Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Saint of the Day for Wednesday

 

St. Veronica Giuliani




Capuchin mystic who had many spiritual gifis. A native of Binasco, near Milan, Italy, born in 1660, she entered the Capuchins atCitttidi Castello, Umbria, in 1677. She remained there for the rest of her life and served as novice mistress for thirty-four years. A mystic, she was the recipient of a stigmata in 1697 and visions, the accounts of which are quite detailed. She impressed her fellow nuns by remaining remarkably practical despite her numerous ecstatic experiences. Veronica was named abbess of the convent in 1716, remaining in that role until her death. She is called one of the most extraordinary mystics of her era.

IRS declares churches CAN endorse political candidates without losing tax-exempt status

 

IRS says churches can endorse political candidates without losing tax exemptions

Story by Gary Grumbach


The Internal Revenue Service building. (Sarah Silbiger for The Washington Post via Getty Images file)


The Internal Revenue Service agreed in a court filing that churches can endorse political candidates without fear of losing their tax-exempt status.

The IRS made the statement in a court case challenging the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 U.S. tax code provision that prohibits all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations — including churches — from formally endorsing or opposing political candidates.

In a filing Monday aimed at resolving a lawsuit between the National Religious Broadcasters and others against the IRS, the parties jointly agreed that churches can endorse candidates without fear of losing their tax-exempt status. The agreement likens such endorsements to a "family discussion concerning candidates."

“When a house of worship in good faith speaks to its congregation, through its customary channels of communication on matters of faith in connection with religious services, concerning electoral politics viewed through the lens of religious faith, it neither 'participate[s]' nor 'intervene[s]' in a 'political campaign,' within the ordinary meaning of those words,” the parties wrote in the filing in federal court for the Eastern District of Texas, which was first reported by The New York Times.

“Thus, communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted.”

The joint motion for a “consent judgement” in the case must be approved by a judge before the lawsuit is formally resolved.

A spokesperson for the IRS and a lawyer for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The amendment was named after Lyndon B. Johnson, who sponsored it in the Senate. Johnson had pushed for the rule in response to conservative nonprofits that supported a political rival.

The amendment has rarely been enforced when it comes to churches. The Washington Post reported in 2017 that more than 2,000 pastors had publicly defied the Johnson Amendment in organized demonstrations. Only one of those pastors was investigated, and none were punished, the paper reported.

President Donald Trump has been a vocal opponent of the amendment. He vowed to "get rid of and totally destroy" it at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2017, adding that doing so would "allow our representatives of faith to speak freely and without fear of retribution."

While the IRS action doesn't go that far — getting rid of the amendment would require an act of Congress — it does target the specific provision Trump complained about.

Lloyd Hitoshi Mayer, a professor at Notre Dame Law School, said that if approved, the joint motion would technically only apply to the churches that filed suit, but the language in it "is basically giving the green light for churches to endorse candidates from the pulpit and not have to worry about IRS enforcement while President Donald Trump is in office."

He predicted the move will have two major ramifications.

"The first is that churches that maybe were hesitant to endorse candidates have less of a reason to be hesitant" and are "going to feel freer to support candidates from the pulpit," Mayer said.

"The second ramification is even church leaders who don’t want to get involved will feel pressure to do so, from political candidates and members of their congregation," potentially putting pastors "in an awkward position."

That pressure could include financial incentives from congregants who could try to sway churches with donations, Mayer said.

The religious groups' suit argued a change was necessary because churches were unfairly targeted by the amendment, and they sought to have the entire amendment declared unconstitutional.

"The IRS operates in a manner whereby the Plaintiffs are in jeopardy of punishment if they forthrightly say that a candidate’s positions are unbiblical; or that another candidate’s positions are consonant with biblical teaching," their suit says. "The Plaintiffs’ speech is clearly chilled in this regard because they are not free to proclaim their views on the issues of the day and then compare their views with the views of the candidates on these same issues."

