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Zeale News
Disruptions at New Mexico parishes prompt security concerns
By David Uebbing, September 3, 2026
A man was charged with disturbing the peace after police said he pushed his way into the sanctuary during Mass at Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The incident marks the second time in the past two months that police have been called to an Albuquerque-area Catholic parish, following a gunpoint dispute in July. Michael Chmura strode into the sanctuary and began shouting objections to the Catholic faith as he approached the priest before Communion was distributed. A deacon serving the Mass told KOB 4 that he stepped between Chmura and the priest as other parishioners moved in. The Rio Rancho incident followed a more serious confrontation weeks earlier at St. Therese of the Infant Jesus Catholic Church, just 10 miles south of St. Thomas Aquinas. The altercation stemmed from a months-long dispute over a proposed North Valley mosque that has drawn broader interfaith attention in the city.
Our Sunday Visitor
Jerusalem schools suspended after teacher permits denied
By Junno Arocho Esteves, September 2, 2026
Israeli authorities denied entry permits for dozens of teachers and administrative staff, forcing Christian schools in Jerusalem to suspend the start of the academic year. In a statement released Sept. 1 by the Custody of the Holy Land, the General Secretariat for Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem said the non-renewal of entry permits for more than 70 teachers and employees “occurred suddenly and without prior notice.” “Accordingly, following consultation and coordination with the relevant authorities, representatives of parents, and Jerusalem schools, it has been decided to suspend school attendance in the schools of the city of Jerusalem,” the statement read, indicating suspension would begin Sept. 1 and last “until the necessary permits for teachers and staff are reissued and renewed, thereby ensuring that the educational process can proceed safely and properly.”
Crux
Vance on ‘end times’ amid attempted assassination of Trump
By Nicholas Riccardi, September 2, 2026
Vice President JD Vance said in a podcast released Tuesday that if a 2024 assassination attempt had killed Donald Trump, he would have always wondered if it was part of a conspiracy and might not have accepted even another Republican as the next president. Vance made the statement during a conversation with Christian podcaster Bryce Crawford. The vice president, who recently released a book detailing his own journey to Catholicism, also defended President Trump for posting an image of himself as Jesus and mused about whether artificial intelligence was a sign of the end times. The conversation kicked off with a discussion of faith and the rush to scientifically explain away events that may be divinely touched. Vance cited the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, during which a bullet nicked Trump’s ear and a supporter was killed. Trump has long described his survival as divinely guided, a theme Vance echoed.
Related: Spidey’s Sense: Andrew Garfield Discusses Faith, Grief and ‘Falling in Love With Jesus’ - Alyssa Murphy, National Catholic Register, September 2, 2026
National Catholic Register
Is Leo XIV presenting a new diplomacy?
By Andrea Gagliarducci, September 1, 2026
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher’s trip to Moscow marked a definitive paradigm shift in the Holy See’s diplomacy regarding the situation in Ukraine. Much can be gleaned from the opening remarks by both the Holy See and the Russian delegation ahead of the meeting and at the press conference that followed, which the Russian Foreign Ministry broadcast on video. Archbishop Gallagher is the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states, a position comparable to that of a foreign minister within the Holy See. The meetings are the first of their kind under the new pontificate. Leo XIV has not changed the Holy See’s diplomatic line: It promotes peace and dialogue and never interrupts diplomatic relations, even in difficult situations. Nonetheless, Leo has introduced a different, more “diplomatic” strategy, if one could call it that—a conventional, institutional approach with keen attention to detail and the conviction that peace cannot be achieved without clarity.
Related: Pope Leo moves on to next Vatican II document - On events of our times are part of "the mysterious plans of Divine Providence" - Aleteia, 09/02/26, Kathleen N. Hattrup
Related: ‘International Theological Commission’ publishes document on the Trinity and ecology, Catholic World News, September 03, 2026
Aleteia
Yale’s most popular history course is not what you might expect
By Rose Bryan, August 31, 2025
Yale University, voted fourth place as the best National University in the U.S. News and World Report 2026, has a top-enrolled history course, and it’s not the history of law, for which Yale is most famous. Instead, Yale history instructor Sergio Infante writes in Slate that the most-enrolled history class at Yale is called “The Catholic Intellectual Tradition.” This popular course welcomed 85 students last spring. It surveys Catholic thinking and writing throughout the Church's 2,000-year history. This interest in Catholic courses reflects findings from recent surveys by Harvard University’s Cooperative Election Study (CES), the Barna Group, and the Gallup poll, among others, showing a rise in Catholicism among Gen Zs. Just a decade earlier, “The Catholic Intellectual Tradition” course enrolled a meager 13 students. Anthony Gross, a Gen Z Catholic influencer, is just one person noting how more and more young people are drawn to the Catholic Church.
