It is important to note that Catholics are not required to believe any of these stories. Even when the Church investigates and approves a reported miracle, she does not provide a guarantee of its authenticity. Nor does the Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation depend on these accounts; it rests on Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

Nonetheless, these stories are especially remarkable because you can still see evidence of the alleged miracles today.

1) Miracle of Lanciano (8th Century)

In the eighth century, a priest in Lanciano, Italy, struggled with doubts about Jesus' Real Presence in the Eucharist. While celebrating Mass, he pronounced the words of consecration—"This is my body" and "This is my blood"—and reportedly saw the bread and wine transform into human flesh and blood.

The blood coagulated into five globules, which many later associated with the Five Wounds of Christ. News of the event spread quickly. The local archbishop launched an investigation, and Church authorities approved the miracle.

The flesh remains preserved to this day. In 1971, Professor Odoardo Linoli, a specialist in anatomy, conducted a scientific analysis and concluded that the flesh was cardiac tissue. He also reported that the blood appeared fresh rather than 1,200 years old and showed no trace of preservatives.

Pilgrims can still visit the miraculous flesh and blood at the Church of San Francesco in Lanciano, Italy.

2) The Corporal of Bolsena (13th Century)

A priest struggling with doubts about transubstantiation was celebrating Mass in Bolsena, near Orvieto, Italy. Shortly after consecrating the Eucharist, the host reportedly began to bleed onto the corporal, a liturgical cloth placed on the altar.

According to the story, the priest immediately sought out the pope, who was visiting nearby, and confessed his doubts. The blood-stained corporal remains on display in the Cathedral of Orvieto.

Some historians question the account's historical reliability because the first written records appeared roughly a century after the event supposedly occurred. Even so, the corporal remains an object of veneration.

3) The Hosts of Siena (18th Century)

On Aug. 14, 1730, while Catholics in Siena, Italy, attended celebrations for the Vigil of the Assumption, thieves entered the Church of St. Francis and stole a golden ciborium containing hundreds of consecrated hosts.

Two days later, someone noticed a white object protruding from an alms box in another church. Priests investigated and discovered the missing hosts tangled in cobwebs and dirt.

After cleaning them as thoroughly as possible, the priests placed the hosts in a new ciborium and returned them to the Church of St. Francis, where the faithful offered prayers of reparation and veneration.

Because the hosts had become dirty, the priests decided not to consume them. Instead, they expected them to deteriorate naturally.

To everyone's amazement, the hosts never decayed. Decades passed, yet they continued to appear fresh.

The hosts remain in that condition today and can still be seen in the Basilica of St. Francis in Siena, nearly three centuries later.

4) The Miracle of Chirattakonam, India (21st Century)

On April 28, 2001, parishioners gathered for Eucharistic adoration at St. Mary's Parish in Chirattakonam, India, when three red stains suddenly appeared on a host exposed for adoration.

Unsure how to respond, the priest placed the host back in the tabernacle.

Several days later, he retrieved it and noticed that the stains had arranged themselves into what appeared to be the face of a man. He quickly contacted a photographer and had photographs taken of the host.

The reported miracle attracted widespread attention and remains one of the most recent Eucharistic miracle accounts.

5) The Eucharistic Miracle of Santarém (13th Century)

In the thirteenth century, a woman living in Santarém, Portugal, became distressed by her husband's infidelity and sought help from a sorceress.

The sorceress demanded a consecrated host as payment.

The woman attended Mass at the Church of St. Stephen, received Holy Communion on her tongue, secretly removed the Eucharist from her mouth, wrapped it in her veil, and headed toward the church door.

Before she left the church, the host reportedly began to bleed.

When she arrived home, she placed the bloodied host inside a trunk. That night, a miraculous light reportedly shone from the trunk.

Filled with remorse, she repented of her actions and confessed to her priest the following morning. The priest retrieved the host and returned it to the church.

After Church authorities investigated and approved the miracle, they renamed the church the Church of the Holy Miracle. The bloodied host remains on display there to this day.

6) Holy Face of Jesus – Vilakkannur, India (2013; Vatican recognition 2025)

On Nov. 15, 2013, during morning Mass at Christ the King Church in Vilakkannur, Kerala, India, then‑pastor Fr. Thomas Pathickal noticed a dark spot appear on the large host he was elevating during the consecration.

As the Mass continued, the spot grew brighter and gradually formed what appeared to be the Holy Face of Jesus Christ, astonishing the priest and parishioners and leading him to reserve the host for further observation.

