Latest news with #Eucharist
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pilgrimage celebrates holy Eucharist in downtown San Angelo
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — A pilgrimage went through Downtown San Angelo celebrating Pentecost Sunday with a holy Eucharist, the Blessed Sacrament, otherwise known as the body of Jesus Christ, on Sunday, June 8. 'Our faith that is the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of our Lord, Jesus Christ,' said Adam Wolin, Pilgrim from Odessa, Texas. 'He gave us the Eucharist so he could be with us, always. So it means a lot. And I just want to show my support to my Lord.' According to Rev. Ryan Rojo, San Angelo Catholic Diocese, there has been a three-year revival of Catholics where the United States Bishops are inviting Catholic people to meditate on a deeper reality of the Eucharist. Pilgrims commented that they find this time as a time of healing. That even in the heat of the morning in Texas, they are willing to walk for the Lord. 'You just imagine Jesus actually walking, and everybody else following it, puts it in perspective,' said Jonathan Hernandez, National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. This event started in May in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is passing through West Texas and will conclude in Los Angeles, California, later this month. The reason is the hopes of unifying the church and the world. 'I think that the Holy Spirit is actively inviting us to the power of Eucharist to really reclaim our baptism, our identity, our identity as Christians and our identity as a church,' Rojo said. As the Pilgrimage continues, it is expected to be in Fort Stockton over the next few days before making its final stop in Texas, in El Paso. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Catholic group calls out Tim Cook, Apple TV+ for show's 'Eucharistic desecration'
A Catholic group is calling out Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple TV+ in a letter demanding an apology and removal of a "Eucharistic desecration" scene in one of its shows. "As the nation's largest lay Catholic advocacy organization, we write to express our concern about a blasphemous anti-Catholic scene in the Apple TV+ show, Your Friends and Neighbors," CatholicVote said in a Monday letter obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital. "Episode 6 of the series depicts two characters breaking into a Catholic church," the letter, signed by Josh Mercer, vice president of CatholicVote, reads. "The male character steals Eucharistic hosts from the tabernacle, which they eat as a snack. The man flippantly remarks about how they are eating the Body of Christ. The man feeds a host to the female character and feigns blessing her. Then they begin engaging in romantic activity in the pews before the pastor walks in, and they flee the church." Mercer, who is also requesting a meeting with Cook to discuss how the company can promote "true diversity and tolerance," called the scene "sacrilegious," and asked Cook if he would be tolerant of similar content mocking the Islamic or Jewish religion. CatholicVote's website called it a "shocking depiction of Eucharistic desecration." "As Catholics, we have believed for 2,000 years that the Eucharist is not simply a piece of bread," Mercer wrote. "It is the body, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. The practice of taking communion was instituted by Christ himself at the Last Supper. Receiving the Eucharist at Mass is, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it, 'the source and summit of the Christian life.'" He also highlighted a statement on Apple's website, which appears to value supporting those from various walks of life, stating, "At Apple, we create a culture … with a North Star of dignity, respect, and opportunity for everyone. Because we're not all the same. And that remains one of our greatest strengths." Mercer also pointed to a 2015 op-ed from Cook where he opposed discrimination against those who provide marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Cook wrote that, "I have great reverence for religious freedom… Apple is open. Open to everyone, regardless of where they come from, what they look like, how they worship or who they love." CatholicVote has also launched a petition with 169,596 signatures and counting asking signers to tell Apple leadership that they "won't stand for blasphemy." "Apple's shameless depiction of blatant sacrilege inside a Catholic Church is a direct attack on what Catholics hold most dear," Mercer told Fox News Digital in a statement. "We solemnly believe that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ; this fundamental truth is the source and summit of our Catholic Faith," he added. "We cannot stand by while Christ and His Church are casually mocked in the name of 'entertainment.' We call on Catholics to join us in demanding that Apple take down the blasphemous episode and issue an apology. We await Apple's response to our letter and hope it makes amends for its offensive actions." Fox News Digital reached out to Cook and Apple for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
National Post
18-05-2025
- Politics
- National Post
Mark Carney has brief encounter with Pope Leo XIV after pontiff's inaugural Vatican mass
