Bishop Erik Varden invoked a ninth-century prayer for the dying as he commended King Harald V to God's mercy on behalf of Norwegian Catholics.
King Harald V of Norway, Europe's oldest reigning monarch, died on Aug. 28 at Oslo University Hospital. He was 89.
A Requiem Mass for King Harald will be celebrated at St. Olav's Cathedral in Trondheim on Aug. 29 at noon, and Lauds and Vespers will also be offered for the late monarch.
EWTN Norway is streaming the services on its website and YouTube channel.
Within hours of the king's death, Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim published a tribute on behalf of Norwegian Catholics. He commended Harald to God's mercy and offered prayers for Queen Sonja, the royal family, and the new King Haakon VIII.
Varden, a Trappist monk who also serves as apostolic administrator of Tromsø and president of the Nordic Bishops' Conference, opened his reflection with the ninth-century Commendatio Animae — the Church's prayer for the dying.
"Go forth, Christian soul, from this world in the name of God, the Almighty Father, who created you; in the name of Jesus Christ, the living Son of God, who suffered for you; and in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you," the prayer begins.
Varden wrote that the prayer reminds the faithful that death is a transition "from life to Life."
Prayers for the new king
Varden described Harald as a monarch who embodied the nation in an exemplary way, giving Norwegians a sense of being seen and cared for.
"He was so completely and utterly king, devoted to the people, that it was as if no ego stood in the way," the bishop wrote. "In this way, he drew near to us in a comforting way."
Harald "has spoken wisely to us, with a subtle sense of humor that we will miss," Varden added.
The bishop placed the king's passing in the context of the ancient acclamation "The King is dead; long live the King," and wrote that the monarchy stands as "a stable pillar in society" that represents continuity.
"In a time as uncertain as ours, that is a comfort," he wrote.
Varden called on Norwegian Catholics to pray for King Haakon VIII. He asked the faithful for "blessings and wisdom," and called on Catholics to stand loyally by the new sovereign..
Closing his tribute, the bishop invoked the intercession of St. Olav, Norway's patron saint.
King Harald's reign
Harald V was born on Feb. 21, 1937, and ascended the throne on Jan. 17, 1991, succeeding his father, King Olav V. He reigned for 35 years.
A three-time Olympic yachtsman, Harald modernized the Norwegian royal house. Later in his life, he refused to abdicate, saying he had taken a lifelong oath before the Norwegian parliament.
He had experienced multiple health problems in recent years.
Harald is survived by Queen Sonja, 89, his wife of 57 years, and their two children: Princess Märtha Louise, 54, and the new King Haakon VIII, 53. His granddaughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is now next in line to the throne.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has called for and investment in education, work, and special projects so Christian families can remain in the Holy Land.
The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem has warned that the Christian presence in the Holy Land is going through one of the most critical moments in its 2,000-year history, calling for the transition from emergency response to investment in education, work, and special projects, giving families practical reasons to remain.
In an article titled "Hope Demands Action" released on Aug. 21, the patriarchate said restrictions on movement, the cancellation of work permits, and the paralysis of the tourism sector have exacerbated the conditions of Christian families in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and the villages scattered in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and affected their ability to work and secure their needs.
The Catholic diocese — whose territory includes Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, and Palestine and is supported by six vicariates — highlighted that the unemployment rate in Christian communities in the Holy Land is 54%, which is about double the national average.
The patriarchate also pointed out that artisans, hotel workers, shopkeepers, tour guides, drivers, and restaurant owners rely heavily on pilgrims and visitors, which have significantly declined over the years, threatening livelihoods.
The patriarchate said the repercussions of the crisis extend to the younger generations, as limited job opportunities after university or vocational training may push young people to migrate, raising concerns for a generation that believes its future may be outside the land of its ancestors.
Gaza at the heart of the crisis
According to the patriarchate, only 541 Christians remain in the Gaza Strip, while others have been forced to flee and still others were killed in the war or lost their lives amid the collapse of medical care and lack of basic supplies.
