Pope Leo XIV met the Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny in Madrid June 8, after joking days earlier that he would be vying against the singer for Spaniards’ attention as their tours in Spain’s capital overlapped.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni confirmed the meeting at Madrid’s famous Bernabéu soccer stadium to reporters June 9.

Bad Bunny “comes from a Catholic family and he wanted to meet the pope, so the organizers found the place inside the Bernabéu stadium, as it was the only day (while the pope was in town) when there was no concert of Bad Bunny at the rival stadium of Atlético de Madrid,” Yago de la Cierva, general coordinator of the papal trip to Spain on behalf of the Spanish bishops, told OSV News.

On the papal flight to Madrid June 6, Pope Leo was asked how he felt about that evening’s prayer vigil with young people coinciding with Bad Bunny’s sold-out concert in the same city. Pope Leo replied, “If they are confronted with the question ‘Do you want to go see Bad Bunny or see the pope?’ I think many will go to see Bad Bunny. But I think there will also be people there to see the pope. And that too says something. So I think it’s encouraging and I hope we’ll encourage young people to continue searching.”

Pope Leo’s prediction that some young people would choose the pope played out in a major way that evening, as approximately 500,000 people joined him at Madrid’s Plaza de Lima for a “festival of faith” that included music, testimonies and Eucharistic adoration. On June 7, the papal Mass and Eucharistic procession celebrating the solemnity of Corpus Christi, the liturgical feast celebrating the body and blood of Christ, drew 1.2 million people to central Madrid.

On June 8, Pope Leo joined 80,000 people in Bernabéu stadium for music, testimonies and prayer. The audience roared with cheers and praise songs, erupting repeatedly in chants of “Papa León!” and “Olé, olé, olé!”

Pope Leo briefly met Bad Bunny at the Bernabéu stadium with his family and some friends, the Vatican spokesperson said. Beyond confirming the meeting, the Vatican provided no further details or images.

“The deal was — meeting, yes, but no pictures — and Bad Bunny respected it,” de la Cierva told OSV News.

“If pictures started to circulate about the encounter, it would ‘hijack’ the beautiful event with the archdiocesan community of Madrid,” he added, describing the meeting as “friendly and familiar,” and added that Bad Bunny greeted the pope with his family.

According to Religion News Service, Bad Bunny attended part of the papal event from a booth in the stadium.

Bad Bunny, the 32-year-old 2026 Super Bowl Halftime performer whose real name is Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is known as the “King of Latin Trap” for his groundbreaking blend of Spanish-language reggaeton with Latin trap, a style of hip-hop. He is consistently among the most-streamed artists worldwide, with Spotify naming him the platform’s most-streamed global artist four times since 2020. He is the first and only artist to have gained this distinction.

He has meanwhile won six Grammy Awards since 2021, including the first album of the year sung in a non-English language, and has achieved four No. 1 albums on the all-genre U.S. Billboard 200 with all-Spanish records, defying industry language barriers. In 2025, Billboard named him that year’s Greatest Pop Star. While he draws controversy for his gender-bending fashion, sexualized lyricism and outspoken immigration advocacy, he is applauded for his commitment to his Puerto Rican identity and his elevation of Latino culture.

According to the Catholic Extension Society, the singer was raised Catholic and attended Most Holy Trinity Parish in Vega Baja, a church that Extension funds built in 1980, and where he first sang publicly in the parish choir. His mother is a volunteer catechist for children at the parish.

Bad Bunny’s June 6 concert in Madrid drew around 60,000 people as part of his popular “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” World Tour. It was one of 10 scheduled in the Spanish capital that began on May 30, with each drawing around 60,000 per night. Billboard magazine reported that the concert stretch is one of Spain’s biggest musical events of the summer. Bad Bunny is expected to perform in Madrid on June 10, 11, 14 and 15 before continuing the European leg of his tour.

Pope Leo arrived in Madrid June 6 to launch a seven-day apostolic visit to Spain. After celebrating Corpus Christi June 7 and meeting with the Spanish Parliament June 8, he arrived in Barcelona June 9 where he plans to inaugurate the tower of Jesus Christ at the city’s Sagrada Família basilica June 10, before visiting migrant reception centers in the Canary Islands. He is scheduled to return to Rome June 12.