Prime Minister Mark Carney had a brief audience with Pope Leo XIV Sunday afternoon at the Vatican following the pontiff's inaugural mass in St. Peter's Square. Article content Article content Carney was seated in the second row with his wife Diana for the mass, in a section amongst other world leaders and heads of state. Article content The prime minister, who is a devout Catholic, was one of the few world leaders to kneel during the blessing of the Eucharist, and was spotted at two instances taking a picture of the Pope on his phone to mark the occasion — before the mass started and after it had concluded. Article content Article content After the mass, he briefly met the Pope inside St. Peter's Basilica, alongside his wife and their daughter Cleo. Article content Carney also met other world leaders at the same time, adding to his growing list of official introductions over the weekend. He held spoke with the prime ministers of Australia, Croatia and Ireland, as well as the presidents of Israel and Nigeria. Article content Carney had a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier Sunday before driving to the Vatican. He had similar meetings with leaders of Italy, Ukraine and the European Union Saturday. Article content Article content Thirteen Canadian MPs also attended the mass, including Jaime Battiste, who was part of a reception with Canadian Catholic Cardinals on Saturday evening in Rome alongside the prime minister. Article content The Nova Scotia MP said he was looking forward to hearing how the Pope 'sets the tone' for how he will lead. Article content 'It's kind of like our version of the speech from the throne as members of Parliament,' Battiste told reporters outside Canada's Official Residence. Article content Pope Leo — the first American to hold the title — called for unity in his homily. Article content 'In this time, we still see too much discord, too many wars caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economy that exploits the Earth's resources,' he said. Article content Article content Indigenous leaders have long called on the Vatican to repatriate thousands of Indigenous artifacts taken from communities in Canada. The late Pope Francis had expressed a willingness to return colonial-era artifacts in the Vatican Museum. Article content Battiste said the return of the artifacts came up in his meeting with the Cardinals, and their return is an important step toward reconciliation. Article content 'I've always said that reconciliation is a journey, not a destination, and we all have steps to take on that journey,' Battiste said.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Catholic Theological Union members head to Rome for Pope Leo XIV's formal installation
CHICAGO (WGN) — Another milestone for Chicago's pope as Leo XIV is set to be formally installed in Rome Sunday. Among the attendees will be members of Hyde Park's Catholic Theological Union (CTU), which has close ties to the new pope. Pope Leo XIV graduated with a Master's in Divinity from CTU. Soon, the Chicagoans will be boarding a flight to Rome to witness history Sunday in St. Peter's Square. 'It's a ceremony, confirming in a public way with the Eucharist, with the mass, the ministry of Peter,' said Father John Lydon, a close friend of Pope Leo. Pope Leo's childhood home in Dolton up for auction 'In that ceremony, he receives the 'Ring of Peter.' If it does happen, we will be thrilled to bits.' Chicago Theological Union president Sister Barbara Reid is also headed to Rome. While she says a face-to-face meeting is not likely, she's hoping Pope Leo will send a message back home to the Chicago Theological Union community. 'I'm hoping we may be able to record a moment with him, but I will understand if there are an awful lot of other people trying to get his attention,' Reid said. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Chicago Theological Union attendees will spend three short days in Vatican City before returning on Monday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Kansas legislators, archbishop take action against satanists and their planned black mass
Michael Stewart, pictured here on March 14, 2025, is the president of the Satanic Grotto and the subject of a lawsuit filed by the Kansas City, Kansas, archbishop. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — A planned satanic black mass at the Kansas capitol has spurred policy changes, allegations of theft and religious debates as state leaders scramble to address First Amendment concerns with blocking satanists from their demonstration. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly censured the black mass in a statement March 12 and said participants weren't allowed to demonstrate inside the capitol building. Catholic organizations circulated petitions and urged legislators to step in. Rumors swirled among Statehouse circles that the Satanic Grotto's president had stolen materials used in the Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist — an accusation bolstered by an archbishop's lawsuit against the group's leader. But the satanist group hasn't budged. Legislative leaders went a step further Tuesday and modified the Capitol's building and grounds policies to change assembly rights for anyone who wants to demonstrate at the Statehouse — not just the Satanic Grotto. The policy changes add three contingencies to the public's use of common areas in the Statehouse and capitol grounds: Organizations and individuals will not be permitted to 'meet or gather when participation is limited or restricted on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, cultural heritage or national origin or ancestry.' People cannot gather if an individual has made a threat verified by state law enforcement 'against the governor, a member of the Legislature or other public official.' People cannot gather if a group or member of a group 'has stated explicitly that the meeting or gathering will involve a violation of law.' The Legislative Coordinating Council, which consists of Republican and Democratic leadership, passed the changes unanimously at a meeting Tuesday following a letter from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. The legislative leaders called on the governor to use the Kansas Highway Patrol to prevent the black mass from occurring as scheduled on March 28. 