The patriarchate said the possibility that no more Christians will be left in the Holy Land does not represent just a demographic change but a "crisis in history, identity, and faith," stressing that a living Christian presence should remain in a land where Christianity originated.
The article called for international Christian solidarity to go beyond responding to emergency needs, including education, vocational training, special projects, and support for community institutions, allowing families to build a decent and sustainable life in their homeland.
In this context, the article referred to a back-to-school initiative to cover basic educational expenses for children and families most in need, stressing that keeping schools open — and reopening them where possible — represents a message that destruction will not have the final say.
The patriarchate stressed that the Christians of the Holy Land do not want to be a part of the past but desire the opportunity to live, work, raise their children, and exercise their faith in dignity in the land where Christianity began.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Caritas Nepal has begun distributing relief and operating community kitchens as authorities warn of a second flood following the deadliest natural disaster in Nepal's recorded history.
Authorities are warning of a second flood after Wednesday's devastating deluge on the Nepal-China border, which left more than 1,500 people missing, many presumed dead.
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said a lake at the flood site was rising and at risk of bursting, raising the prospect of another deadly disaster.
China's Minister of Water Resources said the lake had formed inside Nepal and was already overflowing. A further 3 million cubic meters could flow in over three days, the ministry said, raising the risk of a breach during that window to a high level. Rain is forecast across the coming days.
Catholic relief agencies immediately responded to the unfolding disaster, linking their efforts to the urgent needs created by the floods.
Caritas Nepal said it had mobilized teams and begun operating community kitchens in areas where people lost their homes, while also distributing immediate relief supplies. Some Catholics who had been working in tourist areas remain unaccounted for, the agency said.
Catholic Relief Services launched an emergency appeal, saying it was coordinating with Caritas Nepal and local partners to assess urgent needs and support affected communities.
Caritas Australia launched an urgent flood appeal, confirming teams are on the ground assessing the scale of the disaster and the needs it has created.
The needs will most likely include emergency shelter, clean water and sanitation, food, and immediate and long-term recovery, the aid agency noted.
The apostolic administrator of Nepal told Fides news agency on Thursday this was "the worst disaster in the country's history."
"It was terrible. A flood coming from the mountains, and directed violently towards the valley, overwhelmed everything: people, homes, bridges, structures. Villages, markets, and roads were swept away. It is a serious wound for the nation," Father Silas Krishna Bogati said.
"We have about 25 Catholic families in the disaster area; they appear to be safe, but we are very worried about them," he said. "We entrust them to God, we pray for their safety, and we will do everything we can to help them."
Bogati noted that Nepalese, as well as foreigners and tourists, were in the area at the time of the disaster.
At least 392 people have been killed, 389 of them in Nepal and three in Tibet, according to Nepali authorities and Chinese state media. More than 900 remain unaccounted for in Nepal and more than 550 in Tibet; 466 people have been rescued.
Pope Leo sent his condolences and offered prayers for the victims on Thursday, expressing solidarity with those affected by the floods. In an Aug. 27 telegram sent on behalf of Leo, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the pope was "saddened to learn of the loss of life and devastation" caused by the floods.
"Commending the souls of the deceased to the clemency of the Almighty, His Holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, with the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those affected by this tragedy," the telegram said.
This story was updated on Aug. 28, 2026, with details from Caritas Nepal and Catholic Relief Services.
Local Catholic families, foreigners, and tourists were among those affected as Caritas launched a flood appeal.
Authorities are warning of a second flood after Wednesday's devastating deluge on the Nepal-China border, which left more than 1,500 people missing, many presumed dead.
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said a lake at the flood site was rising and at risk of bursting, raising the prospect of another deadly disaster.
China's Minister of Water Resources said the lake had formed inside Nepal and was already overflowing. A further 3 million cubic meters could flow in over three days, the ministry said, raising the risk of a breach during that window to a high level. Rain is forecast across the coming days.