“I was participating in a debate prior to the papal trip a few days ago and participants said Bad Bunny could draw attendance of 700,000 total in all his Madrid concerts,” the organizer of the trip said. “I replied that it’s great, but the pope will gather three times more in a single event!” de la Cierva emphasized.

“Two daughters of King Felipe and Queen Letizia joined Mass in the morning and a Bad Bunny concert in the evening,” he added. “That’s also a sign of the spirit of encounter and connection we had here in Madrid in the last days.”

Maria Wiering is managing editor of OSV News. Paulina Guzik, international editor for OSV News, and Margaret Murray, OSV News’ associate digital editor, contributed to this story.

For Kevin and Carrie Riester, their 47-acre homestead tucked into the bluffs outside Red Wing is more than simply home — it is a place where faith, family and gratitude come together each day.

This summer, the couple will open that special place to the wider Catholic community as hosts of the Archdiocesan Rural Life Celebration, inviting people from across the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to gather for Mass, fellowship and reflection amid the beauty of rural Minnesota.

The annual celebration, which is traditionally held on a Sunday, will take place this year on Saturday, June 27, offering Catholics from throughout the archdiocese an opportunity to celebrate the gifts of rural life, agriculture and faith while enjoying the scenic countryside.

“We feel blessed every day living on such a beautiful property in such a remarkable area,” Kevin Riester said. “There isn’t a day we drive down our driveway that we don’t think to ourselves, ‘God, thank you for this beautiful place to call home.’”

THE CELEBRATION

• What: The Archdiocesan Rural Life Celebration returns at 4 p.m. June 27 to celebrate the blessings of rural life, agriculture and faith. There will be Mass, with Archbishop Bernard Hebda presiding, fellowship, food and music.
• Where: The Riester homestead, 29065 Flower Valley Trail, Red Wing.
• Host: St. Joseph, Red Wing

Nestled in a peaceful valley surrounded by bluffs, the Riester homestead includes rolling acreage, a winding creek and wide-open spaces where their three children — Owen, Griffin and Adeline — spend summers fishing and exploring.

“We feel very blessed to live in such a beautiful location and are excited to share it with the community and parish,” Carrie Riester said.

The property also holds deep personal meaning for the family. The Riesters, who will celebrate 15 years of marriage in September, hosted their own wedding reception there and have since welcomed roughly 25 weddings onto the property.

“We love being a part of those stories,” Carrie Riester said.

That spirit of hospitality and community reflects the couple’s connection to their parish, St. Joseph in Red Wing, which is sponsoring this year’s Rural Life Celebration. Kevin and Carrie Riester grew up in the parish, where they received their sacraments and where they now are raising their own children in the faith.

“St. Joseph is a central part of our childhood memories and is where our foundation started as husband and wife,” Carrie Riester said.

Community in parish life in Red Wing is something Father Brandon Theisen, pastor of St. Joseph, sees every day — and it is something he’s hoping attendees of the Rural Life Celebration will experience. Although he grew up in the Twin Cities suburb of Coon Rapids, Father Theisen has spent the past decade serving in rural ministry, including the last five years in Red Wing.

“Everybody knows everybody here in town,” Father Theisen said. “You run into them at Target, or the barber, and the barber happens to be Catholic. There’s just kind of this talk, these shared experiences surrounding our Catholic faith, and an enjoyment of agriculture, too.”

For many rural Catholics, faith intertwines with the rhythms of community life and the land itself.

“I think for them it’s not about the individual; it’s the whole community,” Father Theisen said. “As farmers harvest and those who sow the seeds work, it’s all very important. It’s a combined effort of coming together.”

Interconnectedness is something Missy Kluesner has witnessed throughout her life as a parishioner and in her roles as parish business administrator and youth ministry coordinator at St. Joseph.

“Living and working in a rural community is very special,” Kluesner said. “Familiar faces seem to be everywhere you go. Rural communities offer the opportunity for true community, where families not only see each other at Mass on Sunday, but also at the baseball field, pickleball courts, the local YMCA, grocery store and coffee shop.”

A lifelong member of St. Joseph, Kluesner said she has seen that sense of community grow significantly in recent years.

“The sense of community, and the opportunity for evangelization, extends far beyond the pews, allowing for the Gospel mission to truly flourish in everyday life,” she said.

THE SCHEDULE:

4 p.m. outdoor Mass celebrated by Archbishop Bernard Hebda; 5 p.m. catered dinner and dessert reception; yard games and activities; 5:30-8 p.m. live music featuring Tony Cuchetti.

