Antônia Keliane’s babies were born at just 28 weeks of pregnancy. In the midst of fear and anguish for her children, this Brazilian mother made a promise to St. Francis: if she could bring them home alive, she would go to the Basilica of St. Francis of the Stigmata in Canindé, Ceará, to give thanks and present them to him.

And she has fulfilled that promise.

Antônia, from São Domingos do Cariri in the Brazilian state of Paraíba, traveled hundreds of miles to the Basilica of St. Francis of the Stigmata in Canindé, Ceará, to give thanks with her twin sons.

In a viral video shared by the Shrine, the mother explained that her twins were born at only 28 weeks. During those difficult days, Antônia made a promise to St. Francis.

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“They were born at 28 weeks of pregnancy. There were many days of fear and anguish, but faith never left us through any of them. I promised St. Francis that, if I was able to bring my children home alive, I would return to thank him and present them to him at the Basilica.”

The promise remained in her heart, and when she finally brought her children home, she knew it was time to return to Canindé.

“Today we are here, giving thanks for the grace received, with my two children in my arms.”

The mother’s emotion is easy to understand when she explains what her children represent to her. She calls them her “two living testimonies” and says she is overjoyed to be there with them.

“I am very happy—very happy—and even more grateful to St. Francis, because he has always been my beloved saint of devotion. And today, being here with my children… I truly have no words to explain it.”

“Being Here With My Children Today Is Beyond Words”

In sharing her testimony, the Basilica highlighted this aspect of the story: after living through a time of waiting and anguish, Antônia returned to the Shrine to give thanks for the gift of her children’s lives.

The post describes the moment as a testimony that “needs no great explanation,” but can simply be contemplated in the two little ones now resting in their mother’s arms.

The video ends with this famous prayer attributed to St. Francis:

“Where there is despair, let me bring hope;
where there is darkness, let me bring light;
where there is sadness, let me bring joy.”

For Antônia, the pilgrimage to Canindé was a way to fulfill a promise made during one of the most difficult moments of her life.

This time, she did not arrive alone. She came carrying her two children in her arms—and a story of faith for which to give thanks.

You can see it in conversion stories, campus ministries, young-adult communities, and packed Eucharistic adoration nights. Recent data from the prayer app Hallow suggests this is happening in a particularly visible way on college campuses: OCIA participation at nearly 60 U.S. colleges and universities increased by 87.6% from the 2024–25 academic year to 2025–26.

At Texas A&M University, the number of adults entering the Church rose by about 69%, from 121 in 2024–25 to 204 in 2025–26. Other campuses also reported major increases: Stanford reportedly tripled its number of OCIA candidates and catechumens, while New York University saw an 88% increase in OCIA participation and a tripling of daily Mass attendance.

Gen Z faith is a major trending topic. What a time to be alive.

Of course, Time magazine and other secular outlets have challenged viral claims, citing reports that make it difficult to call this a universal “Gen Z revival.”

But the data does show that, in many places, young people are actively seeking something more.

Maybe the better question is: Why are some young people seeking the Church now?

They are looking for truth. For beauty. For belonging. For forgiveness. For silence. And, above all, for Jesus in the Eucharist.

This is not just a trend. Thousands are coming home, and we welcome them, pray for them, and are so happy for them.

Are you seeing this in your parish?

According to the parish, parish leaders advised Leian Lieza Galang and Gilbert Chico to postpone their wedding because of the flooding.

However, the couple chose to proceed rather than reschedule.

Galang even had her gown repaired and shortened so it would not hinder her as she made her way through the flooded church toward the altar. The parish described her path as a “water aisle.”

No Electricity? They Found a Way

The flooding also meant the church had no electricity for its usual sound system.
But the parish community found a solution: a portable speaker.

Despite the challenging conditions, the parish said the wedding remained a beautiful and special celebration. The church was decorated for the occasion even as floodwaters reached the building.

“A scene that can only be witnessed in a movie, where obstacles and challenges are overcome, everything is sacrificed for love,” the parish wrote.

The parish reflected that the floodwaters could not stop Galang and Chico from fulfilling the promise of their hearts before God.

“The floodwaters are swept away, and the promise of two hearts in love is fulfilled, standing before the altar and becoming an official Mr. & Mrs.!”

What a beautiful witness of love, perseverance, and the grace of the Sacrament of Matrimony.