Catholic relief agencies immediately responded to the unfolding disaster, linking their efforts to the urgent needs created by the floods. Caritas Australia launched an urgent flood appeal, confirming teams are on the ground assessing the scale of the disaster and the needs it has created.
The needs will most likely include emergency shelter, clean water and sanitation, food, and immediate and long-term recovery, the aid agency noted.
The apostolic administrator of Nepal told Fides news agency on Thursday this was "the worst disaster in the country's history."
"It was terrible. A flood coming from the mountains, and directed violently towards the valley, overwhelmed everything: people, homes, bridges, structures. Villages, markets, and roads were swept away. It is a serious wound for the nation," Father Silas Krishna Bogati said.
"We have about 25 Catholic families in the disaster area; they appear to be safe, but we are very worried about them," he said. "We entrust them to God, we pray for their safety, and we will do everything we can to help them."
Bogati noted that Nepalese, as well as foreigners and tourists, were in the area at the time of the disaster.
At least 392 people have been killed, 389 of them in Nepal and three in Tibet, according to Nepali authorities and Chinese state media. More than 900 remain unaccounted for in Nepal and more than 550 in Tibet; 466 people have been rescued.
Pope Leo sent his condolences and offered prayers for the victims on Thursday, expressing solidarity with those affected by the floods. In an Aug. 27 telegram sent on behalf of Leo, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the pope was "saddened to learn of the loss of life and devastation" caused by the floods.
"Commending the souls of the deceased to the clemency of the Almighty, His Holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, with the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those affected by this tragedy," the telegram said.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, explains her support for Dr. Heidi Overton and previews the nominee's confirmation battle on Capitol Hill.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of a major pro-life advocacy group, said President Donald Trump's new nominee for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) commissioner, Dr. Heidi Overton, is "the right person for the job."
"I'm very impressed with her credentials and her pro-life heart," Dannenfelser said in an Aug. 26 interview with "EWTN Pro-Life Weekly" anchor Abigail Galván. "She, behind the scenes, was working very hard to make sure that the FDA was moving in the right direction on a new study to base further action on."
The position became vacant after Dr. Marty Makary was fired and is currently filled by acting commissioner Kyle Diamantas, whom Dannenfelser also described as "a very strong pro-life person."
"We've been extremely disappointed from the beginning of the administration with the direction of the FDA and the inaction from the Department of Justice, or the undermining of the pro-life priorities at the Department of Justice," Dannenfelser said. "What I think is that her naming is an indication of the right direction that … this administration is now taking."
Confirmation hearings will begin as soon as the Senate is back in session. Dannenfelser said she anticipates the hearings "will probably go pretty well."
"Now, it doesn't mean that the hard questions shouldn't be asked," she said. "They must be asked, and one of those questions would be the direction of the study: How long it will take? What do you see about preliminary findings come out that the court has ordered to be communicated in early October? And do you support the Department of Justice doing what it can to settle this case and get the drugs immediately out of the mail?"
"Because there is a challenge from the state of Louisiana, representing many states, that are saying what we all know: They have basically nullified those state laws," she continued. "They've put a burden on states to help women that should never have been in a horrible situation. So while it's a question about the Department of Justice, one should not claim that the FDA is the only entity that can do something about fixing this horrific problem that is occurring for children and women in this nation."
Dannenfelser called for a return to the first Trump administration policy on abortion drugs.
"We've been battling for quite some time from the beginning of this administration to get these drugs out of the mail, and all we're hoping for, and what all any sane voter wants to see, is that on the at least on the Republican side, that we return to the first Trump administration policy on the distribution of these drugs, that only in a Biden administration that put on an emergency cloak around the distribution around the COVID moment," she said.
"It's time to restore the first Trump administration rules — no reason why we shouldn't," she said. "The DOJ can act now and should."
Will Catholic colleges follow the University of Chicago as it shifts its social sciences classes to fully analog instruction this fall? At least one says it may.
