Saint of the Day for Friday

 

St. Sixtus II

A Roman of Greek descent, Sixtus was elected to the papacy in 257. He repaired the rift between the sees of Rome and Carthage that had developed over the issue of baptism and rebaptism. Like his predecessor Stephen, Sixtus believed that baptism is a once-in-a-lifetime event, but unlike Stephen, Sixtus tolerated those who rebaptized. The martyrdom of St. Sixtus was dramatic. Forbidden to hold services, he and his deacons continued to worship in the chapel in the cemetery of Prætextatus. One day in 258, as the pope preached, soldiers broke into the chapel and beheaded Sixtus. Four of his eight attendants were also beheaded. The authorities executed another three later that day. St. Lawrence was martyred four days later.

Review of the 144th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus held August 4th thru 6th

 

By living for ‘God’s purposes,’ Knights care for his people, archbishop tells convention

written by André Escaleira, Jr. 

Denver Archbishop James R. Golka concelebrates Mass Aug. 4, 2026, at the 144th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus in Denver. (OSV News photo/André Escaleira Jr., Denver Catholic)

DENVER (OSV News) — In a moving display of the Catholic Church’s unity, thousands of Knights of Columbus from around the world gathered in Denver for their 144th Supreme Convention Aug. 4-6.

With some members and their families traveling from as far as the Philippines, South Korea, Ukraine, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Spain to attend, the convention sought to focus on Pope Leo XIV’s unifying episcopal motto: “In the One, we are one.”

Coming together in the order’s principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism, the gathering represented the Knights’ commitment to spreading the Gospel and building up Christ’s Church, even to the ends of the earth.

The convention opened Aug. 4 with a special Mass celebrated by Denver Archbishop James R. Golka, along with dozens of bishops and hundreds of priests concelebrating and deacons assisting.

Archbishop Golka a fourth-degree Knight

For the archbishop, the liturgy was personal: He is a fourth-degree Knight; his six brothers are Knights; and his late father, Robert, was a Knight, too. In fact, in 2021, the year Archbishop Golka was named bishop of Colorado Springs, his family was named Family of the Year by the Knights of Columbus Nebraska State Council.

“The Knights of Columbus exists to help our men grow in their faith, and they sure did for my dad,” Archbishop Golka said in his homily.

Recounting his own journey of faith and vocation, the archbishop highlighted God’s providence in each of our lives and in the Knights of Columbus’s work.

Facing a $252 car repair while in seminary, a young Jim Golka didn’t know where to turn except to God. After a quick, simple prayer, he checked his seminary mailbox to find a letter from the Knights of Columbus in Ogallala, Nebraska — a council he’d never visited. They had hosted a pancake breakfast and decided to split the proceeds between him and another seminarian. Archbishop Golka’s share? $253.

‘Listen to God’s will for you’

“If you listen to God’s will for you and say yes, God will absolutely take care of you, amen? And he’ll even give you an extra dollar for a cup of coffee,” he said with a chuckle. “And God wants the Knights of Columbus to help him care for his children. God wants the Knights of Columbus to help carry out God’s purposes. God wants the Knights of Columbus to live for God and God’s purposes, not ours. And when we do that, we care for the people of God.”

Archbishop Gabriele G. Caccia, the papal nuncio to the United States, opened an afternoon session with words of reflection on the Knights of Columbus’ mission in this apostolic age.

He also introduced a special video message from Pope Leo, who urged the Knights to be living witnesses of unity and charity in a world often marked by division. Reflecting on the convention theme, he said Christian unity must be actively nurtured through humble dialogue and bridge-building in families, parishes and communities.

Pope Leo also praised the order’s longstanding charitable work, highlighting its support for unborn children, expectant mothers, persecuted Christians, trafficking victims and others in need. The pope thanked the Knights for their service and imparted his apostolic blessing to members and their families.

Supreme Knight’s annual report

Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly of the Knights of Columbus then took to the dais to deliver his annual report, a comprehensive summary of the worldwide activity of the Knights of Columbus over the past year.