In a close-knit rural community like Red Wing, parish life often feels deeply personal and interconnected. The Riesters said seeing familiar faces at Mass and watching young families become more involved has strengthened their faith and their sense of belonging.

“In a small town like Red Wing, you know the majority of the faces at Mass, and it often feels more like a family than just a community,” Carrie Riester said. “It makes us happy to hear our children say they truly enjoy going to church at such young ages.”

Family-centered faith is one reason the couple felt called to host the Rural Life Celebration.

“I think people feel closer to God and find peace in places like this,” Kevin Riester said. “It is an honor to be part of that.”

Kluesner believes personal relationships are what most deeply nourish faith within the community.

“People here often support one another not only in times of celebration, but also during hardships, illness, loss and uncertainty,” she said. She pointed to a local family that experienced a serious boating accident several years ago in which their young son suffered severe injuries.

“Our parish came together in daily prayer vigils, and the broader community stepped forward to support and pray for the family,” Kluesner said. “Praise God, this sweet boy survived and is now thriving.”

Experiences like that demonstrate how faith is lived in rural communities, she added.

“In moments like these, the parish becomes more than simply a place to attend Mass; it becomes an extended family rooted in shared faith and love for one another.”

Over the years, the Riesters have watched their parish continue evolving into a vibrant and welcoming space for families. Their children are active in parish life — serving at Mass, attending youth group activities and participating in faith formation programs.

“Our kids enjoy serving with Father Brandon, attending youth group activities, and seeing their friends on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings,” Carrie Riester said. The couple said parish traditions — from the fall festival to summer programs — have helped shape their family’s faith and inspired them to be more engaged in parish life.

“Looking around during Mass and seeing both longtime members and new families is both exciting and comforting,” Kevin Riester said. “It has shaped how we want to raise our children and inspires us to be our best selves while sharing our gifts with the parish and community.”

This year’s Rural Life Celebration will include Mass celebrated by Archbishop Bernard Hebda. Father Theisen said the setting itself helps draw people closer to God.

“We’re known for our rolling hills and bluffs,” Father Theisen said. “To be here along the river and to take in the beauty of God’s creation is something special.” The area’s winding roads, dramatic landscapes and river valley vistas create a setting unlike many other parts of Minnesota.

“We’re all attracted to beauty,” Father Theisen said. “With the beauty of God’s creation in these farms that provide us nourishment, these beautiful hills and surrounding communities, it’s an opportunity to give thanks for the abundance they offer.”

Kluesner said she is especially looking forward to gathering outdoors in faith and fellowship.

“The Rural Life Celebration gives our parish community the opportunity to worship outdoors in God’s creation while sharing food, fellowship and fun with parishioners from our church, the surrounding community and others throughout the archdiocese,” she said.

This year’s celebration will also carry special meaning for the parish because Father Theisen will begin a new assignment July 1 as pastor of St. Odilia in Shoreview.

“This celebration will provide our parish community with an opportunity to come together one final time to celebrate Father Brandon (Theisen) in a fun and faith-filled way,” Kluesner said.

As the Rural Life Celebration approaches, the Riesters hope visitors will experience not only the beauty of the countryside, but also a deeper sense of peace and connection with God.

“Our hope is that people, both young and old, look back on this Mass and feel happiness and contentment in their lives,” Carrie Riester said. “We hope they find peace with whatever struggles they are going through while surrounded by community and beauty.”

For the Riester family, opening their property for the celebration is ultimately an expression of gratitude — for faith, for family and for the blessings they believe God has provided. And while they are preparing for the event with excitement and anticipation, they admitted there is one final prayer request on their minds.

“We are also praying for good weather,” Kevin Riester said.

The Minnesota Twins hosted more than 600 people from Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis at the Twins’ June 7 game against the Kansas City Royals — and announced that renovations and enhancements were in the works for Annunciation’s beloved Wiffle ball field.

After the on-field ceremony at Target Field in Minneapolis, Endre Gunter, a graduating eighth grader from Annunciation, threw the ceremonial first pitch and Twins Manager Derek Shelton caught the ball.

The Twins recognized the Annunciation community as it heals from a fatal shooting Aug. 27, 2025, during an all-school Mass at the church. Two students were killed; more than a dozen other students and three adults were injured.