Newman Guide institutions are shaping their classroom approach to rapidly evolving artificial intelligence through Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, emphasizing human dignity and guarding against the technology's potential to weaken authentic learning.
Five Catholic colleges and universities told EWTN News they are crafting classroom AI policies in light of the pope's encyclical, as the University of Chicago moves — as first reported by the student newspaper The Chicago Maroon — to make social sciences classes fully analog this fall.
Belmont Abbey College
"The Chicago response in their core classes resonates strongly with where our thoughts are going, although they're a bit ahead of us in formulating a general policy," David Williams, dean of arts and sciences and professor of theology at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina, told EWTN News.
"Discussions on the pedagogical response to AI have been ongoing for some time now, with new impetus as we absorb Pope Leo's encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas," Williams said. "There's a significant contingent among the faculty who prefer the all-analog approach, at least in our core curriculum classes, and are teaching accordingly as a matter of individual choice."
According to Williams, a faculty-led committee is expected to deliver a report to the university's president and provost by the end of the fall 2026 semester.
"I wouldn't be surprised at all to see a recommendation similar to Chicago's for all our core curriculum courses; the core here is a substantial part of the overall degree program, so that would be more than 40% of a graduate's coursework," he said.
Ave Maria University
Daniel Davy, dean of faculty and associate professor of history at Ave Maria University in southwest Florida, told EWTN News that Pope Leo's "concern for preserving genuine human formation, rather than outsourcing it to a machine, is at the heart of AMU's approach to teaching and learning" but noted that the university does not have plans to institute a university-wide AI ban.
"AMU approaches AI with what Pope Leo XIV calls in the encyclical a spirit of 'prudence, rigorous evaluation and even, at times, a slower pace' (par. 106), rather than either uncritical adoption or blanket prohibition," Davy said in an email.
"AMU does not have a university-wide AI ban comparable to the University of Chicago's Social Sciences Core policy; academic policy here is set at the course and department level, since pedagogical needs vary by discipline," he continued, noting that the university's academic honor code bans use of generative AI in any part of the writing process and in all freshmen- and sophomore-level courses.
"We are far less concerned with whether a student turns in a perfectly polished paper than with how the student grows through the act of trying to communicate an idea," Davy said. "This is where generative AI poses its deepest danger, because it offloads the process of thinking onto a machine that cannot, in fact, think. Outsourcing that struggle diminishes a student's own capacity to encounter truth more deeply in each discipline, and through that truth, ultimately, Christ, to whom every field of knowledge points."
University of Mary
"Here at Mary, one of our charisms is Friendship with Truth," David Echelbarger, vice president for academic affairs at the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, told EWTN News in an email. "Because we are made in the image of a Triune God who is himself a communion of Persons," he said, "we are not made to arrive at the truth alone. We come to it through dialogue and conversation with other people."
"One concern with AI, then, is that it turns learning into an isolated, impersonal endeavor," he said. "To counter that, many of our professors are incorporating into their courses activities that require hard and rigorous thinking together."
Additionally, he said, all faculty members have been asked to place an AI policy on each of their assignments, clarifying the degree to which the technology is permitted for each individual assignment, "which is meant to help students understand when the use of AI is a hindrance to their intellectual formation and when it is a helpful learning tool."
Benedictine College
Mariele Courtois, assistant professor of theology and director of the Center for Technology and Human Dignity at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, told EWTN News that the college's "Academic Misconduct" statement was recently updated "to clearly state that AI cannot be used 'in place of a student's own effort,' in order to respect the learning process and the special connection between students and their academic work, which should reveal the students' own personalities and convictions."
"While some classes, especially in the STEM fields, may utilize or learn about AI — including its function, risks, dangers, and potential promises — many professors choose to make their classes AI-free both in the lecture hall and for homework, especially in Theology and the humanities," Courtois said in an email. "Benedictine College respects the prudential judgment of professors to make the pedagogical choices that are best suited to their particular class goals and the aims of their respective disciplines."
