Pilgrims have climbed the Calvary hill in Nitra since 1766; this year three bishops met them at the top.
Three bishops took part in a traditional pilgrimage in Nitra, Slovakia, over the weekend to mark the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The largest event of its kind in the area, the pilgrimage dates back to the 18th century, with pilgrims first marching up the local hill of Calvary in 1766, according to the website of the Diocese of Nitra.
This year marked the 260th annual thanksgiving pilgrimage to the shrine, according to the diocese. Participation was restricted and at times banned under the communist regime, and the pilgrimages have been held freely again since 1990.
The ceremony in Nitra — one of the oldest Slavic dioceses — drew several thousand faithful. Those taking part included Bishop František Rábek, the retired military ordinary of Slovakia; Bishop Jozef Halko, auxiliary bishop of Bratislava; and Bishop Viliam Judák of Nitra. Each celebrated a Mass and heard confessions during the two days, which featured several Masses and confessions in Slovak but also in Hungarian, as well as adoration and an organ concert.
Bishop František Rábek blesses a child at the close of the evening liturgy on the Calvary hill in Nitra, Slovakia, on Aug. 15, 2026. | Credit: Bohumil Petrík
Halko, who celebrated a Mass in Hungarian, told EWTN News that during the pilgrimage he reflected "on how we are very Marian in the Eucharist as we say yes to God, amen, which is our small preaching as we give ourselves to him and vice versa."
Bishops preach on Mary's example
For his part, Rábek, who was a priest in the local parish of Nitra-Calvary and now lives on the site of the pilgrimage, invited parents "to search for a healthy balance in your kids to develop their talents, but also the word of God."
Mary was a simple, ordinary woman, yet she was ready to embrace God's word and became a role model, he said. "Show me a woman who is as famous, glorified, and respected as Mary," he emphasized.
The pilgrimage culminated in a Mass on Sunday, which the mayor of Nitra and other local politicians attended. In his homily, Judák cited Carl Jung, the psychologist and son of a Protestant pastor, who called the Catholic Church's 1950 dogma of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary "the most important religious event since the Reformation."
The bishop of Nitra asked the Virgin Mary to help all present proceed on the path to the goal of life, which is self-giving love.
"If we strive to live according to our conscience, that is, to fulfill God's will just like she did, our life and the events of our life, everything we do well, will not perish even upon death," he stressed.
Pilgrims attend Mass at the open-air sanctuary on the Calvary hill in Nitra, Slovakia, on Aug. 15, 2026. | Credit: Bohumil Petrík
The prelate encouraged everyone to look, "just as we and many millions of people looked up" on Aug. 12 "to see the cosmic phenomenon of the solar eclipse," but now "with a spiritual sight to where the Virgin Mary leads us."
May this moment at the feet of the Virgin Mary of the Assumption help us, Judák continued, "so that tomorrow, in a week, in a month, in a year, at least until the end of our lives, we will never lose sight of the noble goal of our life, and that we strive for it with God's help."
He likewise encouraged the faithful to fulfill their Christian duty and to act and profess Christian values in the local elections coming this autumn.
50 pilgrims on foot in the heat
The pilgrimage was organized by the parish of Nitra-Calvary, run by the Divine Word Missionaries (the Society of the Divine Word), whose Slovak province has its seat on the Calvary hill.
Women in traditional Slovak dress carry baskets of bread at the Assumption pilgrimage in Nitra, Slovakia, on Aug. 15, 2026. | Credit: Bohumil Petrík
The parish priest, Father Ján Štefanec, SVD, told EWTN News that he "is happy this place is alive for the feast, though I would like to see so many people show up more often" in the parish.
He said he finds it interesting that every year many pilgrims come from the region to pray to the Mother of God, that former parishioners return for the feast, and that cyclists at times make part of their pilgrimage on two wheels. Although people nowadays come by car or bus, this time a group of 50 pilgrims walked 20 kilometers (12 miles) in temperatures of 36 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit), the Divine Word missionary said.
The bishops argue that the term "jury" in the U.S. has historically referenced a body of 12 jurors.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to require 12-person juries in criminal cases, with the bishops arguing against a Florida policy allowing smaller six-person juries in many cases.
