CNA Newsroom, Jul 21, 2025 / 09:32 am (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Cologne has dismissed a canonical complaint filed against Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki by German abuse survivors to Pope Leo XIV.

Readings (Year C): Genesis 18:20 – 32Psalm 138:1 – 2, 2 – 3, 6 – 7, 7 – 8Colossians 2:12 – 14Luke 11:1 – 13 Reflection: God is not behind a locked door There’s a song I learned in kindergarten that has stayed with me through the years:“Determination is my motto, determination…” Back then, we […]

The post A reflection for seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time appeared first on U.S. Catholic.

Vancouver, Canada, Jul 21, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Nestled within Whistler’s many snow-covered peaks, Our Lady of the Mountains Parish finds itself just months away from the grand opening of its newly renovated church, a multimillion-dollar restoration project five years in the making, which is set to embrace the town’s historic alpine atmosphere.

As the only Catholic church in the popular British Columbia resort town in the Coastal Mountains north of Vancouver, Our Lady of the Mountains’ transformation will see what was once no more than a quaint multipurpose hall become a fully functional sacred space for prayer, service, and evangelization as well as a visual testament to the community’s steadfast faith and perseverance.

Whistler is part of the Diocese of Kamloops but has long been a spiritual home for many Catholics in the wider region who flock there for vacation.

Whistler welcomes around 3 million visitors each year — about 45% in winter and 55% in summer — so thousands of Catholics are served by the parish during ski weekends and summer getaways.

In early 2020, Our Lady of the Mountains launched an ambitious campaign to build a larger church, beginning with a vision that pastor Father Andrew L’Heureux called “a dream.” From the start, parishioners said they felt God walking with them through each challenge and triumph.

The project was spearheaded by Andy Szocs, a parishioner since the late 1970s and fundraising lead for the project. Szocs took on much of the fundraising himself, leveraging his network and experience from renovating a 250-year-old church in Hungary in 2010 to contribute toward the project’s $6.7 million target.

“I know the value of building a church up, and I saw this as a similar opportunity back at home,” the 85-year-old said. “It has been quite the challenge, and we had to rely on the Holy Spirit a lot. I would go to bed at night with all these challenges about where I would find this money, and I said to the Holy Spirit that I needed some answers. It happened so many times, it has to be divine providence.”

“Standing inside the new church is awe-inspiring,” L’Heureux wrote in a letter to parishioners this month. “It offers more than beauty — it is a sign of hope, unity, and the bright future of our parish.”

The journey hasn’t been without obstacles. Unexpected soil conditions, design refinements, and inflation pushed the original budget from $5.5 million to $6.7 million. After reaching the initial goal, the parish needed to urgently raise an additional $1.2 million. In June, an existing donor, along with partners and friends, stepped forward to close the gap.

“We believe, without question, that the Holy Spirit guided their hearts, reminding us once again that we are not alone in this mission,” L’Heureux said in his letter.

The new spiritual home, including the use of the preexisting hall, will seat 500 people — more than triple of the current capacity of 160.

The $6.7-million price tag also affords the parish a completely new interior, including a sanctuary, a 15-foot choir loft with space for 25 choir members and instruments, and an an interior design featuring 23 sacred elements such as the altar, crucifix, statues, lighting, and a communion rail — with stained-glass windows and a pipe organ remaining as future goals when funds allow.

Unique to the sanctuary’s design by Oberto Oberti Architecture is the 40-foot timber-frame ceilings, a design reflective of Whistler’s distinct outdoor ethos. A nod to Whistler’s prominent winter and ski culture, the interior is reminiscent of an old-school wooden ski chalet.

“I don’t think you can help but connect to it and feel impressed. It’s what we set out to create, which is something sacred, attractive, and reflective of that Whistler-style look and feel,” Szocs said.

He also shared that through donors’ efforts, close to 90% of the project was funded externally, with local pride in the world-class resort destination and a strong Catholic belief being the main draw for those involved.

