Your parish priest is a fallen human being. He may hurt your feelings or he may make bad decisions – just like the Apostles did to their contemporaries. But he needs your gratitude, your help, and your encouragement. He needs your prayers. Transformed Spring teems with new life—not just in the form of budding trees […]

The post Our Priests Need Us appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

A Daily Quote to Inspire Your Catholic Faith “Serve the Lord joyfully!” -Saint John Bosco The Memorial of St. John Bosco, Priest, Confessor and Founder (1815 – 1888) is January 31. Image credit: “St. John Bosco” (detail) | Attributed to Carlo Felice Deasti, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons Please help spread the Gospel. Share this […]

The post Daily Quote — Saint John Bosco appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

The fact that Robert Cardinal Prevost has taken the name Leo IV, indicating his respect for his predecessor, Leo XIII, provides Catholics with a strong incentive to return to the latter’s encyclicals.  Pope Leo’s encyclical Rerum Novarum which the new pope mentioned in particular, deals with the worker.  The encyclical outlined here, Aeterni Patris, concerns […]

The first moment we encounter Mary in the Gospel is when she is visited by the archangel, Gabriel, in Nazareth, where he announced that she would conceive and bear the Incarnate Son of God to the world. Ultimately, her response was, “Behold I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me […]

During His conversation with the apostles on the night of His arrest, Jesus looks into the future.  What does He see? Gospel (Read Jn. 14:23-29) In a long section of St. John’s Gospel that we call “the Last Supper Discourse” (see Jn. 13-17), Jesus begins to anticipate His departure from this world and what that […]

St. John Baptist Rossi was born in 1698 in the village of Voltaggio, Italy. From an early age, he showed a deep love for God and a special compassion for the poor and sick. Moving to Rome as a teenager to pursue his studies for the priesthood, he battled serious health issues throughout his life […]

ENCOUNTERING THE WORD — YOUR DAILY BIBLE VERSES “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.” – John 15:9 Please help spread the Gospel. Share this scripture with family and friends on Facebook and other social media. We depend on your generous giving… Can you give as little […]

The post Your Daily Bible Verses — John 14:27 appeared first on Integrated Catholic Life™.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 22, 2025 / 18:13 pm (CNA).

As part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape American foreign aid, his administration is ending federal funds for nearly a dozen projects operated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to provide free school meals to children internationally.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ended funding for 11 of the 13 projects CRS operates through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, which was created with bipartisan support in the early 2000s. The funds support international school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects with American agriculture commodities, according to the USDA.

According to CRS, the termination of these funds will affect more than 780,000 school-aged children in 11 countries. The funding will end this July.

“This decision isn’t just a policy shift — it’s a life-altering blow to hundreds of thousands of children who rely on these meals to stay healthy, stay in school, and stay hopeful about their future,” CRS President and CEO Sean Callahan said in a statement.

CRS contends that, in some impoverished countries, this program provides children with their only reliable meal daily. In a news release, CRS also maintained that the programs strengthen local communities and that terminating these contracts will threaten food security and economic stability in the affected nations.

“Ending a program that provides a child’s only meal is deeply troubling and goes against our values as a nation and as people of faith,” Callahan said. “We have a moral responsibility to ensure vulnerable children have access to the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and build a better future.”

A spokesperson for the USDA confirmed the termination of these funds and told CNA the decision was part of an effort to ensure the programs “align with the president’s agenda to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

“We look forward to ensuring USDA foreign aid is spent implementing existing projects as well as any new projects that continue to put American agriculture at the forefront and align with the president’s agenda,” the spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, the USDA ended 17 McGovern-Dole program agreements in total, 11 of which were operated by CRS. The USDA continues to fund 30 projects through that program, two of which CRS operates. The remaining programs serve 22 countries.

Additionally, the spokesperson said the USDA ended funding for 27 Food for Progress program agreements that were also “not in alignment with the foreign assistance objectives of the Trump administration.” The other 14 Food for Progress agreements, which serve 17 countries, will still be funded.

“It is important to note that all U.S. agricultural producers have received payment for commodities for which invoices have been received,” the spokesperson said. “Those projects which were terminated received a 30-day notification. During this time partners are required to deliver any commodity to its final destination, in accordance with the agreement, to ensure no product goes to waste.”

Callahan, alternatively, said the success of its programs is “undeniable,” adding that he has seen firsthand “the remarkable contributions of the community and local government” in one of the countries, Honduras.

“I spoke with young children who endure nearly two-hour walks to school each day — driven by the hope of receiving both a meal and an education,” he said. “It is un-American to stand by and not provide assistance while hunger robs children of their chance to learn and thrive.”

Callahan requested that the administration “reconsider its decision and restore funding for these life-affirming programs,” saying a reversal would “ensure children continue to have access to daily meals in school and invest in their future, their health, and their ability to break the cycle of poverty.”

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 22, 2025 / 18:13 pm (CNA).