The case Kian v. Florida, which the Supreme Court agreed to hear in June, was brought after Florida chiropractor Hamed Kian was convicted of five felony counts for practicing without a license.
Kian was found guilty by a six-person jury; the state of Florida only requires 12-person juries in capital cases. Several other states have similar rules.
Kian sued the state arguing that the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees a right to a 12-person jury. He lost his appeal at the Fourth District Court of Appeal of Florida and subsequently appealed directly to the Supreme Court, which will hold arguments in the case in its upcoming term.
In their amicus filing, the U.S. bishops argued that the term "jury" in the U.S. has historically referenced a body of 12 jurors; the bishops pointed to "Founding-era dictionaries" as well as "common-law history."
The bishops said they have a "strong interest" in the case, insofar as the Catholic Church over the centuries has played a "central role in shaping the legal culture from which the common-law jury emerged."
Among the historical examples of 12-person juries the bishops cited include the General Fundamentals of Plymouth, "the earliest codified legal system by English colonists in North America," which guaranteed that "all trials" would be "tried by a jury of twelve good and lawful men."
The prelates disputed the Supreme Court's 1970 ruling in the case Williams v. Florida, which held that the Sixth Amendment does not require 12 jurors in court cases.
That ruling in part "discard[ed] the robust common-law history of the jury right," while the high court in that decision "set far too high a bar for historical relevance," they said.
The bishops further cited the biblical commandment to "love your neighbor justly." They pointed to the Catholic catechism's mandate for public authorities to "dispense justice humanely by respecting the rights of everyone."
They urged the Supreme Court to "return to its previously long-held understanding that the Constitution entitles criminal defendants to a jury of twelve of their peers."
Numerous advocacy groups have also filed amicus briefs advocating the 12-juror standard, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Innocence Project, several dozen current and former prosecutors, and the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
The president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales urged world leaders to enforce religious freedom standards in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster in England issued "a vital call to action in support of people around the world oppressed for their faith" to national governments and the United Nations.
Moth, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, called on Catholics and people of goodwill to sign a petition urging world leaders to ensure countries fulfill the religious freedom requirements in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
"Religious freedom is a right not a privilege," Moth said in the Aug. 18 statement.
The article, created and adopted in 1948, "affirms the right to freedom of religion or belief," he said. "It was ratified by the United Nations and quickly became recognised around the world."
"The Second Vatican Council affirmed this right, teaching that 'this freedom means that all people are to be immune from coercion… in such a way that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his or her own beliefs,'" he said.
The petition is part of a campaign organized by the Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). It is intended to advocate for Article 18 ahead of the 10-year anniversary of Red Wednesday, an annual global campaign by ACN to raise awareness about religious persecution.
It is "a critical moment to act," as "more than 5 billion people live in countries where persecution, oppression, and discrimination restrict religious freedom, including more than 200 million Christians," ACN reported.
Despite Article 18's recognition, "all too often Article 18 is ignored," Moth said.
The bishop said: "Men and women are imprisoned, others are driven from their homes, or even killed, simply because of their peacefully held beliefs."
"In some countries women and girls are kidnapped, forced to renounce their faith and marry their abductors; children are denied the right to learn about their faith; many people — young and old alike — are the victims of religious hatred; they suffer abuse and discrimination in the streets, at school and at work."
"We need to stand up for our brothers and sisters in Christ and stand in support of all those who suffer for their beliefs, recognising religious freedom as a universal human right," Moth said.
"As Pope Leo has said, 'Religious freedom is not merely a legal right or a privilege granted to us by governments. It is a foundational condition that makes authentic reconciliation possible,'" Moth said.
"In the words of the Holy Father, there can be … 'no peace without freedom of religion, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and respect for the views of others,'" he concluded.
The country's bishops warned that the proposed regulations could make freedom of expression contingent upon the government's criteria of "truth."
"Truth is not decreed; rather, it is sought and recognized through free and pluralistic debate," stated Mexico's bishops as they questioned various aspects of the government's proposal to regulate the rights of radio and television audiences.