“This was possible with a strong fundraising strategy, but we knew from the start that we couldn’t do this without help from our major donors. Quite a number of them, like myself, had an attachment to Whistler,” Szocs said.

“We have the lakes and the valley trails, the ski mountains. It’s just one of God’s beautiful nature scenes. We raised the money with those donors strictly through the personal efforts of selling the vision. We used the motto: ‘If we build the church, they will come.’”

Still, Szocs knew the parish couldn’t solely depend on traditional methods.

“You can’t do something like this with bake sales and bingo,” he said with a laugh, emphasizing the importance of his continued targeted strategy for intriguing wealthy donors.

With the grand opening of the new church slated for October, the Catholic community in Whistler continues to work amid the anticipation. L’Heureux noted in the church’s latest newsletter that many parishioners have contributed both their time and labor by assisting in drywalling, painting, and donating needed tools. One parishioner donated pews, accounting for up to 250 seats in the new sanctuary.

Beyond worship, Szocs sees the church as a beacon for evangelization, potentially hosting Catholic conferences inspired by the Napa Institute to draw Catholics to Whistler’s new spiritual appeal.

“It’s not just a church; it’s a place for people to find God,” he said.

Szocs said the project’s success comes from a balance of divine trust and devoted human action, as often expressed by St. Augustine and St. Ignatius.

“Some would say, ‘Leave it to the Holy Spirit,’ but you can’t just pray and wait. It doesn’t always work that way,” he said. “God gave us gifts for a reason. So I like the saying, ‘Pray like everything depends on God, and act like everything depends on you.’”

This story was first published by The B. C. Catholic and is reprinted here with permission.

Rome Newsroom, Jul 21, 2025 / 06:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV marked the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with a video call to U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin and a visit to the Vatican Observatory, located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, where he has been staying for two weeks.

According to the Vatican, the pontiff’s July 20 call with the 95-year-old Aldrin, the last surviving Apollo 11 crew member, included reminiscing on the historic 1969 landing and meditating together on the “mystery, greatness, and fragility” of God’s creation as described in Psalm 8.

Earlier in the day, Leo visited the Vatican’s internationally-recognized observatory, called the Specola Vaticana, where he was able to look through the astronomical center’s historic telescopes.

The Vatican Observatory has been located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, around 18 miles southeast of Rome, since the 1930s, but the history of the institution dates to the 18th century. After several years of closure in the late 1800s, Leo’s predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, re-founded the observatory in 1891.

In 1993, the Vatican Observatory Research Group, which opened a second research center at the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1981, completed construction of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope in Mount Graham, Arizona.

Pope Leo has been taking a break from the heat of Rome with a sojourn at the lakeside town of Castel Gandolfo, a revival of a tradition last observed by Pope Benedict XVI. The pontiff’s stay was originally expected to end July 20, but the Vatican announced Sunday that Leo had extended the two-week stay an additional two days, through July 22.

A pope close to science

On June 16, Pope Leo XIV, who holds a degree in mathematics from Villanova University, expressed his appreciation for astronomy when he received the participants of this year’s Vatican Observatory Summer School.

On that occasion, he asked the young scientists to never forget “that what they do is meant to benefit everyone.”

“Be generous in sharing what you learn and what you experience, to the best of your ability and in any way possible,” he added.

The pope also urged them not to hesitate to share “the joy and wonder born of your contemplation of the ‘seeds’ which, in the words of St. Augustine, God has sown in the harmony of the universe.”

The summer program, held every two years, brings together young astronomers from different countries. The most recent edition hosted 24 students from 22 nations under the theme “Exploring the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope,” an instrument that has revolutionized astronomical observation since 2022.

During his meeting with astronomy students, Pope Leo highlighted the importance of the advances made by the telescope: “For the first time we can deeply observe the atmosphere of exoplanets where life may be developing and study the nebulae where the planetary systems themselves are forming” as well as trace “the ancient light of distant galaxies, which speaks of the very beginning of our universe.”