As part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape American foreign aid, his administration is ending federal funds for nearly a dozen projects operated by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to provide free school meals to children internationally.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ended funding for 11 of the 13 projects CRS operates through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program, which was created with bipartisan support in the early 2000s. The funds support international school feeding and maternal and child nutrition projects with American agriculture commodities, according to the USDA.

According to CRS, the termination of these funds will affect more than 780,000 school-aged children in 11 countries. The funding will end this July.

“This decision isn’t just a policy shift — it’s a life-altering blow to hundreds of thousands of children who rely on these meals to stay healthy, stay in school, and stay hopeful about their future,” CRS President and CEO Sean Callahan said in a statement.

CRS contends that, in some impoverished countries, this program provides children with their only reliable meal daily. In a news release, CRS also maintained that the programs strengthen local communities and that terminating these contracts will threaten food security and economic stability in the affected nations.

“Ending a program that provides a child’s only meal is deeply troubling and goes against our values as a nation and as people of faith,” Callahan said. “We have a moral responsibility to ensure vulnerable children have access to the nourishment they need to learn, grow, and build a better future.”

A spokesperson for the USDA confirmed the termination of these funds and told CNA the decision was part of an effort to ensure the programs “align with the president’s agenda to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

“We look forward to ensuring USDA foreign aid is spent implementing existing projects as well as any new projects that continue to put American agriculture at the forefront and align with the president’s agenda,” the spokesperson said.

According to the spokesperson, the USDA ended 17 McGovern-Dole program agreements in total, 11 of which were operated by CRS. The USDA continues to fund 30 projects through that program, two of which CRS operates. The remaining programs serve 22 countries.

Additionally, the spokesperson said the USDA ended funding for 27 Food for Progress program agreements that were also “not in alignment with the foreign assistance objectives of the Trump administration.” The other 14 Food for Progress agreements, which serve 17 countries, will still be funded.

“It is important to note that all U.S. agricultural producers have received payment for commodities for which invoices have been received,” the spokesperson said. “Those projects which were terminated received a 30-day notification. During this time partners are required to deliver any commodity to its final destination, in accordance with the agreement, to ensure no product goes to waste.”

Callahan, alternatively, said the success of its programs is “undeniable,” adding that he has seen firsthand “the remarkable contributions of the community and local government” in one of the countries, Honduras.

“I spoke with young children who endure nearly two-hour walks to school each day — driven by the hope of receiving both a meal and an education,” he said. “It is un-American to stand by and not provide assistance while hunger robs children of their chance to learn and thrive.”

Callahan requested that the administration “reconsider its decision and restore funding for these life-affirming programs,” saying a reversal would “ensure children continue to have access to daily meals in school and invest in their future, their health, and their ability to break the cycle of poverty.”

Washington D.C., May 22, 2025 / 17:43 pm (CNA).

On Wednesday evening, May 21, two Israeli embassy staff members were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

“This senseless act of violence is a sobering reminder of the deadly consequences of antisemitism,” Students Supporting Israel (SSI) a student organization at The Catholic University of America (CUA) said in a press release. 

The two embassy staffers killed were identified as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Milgrim, an American. The young couple was about to be engaged, Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S., said at a press conference. He added Lischinsky planned to propose next week in Jerusalem.

Police authorities in the nation’s capital reported that the suspect, Elias Rodriguez, admitted to the killings and yelled “Free, free Palestine” while in police custody. 

“Antisemitism in the U.S. is at an all-time high, with Washington, D.C., now shaken by this act of hate,” SSI said, adding that the organization "continues to advocate for greater awareness, stronger protections, and unambiguous condemnation of antisemitic violence in all forms.”

“We stand in unwavering solidarity with the Jewish community; on our campus, in our city, and around the world.”

Philos Catholic, an arm of the Philos Project that fosters Catholic-Jewish relations, noted that the couple “was attending an event for young diplomats that focused on providing humanitarian aid to those in need and building bridges across national and religious lines” just prior to the attack.

“They were living out the core commands of the Bible: to do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” Philos Catholic said in a statement shared with CNA. “They modeled the heart of diplomats from Israel — the nation that gave the world the Bible, the book that teaches us how God expects us to live and act toward one another.”

On Thursday, Philos Catholic organized a vigil to honor the two lives lost. Christians and Jews gathered outside the museum where the attack took place to offer flowers and notes. The museum is across the street from Holy Rosary Catholic Church in the city’s northwest quadrant. Several held signs that said: “Christians and Jews united against hate.”

In a statement, the archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Robert McElroy, said: “The Catholic community of Washington and Maryland stands in prayer, shock, and solidarity with the families of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, with the people of Israel, and with the entire Jewish community, which has been attacked in this act of antisemitic hatred and murder.”

“Let us profoundly deepen our prayers and our commitment to root out hate in our midst whenever and wherever it surfaces,” McElroy added.

In tandem with McElroy, New York archbishop Cardinal Timothy Dolan declared: “We stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters in this moment of pain, praying that all may live in the peace and security that God surely intends for us.” 

“May their memory be a blessing. As has been so evident in these last months and years, antisemitism is still pervasive in our country and our world, and the Catholic community in New York today renews our resolve to working to eradicate this evil,” Dolan concluded.