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An Emmy‑winning TV star, he pioneered Catholic media evangelization in the golden age of television, and just might be the future patron saint of Catholic content creators.

In the 1950s and 60s, Archbishop Sheen was one of the biggest names on primetime TV, and his show is often cited as the most widely watched religious series in history. Week after week, his catechesis reached an estimated 10–30 million viewers. His sainthood cause even highlights “new evangelization through mass media” as a key part of his path to holiness.

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Here you have 12 things to know about Archbishop Fulton Sheen:

1) His birth name wasn’t Fulton.

He was baptized Peter John Sheen in 1895 in El Paso, Illinois; “Fulton” was his mother’s maiden name and later became the name the world knew him by. He was born on May 8, 1895, the eldest of four sons of Newton and Delia (Fulton) Sheen, on a farm near El Paso, Illinois. He grew up in a small Midwestern farm family and went on to become one of the most widely heard Catholic preachers in the world.

2) The Catholic bishop who beat Hollywood for an Emmy.

He’ll be the first U.S.-born Catholic bishop to be beatified — and the first Emmy-winning TV personality to reach the altars! In 1953, he won the Emmy for “Most Outstanding Television Personality” for his groundbreaking show, “Life Is Worth Living,” beating out some of the biggest names in entertainment at the time. And in true Fulton Sheen fashion, he kept his trademark humor, saying he wanted to thank his “writers”: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 

3) Radio made him a nationwide voice with “The Catholic Hour.”

Before television, Archbishop Sheen reached millions through The Catholic Hour radio program, which he began in 1930 and hosted for years. This show helped make him a household spiritual guide across the United States.

4) A genius theologian before he was a “TV celebrity.”

Ordained a priest of the Diocese of Peoria in 1919, he was a gifted intellect who used his learning to bring people to the faith. He earned advanced degrees in philosophy and theology, pursued further studies in Europe, and later taught philosophy and theology at The Catholic University of America. He received a doctorate in philosophy in Belgium and was awarded the prestigious Cardinal Mercier Prize for his work.

5) He helped invent “Catholic media evangelization” as we know it.

Starting on the radio and then moving to television, Sheen showed how modern media could be used to preach the Gospel, making him a true pioneer of the “new evangelization” decades before that phrase was popular.

As a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, later auxiliary bishop in New York, and eventually Bishop of Rochester, he brought his preaching, pastoral work, and media apostolate together, showing how a bishop could shepherd his flock not only in a geographic diocese, but also through the airwaves to millions around the world.

6) His show “Life Is Worth Living” became a ratings phenomenon.

In the 1950s, Sheen hosted “Life Is Worth Living” (1951–1957), a weekly TV program that mixed theology, philosophy, and current issues with his trademark chalkboard and cape. It quickly became one of the most popular programs on the airwaves, not only among religious shows but in primetime television overall.

7) He used media to make converts, not fans.

His goal was always conversion and holiness, not celebrity. Stories include high‑profile converts and little‑known souls whose lives were changed after encountering Sheen’s preaching. He was instrumental in the conversion or reversion of tens of thousands of people to the Catholic faith, including prominent figures like Bella Dodd, Clare Boothe Luce, and Louis Budenz.

8) He made chalkboards cool before YouTube whiteboards.

On “Life Is Worth Living,” Sheen spoke straight to the camera about faith, culture, and morality, using only a chalkboard and his cape—and drew audiences of up to 30 million viewers a week, most of them non‑Catholic.

9) He raised millions of dollars for the missions.

In 1958, Sheen became national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, coordinating missionary support across the United States. This was one of his favorite roles, where he used his platform to raise funds and awareness for missions worldwide. He spent 16 years raising money that supported missionary work around the globe, helping countless people encounter Christ and His Church.

10) He nicknamed the Virgin Mary “Our Lady of Television.”

His Marian devotion was central: his episcopal motto was “To Jesus through Mary,” he considered The World’s First Love his favorite book, nicknamed the Madonna and Child statue on his TV set “Our Lady of Television,” and made frequent pilgrimages to Lourdes.

11) G.K. Chesterton wrote the introduction to his first book.

Intellectually, Sheen was deeply shaped by G.K. Chesterton, whom he credited as the greatest influence on his writing. Chesterton wrote the introduction to Sheen’s first book, “God and Intelligence in Modern Philosophy,” and Sheen cultivated an encyclopedic culture, including a deep love of poetry.