Rome Newsroom, Jul 21, 2025 / 06:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV marked the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing with a video call to U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin and a visit to the Vatican Observatory, located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, where he has been staying for two weeks.

According to the Vatican, the pontiff’s July 20 call with the 95-year-old Aldrin, the last surviving Apollo 11 crew member, included reminiscing on the historic 1969 landing and meditating together on the “mystery, greatness, and fragility” of God’s creation as described in Psalm 8.

Earlier in the day, Leo visited the Vatican’s internationally-recognized observatory, called the Specola Vaticana, where he was able to look through the astronomical center’s historic telescopes.

The Vatican Observatory has been located on the papal estate of Castel Gandolfo, around 18 miles southeast of Rome, since the 1930s, but the history of the institution dates to the 18th century. After several years of closure in the late 1800s, Leo’s predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, re-founded the observatory in 1891.

In 1993, the Vatican Observatory Research Group, which opened a second research center at the University of Arizona in Tucson in 1981, completed construction of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope in Mount Graham, Arizona.

Pope Leo has been taking a break from the heat of Rome with a sojourn at the lakeside town of Castel Gandolfo, a revival of a tradition last observed by Pope Benedict XVI. The pontiff’s stay was originally expected to end July 20, but the Vatican announced Sunday that Leo had extended the two-week stay an additional two days, through July 22.

A pope close to science

On June 16, Pope Leo XIV, who holds a degree in mathematics from Villanova University, expressed his appreciation for astronomy when he received the participants of this year’s Vatican Observatory Summer School.

On that occasion, he asked the young scientists to never forget “that what they do is meant to benefit everyone.”

“Be generous in sharing what you learn and what you experience, to the best of your ability and in any way possible,” he added.

The pope also urged them not to hesitate to share “the joy and wonder born of your contemplation of the ‘seeds’ which, in the words of St. Augustine, God has sown in the harmony of the universe.”

The summer program, held every two years, brings together young astronomers from different countries. The most recent edition hosted 24 students from 22 nations under the theme “Exploring the Universe with the James Webb Space Telescope,” an instrument that has revolutionized astronomical observation since 2022.

During his meeting with astronomy students, Pope Leo highlighted the importance of the advances made by the telescope: “For the first time we can deeply observe the atmosphere of exoplanets where life may be developing and study the nebulae where the planetary systems themselves are forming” as well as trace “the ancient light of distant galaxies, which speaks of the very beginning of our universe.”

CNA Staff, Jul 21, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In the heart of New York City, nestled among the tall buildings of Times Square, sits a small tattoo shop with two 17-inch signs of the Miraculous Medal hanging outside the front door. Inside, walls of rosaries, crucifixes, and religious images greet visitors, while an old church pew serves as a place to sit and wait. A glass jar filled with blessed Miraculous Medals sits on the front desk. 

The tattoo parlor, Times Square Tattoo, is more than a tattoo parlor, according to owner Tommy Houlihan, who has a deep devotion to the Miraculous Medal and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The 55-year-old told CNA that he views his shop as a “ministry for the Miraculous Medal.”

Houlihan has been a tattoo artist since 1990. He grew up in a Catholic household in Hell’s Kitchen, a neighborhood on the west side of midtown Manhattan, and by the age of 18 began his career in body art.

In the early years of his tattoo career, Houlihan shared that he was making a lot of money — he wore expensive jewelry and tailored clothes, went to steakhouses every night, and “lived like a rock star.”

“That’s all gone now,” he said. “It’s all gone because I went and really cracked down on my faith.”

About five years ago, Houlihan returned to the Catholic faith. A big factor was the powerful testimony of Zachary King, a former Satanist who had a powerful conversion to Catholicism after an encounter with the Miraculous Medal, a sacramental based on the vision of a French nun in 1830. St. Catherine Labouré, a young sister at the time, was instructed in an apparition of the Virgin Mary to have a special medal cast. Originally called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, it became better known as the “Miraculous Medal.”