Amid a lengthy litany of the Knights’ good works was a profound commitment to charity, service and love of neighbor — with over 48 million hours of volunteer service and more than $200 million given to charity worldwide, a new record for the organization. That charity was made possible, in part, due to a near record-high number of new Knights, with 105,000 men being welcomed into the order worldwide — many of them men under 35.

The number of new Knights, Kelly said, is rivaled only by the post-World War II boom of new membership.

“Just as Christ came to serve, we devote our lives to serving others, especially the vulnerable,” Kelly said. “All of our charity reflects the love of God. It’s a charity that evangelizes.”

Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly delivers his annual report Aug. 4, 2026, at the 144th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus in Denver. (OSV News photo/André Escaleira Jr., Denver Catholic)

Knights’ charity takes many forms

That charity took many forms: wheelchairs and warm coats to those in need; emergency response to the horrific shooting during a school Mass at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis and the natural disasters in Venezuela and Hawaii; support for persecuted and war-torn communities in the Holy Land, Ukraine, Benin and Nigeria; religious liberty advocacy; aid for wounded warriors; and partnerships with the Special Olympics and pro-life clinics.

“We are not just another charitable organization. We are not a social club,” Kelly emphasized. “We are a global brotherhood of Catholic leaders — and we are united in Jesus Christ. He is the source of our strength. And as we reflect on the past year, we give all the glory to God.”

That charity, both Archbishop Golka and Kelly emphasized, flows from communion with God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Apart from him, all charitable works come to nothing.

“We could be busy about many, many good activities, but if they have not been planted by God, they’re going to fail,” the archbishop said in his homily. “We can have good intentions, but if it’s not God’s plan, it’s going to fail, so what must we do before we do anything? Listen to God, beg God for clarity on what is his plan.”

Calling all to become experts in listening to God

Emphasizing that God already has a plan for the Knights of Columbus, for individuals, families and marriages, Archbishop Golka exhorted those gathered to become experts in listening to God.

“My brothers and sisters, whenever I look at Jesus to find out his plan, he is never anxious. He is never afraid. He’s excited to show us who he is,” the archbishop said. “So let us open our ears and our hearts and our eyes so we can know better his plan for you, for our life, for the Knights of Columbus, for the entire world, so that God can get his world back through our humble service.”

To bolster Knights’ faith and help them better hear the voice of God, the Knights of Columbus launched Cor, a small-group program meant “to give young men exactly what they are looking for — a community centered in Jesus Christ.”

In addition, Kelly announced a new video retreat in partnership with ACTS XXIX and a new video series in partnership with Denver-based Christ in the City, with reflection and practical tips to serve the homeless.

‘Rising to meet the moment’

In these ways, Kelly said, the Knights of Columbus “are rising to meet this moment,” in which interest in the Catholic Church has grown sharply, with some parishes and dioceses seeing record-high numbers of converts.

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, supreme chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, speaks Aug. 4, 2026, at the 144th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus in Denver. (OSV News photo/André Escaleira Jr., Denver Catholic)

“These converts are searching for compelling answers. They are fleeing the isolation and incoherence that define our time,” Kelly explained. “They need real friendship and real connection — and they are finding it in the Catholic Church.”

Kelly concluded his report by lifting up Kendrick Castillo as a perfect exemplar of this youthful zeal for faith and service. Castillo, 18, jumped in front of a gunman at the Highlands Ranch STEM School in suburban Denver, giving his life to save the lives of his classmates when he was fatally shot May 7, 2019.

Known for his service to the community through the Knights of Columbus, Castillo had always desired to join the order but had only just become old enough at the time of his death. So, in 2019, the Knights of Columbus posthumously welcomed him.  The Diocese of Colorado Springs continues to review his life for a potential cause of canonization.

“We will always look up to your son, our brother Knight, Kendrick Castillo!” Kelly promised, turning to John and Maria Castillo, Kendrick’s parents, who were present in the audience.