Courtois noted the college's Center for Technology and Human Dignity was recently founded "to help guide discussions about rising biomedical and digital technologies in light of Catholic moral teaching."
In addition, she said, the theme of the college's annual Symposium on Transforming Culture on Sept. 4–5 will be "The Church in an Algorithmic Age" and "will bring together intellectuals and students from many fields and business sectors to discuss the ethical questions and social implications for transformative technologies such as AI."
University of St. Thomas
"With Pope Leo XIV, UST is alive both to the ways in which AI can serve the human and the ways in which the human can be made to serve the work of His hands," Thomas Harmon, professor of theology and director of the University of St. Thomas' honors program special projects, told EWTN News in an email.
Harmon said the university, located in Houston, does not have a blanket ban on artificial intelligence but noted that many core courses prohibit screens and emphasize developing students' own skills rather than relying on AI.
"We regard AI as an important and potentially very useful technology that needs to be utilized in ways that serve rather than replace human excellence, which requires training, formation, practice, and guidance by faculty mentors who themselves have already cultivated the habits we want our students to develop," he said.
"Since it is so new, the ways in which it can be responsibly integrated into an excellent liberal education are not all clear yet, but we are confident that we will be able to integrate this new technology analogously to the ways in which we have integrated other useful technologies like books, pencils, white boards, and computers," Harmon said.
Several hundred deaths have been reported so far after a glacial collapse drove catastrophic flooding on the Nepal-China border.
Pope Leo XIV has offered prayers and condolences to the victims of major floods along the Nepal-China border that have claimed several hundred lives so far.
The flooding disaster was driven by what the U.S. Geological Survey said was a glacial collapse near the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu, one that displaced huge volumes of water and generated catastrophic flooding downstream.
Videos circulating on social media from closed-circuit camera footage showed massive waves of water rushing across the landscape and overtaking entire structures as local residents ran for their lives.
In an Aug. 27 telegram sent on behalf of the Holy Father, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the pope was "saddened to learn of the loss of life and devastation" caused by the floods.
"Commending the souls of the deceased to the clemency of the Almighty, His Holiness sends heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved, together with the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those affected by this tragedy," the telegram said.
"Likewise offering prayers for the emergency personnel engaged in the ongoing rescue efforts, [the pope] invokes upon all divine assistance and protection," the message continued.
The tragedy has resulted in a global outpouring of support, with governments and humanitarian organizations mobilizing to respond to the catastrophe with resources and assistance.
The U.S. Department of State said it was deploying a "disaster response advisor" to the region to help manage rescue and cleanup efforts. The government said it would also distribute $500,000 in assistance via Catholic Relief Services.
The United Nations, meanwhile, said it had released $2 million from its Global Emergency Fund to provide emergency medical care, water, and shelter to those affected by the flooding.
Workers with the U.N. World Food Programme and the U.N. Children's Fund were also being deployed to the region with supply trucks.
Dolly Parton's "life shows what can grow from faith, perseverance, imagination, and love for one's neighbors — even from humble beginnings," the Diocese of Knoxville reported.
The Diocese of Knoxville is mourning the passing of American artist and Tennessee native Dolly Parton and reflecting on her legacy.
"I am very sorry to hear of her passing, and I am praying for those who are mourning her loss," said Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville in a statement. "She made a wonderful contribution to our world and our community, and she will be greatly missed."
The artist passed away on Aug. 25 at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer. Parton is being remembered across the world for her work as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist whose career spanned over 60 years.
"East Tennessee knew Dolly Parton as more than a world-famous star. We knew her as one of our own," the diocese said in a statement.
"She was shaped by these hills and these churches. Her life shows what can grow from faith, perseverance, imagination, and love for one's neighbors — even from humble beginnings," the statement said.
Parton, who was not Catholic, sang and spoke frequently about her Christian faith and love for Jesus. Some of her public views — including her support for same-sex marriage — differed from Catholic teaching. She was publicly silent on her views about abortion.
