Good Saturday morning. The world kept moving overnight. Here's what happened, and what your faith has to say about it.
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Pope Leo XIV
Pope at Chrism Mass: Priests must spread Christ's peace where death reigns
Pope Leo XIV addressed priests, bishops, and all Christians at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday, calling them to embrace their challenges with trust in God and 'spread the fragrance of Christ where the stench of death' reigns. His message directly confronts the violence and suffering dominating today's world, from Gaza to Ukraine to Iran.
Papal Homily | Response to World Events
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Matthew 28:1-10
"After the sabbath, and towards dawn on the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to visit the sepulchre. And all at once there was a violent earthquake, for the angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled away the stone and sat on it. His face was like lightning, his robe white as snow."
| Rosary Mystery of the Day | |
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Today's Mysteries |
Saturday: Joyful Mysteries |
Joyful Mysteries
- 1. The Annunciation
- 2. The Visitation
- 3. The Nativity of Our Lord
- 4. The Presentation in the Temple
- 5. The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple
The Objection
"Why do Catholics pray to saints? They're dead. The Bible says there's one mediator between God and man: Jesus. Praying to saints is basically necromancy."
The Catholic Response
Catholics don't pray to saints the way we pray to God. We ask them to intercede for us, exactly the way you might ask a friend to pray for you. The difference is that these friends are alive in Christ, because as Jesus told the Sadducees, "He is not God of the dead but of the living" (Luke 20:38). Revelation 5:8 shows the elders in heaven presenting the prayers of the holy ones to God, and the early Church practiced this from the beginning; the second-century graffiti in the Roman catacombs includes inscriptions like "Peter and Paul, pray for us" (CCC 956, 2683).
CCC 956 | CCC 2683 | Luke 20:38 | Revelation 5:8 | 1 Timothy 2:5
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Test Your Faith IQ |
Liturgy |
During the Easter Vigil, how many Old Testament readings are prescribed before the Epistle and Gospel?
- A) Three
- B) Five
- C) Seven
- D) Nine
Answer at the bottom of this newsletter.
 Photo: CBS News
CBS News
NASA released stunning new photos of Earth from the Artemis II mission, capturing the whole planet along with the Northern and Southern lights.
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FAITH & THE WORLD |
Psalm 19:2 |
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands."
CCC 341, The beauty of the universe
The Catechism teaches that "the beauty of creation reflects the infinite beauty of the Creator" (CCC 341). On this Holy Saturday, as we read Genesis 1 and wait between crucifixion and resurrection, a photo of Earth wrapped in light reminds us that creation itself is already testimony: God looked at everything he made and called it very good.
Reflect → When was the last time something beautiful stopped you cold and made you think of the One who made it?
 Photo: ABC News
ABC News
U.S. and Israeli forces continue major combat operations against Iran, with Trump's national security team convening as strikes escalate.
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FAITH & THE WORLD |
Isaiah 2:4 |
"They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again."
CCC 2307-2309, Just War Doctrine
The Church does not demand pacifism, but she sets a brutally high bar: all peaceful alternatives must be exhausted, the damage inflicted must not be disproportionate, and there must be serious prospect of success (CCC 2309). Tonight, as we keep vigil over a tomb and wait for resurrection, the Church begs the same question she always begs: have we truly tried everything else first?
Reflect → Do you pray for enemies as readily as you pray for your own country's soldiers?
 Photo: The Verge
The Verge
The beloved indie game returns in 3D, turning brutal, repeated failure into an oddly satisfying experience.
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FAITH & THE WORLD |
Romans 5:3-4 |
"We even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope."
CCC 1508, Redemptive Suffering
A game built on dying hundreds of times and getting back up is, accidentally, a decent metaphor for the spiritual life. St. Josemaría Escrivá put it plainly: "A saint is a sinner who keeps trying." The whole Easter Vigil tonight proclaims that suffering is not the final word; getting back up is.
Reflect → What failure do you keep replaying in your head instead of hitting 'restart' with God's mercy?
 Photo: Good Good Good
Good Good Good
A weekly roundup celebrates uplifting stories about community parks, animal rescue, and new playgrounds.
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FAITH & GOOD NEWS |
Philippians 4:8 |
"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
CCC 2500, Goodness and Beauty as Paths to God
Paul's command to the Philippians is not naive optimism; it is a discipline. On the night when the Church sits with a dead Christ and waits, choosing to notice goodness in parks and playgrounds and rescued animals is an act of faith that light is stronger than the dark we are sitting in.
Reflect → What piece of good news have you scrolled past this week that deserved your gratitude?
 Photo: Good News Network
Good News Network
On this date 51 years ago, Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft, a partnership between childhood friends that changed how the world works.
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FAITH & GOOD NEWS |
Sirach 6:14 |
"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; whoever finds one finds a treasure."
CCC 1939, Human Solidarity and Friendship
Gates and Allen built something enormous from a childhood friendship, which echoes what the Church teaches about solidarity: great works begin with genuine human bonds, not transactions (CCC 1939-1942). God himself chose to redeem the world not through a solo act but through a community of disciples who called each other friends.
Reflect → Which friendship in your life could become something bigger if you invested in it with real intention?
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DAILY WORD GAME
Test your Catholic vocabulary
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Saint of the Day |
April 4 |
Saint Isidore of Seville
Isidore compiled the Etymologiae, a 20-volume encyclopedia that attempted to catalog all human knowledge. It was essentially the Wikipedia of the Middle Ages and remained a standard reference for nearly 900 years. He's the patron saint of the internet, computer users, and programmers, officially proposed in 1997.
His feast falls on April 4, and on a day when we celebrate both Microsoft's founding anniversary and photos from deep space, a saint who tried to organize all knowledge feels exactly right.
Trivia Answer
C . The Easter Vigil Liturgy of the Word includes seven Old Testament readings (though for pastoral reasons some may be shortened to a minimum of three, always including Exodus 14). It is the longest and most elaborate liturgy of the entire Church year.
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