12) His cause for sainthood has a miracle, and the Holy See confirmed his beatification after a six-year pause.

In 2012, the Vatican declared Fulton Sheen “Venerable,” recognizing that he heroically lived the Christian virtues. Pope Francis approved a miracle attributed to Sheen’s intercession in 2019: the medically unexplained recovery of James Fulton Engstrom, a baby who had been stillborn. This healing cleared the way for his beatification, but the ceremony—once scheduled for December 21, 2019—was postponed while questions about his time in Rochester were reviewed. The Holy See confirmed on February, 9, 2026, that his beatification cause can officially move forward.

Fulton Sheen shows us that media and holiness can go together: a bishop who stepped into the spotlight not for himself, but to preach that life in Christ is truly worth living.

Soon-to-be Blessed Archbishop Fulton Sheen, pray for us!

The placement is no accident.

On Sept. 14, the Church lifts up the Cross of Jesus Christ: the instrument of His Passion, but also the sign of His victory over sin and death. The next day, Catholics turn their eyes to Mary, who stood faithfully at the foot of that Cross.

As the Gospel of John tells us:

“Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother…”

—John 19:25

Mary did not run away. She remained with her Son in His suffering.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary

The title “Our Lady of Sorrows” honors the deep suffering Mary endured throughout the life and Passion of Jesus. Traditionally, Catholics meditate on her Seven Sorrows:

1. The prophecy of Simeon, who told Mary that a sword would pierce her soul.
2. The flight of the Holy Family into Egypt.
3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the Temple for three days.
4. Mary meeting Jesus on the way to Calvary.
5. Mary standing at the foot of the Cross during Jesus’ Crucifixion.
6. Mary receiving Jesus’ body after He was taken down from the Cross.
7. The burial of Jesus.

Her sorrow was never hopeless despair. Mary suffered as a mother who loved her Son completely—and who trusted God even in the darkest moment imaginable.

Why the Church Gives Her This Month

The Church’s Sept. 15 memorial was fixed on the day following the Exaltation of the Holy Cross by Pope St. Pius X in 1913. It invites Catholics to contemplate Mary’s unique union with Christ, especially during His Passion and death.

September, then, becomes an opportunity to remember a consoling truth: Mary understands sorrow.

She knows what it is to receive frightening news, to flee in fear, to search anxiously for a child, to watch someone she loves suffer, and to remain faithful when answers seem impossible to find.

That is why Catholics do not honor Our Lady of Sorrows merely by looking back at what she endured. We ask for her intercession in our own grief, anxiety, illness, loss, and suffering.

Princess Diana and Mother Teresa came from very different worlds. Diana was an Anglican princess whose life unfolded under global media attention, while Mother Teresa was a Catholic nun who devoted her life to serving the poor.

Yet their friendship became one of the most memorable of the 1990s.

When Diana was buried in September 1997, reports said she was laid to rest holding a rosary Mother Teresa had given her—a small but powerful reminder of the affection and spiritual bond shared by the Princess of Wales and the future Catholic saint.

A Rosary From Mother Teresa

In 2017, marking the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death, author and journalist Jonathan Mayo reported that the princess was buried with a rosary given to her by Mother Teresa, as well as a photograph of her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

Mayo reported that Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, retrieved the rosary from her apartment after her death. The beads were reportedly draped over a small statue of the Virgin Mary.

Burrell had been asked to bring meaningful personal items to the hospital. Among them was the rosary Mother Teresa had given Diana.

According to the report, Diana’s driver, Colin Tebbutt, gave the rosary to a nurse and asked that it be placed in the princess’s hands. A photograph of her sons was also reportedly placed with her.

While Diana was not Catholic—she belonged to the Church of England—the gesture reflected her close friendship with Mother Teresa and her evident appreciation for the Catholic nun’s faith and mission.

A Friendship Across Differences

Diana and Mother Teresa first met in Rome in February 1992 at a Missionaries of Charity convent. A previously planned meeting in Calcutta had not taken place because Mother Teresa was ill. During their first encounter, the two women prayed together.

They met again in London in September 1992, and their friendship continued in the years that followed. Although they lived very different lives, both women became known for their concern for people who were poor, sick, suffering, or marginalized.

Diana used her public platform to draw attention to people living with HIV/AIDS, victims of land mines, children in need, and others often overlooked by society. Mother Teresa, the founder of the Missionaries of Charity, spent her life serving what she called “the poorest of the poor.”