Harry Kaiser — a gym teacher at the school, parishioner, and the father of a student who was injured — said Annunciation has long had a culture of gathering and making friends around the Wiffle ball field. Upgrades will include improved lighting and leveling, grading and resodding the existing space. A new dirt infield will be installed, as well as dugouts, bleachers, a movable outfield fence and a scoreboard.

“These improvements will bring new life to a place that is already filled with cherished memories, and they will create opportunities for joy, connection and healing for students, families and neighbors for years to come,” Kaiser said. “We are incredibly grateful.”

Working with Twin Cities partners Mortenson, HGA, the Pohlad Family Foundation and The Toro Company, the Minnesota Twins and the Minnesota Twins Community Fund (MTCF) plan to break ground this month and complete the project in September.

“We’re proud to bring some big-league love to the Annunciation Wiffle ball field, said MTCF Executive Director Kristin Rortvedt in a news release. “This field has been a neighborhood cornerstone — a place where kids and families connect through play, laughter and joy.”

The pastor of Annunciation, Father Dennis Zehren, expressed his gratitude in a statement.

“Our entire parish and school offer a tip-of-the-cap to the Minnesota Twins for giving Annunciation’s Wiffle ball field such a blessed do-over,” he said. “Your generous gift will turn our churchyard ballpark into a field of dreams and upgrade the school experience for so many kids. … Thank you, Minnesota Twins — for years of grass-stained, sun-kissed, simple joys to come.”

To commemorate the centennial year of the death of famed architect Antoni Gaudí, who designed Spain’s Sagrada Família basilica, The Lego Group announced June 4 the release of a new model kit of the church, calling it one of the world’s “most recognizable and ambitious” buildings.

The announcement came shortly before Pope Leo XIV was scheduled to visit the church in Barcelona June 10 to mark the anniversary of Gaudí’s death and inaugurate its recently completed tower.

The still-unfinished Basilica of the Holy Family in Barcelona has been under construction since 1882. Its central and tallest spire, the Tower of Jesus Christ, was finished in February. Its other spires each represent central figures in the Church, including the Twelve Apostles, the four evangelists and the Virgin Mary.

The original neo-Gothic design of the basilica, intended to resemble the shrine in Loreto, Italy, was altered two years after the laying of the cornerstone due to differences between Bocabella and the project’s first architect, Francisco de Paula del Villar. The project was then continued by Gaudí (1852-1926).

The Sagrada Família set — containing 12,060 separate Lego elements — is the largest Lego building set ever released, by piece count, the company said. The Lego model of Barcelona’s landmark basilica includes a stained-glass window effect, as well as other details, including its Passion facade and towers.

“We felt an immense responsibility to do justice to the Sagrada Família through this design,” Lego architecture designer Rok Žgalin Kobe said in a statement. “Our goal was to honor Gaudí’s vision with the utmost respect, capturing the rhythm of the basilica’s construction, its extraordinary complexity and ambition, and translating that into an immersive building experience.”

“This is not only the largest LEGO set ever, but a model of one of the most ambitious architectural works in the world,” Žgalin Kobe continued. “Balancing scale and precision, while remaining faithful to a living monument that has been evolving for more than a century, was a unique design challenge — and one we’re incredibly proud of.”

Over the course of his life, Gaudí came to see his architecture as an effort to bring people closer to God, according to multiple accounts of his life. His sainthood cause is underway. He was declared “Venerable” by Pope Francis in April 2025.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda reflected on the truths of human dignity as people across the United States prepare to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary and the U.S. bishops prepare to consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 11. 

“Even though I’m still struggling to pronounce semiquincentennial, I’m pretty excited about the upcoming 250th anniversary of our nation’s Declaration of Independence,” Archbishop Hebda said in his monthly “Together on the Journey” video released June 8. 

“I realize that 250 years might not sound like much to a Roman or to a Greek or to any other successor of ancient civilizations who can speak of their history in terms of millennia rather than centuries. But 250 still seems to me to be something to celebrate,” the archbishop said. 

The American experiment promoting human happiness continues to be “a source of hope in the modern world,” despite these ideals sometimes seeming “more aspiration than descriptive,” Archbishop Hebda continued in the video, which can be viewed on the archdiocese’s website at archspm.org/togetheronthejourney. 

The archbishop said he is grateful that the framers of the Declaration of Independence boldly recognized self-evident truths, that all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. 

“Those fundamental rights don’t flow from a concession from our government, but rather from the will of the loving God who willed each one of us into being, creating us in his own image and likeness,” he said.  