Pope Leo XIV celebrates mass in Assisi for the Franciscan Youth Meeting

 

Pope Leo celebrates Mass in the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels  (@Vatican Media)

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• young people
• Italy
• st Francis

In Assisi, Pope encourages young people to ‘touch the suffering flesh of others'

At Mass for the 2026 Franciscan Youth Meeting in Assisi, the Pope encourages young people to “overcome resignation and fear,” and “write new pages of history.”

By Tiziana Campisi 

Pope Leo celebrated Mass on Thursday for the thousands of young people from across Europe gathered in Assisi for Go! the 2026 Franciscan Youth Meeting.

At Mass in the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, the Pope encouraged his young listeners to go “to the margins” of society, “where the injustice and arrogance of a few deny the dignity and dreams of many”.

“We are called to read the Scriptures with the Master,” Pope Leo said, “to interpret our times, and to make decisions as we walk in His footsteps. We are here to overcome resignation and fear, to untangle the doubts that hold us back just as they held back the apostles. Jesus calls us into a dialogue with His story so that we may write new pages of history.”

Assisi is a place where “everything whispers that our lives can be transformed, unleash light, and repair the world,” the Pope said, reminding his listeners that it was here in Assisi that “the transfiguration of Francis, of Clare, and then of thousands of other young people” first began.

Young people gathered for Mass with Pope Leo (@VATICAN MEDIA)

Listening and decision-making

Pope Leo began his homily by considering the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, which the Church marks today. 

Jesus, the Pope said, was “transfigured precisely in conversation with the Father, with those who preceded him — Moses and Elijah — and with his contemporaries, the disciples.”

The Church exists, Pope Leo said, “to draw us into this dynamic of listening and deciding, helping us understand for whom to live and how to live.”

The Church is “the community where we learn to distinguish the voice of God”, the Pope stressed, “and to dare that obedience to the Holy Spirit that made bold and creative all those who agreed to follow Jesus.”

Embracing 'sister poverty'

While St Francis’ choice to turn away from the world was revolutionary, St Clare’s was “even more striking”, Pope Leo said. Like Francis, Clare “wanted to live … in true freedom”, and this, the Pope explained, is the "energy" of Christianity - “that of beginnings and many fresh starts”.

“And so, dear young people, today Europe and the whole world are looking to you for new saints: dare to believe in the word of the Gospel, become fully human with the freedom of Jesus Christ, and embrace Sister Poverty! The title of your gathering—Go!—is a mission, a sending out onto roads for which we have no maps, because they open up as we listen to the heart, obey the Spirit, and follow the Risen Lord where He has chosen to go before us.”

All of this must be done without keeping our distance “from the wounds of the Lord,” as Pope Francis warned, Leo continued, quoting Evangelii gaudium, in which his predecessor stresses that “Jesus wants us to touch human misery, to touch the suffering flesh of others. He expects us to stop looking for those personal or communal niches that allow us to keep our distance from the heart of human suffering.”

Committing to the civilization of love

Even if his listeners "might not be understood, even by those in your own home—just as happened to Saint Francis,” the Pope stressed that “stepping away from the culture of power and tearing down the walls that divide human beings is never a betrayal of family, city, or tradition.” 

Rather, he said, it serves to free us "from their ghosts, from enemies invented out of fear and ignorance, and from the violence that seeks to impose its own neat little order on a reality that vastly exceeds us on every side.”

“To trust in God is to discover, like Francis and Clare, a world of brothers and sisters to be appreciated and served, not exploited and dominated,” the Pope said. “Not a world to be defended, but one to be embraced.”

Pope Leo XIV begins his day trip to Assisi with young people at Santa Maria degli Angeli

 

Pope Leo greets young people upon his arrival in Assisi  (@Vatican Media)

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• young people
• meeting
• pastoral visit

Pope in Assisi: Build a civilization of love, not division

At Santa Maria degli Angeli, the first stop on his pastoral visit, the Pope answers questions from young people and explains that Gospel radicalism is “the opposite of fundamentalism: it does not make us blind and violent, but sensitive and attentive,” and welcoming towards all.