In an Aug. 13 statement, the Mexican Bishops' Conference (CEM, by its Spanish acronym) warned that the proposal could make freedom of expression contingent upon the government's criteria of "truth" and also compromise religious freedom and the editorial independence of the media.
The public consultation, open from July 27 to Aug. 21 and conducted by the country's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, addresses a regulation that, according to the bishops, "will touch the daily lives of millions of Mexicans: what we hear on the radio, what we watch on television, and the spaces where information, culture, faith, opinion, and constructive criticism find a voice."
The CEM acknowledged positive aspects of the proposal, such as the explicit prohibition of prior censorship, nondiscrimination based on religion, and the protection of vulnerable groups against manipulation, misleading advertising, and content that degrades human dignity.
"That these rights have clear mechanisms to be enforced is a good thing for everyone," the conference highlighted.
However, the bishops warned that, although the purpose of protecting the rights of audiences is legitimate, the way in which the goal is attempted to be achieved also matters.
The CEM statement joins others made by the Catholic Church in Mexico. On Aug. 1, the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico stated that "there can be no prior censorship" and that no administrative authority should determine the veracity or acceptability of opinions.
A week later, an editorial in Semanario, a publication of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara, questioned who would have "the authority to decide when information is true, false, or presented out of context," and highlighted the importance of balancing state regulation with media independence.
No authority can act as an 'arbiter of truth'
The bishops emphasized that "freedom of expression is a fundamental pillar of the democratic order" and noted that "no administrative authority can set itself up as an arbiter of truth, particularly regarding ideas, opinions, convictions, and beliefs, whether religious or otherwise."
The CEM drew a distinction between the veracity required of journalistic information and personal convictions, which cannot be subjected to administrative verification.
"The truthfulness legitimately required of journalistic information is a duty of due diligence: to cross-check, verify, distinguish fact from opinion, and rectify errors," the CEM explained.
Something different, the conference noted, is "the truth of convictions, which admits of neither administrative verification nor sanction, and whose assessment by the state would be, in itself, incompatible with freedom of conscience and freedom of expression."
The episcopate expressed particular concern regarding the possibility that a governmental authority might classify and potentially sanction the dissemination of information deemed "false" or "taken out of context," given that the bill does not clearly define the boundaries of these concepts.
In the bishops' view, such a mechanism could "make freedom of expression contingent upon the government's criteria for truthfulness" — something "incompatible" with the Mexican constitution, international treaties, and "various judicial precedents."
Religious freedom and editorial independence
The CEM pointed out that by Mexican law "religious associations may not own or manage radio and television licenses." Consequently, it called for the pluralism envisioned by the guidelines to "also include the pluralism of religious convictions and beliefs."
This protection, they added, must benefit all faiths as well as those who profess no religion, to prevent them from being subjected to "administrative judgments regarding truthfulness" or "compulsory labels."
The bishops also expressed reservations regarding the powers the bill would grant the governmental authority "to review and validate media codes of ethics," review the decisions of audience ombudsmen, and order the rectification or modification of content.
"Ethical self-regulation is a good that flourishes in freedom; when permanently subject to governmental validation, it ceases to be self-regulation," they pointed out.
Participation in consultation encouraged
The CEM deemed it "essential" for the public to participate in the consultation before Aug. 21.
"Citizen participation is not merely a procedural step in the regulatory process, but an exercise of co-responsibility for the common good; a democracy is strengthened when citizens participate, not when they remain silent," it stated.
The bishops also expressed their "willingness to engage in frank and constructive dialogue" with authorities and license holders, and offered their educational and pastoral network "to collaborate on media education and literacy programs, the development of audiences that exercise critical thinking, and the dissemination of mechanisms for defending rights."
The CEM also noted that no regulation can replace the responsibility to discern information, verify it before sharing, and avoid spreading content that harms others or creates confusion.
"The primary defense of the truth is not a regulation; it is a well-formed conscience," they emphasized.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
The pontiff offered prayers for the Zimbabwean people in a telegram on Aug. 18.