After hearing King’s testimony, Houlihan began digging deeper into his faith and praying about what he should do with his tattoo shop. He also spoke to several priests, some of whom were exorcists, about his struggle of wanting to keep his tattoo shop open but also honoring his faith.

In one of his conversations, Houlihan told the priest about the kinds of places around his shop — a Wiccan coven to his right, a Masonic temple to his left, and a church of Scientology across the street — describing it as being “in a den of vipers.” The priest told Houlihan that he was the “antivenom.” This response moved Houlihan to hand his shop over to the Blessed Mother.

“I work almost exclusively on tourists from all over the world,” Houlihan explained. “And every single person that comes in my shop gets a medal when they first walk in. And then they fly back to France, Germany, Argentina, Canada, wherever they’re going back to, so that makes us a worldwide ministry.”

Houlihan has implemented strict guidelines for the type of work he and his employees do.

Some of the images that Houlihan’s shop declines to do include Satanic symbols, zodiac signs, anything related to witchcraft or sorcery (including shows like “Wicked” or “Harry Potter”), anything that desecrates a sacred image, anything related to the LGBT “pride” movement, and other things. He says he will also not tattoo on places on the body that are primarily meant to sexualize the individual.

“I cannot attach myself to anything in the occult and I can’t put that image on you. One day I got to answer for that,” he said.

Despite turning down many requests and handing out Miraculous Medals to those who are religious or not, Houlihan pointed out that “almost everybody gives a positive reaction.”

“I think 60% of the people react really favorably; I’d say maybe 30% are indifferent. But I do get some that don’t want it or people [who] are outright hostile to it,” he said.

When asked how his guidelines have impacted the business, Houlihan said: “I definitely took a hit, but the Blessed Mother’s making sure that I make enough money to get by.”

Seeing his tattoo shop as a ministry, Houlihan said he hopes those he encounters experience a change in their lives and in their faith.

“I hope they have an instant conversion,” he shared. “And if they’re a bad Catholic, [that] they become a good Catholic, and if they’re a good Catholic, [that] they become a great Catholic.”

He added that not only has his shop helped to keep his own faith “in line,” but it has also given him a way to evangelize and to “give the word of God” to all those who visit. 

CNA Staff, Jul 21, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

In the heart of New York City, nestled among the tall buildings of Times Square, sits a small tattoo shop with two 17-inch signs of the Miraculous Medal hanging outside the front door. Inside, walls of rosaries, crucifixes, and religious images greet visitors, while an old church pew serves as a place to sit and wait. A glass jar filled with blessed Miraculous Medals sits on the front desk. 

The tattoo parlor, Times Square Tattoo, is more than a tattoo parlor, according to owner Tommy Houlihan, who has a deep devotion to the Miraculous Medal and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The 55-year-old told CNA that he views his shop as a “ministry for the Miraculous Medal.”

Houlihan has been a tattoo artist since 1990. He grew up in a Catholic household in Hell’s Kitchen, a neighborhood on the west side of midtown Manhattan, and by the age of 18 began his career in body art.

In the early years of his tattoo career, Houlihan shared that he was making a lot of money — he wore expensive jewelry and tailored clothes, went to steakhouses every night, and “lived like a rock star.”

“That’s all gone now,” he said. “It’s all gone because I went and really cracked down on my faith.”

About five years ago, Houlihan returned to the Catholic faith. A big factor was the powerful testimony of Zachary King, a former Satanist who had a powerful conversion to Catholicism after an encounter with the Miraculous Medal, a sacramental based on the vision of a French nun in 1830. St. Catherine Labouré, a young sister at the time, was instructed in an apparition of the Virgin Mary to have a special medal cast. Originally called the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, it became better known as the “Miraculous Medal.”