Their shared compassion helped create a genuine bond.

Their Final Meeting

Their final known meeting took place on June 18, 1997, at a Missionaries of Charity house in the Bronx, New York.

Reports described the two women praying together and greeting one another with hugs and kisses. Mother Teresa blessed Diana, and the princess reportedly helped the frail nun down the convent steps after their visit.

The meeting lasted only about 40 minutes, but it became one of the most enduring images of their friendship: two of the world’s most beloved women, united by compassion and prayer.

Two Women Mourned by the World

Princess Diana died on Aug. 31, 1997, at age 36, after sustaining critical injuries in a car crash in Paris. Her funeral took place at Westminster Abbey on Sept. 6, 1997, drawing an extraordinary outpouring of grief around the world.

Mother Teresa died in Calcutta on Sept. 5, 1997, at age 87—just six days after Diana’s death and on the eve of Diana’s funeral. She had endured years of serious health problems, including heart difficulties.

The timing was striking. As much of the world prepared to say goodbye to Diana, news came that Mother Teresa had also died.

One was a princess. The other was a nun.

But their friendship—and the rosary reportedly placed in Diana’s hands at her burial—remains a moving reminder that compassion, prayer, and love can unite people across even the widest differences.

During his first Mass at his home parish, Fr. Bauer presented his mother with a manutergium—the cloth used to wipe the sacred chrism from the new priest’s hands after the bishop anointed them at ordination. Then, turning to his father, he gave him the stole he wore while hearing his first Confession.

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The memorable exchange reflects a Catholic tradition that recognizes the profound role parents can play in a priest’s vocation.

“Mom and Dad, I can’t thank you enough,” Fr. Bauer said in the viral video.

Addressing his mother, he explained the significance of the cloth in his hands.

“It’s tradition that when a priest is ordained, the manutergium [goes] to his mom,” he said. “It’s the cloth which soaked up all the sacred chrism the bishop poured on my hands when I was ordained.”

Holding out the cloth, Fr. Bauer told his mother why the tradition carries such emotional and spiritual weight.

“This is for you, that when you die, it be buried with you,” he said. “And that, when you stand before God, you can show Him that you offered Him your son as a priest.”

The tradition is often described as a symbolic acknowledgment of a mother’s role in raising and encouraging her son through the long, often uncertain journey toward the altar. The cloth is not simply a keepsake from ordination day; it is a visible reminder of the sacred moment a son’s hands were consecrated for priestly ministry.

Then Fr. Bauer turned to his father.

“Dad,” he said, pausing as emotion filled the room. “It is tradition that the father get the stole in which the priest heard his first Confession.”

The stole, worn by a priest as a sign of his sacramental ministry, carries its own meaning. It was the stole Fr. Bauer wore when he first heard Confession—a sacrament centered on mercy, reconciliation and the forgiveness of sins.

“So that when you stand before God,” Fr. Bauer told his father, “you can also show Him that you gave Him your son as a priest.”

With that, he simply said: “Thank you.”

A Vocation Nurtured in Community

The viral video has resonated because it captures something larger than one family’s celebration. Priesthood may culminate in an ordination ceremony, but a vocation is often formed over years: in family prayer, parish life, encouragement, sacrifice, friendship and the steady support of people who help a young person listen for God’s call.

As the video’s caption notes, “A man does not walk the journey to priesthood alone; it takes a village to nurture that call.”

The video closes on a simple but powerful truth: a priest gives his life in service to God and the Church, but those closest to him have also given something of themselves along the way.

It sounds kind of like a rumor made for social media: before becoming one of the world's most recognizable Catholic priests, Father Mike Schmitz says he auditioned for Robin in the 1995 superhero film Batman Forever.

The story, originally published by ChurchPOP in January 2017, is circulating widely online again in 2026. It tells of how Father Mike publicly recounted at FOCUS’s SEEK conference in 2017 that he had advanced deep into auditions for the role:

“I was almost cast as Robin in Batman Forever. I made it to the final cut of the auditions,” he told the audience.

The role of Dick Grayson/Robin ultimately went to Chris O’Donnell, opposite Val Kilmer’s Batman. Batman Forever was released in 1995 and also starred Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey and Nicole Kidman.

But Fr. Mike’s Hollywood near-miss did not stop with Gotham City.