By Antonella Palermo 

How can the spiritual legacy of Saint Francis of Assisi be lived out today? How can we embrace a spirit of service and welcome in a world increasingly shaped by oppression and consumerism? And how can we continue to trust a Church that is itself marked by crises and contradictions?

These were some of the questions put to the Pope today by three young people, who gave voice to concerns shared not only by their own generation, but by many others as well.

Pope Leo chose to begin his pastoral visit to the Umbrian town of Assisi by meeting young people at Santa Maria degli Angeli. Responding at length to each of their questions, he reiterated several key principles: religion must never be exploited for political purposes, while leadership should be liberating, responsible and inclusive.

Going against the tide: Healing memories and fostering reconciliation

Karolina, from Zagreb, was the first to speak. She asked how people can remain authentic disciples of Christ and share a living faith that does not remain confined within church walls.

In response, the Pope returned to the subject of war, recalling that Karolina comes from “a region of Europe that experienced war only thirty years ago, as well as the dangerous intertwining of religious affiliation and nationalism.”

The Franciscans’ long-standing commitment to dialogue in the region, he noted, has helped Catholics, Orthodox Christians and Muslims live together in peace. This, Pope Leo said, is the path that must continue to be followed.

“Today, being faithful to this tradition of closeness means going against the tide, working to heal memories and fostering reconciliation. Christians will increasingly be called to become peacemakers in societies tempted to exploit religion in conflicts between different identities.”

Karolina shakes Pope Leo's hand (@Vatican Media)

Misinformation and prejudice create fear; Christ opens the heart

To live as spiritual sons and daughters of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Pope stressed, means understanding the true meaning of Gospel radicalism.

It “is the opposite of fundamentalism: it does not make us blind and violent, but sensitive and attentive, always following Jesus and therefore humble and welcoming towards everyone. It is not easy, but it brings great joy.”

Following this path, the Pope suggested, sometimes means making uncomfortable or unfashionable choices, while resisting every attempt at manipulation.

“Bearing witness to Christ therefore remains both fascinating and demanding, because it opens our minds and hearts beyond artificial boundaries—that is, beyond the fears created by misinformation and the walls of prejudice.”

Technology makes us forget how to be together

Pope Leo then reflected on Saint Francis’ insight that poverty can bring people closer, even when they seem far apart.

He recalled what it means to be the Church: a home open to everyone, a community that listens and experiences the joy of fraternity. It is also a place where people rediscover the physical reality of being together, beyond the virtual world, and the value of silence, which “is the opposite of war, with its violence, shouting and cruelty.”

“Dear young people, how beautiful it is to be together and ‘speak about God’ and, in His light, about life itself, in all its beauty, mystery and seriousness!”

“Bear witness to this way of living wherever you go, especially at a time when technology is making us forget how to be together as people of flesh and blood.”

Making a lifelong commitment is a revolutionary act

Giovanni, from Bologna, asked the Pope how it is possible to give a wholehearted “yes” to God in a world that often struggles to look beyond the immediate future or towards eternity.

He also asked what had helped Robert Prevost along his own vocational journey.

“Making a definitive choice is perhaps the most revolutionary act,” the Pope replied.

The problem today, he said, lies in “an occasionally confused understanding of freedom,” which can foster the illusion “that problems can be solved by running away, by betraying others, or by taking only a few steps along constantly changing paths, without ever travelling far.”

The Pope warned that constantly seeking new experiences, relationships and possessions often point to an inner emptiness. It can even lead people to treat others as commodities. True love, he said, is something entirely different.

“Deciding forever does not imprison us in a cage but opens us to a greater dynamism. Love is an exodus, a road to be discovered, a journey that God undertakes with us. This is the true meaning of every vocation.”

Giovanni listens to Pope Leo's response to his question (@Vatican Media)

Saying ‘yes to becoming Pope

Prompted by Giovanni’s question, Pope Leo offered a glimpse into his own personal journey.

He explained that decisions must be renewed each day and that a vocation is “a journey of redemption and healing.” It requires daily commitment and constant vigilance against the way sin can cloud a person’s judgement.