After hearing King’s testimony, Houlihan began digging deeper into his faith and praying about what he should do with his tattoo shop. He also spoke to several priests, some of whom were exorcists, about his struggle of wanting to keep his tattoo shop open but also honoring his faith.

In one of his conversations, Houlihan told the priest about the kinds of places around his shop — a Wiccan coven to his right, a Masonic temple to his left, and a church of Scientology across the street — describing it as being “in a den of vipers.” The priest told Houlihan that he was the “antivenom.” This response moved Houlihan to hand his shop over to the Blessed Mother.

“I work almost exclusively on tourists from all over the world,” Houlihan explained. “And every single person that comes in my shop gets a medal when they first walk in. And then they fly back to France, Germany, Argentina, Canada, wherever they’re going back to, so that makes us a worldwide ministry.”

Houlihan has implemented strict guidelines for the type of work he and his employees do.

Some of the images that Houlihan’s shop declines to do include Satanic symbols, zodiac signs, anything related to witchcraft or sorcery (including shows like “Wicked” or “Harry Potter”), anything that desecrates a sacred image, anything related to the LGBT “pride” movement, and other things. He says he will also not tattoo on places on the body that are primarily meant to sexualize the individual.

“I cannot attach myself to anything in the occult and I can’t put that image on you. One day I got to answer for that,” he said.

Despite turning down many requests and handing out Miraculous Medals to those who are religious or not, Houlihan pointed out that “almost everybody gives a positive reaction.”

“I think 60% of the people react really favorably; I’d say maybe 30% are indifferent. But I do get some that don’t want it or people [who] are outright hostile to it,” he said.

When asked how his guidelines have impacted the business, Houlihan said: “I definitely took a hit, but the Blessed Mother’s making sure that I make enough money to get by.”

Seeing his tattoo shop as a ministry, Houlihan said he hopes those he encounters experience a change in their lives and in their faith.

“I hope they have an instant conversion,” he shared. “And if they’re a bad Catholic, [that] they become a good Catholic, and if they’re a good Catholic, [that] they become a great Catholic.”

He added that not only has his shop helped to keep his own faith “in line,” but it has also given him a way to evangelize and to “give the word of God” to all those who visit. 

WASHINGTON – Over 3,500 young adult pilgrims from across the United States gather in Rome for the Jubilee of Young People on July 30, and a livestream of the celebration will be available to allow those who are unable to attend to participate in the festivities. The event at the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls is organized by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), with the generous support of the Knights of Columbus. Other collaborators for the event include the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, and the website WorldYouthDay.com.

Dioceses are invited to share the information on the program and the livestream with their parishes so young people in the U.S. may virtually join the pilgrims in Rome for the Jubilee of Young People.

The program at the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls will include prayer, worship, and catechesis, including an opportunity to walk through the Basilica’s holy door. Cardinal James Harvey, the archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, is scheduled to welcome the pilgrims. The theme of the event, “missionary witnesses of hope,” will feature twelve saints and blessed who are connected to the history of the United States, or are significant to young people, with their images and an associated relic being part of a procession at the commencement of the program. Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee for Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth will provide a reflection on what it means to be a missionary witness in the contemporary world. Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas who is chairman-elect of the committee will lead a Eucharistic Holy Hour. 

The livestream of the event will available on the USCCB’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/usccb) on Wednesday, July 30 from 1:00-4:00 PM EDT.

###

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Peering at the sunlit skies through a Vatican-owned space telescope and calling the last surviving member of the Apollo 11 spaceflight mission was how Pope Leo XIV celebrated the anniversary of the first crewed moon landing.

U.S. astronaut Michael Collins flew the command module around the moon while Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first humans to land and walk on the lunar surface.

Pope Leo, who would have been 13 years old when the lunar module, the Eagle, touched down, video-called the 95-year-old Aldrin late July 20, "sharing with him the memory of this historic achievement -- a testimony to human ingenuity," the Vatican press office said.

