define how they've met him and what he has done for them. And my friend, if God did something for them, he can do something for you. What he did then, he can do today. We're in relationship with the same God of the Bible. In Malachi 3:6, God says, “I am the LORD, and I do not change.” God showed up for people personally in the stories in your Bible, and he can and will show up for you personally now. Remember that as we study the names of God given by other people in scripture – he's revealing what he did for them personally and what he can do for even YOU personally. He is the same God and he hasn't changed. He has a personal encounter waiting for you too. One person in scripture who had a very personal encounter with God is Hagar. Yes, a woman. In these times, a woman was a second-class citizen. She didn't have rights. She didn't have her own life. She was completely dependent on the man of the family to care for her. And for a woman, if there was no man to care for her, she was in a truly desperate situation. Hagar didn't have a man, she was only used by a man. (Perhaps you can relate.) But Hagar wasn't only used by a man, she was used by everyone in her entire life to get what they wanted. She was a totally unimportant character in everyone else's story. Have you ever felt that way? Like you're not important enough for your own dreams, your own desires, or your own story. Like you're stuck in the story of someone else and you're always just along for the ride. Like the life you live isn't your own. Like you're forever forgotten – forever overlooked – forever unimportant. That was Hagar – that was her life and that was her story. In Genesis 16, Hagar was the slave of a woman named Sarah. Sarah was the wife of Abraham. They were a couple who had been unable to have children, and now in their old age, they had lost all hope for the family they so badly wanted. That's wasn't Hagar's fault or Hagar's problem – but she became their solution. Hagar's boss lady, Sarah, decided she would use Hagar to give her the baby she had always wanted. Sarah sent her husband Abraham to sleep with Hagar, and so she became pregnant. It wasn't love. It was ownership. Sarah owned Hagar, and Hagar's body was used to get what she wanted. This wasn't Hagar's choice. It wasn't her dream. It wasn't her plan. But it became her life as she was used in someone's else's story. While Hagar is pregnant, Sarah begins to treat her so harshly that Hagar finally runs away. Now remember, where they are is surrounded by nothing but wilderness. Running away was a sure death sentence. There was no water, no food, and no help beyond the borders of their city. But Hagar was so desperate for something different that she runs. And there, in the wilderness, the Lord sent an angel to find her, care for her, and redirect her back home. And it was there, for the first time in Hagar's entire life that she felt personally seen. There, she gives God the name El Ro’i. Genesis 16:13, “You are El Ro'i”. In Hebrew El is “God”, and Ro'i is “who sees me”. El Ro'i – The God who sees me. El Ro'i meets us in the moments we didn't plan, the plans we didn't want, and the reality we didn't think God could be in. And right there, when life has been unfair, when the story isn't the one you wanted, God says, “I SEE YOU, MY GIRL.” To everyone else, Hagar was unimportant and discarded. To everyone else she was someone to be used for their own gain. But to God, she was worth pursuing, worth rescuing, worth restoring, and worth giving hope for the future. For the one absolutely no one else valued, El Ro'i, the God who sees, personally saw her and declared she mattered. You know where God sees you clearest – in the places you never wanted to be. In the places where you are trying to run away. In the places where you hurt and feel lost. God's eye is on YOU. (Remember he leaves the 99 to find the 1 who is lost and struggling – YES HE SEES YOU IN THAT STRUGGLE). Here in this place in the wilderness, where Hagar is running away, pregnant, alone, mistreated and hopeless, God meets her. If that's the place you're in, this is the perfect place to be found by El Ro'i! You see, he's not the God who waits for you to figure it all out and get it together – he's the God who meets you in the mess and calls you back to his plans for your future. Yes, the Shepherd who brings the lost sheep back home again. The Lord says to Hagar, “Return home and I will give you more descendants than you can count.” He's not only comforting her in her pain, but he's giving her direction and promise. He's giving her an identity where she's never had one before. When God sees you, that's what happens – you get direction to your destiny! I may not know where it is you feel overlooked, but I know we all feel that way at times. We work so hard and no one notices. Our efforts aren't applauded or appreciated. The good things sometimes seem to happen for everyone else – and where does that leave us. Oh let me tell you where that leaves you – that leaves you SEARCHED OUT AND SEEN BY EL RO'I!!!! And you have