'The Governor's Office is reviewing actions from the Legislative Coordinating Council,' said Grace Hoge, a spokesperson for the governor. Senate President Ty Masterson acknowledged in a statement that the First Amendment protects assembly and speech, including offensive speech. 'However, the First Amendment does not protect criminal conduct,' he said. 'Recent statements from an organization — which pledged to engage in such conduct — necessitated a thoughtful review of policies to ensure the safety of all those visiting our State Capitol.' Masterson was referring to alleged criminal conduct in a civil lawsuit against Michael Stewart, the president of the Satanic Grotto. Masterson also said lawmakers sent to the director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation writings from Satanic Grotto members threatening legislators. It is unclear how current those writings were. In a 44-page complaint filed Friday in Leavenworth County District Court, Kansas City, Kansas, Archbishop Joseph Naumann alleged that members of the Satanic Grotto, including Stewart and the Grotto's vice president, stole consecrated hosts to use during the black mass. The allegation was based on phone conversations and posts on Reddit linked to Stewart's username, 'xsimon666x.' In an interview Tuesday, Stewart denied the allegations and added that no one asked what consecration means to him. 'I find it very entertaining that he is convinced that I have Jesus trapped in a cracker and he would take it to court,' Stewart said. He said his religion contains its own consecration rituals and that the Catholic Church has made 'a lot of assumptions' about his religion. The satanic ritual of a black mass intentionally upends and mocks the ritual of a Catholic mass, often including a consecrated host. The Satanic Grotto is a nonprofit organization and is not affiliated with the recognized religion, the Satanic Temple. Naumann, who plans at the same time as the planned black mass to preside over a holy hour and Catholic mass at the Assumption Church across the street from the Statehouse, said in the lawsuit the performance of a black mass directly harms the Catholic Church and Catholics across Kansas and the country. 'It is the conviction of the Catholic Church presented in its doctrinal teachings that the Consecrated Hosts and Wine are in fact the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ, present under the form of bread and wine,' the lawsuit read. Catholic teachings outline specific rituals for the handling of sacramental objects. The suit alleges Stewart and his vice president aren't qualified to handle such objects. Naumann provided no evidence to show that archdiocesan property had been stolen. Stewart said he 'would think this whole thing was hilarious' if it weren't for the Legislature changing state policy to address a single event. 'I think it's because they're afraid,' Stewart said. Naumann demanded the lawsuit be resolved through a civil jury trial. An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for Thursday. No criminal charges had been filed against Stewart or other members of the Satanic Grotto as of Tuesday afternoon, according to court records. The Satanic Grotto has changed its plans in response to Kelly's decree and intends to demonstrate outside, as she prescribed, with the expectation that Catholic groups will be there to counter-protest. Stewart initially promised to enter the building, defying the governor in 'a peaceful act of civil disobedience.' Even with the policy changes, the lawsuit, which Stewart expects will be thrown out, and a statement from legislators condemning the event, Stewart is resolute. 'I will go to the capitol on March 28,' he said. The House Federal and State Affairs Committee held an impromptu hearing Tuesday on House Resolution 6016, which denounces the planned event as 'a despicable, blasphemous and offensive sacrilege to not only Catholics but all people of goodwill.' The hearing, which only included testimony from the resolution's supporters, also provoked discussions over legislators' religious beliefs and whether lawmakers were considering First Amendment protections. Rep. Dan Osman, an Overland Park Democrat, attributed the proponent-only testimony to the fact that the committee met outside of its scheduled time and parties were given less than 24 hours of notice to participate. He wanted to discuss the resolution at a later date, but a majority of committee members voted to advance it. Osman called the resolution 'shortsighted' because no one knows what will happen on March 28. Other legislators questioned why they were spending time and resources to give the Satanic Grotto attention. Some supported the resolution as a way to stand up to the planned black mass and what some saw as anti-Catholic bigotry. Others voted against it to avoid treating one religion differently than others. The resolution is not law and has no legal teeth.