“Each of us has immeasurable dignity precisely because of God’s plan and his love for his creation,” Archbishop Hebda said. “Sadly, there have been times when it’s been difficult for us to grasp just how much our God loves us.” 

The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12 is a golden opportunity to contemplate God’s love for us, Archbishop Hebda said, noting promotion of the devotion by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque of France after she encountered Jesus in visions.  

In the visions, Jesus invited the Visitation sister to share with the world a devotion to his Sacred Heart. 

“Jesus expressed his deep sufferings not from his crucifixion but rather from our lack of love,” Archbishop Hebda said. “The solemnity of the Sacred Heart, which takes place in June every year, was added to the Church calendar in 1856 to invite our universal Church to respond to Jesus’ love and the mercy he desires to give us. Love and mercy are forever united in the heart of our Lord.” 

From June 10-12, the U.S. bishops will gather for the annual U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) meeting in Orlando, Florida. 

There, they will consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the hope that leading up to that consecration, each bishop will have invited parishes and individuals to complete 250 hours of adoration and 250 works of mercy, Archbishop Hebda said.  

Archbishop Hebda invited Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to participate in the June 11 consecration. Special prayers and devotional materials can be found on the USCCB website. 

“I also encourage you to spend some time in preparation beforehand through adoration, works of mercy, or in any way you may unite your heart more with the most Sacred Heart of Jesus,” Archbishop Hebda said.  

“With dozens of adoration chapels coupled with countless parish outreach programs and ministry partners that promote life, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, and perform other acts of mercy, I have a feeling that these milestones are already being met each week in our archdiocese,” Archbishop Hebda said. “But there would be a benefit to being intentional about that this year in the context of our 250th.” 

It’s fitting, the archbishop explained, that the late Pope Francis released his final encyclical on the topic of the Sacred Heart, called “Dilexit nos” — Latin for “He loved us.” Pope Francis explored how the brokenness of human hearts and societal challenges can harden hearts, Archbishop Hebda said.    

“Here in America, we may be far too often tempted to make something great of ourselves without Christ,” the archbishop said. “Think of our ideal of the self-made man. But we are not our own. We belong to Christ. And Christ calls us to conform our hearts and our wills to his. Whenever we contemplate the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Pope Francis explained, we come to know better the consolation of Christ, to unite our sufferings with his and to thus soften our hearts so that we can share that love with others.” 

On May 13, Archbishop Hebda released his pastoral letter, “Only One Thing Is Necessary,” exploring how families can keep Jesus at the center of their lives. 

“What better way to do this than to entrust our families to the Sacred Heart of Jesus?” the archbishop said. “In our world where so many families are fractured and weary, Christ’s heart burns all the greater, desiring nothing more than for us to open our hearts to his.”

Minnesota Sinfonia, which has included a Music in the Schools program, is returning to public concerts as part of a Violins of Hope tour in Minnesota. The tour includes musicians playing a collection of violins and cellos that were owned by Jewish musicians, many of whom died in the Holocaust. Internationally acclaimed cellist, conductor and pedagogue Amit Peled will perform with Sinfonia.

Renovations underway at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis made a concert there impossible, unfortunately, said Jay Fishman, Sinfonia’s artistic director. “We have performed in the church for over 40 years, first as the old Minneapolis Chamber Symphony, and then starting in 1989, when we reorganized as the Minnesota Sinfonia,” Fishman said in an email. Sinfonia had intended a series of public concerts in 2024 to be the orchestra’s last. But the Minnesota Jewish Community Center invited the orchestra to be part of the Violins of Hope tour. Sinfonia’s performances will feature Jewish-themed music honoring the millions of Jews who died in the Holocaust.

The free concerts — children are welcome — will include a 6:30 p.m. pre-concert talk and 7:30 p.m. performance. Concert dates are June 22 at the University of Northwestern’s Nazareth Chapel in St. Paul; June 23 (with a 6:45 p.m. start) at Augsburg University Chapel in Minneapolis; June 24 at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis; June 25 at Wayzata Community Church in Wayzata; and June 26 at First Covenant Church in East St. Paul. In addition, there will be a 1 p.m. talk and 2 p.m. performance June 28 at Bethel University’s Benson Great Hall in Arden Hills. Minnesota Sinfonia will officially close as an organization on Sept. 30, at the end of its fiscal year, Fishman said.