no idea how important that really is. Girl, if I see you, that won't change your life. I might be able to encourage you for a moment, give you a hug, or make you smile, but that's temporary – if God sees you, your whole life changes. And may I remind you, HE SEES YOU! He sees what they did to you. He sees how you were left out. He sees how you were used. He sees how it wasn't fair to you. He sees how that made you feel. He sees how that made you question your worth. God sees you when you're running and he calls you to QUIT RUNNING NOW. Honey, you can't outrun the God who sees you. The angel of the Lord says to Hagar, “Where have you come from and where are you going?” Did he ask because he didn't know? Of course not. He asked because Hagar needed to stop running and realize while she knew what she was running from (her mean boss lady Sarah and this life she didn't want) – she had no idea what she was running to. The question is helping her see she's running without thinking, without a future and without hope. God is helping her see the path she is on isn't leading anywhere good. Lord, if any of your girls listening today are running – stop them. For real, stop them right now in their tracks. You see them where they are at this moment – meet them there and stop them. Help them to see the path they're on and where it's leading. Help them to stop running and surrender to you. You are the God who meets us when we're running and calls us back to the future you have for us. Call her back now, El Ro'i. God told Hagar to go back. Yes, go back where life was hard but where there was purpose. Listen now – what is God telling you to do now? Will you listen for him? Will you stop running? Will you obey? Here in the wilderness, God appeared to Hagar. The wilderness where nothing else was there for her – God was there for her. This was the place of his appearance. If you're in your wilderness, will you ask God for his appearance? He may not radically change your situation, but he will change you – that's always bigger and better. Hagar returned home where she had that baby and then she saw God's bigger plans unfold for her future. She went home knowing one thing for sure – El Ro'i, the God who sees her, had a future for her! If you feel stuck in a story that's not your own – call on El Ro'i. If you feel unseen, unwanted, unappreciated or unworthy – call on El Ro'i. If you've been running away without direction of where to go – call on El Ro'i. If you're in a wilderness season of life, struggling and suffering – call on El Ro'i. God wants to meet you in what you've been running from. How would this change if you really knew that God sees you here? What would you do if you knew God has a promise for your future? Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Jesus not only tells us to call God our Father, Abba, Papa and we see Jesus personally calling God by this name.  God is his Father.  Jesus is deeply connected with God – they are one and they always have been – while at the same time he is the Son and God is the Father.  They're as close as they can possibly be.  They have the same mind, the same will, the same love, the same power.  Jesus is 100% familiar with God in every way … however, he doesn't lose his awe of God just because he has this closeness. Yes, Jesus teaches us to be close to God. Yes, he teaches us to trust him as our Papa God and we as his beloved children … but Jesus also teaches us how to be in absolute AWE of God still.  He shows us his awe of the Father in two specific descriptive names:  Holy Father and Righteous Father. Jesus calls God ‘Holy Father’ in John 17:11, “Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you.  Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.”  Jesus is praying these words right before he is betrayed, arrested and led to the cross.  And understand, he is praying these words for you and I.  He's calling on the name of Holy Father, that we would be protected by the power of his name – that is HOLY FATHER. Do you know the power of this name?  Holy Father. This is actually the only place in scripture where Jesus directly combines these two words when addressing God. • Holy = completely set apart, pure, transcendent • Father = relational, close, personal We tend to lean towards one of these – either God is completely set apart, distant and intimidating to us, or he is so personally close that he's become familiar and expected.  Jesus shows us how to hold both in awe, reverence and confidence.  God is both perfectly holy and perfectly relational at the same time. Last night I watched a documentary on Hulk Hogan.  I'm a bit of a documentary junkie.  I love the behind the scenes look at real lives that we often miss.  Hulk was this larger than life character with a handle bar mustache and bleach blonde hair known for ripping his shirt off.  But at home, he didn't rip his shirt off.  At home, he was a husband and dad named Terry and he played in the floor with his children.  He was both, but the true man was only seen behind closed doors.  