According to his retelling, the positive audition led casting staff to ask whether he would read for another film then in development: Hackers, the 1995 cyber-thriller that became a cult favorite. 

“The audition went really well, so after I auditioned for Robin, they said, ‘Would you want to audition for another movie we’re casting?’ And I said, ‘Sure.’ So they said, ‘Ok.’ [We] act out the scene, they filmed it. They were like, ‘That was so much fun; we’re going to submit you, we think you’d be good as that character.’

The movie was called Hackers, and I auditioned for the male lead. I didn’t get it.

But it’s interesting because the male lead played opposite the female lead, and the female lead was played by Angelina Jolie. And those two people ended up marrying each other. So, I could have been the first ex-Mr. Angelina Jolie. That could have been part of my story.”

Jonny Lee Miller and Jolie later married after meeting through Hackers, before divorcing in 1999—making Father Mike’s punchline technically rooted in a very real bit of ’90s millennial movie history.

Despite nearly landing not one but TWO roles in Hollywood, Fr. Mike won in the end. He is now well-known for something else, bringing people, especially the younger generations, to God. And no one can argue that saving souls is so much more rewarding and important than acting. 

However, it’s still fun to see that his charm and charisma have always been apparent to those around him, even to those in Hollywood, and that he was always destined for the limelight. 

We are grateful he pursued his vocation to the priesthood! Thank you Fr. Mike Schmitz!

He is 99 years old. She is 98. This year, the couple celebrated 80 years of marriage—a milestone very few couples reach.

In footage from the celebration, Luiz and Maria Luiza can be seen entering the church arm in arm, holding rosaries as they renew their vows. They then receive a blessing before the altar. The simple but meaningful scene touched thousands of people.

According to their family, Luiz and Maria Luiza married in 1946, when he was 19 and she was 18. Since then, they have built an entire life together, experiencing joys, hardships, and change over the past eight decades.

“We are very proud to be part of this family,” one of the couple’s great-granddaughters wrote on social media.

The post quickly went viral, receiving more than 240,000 views and hundreds of comments from people impressed by their story.

“What an incredible life story.”

“I don’t know them, but it is moving. A tear slipped out. This is truly a testimony to real love. ❤️”

“How beautiful and moving it is to see this union! A whole lifetime by each other’s side—how many stories, struggles, and triumphs they must have experienced over these decades! But today, it is a joy to see them surrounded by such a large family, and even better that their family has them as an example of a relationship built on unity. Congratulations to the whole family! May God bless you.”

Oak Anniversary

Eighty years of marriage is known as an Oak Anniversary.

The name refers to the oak tree, a symbol of strength, stability, and longevity. Just as an oak takes many years to grow and remains firm through storms, a marriage also grows stronger over time through faithfulness, forgiveness, and perseverance.

For the Catholic Church, marriage is a vocation and a path to holiness that spouses walk together.

Throughout their lives, they are called to bear witness to Christ’s faithful love for the Church. Luiz and Maria Luiza’s story is a reminder that faithfulness is built every day: through small choices, mutual care, and the commitment to remain together through every stage of life.

Faith has also been part of that journey. Today, with rosaries in their hands and at ages 99 and 98, Luiz and Maria Luiza are still together, celebrating a story that began 80 years ago and continues to inspire thousands of people.

Eight decades of marriage are a beautiful testimony that love, faithfulness, and faith can endure for an entire lifetime.

Scenes of the night quickly went viral with media outlets including EWTN News posting about the “peace be with you” that happened at the stadium, along with all the fans wearing papal miter hats while enjoying the game. 

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The Senior Director of Marketing for the White Sox, Mike Downey, told EWTN News “There's never been an American pope in the history of the world. Right. And how cool is it that we now have one. And he is a huge baseball fan, seemingly.”

Chicago priest Fr. Tom Hurley worked with the White Sox marketing team to bring the idea to life and led the crowd in the sign of peace that went viral. He says looking back, “It was probably one of the most memorable nights I've had in my 33 years of being a priest.”

Now, the tribute has reached the Holy Father himself.

The White Sox presented Pope Leo with one of the viral “Pope Hat Night” miters, bringing the Chicago celebration all the way to the Vatican, and giving the team’s papal fan a fitting piece of hometown baseball history.

The White Sox Pope Hat has officially landed at the Vatican 🤝 pic.twitter.com/vcWoF9lzg9

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 27, 2026