Vatican News
Poland’s parents oppose changes to religious education rules
By Fr. Łukasz Bankowski, September 2, 2026
Poland’s new rules on religion classes in public schools are raising concerns among parents, catechists, and bishops, who say the changes could make it harder for students to attend. Although religious education is optional in Polish public schools, 75.6% of students attended religion classes during the 2024/2025 school year, according to the Institute for Catholic Church Statistics (ISKK). “The decisions of the Ministry of National Education concerning religion classes are unfair,” Bishop Wojciech Osial wrote in a message marking the beginning of the school year. He explained that if even one student in a class does not attend religion, the lesson for the others must normally be scheduled before or after regular classes. “There is an attempt, at all costs — including through deceptive means and violations of the law — to remove religion from schools.”
Zenit
Remarkable case of Asian diocese surpassing 1,000 Priests
By Alma Recinas, August 31, 2026
While numerous European dioceses are merging and closing seminaries, one diocese in Korea has reached the milestone of 1,000 priests, supported by a vast community praying for vocations. The figure was made public as 2025 marked the 50th anniversary of the Archdiocese’s Association for the Support of Vocations, founded in 1975. During the thanksgiving Mass, Monsignor Soon-taick emphasized that this achievement is not the result of a pastoral plan devised in an office, but rather the fruit of the sustained effort of the faithful over the course of half a century. The first Korean priest, Saint Andrew Kim Dae-geon, was ordained one hundred and eighty years ago, in 1845, and died a martyr shortly after his Ordination. Today, he is the patron of the Korean clergy, and his figure remains a vital point of reference for the country’s seminarians.
EWTN News
Abuse settlement in Diocese of Ogdensburg will total $83 million
By Daniel Payne, September 2, 2026
The Diocese of Ogdensburg, New York, is moving to settle its long-running bankruptcy proceedings with an $83 million fund for abuse victims, Bishop Terry LaValley has announced, with a significant portion of that amount coming from insurance providers. The bishop announced the proposed settlement in an Aug. 25 letter to the diocese. The diocese had earlier announced a $45 million agreement in May. A diocesan spokeswoman confirmed that the additional roughly $38 million would come from insurance contributions. The Ogdensburg Diocese filed for bankruptcy in July 2023, the sixth diocese in New York State to do so. The diocese will undergo a notable bankruptcy proceeding called “rapid pre-pack Chapter 11,” one that will settle current abuse allegations while protecting parishes from future litigation.
Keep informed - 9/3/26 news for Catholics
Snippets from OSV, EWTN News, & ChurchPOP
OSV News
OSV’s seasoned reporters - September 3, 2026
OSV News — information service and evangelization partner that enables dioceses to connect and boost engagement with the faithful by sharing timely, trustworthy, and accurate content about what is happening in the Church and the world.
Housing, gender, abortion policies among state ballot measures in 2026 - Kate Scanlon - Voters in multiple states will consider ballot measures on topics ranging from abortion and gender policy to housing and tax policy in November.
State ballot measures ask voters to weigh in directly on a policy item, law or regulation, sometimes in lieu of or alongside the legislative process. Rules and procedures for their inclusion on ballots vary by state.
Vatican theological commission defines ‘sin against creation and the Creator’ in new document - Courtney Mares - More than a decade after the release of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical “Laudato Si’,” the theological commission goes beyond Pope Francis’ use of the phrase “ecological sin” by proposing what it describes as more precise terminology: “sin against creation and the Creator.”
Catholic aid worker in Nepal sees ‘long road’ to recovery after ‘unprecedented’ disaster for region - Gina Christian - Devastation from Aug. 26 flooding and mudslides along the Nepal-China border is staggering, and the road to recovery will be long, a Catholic aid worker now on the ground in Nepal.
EWTN News
EWTN’s top headlines — September 3, 2026
EWTN provides reliable, free, up-to-the-minute news affecting the Universal Church, emphasizing the words of the Holy Father and the activities of the Holy See, and is available to anyone with internet access.
‘God is good’: One of the internet’s most popular nonbelievers announces his return to the Church - By Daniel Payne - Joe Schmid ran a highly popular agnostic YouTube channel for years, but “a gift of God’s grace” has led him back to the faith. “Big news. God exists. Christ is Lord, and he established the Catholic Church.”
International apostolate seeks to consecrate businesses to Sacred Heart in Bridgeport Diocese - By Tessa Gervasini - The diocesan partnership was conceived by Bishop Frank J. Caggiano with the goal of transforming the workplace with the help of His Way At Work, an international apostolate inspiring business owners to consecrate their companies to the Sacred Heart and place God at the center.
Catholic Church weighs legal challenge to new anti-conversion law in India - By Anto Akkara - The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Act, passed by the state assembly in March under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led coalition government, took effect four days after 20 civil rights, secular, and Christian groups made a final plea for its repeal at a press conference in Mumbai, the state capital.