The rest of the world only knew the character making a scene in the ring.  He was one or the other, but he couldn't be both at the same time.  So, it caused a split in his life and a loss of his true self. But the Holy Father is not split.  He is the same behind the scenes and on the scene.  He is forever both completely set apart and completely up close and personal.  He is beyond understanding and personally understanding at the same time.  He is Holy and he is Father – and not just for Jesus, but for us too. At the time of Jesus praying this prayer in the book of John, everyone knew holiness was associated with distance.  There was a system in the temple and only priests could approach God's holy presence.  If you did it wrong, you died.  Holiness meant you couldn’t casually approach God.  But then on the other hand, ‘Father' implies direct access through relationship and belonging.  Jesus is normalizing closeness with a HOLY FATHER, and he's literally praying you and I can have that closeness too. Will you allow God to be both for you, both Holy and Father?  Will you grow close in relationship with the Father while remaining in reverent awe of his holiness?  He isn't one or the other – he is both, always, forever, and fully. Jesus prays, “Protect them by the power of your name.”  What was that name Jesus just spoke?  Holy Father.  This is where your personal protection comes from.  God's holiness means absolutely nothing impure can stand against him.  No evil will prevail.  His holiness protects you from every scheme and attack of the enemy.  And God's fatherhood means he actively cares for and defends you as his daughter. You've heard of the threat of the Mama Bear coming out to protect her children – Well, that's nothing compared to the Holy Father! Nobody messes with the children of the Holy Father!  Do you know him as your Holy Father?  Do you know the power of that name? If God is only Father – you lose reverence.  If God is only Holy – you lose relationship.  If God is both Holy and Father, you experience transformation in holy relationship with him. Now, Jesus continues to pray and he shifts from the name Holy Father which focuses on God's nature, and now he calls him the name Righteous Father, which is a focus on God's character in action.  John 17:25, “O righteous Father, the world doesn't know you, but I do.”  This name is about how God acts.  If you know God as your Father, and you know how your Father acts, then you know how you can count on him to show up for you personally.  Righteous Father. The word ‘righteous' appears in greek as ‘dikaios', which means just, morally right, fair and faithful to what is true.  With this name, Jesus is remembering in prayer that God ALWAYS does what is right.  God ALWAYS keeps his promises. Wow, do you remember that in your prayers?  God, you are my Righteous Father.  I know you always do what is right.  I know you always keep your promises.  You do not fail.  Ever.  I can fully trust you, your ways, and your timing. My friend, just in case life has been touching you hard lately, I whisper this truth to your soul – you truly can trust every decision God makes.  He is the Righteous Father, and he is 100% right! You won't always understand it, but you can trust it.  He works in ways you cannot see to accomplish things you cannot comprehend, in a dimension you have not yet experienced – but you will.  That deminsion is eternity, and it's where God is working everything together for good, yes everything, and yes real good.  One day you will take your first breath in the dimension of eternity and you will see it all for yourself.  Every single decision God ever made was divine perfection. And notice this, Jesus doesn't say “Righteous Judge”, he says Righteous Father.  God's righteousness doesn't make him lose his love relationship for his children.  He's the one who judges justly and he is also the one who loves you wildly.  He holds the law, but he also holds unstoppable love!  God doesn't choose between being loving and being right – He is perfectly both. Even if everyone else in this world misjudges you, God understands you perfectly.  He knows you because he made you.  He wanted you, so he formed you and breathed life into you.  The Righteous Father is RIGHT ABOUT YOU and he rightly loves you. Your Father is Righteous.  This means wrong will not win, the broken will be made whole, and complete restoration is coming.  Righteous Father is making all things right.  Really, really, really right. Prayer Prompts: • Holy Father, where have I grown too causal with your presence?  How are you calling me to live differently because I belong to you? • Righteous Father, where do I need to trust your justice?  Where do I need to align my life with what you say is right? Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Pope Leo XIV gives a striking answer on what makes a good Christian politician. Meanwhile, the Holy Father reflects on his Africa trip as a ‘chance to make their voices heard.' And, the Pentagon says the Iran war has cost $25 billion at a hearing on Capitol Hill.