Pope Leo XIV has offered prayers and condolences to the victims of a recent ferry accident on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on Aug. 11.
In a telegram dated Aug. 18 and signed by Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the pope expressed sadness upon learning that a ferry had sunk in Lake Kariba. According to an Aug. 12 BBC news report, at least 44 people died in the incident.
"His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was deeply saddened to learn of the fatal ferry accident on Lake Kariba. Entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, he sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss," the telegram said.
The pope also offered prayers for civil authorities and first responders in their ongoing rescue efforts following the tragedy.
According to the BBC, the ferry had a capacity of 90 people on board, but it was reported that 120 boarded, including 12 children.
The vessel capsized and sank after being struck by strong waves. Rescue efforts continue to intensify, with 77 people rescued at the time of the BBC report.
Leo's recent telegram is the third sent in August to express condolences after disasters. In an Aug. 11 telegram, he expressed closeness to the victims of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on Aug. 10, which killed at least 281 people and injured 3,971, according to Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella on Aug. 13.
In an Aug. 17 message, he offered condolences to the victims of a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Indonesia on Aug. 15, which, according to an Aug. 17 BBC news report, killed at least 53 people and left over 5,000 displaced.
The pontiff appointed 12 new consultors to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development on Aug. 18.
Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday appointed 12 new consultors to the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development — reflecting a diverse group of theologians, experts, and professors, including two from the University of Notre Dame.
Pope Francis established the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development in 2016. It promotes the Church's efforts in the areas of peace, migration, health, and ecology. Consultors are called on to periodically meet with dicastery members to provide expert advice.
Pope Leo XIV renewed the leadership of the dicastery at the end of June with the appointment of Italian economist Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, to succeed Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, as prefect.
He also appointed Italian Cardinal Fabio Baggio, CS, who has been the dicastery's undersecretary since 2022, to serve as pro-prefect alongside Smerilli. Father Jozef Barlaš was promoted from the dicastery's undersecretary to secretary. They begin their roles on Sept. 1.
2 Notre Dame professors appointed
Among the new consultors are Father Emmanuel Katongole, a priest from the Archdiocese of Kampala in Uganda and a professor of theology and peace studies at Notre Dame.
Before joining Notre Dame's faculty, as stated in his biography, Katongole served as associate professor of theology and world Christianity at Duke University and as a founding co-director of the Duke Center for Reconciliation. He is also the founder and president of Bethany Land Institute, an education center in Rwanda inspired by Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si'.
Clemens Sedmak is the other Notre Dame faculty member among the newly appointed consultors. Sedmak is a professor of social ethics and director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies.
A native of Austria, Sedmak previously served as the FD Maurice Professor for Moral Theology and Social Theology at King's College in London. He has also served on the faculty of the University of Salzburg and holds degrees in philosophy, theology, and social theory.
Other appointees
The other new consultors to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development are:
Kathryn A. Koch, president and chief executive officer of Trust Company of the West in Los Angeles
Monsignor Peter Klasvogt, rector of the Pontifical Teutonic College of Santa Maria in Camposanto in Rome
Father Francesco Coluccia, director of the Office of Healthcare Ministry of the Archdiocese of Otranto, Italy
Father Joseph Jeyaraj Swaminathan, SDB, associate professor at the Faculty of Educational Sciences of the Pontifical Salesian University in Rome
Omer S. Combary, professor in the Department of Economics at Thomas Sankara University in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Lucy Afandi Esipila, regional executive secretary of Caritas Africa
Paolo Foglizzo, editor of Aggiornamenti Sociali — San Fedele Cultural Foundation in Milan, Italy
Peter G. Kirchschläger, director of the Institute of Social Ethics at the University of Lucerne, Switzerland
Jacqueline Remond, adjunct lecturer at the School of Theology of Australian Catholic University in Sydney
Caren Rodrigues, associate professor at St. Joseph's Institute of Management in Bangalore, India
Archbishop Anthony Fisher says the national broadcaster gave a leading euthanasia campaigner four platforms in nine days without comparable access for those who oppose him.
Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney has demanded an investigation from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) over its coverage of calls to lift the federal ban on using telehealth and other carriage services for voluntary assisted dying (VAD), as euthanasia and assisted suicide are termed in Australian law.
The Australian reported that in a letter to the ABC ombudsman, Fiona Cameron, he claimed the national broadcaster had breached its own guidelines on impartiality.
He asked the ombudsman whether its platforms "operated to amplify one side of a contentious policy debate."
VAD is legal throughout Australia apart from the Northern Territory, which is expected to pass enabling legislation soon.
However, a federal law banning advice about committing suicide over the phone or internet also bans telehealth consultations for VAD.
VAD advocate Andrew Denton — a former ABC television host, comedian, and founder of Go Gentle Australia — has campaigned to have the ban overturned.
Fisher cited four occasions in nine days in July when Denton promoted his views on ABC platforms. Three of them appeared before the Australian Labor Party's national conference in July, which supported an end to the federal ban on telehealth consultations.
In his letter, Fisher set out what he said was documentation of a failure by the ABC to present the contentious issue impartially.
He wrote: "Over a period of nine days the ABC repeatedly provided the founder of an organization established to advocate for euthanasia and assisted suicide law reform with opportunities across television, radio, online, and social media to make the case for amending a federal prohibition on the use of telehealth for euthanasia and assisted suicide."
"The principal arguments for retaining the prohibition were not put forward by those who hold them; rather, they were largely summarized or characterized by Denton," he said.
The imbalance is particularly significant, the bishop continued, "because three of the relevant items, as well as two associated social media posts, were published or broadcast in the four days immediately preceding an Australian Labor Party National Conference vote on the issue being advocated."
A subsequent ABC current affairs program interview occurred in the context of a foreshadowed parliamentary attempt to amend the law, Fisher added.
He stressed: "In those circumstances, providing an alternate perspective at some indefinite later time could not remedy the absence of diversity during the period in which the issue was the subject of an active and imminent political decision."
Given the "significance of the issue, the imminence of the political decisions to which the coverage related, and the ABC's particular obligation to maintain public confidence in its impartiality," Fisher asked that these matters be carefully investigated and addressed.
The archbishop also said Denton had misrepresented remarks he made in 2011 on "redemptive suffering."
"Denton omitted [my] immediately preceding response, which clearly states that the goal of the Catholic Church is to reduce suffering," he wrote in his letter to the ombudsman.
Responding to questions from The Australian, an ABC spokesman said a complaint had been received by the ombudsman's office.
This story was first published by The Catholic Weekly, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Sydney, and is edited and republished by EWTN News with permission.
The 12 pilgrims were returning from the Marian shrine at Medjugorje when their coach left the M3 motorway in eastern Hungary in the early hours of Sunday.
Twelve Polish pilgrims died and 10 were seriously injured when their bus crashed in Hungary on Aug. 16. They were returning from a pilgrimage to the Marian shrine at Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Others among the roughly 60 people on board suffered minor injuries, and an investigation into the crash has been launched.
The tragedy prompted immediate reactions from public figures, including condolences from Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar and his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk. The Polish prime minister sent a special aircraft to Hungary carrying representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and medical services to assist those affected. Polish President Karol Nawrocki said he was praying for "the families and loved ones of the victims."
The heads of both the Polish and the Hungarian bishops' conferences also responded to the accident.
Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda of Gdansk, president of the Polish Bishops' Conference, received the news "with great sadness" and prayed "for eternal life for the tragically deceased victims of the accident and for the recovery of the injured."
Wojda extended prayers "to the families of those who died and those injured," asking "God to grant them relief from their pain, as well as the strength and hope that will help them survive these extremely difficult times."
Bishop János Székely of Szombathely, president of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference, expressed solidarity with the Polish victims who died while passing through his country.
"I was deeply moved to learn of the tragic bus accident," he said, and prayed "for the eternal salvation of those who lost their lives."
Székely asked "the Almighty to grant comfort to the families of the deceased in these difficult hours and to help the injured recover as quickly as possible."
On behalf of the entire Catholic community in Hungary, the bishop assured "our Polish brothers of compassion and solidarity."