Over the following years, thousands of pilgrims came to venerate the host, and in 2018 Archbishop Mar George Njaralakatt solemnly placed it on a side altar for public devotion, after the Syro‑Malabar Church’s Theological Commission studied the event “as per the guidelines of the Holy See” and declared that “the Eucharist is a Relic of Divinity.”

The host was sent to Rome for scientific and theological evaluation, and in May 2025 the Vatican officially recognized it as a Eucharistic miracle—India’s first Vatican‑approved Eucharistic miracle and the first in the world where Christ’s face visibly appeared on a consecrated host, confirming once again the Church’s faith in Jesus’ Real Presence in the Blessed Sacrament.

Sunday, June 7, 2026, the Catholic Church will celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

Saint Francis de Sales said,

“Nowhere do we find our Saviour more tender or more loving, than here [in Adoration] where He, so to speak, annihilates Himself and reduces Himself to Food, in order to penetrate our souls and to unite Himself to the hearts of His friends.”

Eucharistic processions occur worldwide on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi, or the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.

During Pope Leo XIV's Wednesday General Audience on June 3, he encouraged Catholics to continue Eucharistic processions on Corpus Christi:

“In the Eucharist, we contemplate Jesus, the bread broken and given for each of us,” he said. “Processions with the Blessed Sacrament, which take place in the streets of many towns, are an expression of popular Eucharistic devotion; in this regard, I encourage you to keep alive this beautiful public manifestation of faith."

How to Obtain a Plenary Indulgence on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi

The USCCB's Manual for Plenary Indulgences states,

"A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who devoutly participate in a solemn Eucharistic procession, held inside or outside a church, of greatest importance on the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ."

To obtain this plenary indulgence, the faithful who participate in a Eucharistic procession on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi must also fulfill the usual three conditions.

In addition to participating in the Eucharistic procession, the three usual conditions for obtaining a plenary indulgence are the following:

• Go to Confession (as soon as possible or after fulfilling the other conditions)
• Receive Holy Communion (as soon as possible)
• Pray for the Pope's intentions. (The Church suggests an "Our Father" and a "Hail Mary" as soon as possible)

One must approach the indulgence with a spirit “completely detached from the affection for a sin,” both mortal and venial. If a soul is not completely detached, the indulgence is partial.

O Sacrament most Holy, O Sacrament Divine, all praise and all thanksgiving be every moment thine! 🙏

As the Marian month drew to a close, Christians across the Middle East honored the Mother of God with processions, prayer, and the celebration of Holy Mass.

In several videos shared by the Instagram account eastern_christians, worshippers from Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine filled the streets with moving displays of love and devotion to the Virgin Mary.

“At the end of the Marian month, Christians across the Levant and the wider East come together to honor the Mother of God, the Virgin Mary. Through processions, prayers, and the celebration of the Holy Mass, the faithful express their love and devotion to Mary and ask for her intercession,” the post states.

Giant rosaries, girls dressed as the Virgin Mary, songs, flowers, and music accompanied images of the Mother of God as they traveled through the streets during celebrations marking the end of May, a month dedicated in a special way to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The publication also highlighted that these expressions of faith have deep roots in the Eastern Christian tradition.

“ These traditions, passed down for generations, remain an important part of Christian life and continue to bring communities together in faith,” they added.

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Here are several other moving videos of Marian celebrations in Syria and Jordan:

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The images quickly touched thousands of people on social media.

Many users highlighted the witness of faith shown by Christians living in conflict-ridden regions and offered prayers for peace throughout the Middle East.

"May the Christians in these countries finally find peace. 😞"

“Mary, our Mother and Queen, protect this world together with our beloved Jesus. 💙🙏🏻💙”

“It is so gratifying to see these displays of faith from our Christian brothers and sisters in the East! 🙏✝️🙏✝️”

Despite the challenges, these celebrations remind us that faith is still alive!

In a recent interview, he shared how consecrating the company Qualfon to the Sacred Heart of Jesus marked a profound turning point for the business.

On PRO Network’s “Be PRO” podcast, the Chairman of the Board of Qualfon Corporation spoke about his leadership journey and the central role faith has played in the company’s growth. He explained how this act of consecration became a pivotal moment.

The businessman recalled that it all took place in 2006, when he and his team traveled to the Philippines to open the company’s first operations center in the country.