He was a disciple of St Theodosius of the Kiev Caves (commemorated May 3), and became abbot of the Monastery of the Caves. After many years of faithful service he fell victim to the intrigues of a monk against him, lost his abbacy and was even driven from the monastery. In God's time the holy monk was vindicated and made Bishop of Vladimir. There he guided the Church for many years, reposing peacefully in old age in 1094.

Full Text of Readings Fourth Sunday of Easter Lectionary: 49 The Saint of the day is Saint Pedro de San José Betancur Saint Pedro de San José Betancur's Story Central America claimed its first saint with the canonization of Pedro de San José Betancur. Known as the “Saint Francis of the Americas,” Pedro de Betancur is the first saint to have worked and died in Guatemala. Saint Pedro de San José Betancur very much wanted to become a priest, but God had other plans for the young man born into a poor family on Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Pedro was a shepherd until age 24, when he began to make his way to Guatemala, hoping to connect with a relative engaged in government service there. By the time he reached Thavana, he was out of money. After working there to earn more, he got to Guatemala City the following year. When he arrived, he was so destitute that he joined the breadline that the Franciscans had established. Soon, Saint Pedro de San José Betancur enrolled in the local Jesuit college in hopes of studying for the priesthood. No matter how hard he tried, however, he could not master the material; he withdrew from school. In 1655, he joined the Secular Franciscan Order. Three years later, he opened a hospital for the convalescent poor; a shelter for the homeless, and a school for the poor soon followed. Not wanting to neglect the rich of Guatemala City, Pedro began walking through their part of town ringing a bell and inviting them to repent. Other men came to share in Pedro's work. Out of this group came the Bethlehemite Congregation, which won papal approval after Pedro's death. A Bethlehemite sisters' community, similarly founded after Pedro's death, was inspired by his life of prayer and compassion. He is sometimes credited with originating the Christmas Eve posadas procession in which people representing Mary and Joseph seek a night's lodging from their neighbors. The custom soon spread to Mexico and other Central American countries. Saint Pedro de San José Betancur died in 1667, and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in Guatemala City on July 30, 2002. Calling the new saint an “outstanding example” of Christian mercy, the Holy Father noted that Saint Pedro practiced mercy “heroically with the lowliest and the most deprived.” Speaking to the estimated 500,000 Guatemalans in attendance, the Holy Father spoke of the social ills that plague the country today and of the need for change. “Let us think of the children and young people who are homeless or deprived of an education; of abandoned women with their many needs; of the hordes of social outcasts who live in the cities; of the victims of organized crime, of prostitution or of drugs; of the sick who are neglected and the elderly who live in loneliness,” he said in his homily during the three-hour liturgy. The liturgical feast of Saint Pedro de San José Betancur is celebrated on April 25. Reflection As humans, we often pride ourselves on our ability to reason. We believe we can always find an explanation for everything. But as Pedro's life shows, other skills may be an even more crucial element of our humanity than a clever mind: compassion, imagination, love. Unable to master studies for the priesthood despite his ardent efforts, Pedro responded to the needs of homeless and sick people; he provided education to the poor and salvation to the rich. He became holy—as fully human as any of us can ever be.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

When can Catholics rightly criticize the Pope — and when does that cross a line? In this clip from The Ben Shapiro Show, Ben Shapiro and Trent Horn discuss papal infallibility, prudential judgments, and the difference between disagreeing respectfully and dismissing the Holy Father outright. They also get into media bias, selective outrage from both left and right, Pope Francis, Pope Leo, and how Catholics should think about papal comments on politics, war, and public policy.