The bus carrying the Polish pilgrims overturned in the early hours of Sunday and went off the road into a ditch on the M3 motorway in eastern Hungary. Some media have reported that the driver may have fallen asleep and that he has been taken into custody.
The class action suit was brought against the Canadian archdiocese in 2020.
The Archdiocese of Quebec in Canada will pay out an eight-figure sum as part of a major class action lawsuit that has played out there over the last several years.
The archdiocese said in a press release that the agreement was ratified on Aug. 12 by Quebec Superior Court Judge Danye Daigle. The law firm Dufresne Wee, which had originally brought the lawsuit in 2020, also confirmed the settlement on its own website.
An Aug. 12 filing in the superior court said the agreement would consist of $31.5 million "to compensate the class members covered by [the] class action."
The agreement also stipulated that a "letter of apology" would be delivered to abuse victims.
In its press release the archdiocese said its leaders "welcome this news." The archdiocese said Church officials were "aware that [the settlement] can help members continue on their path to peace and healing."
Announcing the settlement, Auxiliary Bishop Jean Tailleur told victims: "Faced with the suffering you are carrying, there is little that my words can relieve or heal."
"However, something must be said," the prelate continued. "On behalf of the Catholic Church of Quebec, I would like to offer you our most sincere apologies."
The archdiocese said alleged abuse victims would have a final chance to join the class action settlement prior to the distribution of the funds.
The payout signals the looming end of a process that has taken place over more than half a decade, starting in August 2020 when the first filing in the class action suit was made in the superior court.
Filings in the lengthy lawsuit had accused two major Church leaders in Quebec of committing abuse. In January 2024, Archbishop Cardinal Gerald Lacroix was accused of abusing a 17-year-old teenager decades before. Lacroix was ultimately cleared by the Vatican after an investigation.
A new CARA survey found that 18% of priests ordained in 2026 attended a Franciscan University of Steubenville Youth Conference, highlighting the conferences' growing impact on priestly vocations.
In April, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate's (CARA) survey was released and showed that 18% of priests ordained this year attended a Franciscan University of Steubenville Youth Conference during their vocational journey. This was more than any other Catholic conference ministry in the United States.
In previous years — specifically from 2010 to 2025 — this percentage ranged between 8% to 16%.
In 1976, Franciscan University of Steubenville held its first youth conference on its campus in Steubenville, Ohio. Celebrating 50 years this summer, the youth conferences have helped over 1 million young people encounter Jesus Christ through dynamic talks, the Mass, Eucharistic adoration, confession, prayer, and fellowship.
So, what is it about the Steubenville Youth Conference that is having such an impact on young people and specifically vocations?
EWTN News spoke to a priest and a transitional deacon — both of whom credit their experience at a Steubenville Youth Conference with impacting their vocations — about their journeys to the priesthood and why they believe this conference is igniting a fire for the faith in the hearts of young people.
Seeing joyful priests changed everything
Father Rufino Corona is a Third Order Regular Franciscan in Steubenville who was ordained in 2020. Originally from Puebla, Mexico, Corona came to the United States with his parents at the age of 8 and grew up in San Diego.
As a teenager he was active in his youth group, and it was his youth minister who frequently told Corona that he could see him becoming a priest.
"It was something that he would say to me and I would kind of write it off," Corona recalled. "It's one of those things that as I look back now, I think part of the reason why was — for one thing, I was a teenager and really in that world, but also another thing, I feel like I had priests around me who were not bad priests but I'd seen people very passionate for the Gospel, be very passionate for evangelization, but that was not something that I'd ever really seen in a priest."
Father Rufino Corona, far right, with students at a Steubenville Youth Conference. | Credit: Franciscan University
He continued: "So all of a sudden I go to these youth conferences and, it wasn't necessarily one in particular, but it was these men were so on fire for the Lord, so on fire for the youth hearing the Gospel. That was really my first time seeing a priest just be passionate about the Lord, and be passionate about their faith, and be passionate for souls."
Another impactful moment for Corona was the vocations call that takes place at the end of the weekend. On the last day of the conference, anyone who may be considering religious life is asked to stand up so they can receive a blessing.