Amid this major business step, they felt the Lord inviting them to place Qualfon under the protection of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“The Lord, on a trip to the Philippines to open our first operations center, placed in our hearts the desire to consecrate the company to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, with the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the intercession of Saint Joseph, and the protection of the Archangel Michael. We landed in the Philippines with joyful hearts.”

González acknowledged that at the time, they didn’t fully understand what it meant to become an “established company.” Still, they chose to obey.

“We obediently prepared for the consecration.”

They invited two Filipino priests to lead the special moment and support them through the process.

Qualfon began operations in the Philippines with roughly 50 employees. Nearly two decades later, more than half of those original team members are still with the company.

“Something precious is that, of these 50 people —I’m talking about 2006—, more than half are still with us in this established company. Well, the company was transformed from that established foundation.”

The testimony has inspired many Catholic business owners and entrepreneurs on social media, with several sharing their own experiences of consecrating their companies to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“What a great example. Our company is consecrated to Jesus through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin of Guadalupe. Our company name is 'The Promise of the Lord SAS'.”

“We also have our company dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus @sacomx. We are dedicated to bringing theater to various states in Mexico. I have a friend Adriana who guided the way of consecrating it, and it was directly in the church where the priest offered the mass and there we consecrated it.”

“I am pleased 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 Casa Cigales is also consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 'Promise number 5.- I will pour out abundant blessings upon your undertakings' (these are 12 promises of the Sacred Heart ♥️ of Jesus to his devotees revealed to Saint Mary Alacoque).”

Is your company also consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?

For the second year in a row, hundreds of Catholics artists, entertainers, and content creators will come to Napa Valley this summer.

They’ll gather at the Napa Institute’s Arts Festival from July 20-21, 2026. It’s a one-of-a-kind forum where faithful Catholics can collaborate and build community to take back the arts.

This year’s headliners include David Henrie, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Michael Iskander, Jonathan Roumie, Jaakko Ohtonen, Floriani, and more.

And the festival has a new event: A competition to create a short film. The grand prize is $100,000.

The Napa Institute Arts Festival is an idea whose time has come.

Happening immediately before the Napa Institute’s Summer Conference—where over 800 Catholic cardinals, bishops, priests, religious, philanthropists, and lay leaders come together—the festival celebrates the unique combination of faith and creativity.

The festival will feature talent from music, art, film, and more—from around America and the world. The festival is complimentary for those attending the Summer Conference, which runs from July 22-26, 2026.

The Short Film Contest You Don’t Want To Miss

The whole Arts Festival will inspire you. But the biggest draw is sure to be the short film contest.

Run by Renaissance Rising, the contest is designed to “discover and develop compelling original short film concepts (10–15 minutes in length) that align with themes of faith, beauty, truth, goodness, and human dignity.”

The winner will be selected by a panel of distinguished judges—after they complete a live pitch.

The winner will receive $100,000 to produce their film, and EWTN will give the film its world premiere at next year’s Napa Institute Arts Festival.

Key point: Not anyone can make the live pitch. You first have to be selected as a finalist. And for that to happen, you must submit your entry by 11:59 p.m. on June 15, 2026.

Actor David Henrie also invites Catholic filmmakers to enter the competition in the Instagram video below:

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How To Enter The Short Film Competition

If you want a shot at that $100,000, check out the eligibility requirements. Be sure to follow them to the letter. Yes, teams are allowed!

Even if you don’t want to participate—or if you don’t get selected as a finalist—you should still dig into the Arts Festival. And there’s plenty of time to register to attend both the festival and the Napa Institute’s Summer Conference. 

Who doesn’t want to spend a few summer days in Napa Valley? Especially when you can look forward to a Eucharistic Procession with hundreds of participants, phenomenal meals and even better wine, and multiple days of world-class liturgy, community, and formation. Plus you’ll hear from some of the most inspiring speakers in the Catholic Church! 

Check it out. And who knows? Maybe everyone will toast to your victory in the short film competition!

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, president and COO of EWTN News, as prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, with her role beginning November 1.

Since 2023, Montse has led EWTN News’ global, multilingual newsroom—helping expand its international reach and deepen collaboration across TV, radio, print, digital, and social platforms at a pivotal moment for the Church’s digital mission.
As EWTN CEO Michael Warsaw put it, her leadership helped guide “a deeper engagement with the digital space,” while always staying rooted in “proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ… with clarity, fidelity, and charity.”

Before EWTN, she spent 14 years at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, advocating for religious freedom and human dignity—work that continues to shape her mission today.