As part of the joint motion, the religious groups agreed to drop their constitutionality claims against the amendment as a whole, so it would still apply to other 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations, including charities and universities.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com

Pope Leo has special audience with the Knights of Columbus

 

Pope Leo Meets with Supreme Knight, Supreme Chaplain

Fourth of July audience was K of C leaders’ first with new pontiff



Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori discuss the Order’s priorities and top initiatives with Pope Leo XIV during a July 4 private audience. (Vatican Media)


As the United States celebrated Independence Day last week, Pope Leo XIV received Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly and Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore in a private audience at the Vatican. The July 4 audience was the first meeting of the U.S.-born pope with the leader of the Knights of Columbus and the chief shepherd of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which in 1789 became the first diocese in the United States.

During their visit, the supreme knight and supreme chaplain pledged the Order’s loyalty to Pope Leo and promised ongoing prayers and support for his pontificate. They also provided the Holy Father with an overview of the Knights of Columbus, highlighting the Order’s charitable activity and men’s faith formation programs.

Archbishop Lori, speaking afterward with the Catholic Review in Baltimore, described the meeting as “an opportunity to present kind of a comprehensive picture of who the Knights are and what the Knights do and what some of its current initiatives are.”

“He asked some good questions about aspects of the work of the Knights,” the supreme chaplain continued, “particularly the Cor program.”

Supreme Knight Kelly and Archbishop Lori presented the Holy Father with special gifts on behalf of the Order related to the patriotic occasion of the visit and Pope Leo’s Augustinian background. One of the gifts was a framed archival photo of the launching of LST-286, the tank-landing ship on which the pope’s father, Louis Prevost, served during the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. The gift held special significance, given the supreme knight’s own service in the Navy and that Archbishop Lori’s father, Francis, served on a similar tank-landing ship during World War II.

They also gave the pope two early English editions of works by St. Augustine of Hippo — his famous autobiographical Confessions (printed in 1660) and Meditations (printed in 1728), the latter comprising selections from three Augustinian works of piety: De meditationeSoliloquies and Enchiridion.

Pope Leo XIV promotes 3 from North America to Vatican Dicasteries

 

3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue


On July 3, Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis, left, and Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto as members of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. The pope also appointed Holy Cross Father Russell McDougall as a consultor of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. Father McDougall is executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) (OSV News photos/Remo Casilli, Reuters; Barbara Johnson, University of Notre Dame)


VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Three North Americans are among recent appointees to Vatican dicasteries that address issues of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.

On July 3, Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis and Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto as members of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, along with 19 other bishops from around the world.

The same day, Pope Leo appointed Holy Cross Father Russell McDougall as a consultor of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. Father McDougall is executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs. 

As an administrative body of the Roman Curia, the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue “promotes and supervises relations with members and groups of non-Christian religions, with the exception of Judaism, competence for which belongs to the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity,” according to the Vatican website.

Meanwhile, the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity describes itself as promoting within the church “an authentic ecumenical spirit” and as “active in all areas that can contribute to promoting Christian unity by strengthening relationships with other Churches and Ecclesial Communities.”

Archbishop Rozanski, who has considerable experience engaging in formal and informal interreligious and ecumenical dialogue, said in a July 3 statement he was “deeply humbled” by the appointment.

“I am grateful to His Holiness for his trust and look forward to participating in the fostering of working together for deeper understanding and the common good,” said the archbishop, a member of the USCCB’s Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs Committee and its chairman from 2014-2017, leading the bishops’ dialogue with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017.

He is also co-chair of the Polish National Church-Roman Catholic Dialogue, which examines the issues that have divided the two churches with the aim of establishing full communion.

In his July 3 statement, Cardinal Leo said he was “grateful to the Holy Father for the opportunity to serve as a member of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.”

“I very much look forward to dialogue and reflection on how the Catholic Church can work with other faith traditions in a positive and constructive manner as we identify areas of common concern and engagement,” he said.