The U.S. Department of State announced June 5 that a $240 million grant in humanitarian and disaster response assistance, the first of a series of such grants, will be made to Catholic Relief Services, the overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Catholic Church.

The award was announced at an event in Rome by Ryan Shrum, a senior official with the State Department Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response; U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch; Ambassador Lynda Blanchard, permanent representative of the United States to the U.N. Agencies in Rome; Jennifer Poidatz, CRS vice president for humanitarian response; and Alistair Dutton, secretary general of Caritas Internationalis.

U.S. officials said the grant is the first in a series of awards the State Department intends to make to “trusted and vetted implementing organizations,” the department said in a press release.

In its own press release, CRS said the funding will support its global rapid response fund, used to quickly get assistance to countries in crisis, such as.

“CRS is grateful for the opportunity to reach more people affected by crisis, at a time when humanitarian needs far exceed available resources,” Poidatz of CRS said in a statement. “We appreciate the leadership of the United States and of national governments committed to responding to new and enduring crises.”

“The communities in these countries are experiencing severe food insecurity, conflict, displacement, extreme weather and so much more,” Sean Callahan, CRS president and CEO, added. “This funding will help us respond to their unique needs quickly.”

Callahan said in a statement that CRS is “proud to continue upholding a rigorous system of accountability to ensure the resources go where they are most needed. When combined with privately raised resources, we are able to increase their reach and benefit.”

The State Department said in its press release that CRS demonstrated its “capacity to provide assistance in challenging political environments,” citing Cuba, where department officials said “its local partnerships enabled humanitarian assistance to reach those in need without regime interference.”

“The Church plays a unique role because it is rooted in community life across generations,” Poidatz said. “In places marked by conflict, displacement and polarization, religious leaders and faith-based institutions often remain trusted before, during and after crisis — helping communities navigate uncertainty, foster compassion and create space for reconciliation and peaceful coexistence.”

In 2025, the Trump administration moved to formally dissolve the U.S. Agency for International Development, moving its remaining functions under the purview of the State Department. Cuts to funding for the government’s now-shuttered humanitarian aid agency in countries all over the globe included funding for efforts by Catholic and other faith-based humanitarian groups such as CRS.

In anticipation of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. bishops will consecrate the country to the Sacred Heart of Jesus June 11 during their spring plenary assembly in Orlando, Florida.

The act of consecration is a significant matter. But what does it really mean to consecrate a place — such as an entire country?

For Timothy O’Malley, explaining what a consecration is includes making clear what it is not.

“It is not some sort of magic,” said O’Malley, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame, where he is also associate director for research at its McGrath Institute for Church Life. “A consecration is actually to make something sacred, quite literally, to bring it to God. And typically there are periods of preparation for various consecrations, to order something toward God.”

R. Jared Staudt, a Catholic educator, also said consecration “orders something to God, to help it to realize its purpose.”

“The purpose of everything is to give God glory. We see that Adam is actually given a priestly mission in the garden (of Eden), when he is meant to cultivate and protect. And those are words that were later drawn into the Israelite priesthood: ‘abad’ and ‘shamar,” he said, using Hebrew words that mean “to serve, and protect and defend.”

“And so Adam was placed inside the garden, to order it to God as his temple,” explained Staudt, who oversees content at Exodus 90, a Catholic app that guides men in living out their faith.

“One of the main tasks of humanity is to ensure that everything within creation reaches its ultimate purpose, which is to give glory to God,” he said. “So, when you order something, you are directing it to that ultimate end.”

And this, the theologians said, is what the bishops will be doing once they consecrate the United States.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines “consecration” as “the dedication of a thing or person to divine service by a prayer or blessing.”

“Consecration is something that is first and foremost a sacred act,” said Scott Hahn, a biblical scholar at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. “Secondly, it relates our whole life to our Lord and to the communion of saints. And so it also is something that is rooted and grounded in the notion of covenant. And this is what I think is often overlooked, but highly significant.”

“It seems to me that we’ve got to recover the notion of covenant in terms of the sacred kinship bonds that unite us to God, not just as our creator, but as our father,” he added, saying the concept of “covenant” is significantly different from making a “social contract.”

Hahn pointed to 2 Chronicles 15 for biblical references on consecrating a location, in which the king of Judah turned his land back to God, removing idols and pagan practices.