In her own words, Alvarado received the news “with deep gratitude, humility, and trust in the Lord,” crediting the EWTN family as a source of strength in her faith.
Alvarado will oversee the Vatican’s entire global media network—including Vatican News, Vatican Radio, L’Osservatore Romano, and the Holy See Press Office. She succeeds Paolo Ruffini, the first lay prefect, continuing a growing movement of lay leadership in the Church, and she becomes the first woman who is not a religious sister or nun to lead a dicastery, (and the first Latina, Mexican-American woman in this role)!

EWTN, while saying goodbye, is sending her with full support: “We offer her our prayers, our encouragement… as she begins this important mission in service to the universal Church.”

Catholic Millennials and Gen Z—this is a moment to watch.

Please keep Montse in your prayers as she steps into this historic new role.

Saint Padre Pio prayed the Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus every day for the intentions of those who requested his prayers.

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, the saint most known for spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, wrote this prayer.

During Padre Pio's life, this prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was considered one of his "secret weapons," in which countless people testified to miracles that occurred through his prayers.

The faithful join in praying the Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus nine days before the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. (This solemnity is always 19 days after Pentecost.)

This year, the novena begins on June 3, 2026. However, it may be prayed at any time throughout the year.

Efficacious Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus

I. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.” Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of [insert your intention.]

Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

II. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, He will give it to you.” Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of [insert your intention.]

Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

III. O my Jesus, you have said: “Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of [insert your intention.]

Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be to the Father…

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners, and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender mother and ours.

Conclude with the Hail, Holy Queen and add: Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you! ❤️‍🔥

For the first time in my life, I realize that money doesn’t matter. I want to have enough so I'm not a burden on anyone else. 

And even if I do become a burden to someone else, I’m okay with that too. I’ve paid my dues, and my wife has too. It’s just money. There is plenty of it to go around. And when you’re gone, it’s gone.

Food for thought.

I wonder if any man on his deathbed, surrounded by his children and loved ones, ever muttered the phrase, “I wish I spent less time with you all so that I could have made more money.” 

Or, “My life has been well spent trying to make a better career instead of making better relationships. I am so proud that I sacrificed my marriage and the love of my children to be able to buy a better home and better cars. And boy, does my retirement package really look healthy. I’ll never get to enjoy it now…but there are plenty of commas in the number.” 

I wonder if anyone reading this, if given the opportunity to write their own eulogy, would write, “Here lies a man that made the most of his life by improving his bank account instead of spending his free time with his grandchildren.”

I know this sounds dramatic, but this message rings true in my heart.

The only thing that matters while we are here on this earth is the relationships we have with our loved ones and how we can spread love to others we encounter. That’s it. 

I have no idea how I lost sight of this.

It took three bouts with cancer and a blood infection for me to figure this out. Thank goodness I have the time to do things differently now.

A true key to success is to live your life for the ones you love. 

Serve your family with all your heart. Enjoy every second you have with loved ones. Put your career and making money on the back burner. Make your life revolve around your loved ones. Let everyone you love know how much you love them, not by your words but by the time you spend with them.

Even yesterday, I talked with two friends of mine who are dealing with career decisions. I told them both to choose family. Whatever decision you make, choose family. 

Choose the job that provides you with the opportunity to spend more time at home, with less stress and fewer responsibilities. Who cares what others think! 

Look into the eyes of your children when you tell them that Daddy is going to be broke…but he will be home a lot more.

Tell them that Daddy isn’t going to miss any more baseball games or recitals.

Tell them that Daddy is going to be there when they go to bed each night…and he will be there when they wake up in the mornings.

Tell them that Daddy will come home from work in a good mood and full of energy.

Tell them that they will see Daddy hugging and kissing Mom a lot more.

Their eyes will light up like it’s Christmas!

I know we all have a responsibility in our society to be industrious hard workers. We must do our part. We must make our own way and never be a burden on society. 

I am not saying that we need to become irresponsible degenerates. I am saying that somewhere along the way, we can’t lose sight of what is truly important. Love.

Wealth cannot bring happiness. It just cannot. It cannot provide the inner joy that can only come from loving someone and being loved.

My doctor emailed me during the Christmas season of 2022. The message was simple: 

“May the Lord’s peace be with you. Spend quality time…now…with the people you love. Time is the only gift money can’t buy.”

This article is an excerpt from Charles Boles' book, Working for That Warm Feeling: And Finding Your Keys to Victory.

The women are members of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, also known as the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, a religious congregation serving throughout the western United States and dedicated to accompanying young people and families according to the charism of St. John Bosco.