An expert in canon law, diplomacy and international law, Cardinal Leo was also named a member of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts in January.

Father McDougall is a former rector of the University of Notre Dame’s Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem and was on faculty at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he assisted efforts to expand interfaith engagement. 

The appointments do not impact the appointees’ primary ministerial roles.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Saint of the Day for Tuesday

 

St. Jeanne-Marie Kerguin


Feastday: July 8
Birth: 1864
Death: 1900
Beatified: 24 November 1946 by Pope Pius XII
Canonized: 1 October 2000 by Pope John Paul II in Rome



Jeanne-Marie was born on May 5, 1864, at Belle-Isle en Terre, France. She was born to a poor peasant family. Her mother died when she was quite young, and she was forced to take over the household chores for the family. She joined the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary in 1887, with the name Marie Santa Natalia. There she happily threw herself into a life of devotion. She was assigned first to Paris, then to Carthage in Northern Africa. She encountered health problems and was sent to Rome to recover. There she answered the call of her Order to work as a missionary. She arrived in China in March 1899, and was almost immediately hospitalized for several months with typhus. Her short-lived career ended during a crackdown on foreign missionaries during the Boxer Rebellion. St. Jeanne - Marie Kerguin was beheaded on July 9, 1900, at at Taiyuanfu, China.

San Antonio Archbishop prays for the flood victims as Catholic Charities ramps up assistance

 

An American flag sits atop a pile of debris on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, TexasAn American flag sits atop a pile of debris on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas  (2025 Getty Images)

San Antonio Archbishop prays for families of flood victims as death toll rises

As the death toll from floods in central Texas rises to 82, Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio visits a Catholic church offering care and assistance to those affected.

By James Blears & Devin Watkins

Eighty-two people are confirmed dead in the flooding disaster in the city of Kerrville, and forty-one others remain missing.

So far, the death toll in the Kerr County tragedy in the US state of Texas includes twenty-eight children and is expected to rise because people are still missing. Ten of those are from a Christian Girls Camp, along with their counsellor.

The tragedy occurred on Friday, July 4, when the Guadalupe River, swollen by massive downpours rose an unprecedented eight meters in just forty-five minutes, burst its banks and engulfed the sleeping campers and Independence Day vacationers in mobile homes, which were swept away.

Weather forecasters are warning more storms are expected during the next thirty-six hours.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott says a full-scale search-and-rescue operation will not stop until every person affected is located and accounted for.

US President Donald Trump has signed legislation enabling the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reinforce the rescue efforts.

On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV prayed for the victims and their families at the Sunday Angelus address.

“I would like to express sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were at summer camp in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River, in Texas, in the United States. We pray for them,” he said.

Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, Archbishop of San Antonio, visited Kerrville the day of the disaster, offering prayers and support.

He met with families at the Notre Dame Catholic Church, one of four sites that the city has designated as centers for refuge, care, and assistance.

Speaking to OSV News, the Archbishop said Catholic Charities—the US affiliate of Caritas Internationalis—was providing food, clothes, hygiene articles, water, and a place to sleep for people who have been evacuated or lost their homes.

“A lot of young parents were there, very young and they were coming from different places too,” he said. “This is not an issue just for the San Antonio Archdiocese, which is part of it, but no, there were people from Houston, from Austin, from other states.”

Pope Leo XIV arrives for "holiday" at Castel Gandolfo

 

‘Welcome!’ Pope Leo begins summer holidays in Castel Gandolfo

Pope Leo XIV arrives at Castel Gandolfo on Sunday afternoon at the start of his summer holidays, and he was welcomed by a large group of the faithful, including several religious sisters.