"She first sang in a small Pentecostal church, long before the world knew her name," the diocesan statement said. Parton included the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame in her Dollywood theme park.
"She never hid her faith. It showed up in the hymns she recorded across six decades, in how openly she talked about God, and in the millions of free books her Imagination Library has placed in children's hands," the statement said.
Parton's "life carried the spirit of our mountain home far beyond the Smokies," the statement said.
"As Catholics, we entrust her to the mercy of Almighty God. We pray that Jesus, who is the resurrection and the life, will receive her into His eternal kingdom," the statement said.
Remembering Parton's 'generosity'
Father Jim Sichko, a papal missionary of mercy who has repeatedly referred to Parton as a friend, also mourned the artist's passing, calling her "a woman whose extraordinary gifts reached far beyond the stage."
"As a Papal Missionary of Mercy, I will remember Dolly not simply as an icon of American music, but as a woman who understood that blessings are meant to be shared," Sichko said in a statement.
Father Jim Sichko and Dolly Parton on May 27, 2014. | Credit: Steve Bates/photo courtesy of Father Jim Sichko
Sichko, a priest of the Diocese of Lexington, said he "had the privilege of welcoming Dolly to my church on several occasions." He added: "She generously used her presence and influence to help raise money to support my ministry and its work of mercy."
Parton "never forgot where she came from, and she never seemed to forget the people who needed a helping hand," Sichko said.
"Her faith, generosity, humor, and unmistakable spirit touched millions," he said.
"My faith impacts everything that I do because I do believe that, through God, all things are possible," Parton said in a 2023 interview with Fox News. "And so I always ask God to bless everything that I do and the people that I work with and to bring all the right things and right people into my life and to take the wrong ones out."
"So, I try to just live through love as much as I can," Parton said.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary said that while roughly 99% of those who had lost power have now had it restored, significant needs remain among residents recovering from the recent storms.
When a storm pummeled the electric grid and plunged much of northwest Indiana into darkness two weeks ago, Karen Simon was grateful she had a generator at her house to keep her refrigerator running so her food wouldn't spoil.
But unlike most people, she had another set of refrigerators to worry about — the commercial ones at the food pantry she coordinates at her parish, St. Mary of the Lake in Gary.
"I have two or three freezers full of meat. I have two refrigerators full of refrigerated items. Panic sets in, because I do not have a generator there," Simon told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News.
Not having an alternative power source, Simon was able to secure alternative storage options for the food, allowing St. Mary's to continue serving the poor as some in the region enter their third week without electricity.
The outages began on Aug. 11, when 100 mph wind gusts and heavy rain blew through northwest Indiana and east Chicago. Numerous municipalities in northern Indiana including Gary, Portage, Lake Station, and Munster suffered widespread power outages, with as many as 400,000 customers affected at the peak.
Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) announced that power would be restored for nearly all of its customers in the area by Aug. 25. But more than 7,000 customers in Gary were without power for two weeks. The outages heavily affected the predominantly African American city of about 70,000 people, which has a poverty rate of about 33%, more than three times higher than the national average.
Indiana's Republican governor, Mike Braun, called for an investigation into NIPSCO over the lengthy outages.
'Trying to meet the need'
While conditions were extremely difficult, they also fostered solidarity.
When Simon was searching for alternative options for storing St. Mary's perishable food pantry items, she started calling around to other ministries around Gary that the Catholic food bank works alongside. Many of them were also struggling due to the lack of electricity, but a nearby Christian church that still had power offered to keep 100 containers of milk cold, while the local secular food bank was able to keep the meat frozen.
Father Declan McNicholas and volunteers at St. Matthias in Crown Point, Indiana. | Credit: Diocese of Gary/Northwest Indiana Catholic
Last Saturday, the volunteers at St. Mary's loaded up their cars and distributed nonperishable food to 200 households in a local housing complex, including for several people with disabilities who were trapped with nonfunctioning elevators amid the blackout. Other parishes around Gary, along with local Knights of Columbus councils, also stepped up to offer food and other aid to their neighbors.