“In my experience, I can say that the Lord has never left me alone. He has always accompanied me, also giving me people with whom to walk. In my vocation to be a priest, a member of the Augustinian community and a missionary, I found a light that has guided me to this day, until I had to say ‘yes’ to a very special calling: that of being Pope.”

“In my experience, I can say that the Lord has never left me alone.”

The invisible walls dividing our cities

Luigi, a 22-year-old from Sicily, asked about obedience to the Successor of Peter, especially when it feels difficult or when scandals emerge within the Church. How, he asked, can people remain within “this healing Love”?

Pope Leo XIV insisted that unity is close to the heart of Jesus. The Pope, who made unity the theme of his episcopal motto, described it as something “revolutionary.” Despite the Church’s failures and wounds, he said, such unity remains both possible and visible.

“Around Jesus, men and women who otherwise would never have met or spent time together become brothers and sisters. When this miracle of the Church continues to take place, thanks be to God, it remains astonishing even today in our cities, which are filled with invisible walls separating people from one another. How many forms of discrimination and inequality can end immediately once we recognize one another as brothers and sisters!”

Luigi listens to Pope Leo (@Vatican Media)

The power of Jesus does not humiliate, but lifts up

The Pope’s response turned the logic of the world on its head, echoing the words of the Magnificat.

True power, he explained, is measured not by a person’s ability to focus on themselves, but by their willingness to serve others with humility.

“Not grasping but receiving; not holding on, but giving back: this is the life of God, which heals the Church and makes her a free people, a place where people can breathe and find salvation.”

Jesus’ desire for the Church is clear, the Pope concluded: she must become His Body and reveal His life. This means following His example and exercising a different kind of strength-one that does not humiliate but lifts others up.

August 6th is also a feast day for a 6th century Pope

 

St. Hormisdas Pope

Pope from 514-523, successor to St. Symmachus, and father of Pope St. Silverius Born in Frosinone, Campagna di Roma, Italy, he was an Italian, although he had a Persian name. Married and widowed prior to ordination, he succeeded St. Symmachus on July 21, 514. One of his great achievements was the ending of the Acacian Schism which had divided the Eastern and Western Churches since 484. The Church in Constantinople was reunited to Rome in 519 as a result of the confession called the Formula of Hormisdas. This document was signed by Patriarch John of Constantinople and 250 Eastern bishops. Hormisdas also received Laurentian schismatics into the Church and secured the acceptance of the Tome of Leo I and the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon and the recognition of the authority of the Holy See over the universal Church.

It's a Feast Day Thursday this week: The Transfiguration of the Lord

 

Ordinary Time: August 6th

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord

The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord became widespread in the West in the 11th century and was introduced into the Roman calendar in 1457 to commemorate the victory over Islam in Belgrade. Before that, the Transfiguration of the Lord was celebrated in the Syrian, Byzantine, and Coptic rites. The Transfiguration foretells the glory of the Lord as God, and His Ascension into heaven. It anticipates the glory of heaven, where we shall see God face to face. Through grace, we already share in the divine promise of eternal life.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #554:
From the day Peter confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Master "began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things. . . and be killed, and on the third day be raised." Peter scorns this prediction, nor do the others understand it any better than he. In this context the mysterious episode of Jesus' Transfiguration takes place on a high mountain, before three witnesses chosen by himself: Peter, James and John. Jesus' face and clothes become dazzling with light, and Moses and Elijah appear, speaking "of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem". A cloud covers him and a voice from heaven says: "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!"

---

The Transfiguration
Our divine Redeemer, being in Galilee about a year before His sacred Passion, took with him St. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, Sts. James and John and led them to a retired mountain. Tradition assures us that this was Mount Thabor, which is exceedingly high and beautiful, and was anciently covered with green trees and shrubs, and was very fruitful. It rises something like a sugarloaf, in a vast plain in the middle of Galilee. This was the place in which the Man-God appeared in His glory.

Whilst Jesus prayed, he suffered that glory, which was always due to his sacred humility, and of which, for our sake, He deprived it, to diffuse a ray over His whole body. His face was altered and shone as the sun, and his garments became white as snow. Moses and Elias were seen by the three apostles in his company on this occasion and were heard discoursing with him of the death which he was to suffer in Jerusalem.