Patrick shares emails in response to the last couple of episodes of the show (00:35) Kathy - Is it right for the priest to peak around the screen in Confession? (09:20) Jay - The Catholic population has been declining. It seems like the Holy Father has a flawed set of priorities with his visits. Do you have any thoughts about this and why he would visit Muslim countries instead of Europe? (15:59) George - I disagree with you about the Pope and his alignment with globalists and democrats (24:04) Eliazer - I hope we can approach both the President and the Pope with the right perspective. As Catholics, the Pope represents us and he is doing what he needs to do. Also, the President is our president. I see both as important. (30:17) Vinnie - Nobody ever got to heaven by bad mouthing the Pope (39:16) Mary - In response to guy who disagrees with you, best thing we can do is fast and pray and change sin in our life. (43:13) Anna - My daughter is doing a paper on the Secretariat on Atheism in the Vatican in the 1930s. Was there an alliance with the fascists and the Vatican? Do you know anything about this? (48:50)

We know on this day that Jesus died for us – but it was so much more than that. He was beaten. He was whipped. He had a crown of thorns forced into his head. He had nails hammered through his hands. And he hung there on the cross until his final breath. But it was so much more than just that. I think that's what I've missed for all these years – the depth of what Jesus REALLY did for me. It was more than the cross. 35 years ago on Easter Sunday, I knelt at an alter in a little country church in Ava, Missouri and I accepted what Jesus did for me on the cross. But now, 35 years later leading up to this Easter Sunday, I believe I'm truly beginning to understand and receive ALL that Jesus did for me beyond just the cross. There's just so much more! Countless others in these days died on crosses as capital punishment. It wasn't death on a cross that changed the world. In fact, on this very day, criminals hung on their own crosses on each side of Jesus. They died that day just like Jesus. It was more than the cross, more than the nails, more than the crown – so much more. Before the cross was the garden. The garden where Jesus made his decision to be our substitute. This is where the battle took place and where Jesus surrendered to his unimaginable punishment for his perfect life. On the final night of Jesus' life, he took his friends to a garden with him. He said, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.” They're in a garden, surrounded by beauty, all alone, and yet Jesus is saying his soul is crushed with grief. Why? Because he knew what was coming next. While his friends continually fell asleep on him, he prayed in that garden and he said, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” The cup of suffering was so much more than death on a cross – it was the absolute weight of every sin in the world. This was what was being put on Jesus, crushing him with grief in the garden. Isaiah 53:6, “The Lord laid on him the sins of us all.” The spiritual weight of every sin, every shame, every rebellion of humanity, placed on Jesus, crushing his soul. This is where the real battle was happening – before the cross, it was the garden. Remember the garden is where humanity failed, where Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan and sin entered the world. Now, in this garden, full circle, Jesus was willing to make it right again. But not just Adam and Eve's sin, mine and yours too. Every lie I've ever told, every secret shame I've carried, every rebellious act, every hurtful thing I've said, every hateful, corrupted, twisted, wrong thing I've ever done – that was laid on Jesus in the garden on that final night. My cup of deserved punishment was taken for me. With sin comes guilt and shame. Have you ever been weighed down by guilt? Knowing you were wrong is heavy. Shame can create an unbearable darkness. Imagine for a moment the secretly kept worst thing you've ever done being revealed publicly – how would that make you feel? Well, that's what was piled on Jesus. Your guilt. Your shame. And mine. The perfect Jesus was crushed by the weight of these burdens. And there in the garden as he prayed, willing to accept every once of sin upon himself, Luke 22:44 says, “He was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.” Jesus sweat blood. This is a medical condition caused under extreme mental anguish. When a person is under such extreme pressure, extreme agony, extreme stress, extreme crushing, the blood vessels around the sweat glands can constrict to the point of rupture, and blood comes out of the skin through the sweat glands. This is what Jesus was enduring in the garden. In a garden of olive trees where his friends were sleeping, Jesus was in absolute agony. Before the cross, there was a choice. Jesus was making the choice here – Not what he wanted, but what God wanted. Jesus surrendered there to the crushing weight of it all, sweating blood in the most extreme anguish. He began to drink the cup he never wanted and certainly never deserved, the cup of judgment, the consequence of sin for all humanity. The pounds of my sin were included. The weight of my guilt and shame were literally there on Jesus in that garden. And so was yours. Every ounce of what should have been placed on you was placed on Jesus, there in the garden. Have you ever experienced true dread? Maybe you've dreaded going to the dentist or the gynecologist. Or maybe you've dreaded facing the consequences for your wrong doing. Maybe you've dreaded going through childbirth knowing