By Salvatore Cernuzio

The sign the Pope was arriving came with the opening of the gate and the exit of two Swiss Guards. Then the roar of motorcycle engines and the dark car appeared from the bottom of the hill before pausing for the Pope to get out to greet the long line of people standing in the sun, who had been waiting for at least a couple of hours behind the barriers that even the mayor had helped to set up this morning. At around 5 p.m., Pope Leo XIV arrived at Castel Gandolfo, the summer residence of the Popes 25 km from Rome, where he will spend a period of summer rest until 20 July and then again for a few days in August.


Crowds welcoming the Pope's arrival to Castel Gandolfo   (@Vatican Media)


Crowds await the Pope


In the main square where the Apostolic Palace stands, opened to the public by Pope Francis when it was transformed it into a museum, life passed by quietly for a few hours: tourists were sitting in coffee bars and restaurants, visiting shops, and coming and going from the museum complex. All this until 4.30 p.m., the time when it became known that the Pope would be leaving Rome for Castel Gandolfo. Then people began to move towards the entrance of Villa Barberini, the ancient building where Pope Leo will be staying, joining the already large crowd of people gathered on both sides of the street: police, journalists, local residents, other tourists, families and various groups of nuns.

Other groups waited for the motorcade to pass at the foot of Salita di Sant'Antonio, the road leading to the historic center. At Bar Etto, overlooking Lake Albano, a black banner with white lettering read: “Welcome Pope Leo”. There, a group of nuns waited for his arrival, praying the Rosary. Meanwhile, a woman on the other side of the street shouted to an acquaintance: “Is he coming here or not?” “Yes, yes, he will be arriving.”

The Pope's arrival and welcome of the faithful

Applause and chants accompanied the passage of the papal vehicle. A few meters from the entrance to Villa Barberini, as noted above, Pope Leo stopped the car and immediately made his way to the people, who called from one side and the other: “Pope Leo!” “Your Holiness!” “Holy Father!” His first gesture was to bless some children in their parents' arms, then he greeted some elderly ladies. Among them was Conchita, a Spanish woman from Zaragoza, on holiday in Rome: “I shook his hand and said: Pope Leo, te quiero mucho” (Pope Leo, I love you very much).

The nuns of the Congregation of the Presentation of Mary, originally from Cameroon, called out to the Pope in French, hoping he would come closer. Leo XIV shook as many hands as possible, then headed inside the Villa where Sister Raffaella Petrini, president of the Vatican Governorate; Bishop Vincenzo Viva, director of the Pontifical Villas; Andrea Tamburelli; and Mayor Alberto De Angelis were waiting for him.

Greetings


Also present was Don Tadeusz Rozmus, Polish parish priest of the pontifical parish of Saint Thomas of Villanova, where the Pope will celebrate Mass on Sunday 13 July, his first public engagement in the Lazio municipality. A well-known biker, the parish priest joked with journalists outside Villa Barberini, saying that he had offered to accompany the Pope on his motorbike around Castel Gandolfo. “It was a formal/informal meeting, in the sense that the Holy Father greeted us but also stopped to talk to us for a while, offering words of encouragement and thanks for the preparation of all this. He was very open, very kind, smiling.”

A surprise appearance


Once the gate was closed and the crowd began to disperse towards the square and the lake area, a woman's cry caught everyone's attention: Pope Leo suddenly appeared on the balcony of the Villa. Behind the yellow and white flag of Vatican City and behind the ivy-covered wooden panels, the Pope waved to the people on the street. A few moments of great enthusiasm immortalized by smartphones and cameras.

The nuns: ‘We are close to you in prayer’


Directly below the balcony was a group of four nuns, Daughters of the Sagrada Familia, a congregation founded in Colombia and based in Rome. And from Rome, Maria Deleite de los Santos, Maria Regina Pacis, Maria José (Peruvian from Piura) and Maria Maestra Orante left immediately after the Angelus to come and greet the Pope up close. “How kind of him to get out of the car to greet us!” they exclaimed. They even managed to shake hands with the Pontiff: “We have been to many audiences, but this is the first time we have seen him so close.” To Leo XIV, who begins his holidays this afternoon, the nuns offered a greeting and a wish: “Holy Father, we welcome you to Castel Gandolfo. We pray hard for your intentions and for this well-deserved rest. We accompany your work with prayer.”