The three apostles were wonderfully delighted with this glorious vision, and St. Peter cried out to Christ, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. Let us make three tents: one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias" Whilst St. Peter was speaking, there came, on a sudden, a bright shining cloud from heaven, an emblem of the presence of God's majesty, and from out of this cloud was heard a voice which said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him" The apostles that were present, upon hearing this voice, were seized with a sudden fear, and fell upon the ground; but Jesus, going to them, touched them, and bade them to rise. They immediately did so and saw no one but Jesus standing in his ordinary state.

This vision happened in the night. As they went down the mountain early the next morning, Jesus bade them not to tell anyone what they had seen till he should be risen from the dead.
—Excerpted from Butler's Lives of the Saints, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]

In the Transfiguration Christ enjoyed for a short while that glorified state which was to be permanently His after His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. The splendor of His inward Divinity and of the Beatific Vision of His soul overflowed on His body and permeated His garments so that Christ stood before Peter, James, and John in a snow-white brightness. The purpose of the Transfiguration was to encourage and strengthen the Apostles who were depressed by their Master's prediction of His own Passion and Death. The Apostles were made to understand that His redeeming work has two phases: The Cross, and glory—that we shall be glorified with Him only if we first suffer with Him.
—Rt. Rev. Msgr. Rudolph G. Bandas

Pope Leo XIV message to the Knights of Columbus at Supreme Convention

 

Pope

• Pope Leo XIV
• video message

Pope to Knights of Columbus: Be prophets of harmony in an age of division

Pope Leo urges the Knights of Columbus to be “prophets of harmony” by fostering unity through dialogue and serving those most in need through works of charity.

By Vatican News

Pope Leo has encouraged the Knights of Columbus to become “prophets of harmony” by building bridges and promoting reconciliation in a world increasingly marked by division.

The Pope made the appeal in a video message addressed to participants in the Order’s 144th Supreme Convention, taking place in Denver, Colorado, on 4 August.

Greeting those attending in person and virtually, Pope Leo reflected on the gathering’s theme “In The One, We Are One,” and on the virtues of unity and charity, two foundational principles of the Knights of Columbus.

Unity must be cultivated

Recalling Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper that his disciples “might all be one,” the Pope stressed that unity is a gift entrusted to every generation of believers.

“The preservation of unity is often not easy, and it cannot be taken for granted,” he said. “It must be actively cultivated through honest and humble dialogue.”

Pope Leo therefore encouraged the Knights to bear witness to the concord desired by Christ, beginning within their families and parishes and extending to the wider communities in which they live and serve.

“In an age all too often marked by division and pointed rhetoric, there is a great need for prophets of harmony who seek to build bridges and strive to reconcile opposing positions wherever possible,” he said.

Charity strengthens communion

Turning to charity, the Holy Father noted that works carried out on behalf of those in need can themselves become a path towards unity.

“When we reach out to help those in need, there frequently develops a certain concord between those who give and those who receive, as well as among those who work together to assist their brothers and sisters,” he said.

“Thus, charity becomes not only a response to human suffering but also a powerful means of fostering fraternity and strengthening the communion that is at the heart of the Christian life.”

Serving those on the margins

Pope Leo praised the Knights of Columbus for continuing the mission begun by their founder, Blessed Michael McGivney.

For well over a century, he noted, the Order has worked to show Christ’s love “to the unborn, expectant mothers, persecuted Christians, victims of war and human trafficking, the poor and vulnerable, and those who live on the margins of society.”

Through initiatives undertaken by local councils and at national and international levels, he added, “countless people have benefitted” from the Order’s generosity.

“For my part, I express deep gratitude for your Order’s continued generosity to the less fortunate, and trust that your endeavors will continue to bear fruit for many years to come,” the Pope said.

Concluding his message, Pope Leo entrusted the work of the Supreme Convention to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, and Blessed Michael McGivney, before imparting his Apostolic Blessing upon all members of the Knights of Columbus and their families.