Spiritual Insights for Today:
In a recent reflection, Nicaraguan auxiliary bishop Silvio Báez drew a parallel between Jesus’ empowering of the Twelve Apostles to cast out demons and the need to resist modern dictatorships. Báez, who is currently exiled, used this analogy to denounce the cruelty of such regimes, drawing on his own experiences in Nicaragua.
Bishop Mark Brennan of Wheeling-Charleston has called on Catholics in the United States to reflect on the nation’s blessings and shortcomings as it approaches its 250th anniversary. He urged a renewal of commitment to faith, human dignity, and the common good, suggesting that Catholics should take the lead in these efforts.
Ahead of the upcoming elections, Colombia’s bishops have called for a national day of prayer. They expressed their love for Colombia and their belief that without God, the country would not be able to build the civilization of love that its people long for, or sustain their common home.
The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) has announced plans to consecrate four priests as bishops on July 1 without the permission of Pope Leo XIV. This move has been met with a warning from the Pope, who cautioned that such ordinations risk deepening the schism within the Church.
A recent ruling by an appeals court has determined that Seton Hall University does not have to disclose the entirety of a sex abuse report. The university has been battling against the release of the report, which details its handling of abuse allegations connected to Theodore McCarrick.