the pain you must endure. Or you've dreaded a surgery fearing what might happen. Imagine if you were facing a prison sentence, you would feel dread. Knowing it's truly going to be bad – really bad. And when you really dread something, you want a way out of it. You wish you could change it. You rehearse it in your mind. You feel anxious about it. Jesus felt dread in the garden on the night before the cross. He knew exactly what was happening. He knew the weight of sin that would crush him. One by one, he was fully aware of every detail of every sin. Mine and yours. Shame. Guilt. Regret. Burden. He knew his Holy Father could not be in the presence of this sin, so he would be separated from the Father. Darkness was coming. Jesus is the light of the world, and that light would experience utter darkness. Oh how he must have dreaded what was to come. Feel that for a moment. Jesus said, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet, I want your will to be done, not mine.” That was for you. That was for me. This is what saved us. The decision made before the cross. The decision made in the garden. The decision that crushed the soul of our Jesus. The decision that caused such extreme anguish that he sweat blood. The dread that was faced with the decision to endure it all. Here in the garden is where Jesus fully surrendered. Here in the garden is where Jesus chose the cross. Here is the garden is where Jesus chose you. On this day we remember as Good Friday before Easter, Jesus would carry the weight of every burden, guilt and shame and stand in our place. He would accept the required penalty for sin – the judgment and separation from God, all so that we could receive forgiveness and relationship with God. As Jesus hung on the cross at noon, the midday skies fell dark. For 3 hours there was complete darkness all across the land. This is when Jesus says in Matthew 27:46, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Understand, what's happening here is separation from God. Jesus is entering the darkness of your sin, your guilt, your shame, your rebellion, for you. The full weight of every sin of humanity was placed on Jesus and the justice of God toward sin was being satisfied. Isaiah 53:10, “It was the Lord's good plan to crush him and cause him grief. His life is made an offering for sin.” This doesn't mean God took pleasure in the pain of Jesus, it means the painful plan of redemption was being fulfilled. Oh my sister, if you fully understood the price that has been paid for your life, you would live so differently. The more I understand it, the more different my life looks. Jesus is hanging in the darkness of the cross and for the first time ever, he has no sense of the Father's presence. He has no comfort and no relief. He was literally experiencing Hell. That's what Hell is – the absence of God. The absence of his presence. The absence of his comfort. The absence of his relief. The absence of his light. Jesus is hanging there on the cross going through Hell so we wouldn't have to. You and I have never experienced anything like this. Every step of our lives, God has been with us. We have no idea what it truly feels like to be without God. His comfort has been with us every day of our lives. His relief has always been ours. But Jesus experienced it for us so we would never have to. We would never have to go through Hell – never experience life without God. The full consequence of sin is a total separation from God and this is what Jesus is choosing in the garden and experiencing on the cross. Not because he sinned – but because he was carrying ours. 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” Your sin was placed on the perfect Jesus – Yes yours. The sin you committed yesterday and the sin you'll commit tomorrow. It was all placed on Jesus so that his righteousness could be made available to you. What an exchange that was made for YOU. Jesus chose it in the garden and fulfilled it on the cross. A divine exchange was made for you. Jesus knew exactly what he was doing. He felt the very human emotion of dread. He didn't want that cup of wrath, but he knew it was required to save you from that wrath. He stood in your place, drinking the cup you deserved, bearing the crushing weight of your sins on his sinless and perfect body because God said you were worth saving, and Jesus agreed with outstretched arms. Have you accepted the divine exchange made for you on that cross? It's so much more than what we've made it to be today. It's our one and only way to redemption, forgiveness, relationship, and a right standing with our Creator. The weight isn't yours to carry, my friend – Jesus chose to carry that for you in the garden. The divine exchange took your guilt and shame and offers you perfect righteousness. And get this, all you have to do is accept it! When you accept what Jesus did for you in the garden and on the cross, then you have a promise. A promise of so much more! Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com

Fr. Mike unpacks the signs of the kingdom of God that Christ performed while on Earth. These signs of the kingdom are a way for us to see that Jesus is not just “another prophet” but is, in fact, the Son of God. Fr. Mike reminds us that these miracles and signs can strengthen the faith, but they can also be opportunities for “offense.” We also examine the authority that Christ entrusts to St. Peter, and his unique role within the college of apostles, just like the unique role the Holy Father has within the Church today. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 547-553. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.