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The sisters went viral after they were seen cheering from the stands during one of the most important games of the season: the NBA Western Conference Finals.

Images of the joyful nuns quickly spread online, especially because of the enthusiasm with which they supported the team and prayed for the players.

“We keep them in prayer, and it’s not, you know, for them to win,” Sister Margaret Natal said. “It’s about good sportsmanship, that they remember who they are. That they are role models. We pray that they play to the best of their ability. We pray that they understand their responsibility.” Sister Margaret Natal told the San Antonio Express-News.

The sisters explained on their website that, for them, sports go far beyond entertainment. From a Salesian spiritual perspective, they see athletics as a way to build relationships, foster values, and reach the hearts of young people.

“It creates common ground with young people, opens doors to dialogue, and offers a natural way to foster teamwork, discipline, and virtues. That’s why their support for Spurs means so much to them,” the publication notes.

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More Than 20 Years Cheering for the Spurs

Although they recently went viral during an NBA playoff game, the sisters have been following the Spurs for more than two decades.

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“We had a couple elder sisters at our provincial house, our retirement house for our sisters who need assisted living. Some of them were born and raised in San Antonio, and anytime there was a game on, they would watch it. And they would get very irritated when the game had to be turned off because it was bedtime. These were die-hard Spurs fans, and since then, those sisters have passed away. But we have other sisters who have taken the baton,” Sister Bernadette Mota, director of missionary development for the Salesian Sisters, told Sojourners.

Over the years, the sisters developed a special affection for both the team and the San Antonio community. Some even met legendary coach Gregg Popovich, who visited the convent with several players after one of the team’s championship victories.

“So that’s one of the reasons we still have the love of the Spurs, because of their respect for us as religious women and the church,” she added.

The sisters clarified that they do not buy tickets to the games, since they believe it would not be a responsible use of their resources. Instead, they only attend when tickets are gifted to them. They also usually watch the games on free broadcast television because they do not have cable or streaming services.

Six months ago, we were told we could rent empty classrooms in a beautiful location right next to a Catholic parish, which would enable our students to walk to daily Mass.

We were thrilled. The location perfectly fits the stately English style of our Chesterton Academy. I waited for the lease contract to be sent over.

A month later, I was still waiting.

Two months later, still waiting. I messaged the person who was to send the contract and got no response. I tried again but was met with radio silence.

I realized they must have changed their minds about renting to us.

No big deal, I thought. There must be hundreds of places to rent in our small city. I’ll find the best option, and we’ll secure a location.

I found several good options and spoke with the leasing agents. It was then that I learned we would need a certificate of occupancy from the city before we could have our school at any location.

No big deal. How hard could that be?

Turns out, very hard.

What I naively thought would be an easy process turned into meetings with the city’s building inspectors and fire marshals. Location after location, they shot us down.

“It won’t work, sorry.”

“You have to install an automatic fire sprinkler system. It will cost over $100,000.”

January went by. Then February.

We hired a headmaster for the school, who will start in the summer. We had a score of students ready to attend the school. We had to have a location.

So I turned to Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph—that stalwart defender of the Holy Family and protector of the Church—is renowned for interceding for any need and obtaining the necessary graces for it.

Our team started a 30-day novena to Saint Joseph to find a location.

March passed, along with St. Joseph’s feast day, and the first novena ended. No location worked.

I started a second 30-day novena.

April arrived, and still no location met all the constraints and requirements.

The end of April came, and with it the end of the second novena. I found a location that I thought could work. It stood a few hundred yards outside the city limits and thus only needed to comply with the fire code.

We moved forward in negotiations with the landlord, and after six months of searching, the landlord sent over the lease contract.

I signed it on May 1, the feast day of Saint Joseph the Worker.

I couldn’t have planned that if I had tried.

I told my son that God’s providence often shows up this way: a small but unmistakable set of circumstances that align perfectly.

Sure, an atheist could dismiss it as a coincidence. But we Catholics know better. Nothing happens outside of God’s perfect wisdom.

Not every prayer is answered so clearly, nor so favorably. Often, the answer to our prayer is “no.” Sometimes we don’t get an answer one way or the other, at least not in the timeframe we were hoping for.

But we believe in faith that every prayer is answered, and that God works for our good in every circumstance, even when it is painful.

So whatever you are facing right now, turn to God in prayer.

Pray a novena. Entrust to Him your fears, worries, and needs, and be confident that He will answer your prayer in the way that is best for you.