Sunday, July 6, 2025

Saint of the Day for Monday (canonization set for October 19th this year)

 

Bl. Peter To Rot


Feastday: July 7
Birth: 1912
Death: 1945
Beatified: 17 January 1995 by Pope John Paul II




On January 17, 1995, Pope John Paul II visited Papua New Guinea to celebrate the beatification of Peter To Rot (pronounced "toe rote"). Missionaries of the Sacred Heart throughout the world celebrated because Peter To Rot was intimately connected to our missions. He was trained by and worked with the MSC on the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea.

Peter To Rot was born in 1912 in Rakunai, a village near Rabaul, the capital of New Britain. To Rot's father was Angelo To Puia, a respected chief and local leader, and his mother was Maria Ja Tumul. Peter was the third of six children. There was an older brother and sister, Joseph and Therese, a younger brother, Gabriel, and the two youngest, a boy and a girl, who died in childhood.

Peter was his father's favorite, probably because they had similar personalities and characteristics. But To Puia did not spoil his son and required as much of him as of the others. When Peter was seven, his father sent him to the village school, even though school was not mandatory. He knew the value of education if Peter was to become a leader. At school, Peter showed himself a quick and able student. His teachers noted that his journal of activities of the previous day always included morning and evening prayer.

Peter's childhood was like that of most boys his age. He served Mass, participated in sports, helped at home with daily chores, and joined in occasional practical jokes and the usual boyhood mischief. What stood out was his leadership among the boys. Even though he was the chief's son, he was neither arrogant nor bossy.

When Peter was 18, the parish priest, Fr. Laufer, MSC, spoke to his father about the possibility of To Rot becoming a priest. Angelo To Puia responded that he thought it was not yet time for one of their generation to become a priest. Perhaps one of his grandchildren would be that lucky. However, he agreed that Peter could become a catechist. And so in the fall of 1930, Peter went to study at the Catechist School in Taliligap, staffed by the MSC.

Peter applied himself fully to the studies. His prayer life grew with daily participation in Mass and Communion, regular stops at church to pray during the day, and increased devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. At Taliligap his leadership abilities flowered in work, sports, recreation and prayer.

Before the end of his third year at school, Fr. Laufer sent word that he was urgently needed at the parish. To Rot returned to Rakunai and, at 21 years of age, became the youngest catechist. His main work was teaching in the parish school; but he also visited and prayed with the sick. People liked him because he was even-tempered, never moody, calm and kind. He defended the church and its teachings, engaging anyone is conversation about religion. People soon learned that he practiced what he preached.

On November 11, 1936, Peter married Paula Ja Varpit at the Rakunai church. Paula had been a student in Peter's classes and their two families arranged the wedding. Their marriage was a happy one. To Rot was an exemplary husband and they prayed together every morning and evening. He would often confide in Paula, especially as his concerns increased during the Japanese occupation.

Their first child was born on December 5, 1939. They named him To Puia, in honor of To Rot's father who had died in 1937 and gave him the Christian name of Andreas. Peter was a very proud father and often carried the child around with him, holding him and playing with him. Andreas spent more time with his father than his mother, an unusual fact in the culture. In 1942 a girl, Rufina, was born.

In January 1942, the war had come to Rabaul. After dropping bombs on people who had never even seen airplanes before, the Japanese landed in Rabaul. The soldiers sent all the missionaries to the prison camp at Vunapope. When Father Laufer left, he shook hands with Peter and said, "To Rot, I am leaving all my work here in your hands. Look after these people well. Help them, so that they don't forget about God."