Bishop Robert McClory of the Diocese of Gary said in an Aug. 14 social media message that the trying times in the region are an "opportunity for us ... to be attentive to each other's needs, to check in on your neighbors."
"I know many of us have already experienced a certain solidarity coming together with our neighbors during this time of need," McClory continued. "Now is our opportunity to allow our Christian witness to shine forth. Know that you'll all be in my prayers, and as we work together to navigate through this, we trust in the Lord, and we seek, as St. Paul says, to bear each other's burdens."
Terry Seljan, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary, told the Register that while roughly 99% of those who had lost power have now had it restored, significant needs remain among residents recovering from the recent storms.
Many people had to throw away food from refrigerators and freezers and are seeking assistance to restock their food, he explained. Others whose sump pumps stopped working during the heavy rain lost appliances, mattresses, and other belongings due to water damage. Additionally, some people who were unable to work while local businesses were shut down are seeking help with rent, while others need building supplies to make home repairs they cannot afford to address through insurance.
With the help of roughly 60 regular volunteers, the St. Mary of the Lake pantry normally distributes mostly nonperishable food on the third Monday of each month. Normally at this time of year, the pantry serves about 155 households, or roughly 450 individuals.
Amid the power outages, St. Mary's also donated some 1,400 pounds of fresh produce grown at a massive community garden associated with the parish to the local fire station for further distribution.
Father Jayababu Nuthulapati, rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary and pastor of two other parishes, including St. Mary of the Lake, told the Register that prayers for their community are greatly appreciated.
"[The storm] was very devastating," he said, but "we never stopped feeding the poor."
"We continue doing that even in the difficult moments, because we want to be out there for the people. And I'm very grateful for the volunteers," Nuthulapati said.
On Aug. 22, the Chicago Bears announced a donation of $100,000 to the Chicago and Gary Catholic Charities to help them in this work.
While St. Mary of the Lake's pantry is managing with the help of the wider community, the church is currently seeking the donation of a backup generator to protect the investment of its food in the case of another emergency like this, Nuthulapati added.
For Simon, the experience has been a heartwarming show of community cooperation and a chance to practice gratitude.
"Thank God that we have what we have," she said. "It could be worse. It could be a lot worse."
This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
Inspired by Pope Leo's call for communion, the Catholic initiative is working to build unity in the Church and the nation.
The Communion Project initiative hopes to repair polarization in the U.S. Church and aid the Church in offering a better and more joyful witness in a divided country, organizers said.
"Unfortunately, too often Catholics and Catholic leaders are acting more like thermometers instead of thermostats," Jonathan Lewis, mission strategy officer for the Paulist Fathers and co-director of the Communion Project, told EWTN News.
"We're reading the temperature of the room or the culture, instead of setting the temperature according to our values and the truths of the Church," he said.
"So, part of what this effort is aimed to do is to lower the temperature of division and distrust, starting with those of us Catholics who call ourselves brothers and sisters, who are a real spiritual family," Lewis said.
"As we approach any election season, there's always a need to help lower the temperature, have more thoughtful conversations, discern our Catholic values," he said.
The Catholic initiative hopes to heal toxic polarization in the Church by creating dialogue, providing resources, promoting unity through national communication methods, and by aiding local communities to create unification at their level, organizers said. Exact plans are still being formed.
Participants gather at the Communion Project "Building Catholic Communion" national leader summit in Washington, D.C., in June 2026. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Jonathan Lewis
"We're just beginning … and trying to share," Lewis said. "We're starting with a lot of resources" and "adapting resources that already existed."
"Then we're planning, over the next year or two years, to develop programs for dioceses and organizations and religious communities, students in Catholic schools."
The movement to start the project began in 2022 at the Paulist Fathers' general assembly.