"I joke about it now that that used to be my least favorite part of the weekend, because, especially, I went to four conferences, and especially in my third and fourth conference, I started to feel the Lord moving that way but I never got up," he shared.
However, those moments also served as a "powerful witness" for him because Corona saw so many other men his age stand up and say that they were considering it, which was "part of what really started to open up my heart to it."
A couple of years went by and Corona was put into a leadership position where he was ministering more to his peers and felt a great desire toward the sacrament of reconciliation as he was working with these individuals. Eventually he spoke to his spiritual director — a layman who worked at Franciscan University — who told him he could continue to pray about it or he could take a step. Corona decided to take a step.
He emailed the vocations director in San Diego but never heard back. However, after speaking more with his spiritual director he was encouraged to look into becoming a friar.
"He just knew how big brotherhood was for me and literally 24 hours into the Come and See [with the Franciscan friars], I knew that's where I was supposed to be," he recalled.
From the back bleachers to the altar
Deacon Arthur Bodenschatz is a transitional deacon in the Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, who was ordained on June 6. He grew up in a very devout Catholic household. His parents met as NET missionaries — a youth ministry program — and instilled a love for evangelization in their four children.
In the second grade, Bodenschatz began to dress in all black to attend Mass — pretending that he was the priest. However, it wasn't until he was 14 when he had a powerful encounter with God at a Steubenville Youth Conference that he knew he was meant to be a priest.
"The moment was during Saturday night adoration … and I was sitting on the back bleachers, in one of the uncomfortable spots, when the Eucharistic procession was going by and I just had a moment of locking eyes with the Lord in the Eucharist and just had a moment of realization, of grace, where I just knew that that was Jesus in the Eucharist. I knew that he loved me. I knew that I loved him. And I knew I was going to be a priest. And it was just a joyful moment filled with a lot of joyful tears," he recalled.
Deacon Arthur Bodenschatz during his ordination on June 6, 2026. | Credit: Ed Hall/Catholic Echo
After that experience, Bodenschatz went back home and became very involved with his youth group, began to attend daily Mass, and found a spiritual director.
After he graduated from high school, Bodenschatz went straight into Borromeo Seminary in Cleveland and will be ordained a priest in 2027.
"I'm looking forward to the completion of a nine-year journey. So much preparation leading up to it," he shared. "And just the idea of celebrating that first Mass — it brings a smile to my face. Knowing that what I feel God has been calling me to for so long, that he wants to use me to turn bread and wine to his body and blood for the people of God … I just can't wait to be his instrument."
The power of encountering a joyful Church
So, what is it about the Steubenville Youth Conferences that is inspiring so many vocations in young people?
For Bodenschatz, it was hearing the Gospel "in such a way that was personal to me."
"Hearing the insistence and the repeated message that Jesus loves me and that the Holy Spirit is alive in me and wants to work in me was something that maybe I'd heard before but I was actually starting to experience it there," he recalled. "So I think that was just a really powerful message that is embodied by the people who are up there speaking and embodied by the people up there leading worship and the whole community, the whole environment. It's just so joyful."
He added: "Whereas in my normal experience of parish life, I didn't see as much joy and I didn't see as many people my age or as many priests and sisters running around who were just so happy to be there. So I think something about that unique experience of just the universal Church so full of life really opened me up to what the Holy Spirit was doing in me."
Corona echoed a similar sentiment in that it is powerful for young people to see the joy their peers are also carrying for the Lord and their faith.
"There is something about coming to a conference and seeing a thousand other kids there for the same reason," he said. "It makes your faith seem like 'OK, this is more than just my high school. OK, this is more than just my area. This is something real. This is something that I'm seeing other teens honoring God and so maybe there's something here.'"
"I think that there is so much to the witness of the other groups that I think goes just a really, really long way because all of a sudden the faith becomes something so much more than my family's thing or something so much more than, 'Well I go to this youth group because that's where my friends go.'"
Corona added: "It's like, 'Oh my gosh, I am surrounded by anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 to 4,500 teens who all believe that this is real' or at least who are trying to and are wanting to see this as something real."