To Rot willingly took on this work, even though he was afraid. He knew that God would be with him. He visited the sick, prayed with those who were dying, and prepared them to meet Jesus. He held classes for both children and adults. He helped them all to remain loyal to the teachings of Jesus. To those who were frightened by the events of the war, To Rot would encourage them saying, "This is a very bad time for us, and we are all afraid. But God our Father is with us and looking after us. We must pray and ask him to stay with us always."

Peter was also in the habit of gathering the villagers together every day for prayer. But when the bombings increased, they decided that it was unwise for them all to meet in one place. To Rot divided the people into small groups and had them meet in the caves that had been made for hiding from the bombs. The people continued their daily prayers in these caves and were filled with strength and peace, despite the dangers all around them.

Early on, the Japanese paid no attention to the people's prayer and Sunday worship. But when they started losing the war, they feared that the people's God was against them. They called in the village leaders and commanded them, "You people must not pray to your God. You cannot meet on Sundays for service, and you must not pray in the villages either. Anyone who disobeys this law will go to jail."

When the leaders brought the message from the Japanese back to their villages, it was Peter To Rot who spoke up, "The Japanese cannot stop us loving God and obeying his laws! We must be strong and we must refuse to give in to them." And so he continued to teach the people and gather them for prayer.

Another of the Japanese laws was that men could take a second wife. They wanted to gain favor with the locals and control them more easily. Again, Peter To Rot objected and reprimanded anyone found with a second wife. He insisted that the villagers follow the Church's teaching about marriage and that they come to him, their catechist, to witness the marriages. Anything else was a sin before God. On several occasions he made provisions for the care of women who were being abducted to become second wives.

Some of the local young men who worked as spies for the Japanese reported these happenings. The Japanese authorities arrested To Rot. They searched the caves where he held prayer services, and searched his home as well as the houses of his two brothers, Tatamai and Telo. They confiscated To Rot's books: a Bible, catechism, song book, some notebooks and two crucifixes. From Tatamai's house they took a raincoat. And in Telo's suitcases they found an Australian bank book. All three brothers were arrested.

The Japanese police chief first interrogated the older brother, Tatamai, about church services. When Tatamai answered that he had indeed attended church services, the police chief struck him on the head with a wooden cane and sentenced him to one month in prison.

Then To Rot was interrogated about celebrating church services, his attitude concerning marriage, and his defiance of the Japanese law allowing more than one wife. To Rot was also struck on the head and repeatedly poked with the cane in his upper chest, around the heart. He was sentenced to two months in prison.

Telo, the youngest, was accused of being an Australian spy because of the bank book. He was hung on a papaya tree and beaten till he lost consciousness. In the days following, Tatamai and To Rot were sent into forced labor; Telo had been too severely beaten to work.

Telo was released after two weeks because of his health after the beating; Tatamai was released after a month; but To Rot was kept at the prison. When To Rot's village chief asked the police why he was not released, he was told that To Rot was a bad type who prevented men from having two wives and who called people to prayer.

To Rot had many visits from relatives and friends, especially his mother and his wife. They came every day and brought him food. He would encourage them and assure them that he was not afraid because he was in prison for God. To the village chief who came to see him, Peter said, "I am in prison because of the adulterers and because of the church services. Well, I am ready to die. But you must take care of the people." To another friend, Peter added, "If it is God's will, I'll be murdered for the faith. I am a child of the church and therefore for the church I will die."

One day he asked his wife Paula to bring his shaving kit, a white "laplap" (large loin cloth), his rosary and his catechist's cross. The next day, a Friday, she brought these along with some food. She also brought the two children--Andreas now 6 years old and Rufina who was 3; she was pregnant with their third child. When Paula noticed that Peter ate very little, she became anxious and upset. To Rot calmed her and said that it was his duty to die for his people and for the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. The family stayed together for a long time, until Peter urged her to take the children and go home.

Later in the day when his mother came to visit, To Rot told her that the police were having a Japanese doctor come to give him some medicine (he had developed a slight cold). But he added, "I don't know what that means. Perhaps it is a lie. After all, I am not ill." Late in the afternoon, To Rot bathed, shaved and put on his new laplap. He stood at the door of the prison hut and prayed.