They reflected together on Psalm 8, the office said, which marvels at the limitless grandeur of God, the smallness of human beings in creation and the amazing dignity and power that God has graciously bestowed upon them. 

During the return flight back to Earth, Aldrin, a Presbyterian, had read two verses of Psalm 8 from the King James Bible in a radio communication with NASA's mission control, saying, "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou has ordained; What is man that thou art mindful of him?"

Pope Leo and Aldrin together "reflected on the mystery of creation, its greatness and its fragility," the press office said July 20, releasing a photo of the pope and Aldrin with his wife, Anca Faur, taken during their video call.

Aldrin then posted on his X account, @TheRealBuzz: "Anca and I were grateful and touched to receive the highest blessing today, from His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV on the 56th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing."

"What an honor! We prayed for good health, long life, and prosperity for all humankind," the astronaut wrote.

The Vatican press office said Pope Leo blessed the astronaut, his family and his coworkers at the end of the call.

Earlier in the day, Pope Leo visited the Vatican Observatory, the headquarters of a team of Jesuit astronomers and scientists, located on the grounds of the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo.

The pope showed great interest in how the observatory's double astrograph telescope worked to take plate-glass photographs of the night sky, according to video clips released by the Vatican after the visit. 

The pope also visited the observatory's refractor telescope. The pope, who has a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the Augustinian-run Villanova University near Philadelphia, asked U.S. Jesuit Father David Brown to position the massive instrument toward a particular spot for a look.

Father Brown, an astronomer specializing in stellar evolution, serves as caretaker of the telescopes in Castel Gandolfo, and he assiduously followed the pope's request, maneuvering the telescope and the mechanized platform they were standing on.

St. Paul VI also visited the observatory the night of July 20-21, 1969, looking at the moon through its Schmidt telescope before he watched the actual landing and the first moon walk on television at the papal summer villa. 

Messages from religious leaders were among the artifacts collected to be flown on the lunar lander, and they remain there to this day for posterity. The messages include one personally handwritten by St. Paul alongside the printed text of Psalm 8.

St. Paul also sent a message honoring and blessing the three astronauts after they landed on the moon, calling them "conquerors of the moon, pale lamp of our nights and our dreams." He then met Armstrong, Collins and Aldrin at the Vatican Oct. 16, 1969.

The observatory traces its origins back to an observational tower erected in the Vatican Gardens by Pope Gregory XIII in 1578 so celestial studies could aid the reform of the Western calendar. Over time, a number of posts for celestial observation were set up along the Vatican walls and elsewhere in Rome. 

Pope Leo XIII formally established the Vatican Observatory -- placed on a hillside behind the dome of St. Peter's Basilica -- in 1891 as a visible sign of the church's centuries-old support for science. He also let the Holy See take part in a decades-long international survey of the night sky called the "Carte du Ciel."

The Jesuits have been entrusted with the Vatican Observatory since 1935, when Pope Pius XI decided to move the observatory from the Tower of the Winds in the Vatican to the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.

Two powerful telescopes were installed there in the 1930s under two separate domes located on the roof of the papal palace.

A separate building in the villa's gardens houses the historic Carte du Ciel telescope from 1891 and a Schmidt telescope from 1957 that Pope Pius XII purchased with his own money as a gift to the observatory. It also houses an exhibit showcasing historical scientific instruments, artifacts and meteorites from the observatory's collections.

The Jesuit observatory staff set up a second research center in Tucson, Arizona, in 1981 after Italian skies got too bright for nighttime observation. And in 1993, in collaboration with Steward Observatory, they completed the construction of the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope on Mount Graham -- considered one of the best astronomical sites in the continental United States.

Of all of the actions that we can carry out on this side of the veil, the most important is to receive Our Lord in Holy Communion.  Nothing can exceed its significance. Therefore, let us strive with every fiber of our being to receive Him frequently—if possible, on a daily basis—and to receive Him with […]