"One of the priorities of the Paulists is to read the signs of the times, like the Second Vatican Council tells us to do, so that we can respond in a spirit-filled way," Lewis said.
At the gathering, they discussed "the realities of the United States and the Church in the United States today that we need to respond to or engage," he said. "And that's when the topic of toxic polarization emerged."
"The polarization affecting the U.S. Catholic Church is not merely a matter of policy dispute or partisan loyalty," said Father Ricky Manalo, CSP, co-director of the Communion Project. "It is a deeply spiritual and relational rupture, shaping how Catholics imagine moral life, celebrate the sacraments, interpret tradition, and remain in communion amid difference."
"Within Catholic life, polarization is more than disagreement; it is the loss of our capacity to remain in relationship, even amid difference, as one body in Christ," he said.
Inspired by Pope Francis, the group founded The Paulist Initiative on Polarization as a national partnership of Catholic leaders committed to strengthening unity across political, theological, and cultural divisions.
In 2025, the effort was renamed the Communion Project following Pope Leo XIV's public commitment to building communion in the Church.
"This is really a priority of Pope Leo," Lewis said. "In his first inaugural Mass, Pope Leo said his first great desire would be for a unified Church in communion. We really see this as an initiative that is trying to live out the message and the priority of the Holy Father."
Polarization in the U.S.
When people think of polarization, they usually first think of "left and right politics, Republicans, Democrats," Lewis said. "And certainly that's one area, but I really see polarization showing up in a lot of different ways."
"This isn't only in public life or in politics, where one might expect, it's also in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States," Lewis said.
It can come up due to division surrounding the liturgy, or cultural or generational differences, but ultimately the goal is to remind Catholics of shared beliefs and values.
The project hopes to help the faithful "see that while people might prioritize different dimensions of our Catholic social teaching, there's unity within that work, and we need to bring people together," Lewis said.
For example, the Church has a mission to protect human dignity, and "some people focus on ending the death penalty," while "other people might focus on ending abortion and the work of the pro-life movement," Lewis explained. "Even if we're working in different areas, those areas are not in conflict."
Connection through communication
The initiative's resources and formation experiences are organized around three interconnected dimensions: the head, the heart, and the hands.
The project offers a "development of resources that impact our head, meaning our knowledge and our self-awareness," and "also our hearts in terms of our prayer and discernment," Lewis said.
There are also resources that impact "our hands," which focus on "building skills and building relationships," Lewis said.
"So we want to help organizations and churches work with leaders in particular, to equip them with the resources and programming to help them make a positive impact in their local community," he said.
The resources can be found in the Communion Project's "resource library" on its website, which offers a number of options for people to independently utilize or bring to a group. It also offers gatherings and workshops to aid its cause.
In the online library, people can find upcoming events, online courses, prayers for communion, articles, learning sessions to be used in small groups, and a Communion Project podcast.
It also has educational videos provided by outside organizations including Georgetown University, University of Notre Dame, and Boston College.
So far the podcast has included conversations with Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore on what happens when the faithful stop seeing one another as brothers and sisters,and University of Notre Dame's Tim O'Malley on liturgical division and what it means to live in communion with people.
The first episode featured a conversation "with Tim Busch, founder of Napa Institute, and Father James Martin from America Media, two people who speak to very different parts of the Church … but have developed a personal friendship," Lewis said.
"It was a great opportunity to put people in the same place to talk about their friendship, of their shared faith, realizing that what unites us is so much stronger than what divides us," he said.
"What matters most is gathering around a particular Eucharistic table and a particular family table and having hard conversations or sitting in discomfort, because love compels us to do hard things," Lewis said.
The initiative is only "just beginning in terms of programming and trying to share." But since starting, "there's a great interest" among local communities wanting to be involved.
"The path of healing begins not in dominating strength, but in shared vulnerability. When both Church and nation dare to move toward one another — wounded yet willing — they may discover that grace lives precisely in the places we thought were beyond repair," Manalo said.