Around 7 in the evening, all the prisoners—except To Rot—were taken to a nearby farm for a party. They were surprised since this had never happened before. At about 10 o'clock, the Japanese guard told them to go to sleep. Not returning to the prison for the night was also very unusual. Because security was very light, three prisoners crept back to the prison in the darkness. There they found Peter To Rot dead on the porch of the prison house.

To Rot was on his back, one arm bent under his head, and one leg twisted at an angle under the other. His body was still warm. They noticed cotton wads in his nostrils and ears, a red welt on his neck, a strip of cloth around his head, and a small puncture hole from a syringe on his upper left arm. They knew he had been murdered, but fearing for their own lives, hid and said nothing.

In the morning at roll call, To Rot was missing and the Japanese chief sent someone to check on him. The police chief feigned surprise at To Rot's death and said that he had been very ill and must have died. Then he sent for the village chief and To Rot's relatives to come and take away the body.

The villagers and relatives removed Peter's body. As they washed his body for burial, they noticed a foul smelling foam coming from his ears, nostrils and mouth. When removing the strip of cloth from his head, they found two bleeding punctures at the back of his head. The center of his throat was crushed flat and was swollen, as if hit by a truncheon. No one believed that he had died of illness.

Peter To Rot was given a chief's burial at the new cemetery next to the church where he had ministered. Even though many people came, the funeral was held in silence, fearing what the Japanese might do if the people prayed aloud and in public. From that day on he was revered as a martyr for his faith.

Pope Leo XIV prays for the victims of the Texas flood disaster

 

Search and rescue teams continue to look for survivors after deadly flooding in Kerr County, TexasSearch and rescue teams continue to look for survivors after deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas 

Pope Leo: We are praying for victims of Texas floods

Following the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Leo expresses “sincere condolences” to all those who lost loved ones in devastating flash floods in Texas.

By Christopher Wells

Speaking in English at the conclusion of the Angelus on Sunday, Pope Leo offered his sincere condolences “to all the families who have lost loved ones—in particular their daughters who were at summer camp—in the disaster caused by the flooding of the Guadalupe River in Texas in the United States. We pray for them.”

Waters rose approximately eight meters (26 feet) in just 45 minutes shortly before dawn on Friday morning, sweeping away everything in their path. At least 51 people are known to have died in the tragedy, and dozens more are missing, including 27 girls who were taking part in a Christian summer camp in Kerr County, the hardest hit area.

Search and rescue efforts were underway despite ongoing rains that threaten further flash floods.

In a statement Friday morning, the Archdiocese of San Antonio requested prayers for all affected by the “historic” flooding, especially for those who died and for those still missing. Noting the many individuals and organizations assisting victims, the Archdiocesan statement said, “It is our prayer that those impacted by the floods will find the strength to rebuild,” adding, “We pledge to be with the people in these challenging circumstances. Let us answer Christ’s call to love one another.”

Replace violence with dialogue

Pope Leo also used the occasion of the Angelus to appeal once again for peace throughout the world. In remarks in Italian, the Holy Father said, “Dear friends, peace is the desire of all peoples, and it is the painful cry of those torn apart by war.”

He called for prayers, saying “Let us ask the Lord to touch the hearts and inspire the minds of government leaders, that they might replace the violence of weapons with the search for dialogue.

‘A short period of rest’

The Holy Father also had greetings and words of encouragement for the faithful of Rome as well as for pilgrims from Italy and around the world. “In the great heat of this period, your journey to cross the Holy Doors is even more courageous and admirable.”

 

Finally, Pope Leo noted that he will be travelling Sunday afternoon to the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo, just outside of Rome, “for a brief period of rest,” and expressed his hopes that all might enjoy a time of vacation “that will restore body and spirit.”