ChurchPOP Trending
ChurchPOP provides fun, informative, and authentically Catholic news and culture - September 3, 2026
“We publish inspiring daily stories, fun and shareable faith-centered infographics, prayers, Church history, and more.”
Is Gen Z Actually Becoming Catholic, Or Is the Media Finally Noticing? - The short answer is that a lot of young people are genuinely coming home to the Church. You can see it in conversion stories, campus ministries, young-adult communities, and packed Eucharistic adoration nights.
The Church Was Flooded, but This Catholic Couple Still Made Their Wedding Happen - This wedding is going viral for all the right reasons—and the photos and video are 100% real. A Catholic couple in the Philippines did not let severe floodwaters keep them from the altar. Galang had her gown repaired and shortened so it would not hinder her as she made her way through the flooded church toward the altar.
The First TV Star on the Altars: 12 Things to Know About Soon‑to‑Be Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen - The Holy See approved Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s beatification cause. Here are 12 things to know about this soon-to-be Blessed!
September 3, 2026 - USCCB Daily Mass Readings
You can listen HERE — or read HERE:
Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
Today’s Catholic commentary:
National Catholic Register
Bishop Daly’s ‘Front Royal Statement’ is excellent on Catholic Ed.
By George Weigel, September 2, 2026
Long after she went home to the Lord, Sister Miriam Jude [my first grade teacher] came to mind when I read the recent Front Royal Statement, a reaffirmation of the seven classic principles of Catholic primary and secondary education and a reform manifesto I think she would have approved. So would the bishops who, meeting in 1884 at Baltimore’s Old Cathedral, the basilica of which I have such fond memories, mandated a Catholic school in every U.S. parish. That is not possible today. But the Catholic schools we have must be authentically and unapologetically Catholic, transmitting the faith and the great Western civilizational tradition in the arts and sciences, for the sake of young souls and the renewal of our national culture. You can read the Front Royal Statement here. Get the new school year off to a good start by sharing it with the pastors and principals of every Catholic school with which you’re in contact.
Christian Post
Iran kills, imprisons dozens of Christians as persecution rises
By Anugrah Kumar, August 31, 2026
A widening crackdown on Christians in Iran has reportedly resulted in the deaths of at least 33 Christian ministers and the detention of more than 130 others in recent months, according to Iran Alive Ministries, a Texas-based organization supporting underground house churches in the country. Hormoz Shariat, founder of Iran Alive Ministries, told Baptist Press that at least 33 Christian ministers associated with the ministry had been killed amid intensified government pressure on Christians linked to the underground church movement. The ministry provided names of 20 people it said had been persecuted, including four who died, while saying it was unable to identify 156 others. Of the 131 Christians reportedly arrested, 14 remain in prison, with some allegedly facing the death penalty. The reported persecution follows civilian protests in January and a subsequent government crackdown. Iran Alive Ministries estimates that between 40,000 and 50,000 people were killed during the crackdown, although estimates from other sources differ significantly.
The Pillar
Second German bishop in two weeks resigns
By Luke Coppen, September 2, 2026
Pope Leo XIV accepted Wednesday another early resignation of a German diocesan bishop, who cited the toll of office as a reason for stepping down. Timmerevers’ departure came exactly two weeks after the Aug. 19 resignation of 66-year-old Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann of Speyer. Wiesemann cited “psychological strain” as the reason he resigned almost 10 years early. Timmerevers, a supporter of Germany’s controversial synodal way, said he had submitted his resignation to Rome months earlier and discussed the matter at a private audience with Leo XIV. Timmerevers and Wiesemann are not the only German diocesan bishops to have stepped down early, citing leadership strains. In June 2025, Bishop Gregor Maria Hanke resigned as Bishop of Eichstätt at age 70. Hanke, a critic of the synodal way, said he had asked to retire five years before the customary resignation age of 75 because of “inner fatigue” caused by “the many challenges, scandals, and unresolved conflicts” that marked his term in office.
Wild at Heart
The number one thing that gets in the way is ‘your way’
By John Eldredge, September 3, 2026
We all have a way that we do life. We might call it our personality, or our natural bent — the way we handle pressure, the way we listen, the way we look for happiness, the way we control our world. We didn’t sit down one day and willfully choose to adopt it, but it remains a choice nonetheless. Call it your style of relating. It is a carefully crafted approach to life — and especially to relationships — that colors how we work, how we love, how we respond, and how we simply have a conversation with people. This can be quite an epiphany — you have a style of relating designed to make life work for you! Our style of relating comes from brokenness and sin, and it is the number one thing that gets in the way of real love and companionship, the shared adventure, and all the beauty of marriage. It’s really this simple—the number one thing that gets in the way is your way.
Image of peanuts by Nicole Köhler, from Pixabay
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