“King Asa consecrates all of the people of God. … With trumpets, with music and with proclamation, they swear an oath,” he said. “I mean, who would associate a juridical act of oathswearing with consecration, with celebration?”

Catholics may be most familiar with consecration in the Mass, when a priest consecrates the Eucharist through the Holy Spirit by reciting a prayer formula that transubstantiates bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. But the theologians distinguished between consecrating the Eucharist and consecrating a location, in which there is not a specifically worded prayer.

A consecration is distinct from a dedication or a blessing, the theologians emphasized.

Staudt said dedication designates something for a divine purpose, while a blessing asks “God to pour out his favor upon someone or something.” Consecration, he and the other theologians said, is something given to God. It is also more formal than the other two, according to O’Malley. Hahn said all three are “actions of the covenant.”

They also said consecration of a people matters — whether for believers, nonbelievers or those not fully aware of its significance.

“In the midst of a really perilous political situation operative right now, in the midst of war and violence and the terrors of AI, the Church thinks about existing in a particular country, existing in the United States. Her members now should really dedicate themselves anew to the merciful love of Christ,” said O’Malley.

“Any proper act that we perform, with regard to a relationship to God in Christ through his Sacred Heart, is going to have a ripple effect,” said Hahn. “It’s going to impact our own families, our parishes, our neighborhoods, our towns, our cities, our states, more than we can perceive.

“So we do what is right because it’s right,” he continued. “And then we leave in God’s hands the consequences of it, trusting that he’s going to probably bring about greater good than what we could possibly intend or realize.”

Staudt reminded the faithful that “the Church is not a sect” and that it acts for the good of everyone, no matter their beliefs.

“The Church exists to glorify God and to sanctify the world for him. So both the sacrifice of the Mass and other acts of prayer, such as these consecrations, are done on behalf of all, in a way that does benefit them and bless them, even if they’re unaware, unconcerned or even opposed to those acts,” he said.

Simone Orendain is an OSV News correspondent. She writes from Chicago.

Effective July 1, parishioners of St. Boniface in Minneapolis will continue to attend Mass and receive sacraments at the church, even as parish assets are transferred to another owner.

The St. Boniface parish corporation will be suppressed and all parish assets, such as the church building and land, will be transferred to the nearby St. Maron of the Maronite Catholic Church in Minneapolis — a parish that celebrates liturgies in the Maronite Rite, which has its roots in Lebanon. The Maronite Church is Catholic and in union with the Holy Father; it operates under its own set of laws and liturgical rubrics.

St. Maron will continue to provide limited sacramental ministry to St. Boniface parishioners for at least one year and beyond that time if it continues to be possible to maintain and safely use the church. The priests of St. Maron parish have bi-ritual faculties allowing them to offer Mass and the sacraments in the Latin and Maronite Catholic rites.

Father Michael Tix, vicar general for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, said the arrangement is a creative solution that doesn’t involve selling the property — a typical solution for the closure of a parish.

“It is a blessing that this beautiful church building will belong to another Catholic entity, and that the remaining funds of the parish will go to support the continued use of the building,” said Father Joseph Bambenek, associate director of the archdiocesan Office for the Renewal of Structures. “It’s intended to be a win-win for the current parishioners of St. Boniface and St. Maron.”

The pastor of St. Maron, Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun, will establish a regular schedule of Masses in the Latin rite with at least one Mass each weekend, under the arrangement reached between the archdiocese and the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, which oversees St. Maron much as the archdiocese oversees its parishes, Father Tix said.

In addition to Mass, St. Boniface’s church building can be used for funerals, marriages and baptisms for those already registered with the parish, and their immediate family, at the time of the suppression. Upon request, others can also use St. Boniface’s church building.

Father Tix said St. Boniface faces a changing neighborhood and demographics “that necessitate change in the parish and how it functions.”

Determining the best action to take has been considered for quite some time, he said, with many conversations involving St. Boniface’s parochial administrator, Father David Ostrowski, parish trustees, the archdiocese’s Presbyteral Council, the Archdiocesan Corporate Board and Finance Council and Archbishop Bernard Hebda.

“The nice outcome of this is it leaves opportunity for people to continue coming to St. Boniface for at least the immediate term,” Father Tix said.

On July 11, Archbishop Bernard Hebda will preside at a 4 p.m. Mass at St. Boniface to recognize the changes. In a letter to St. Boniface parishioners, Chorbishop Maroun wrote that weekly Mass will be held every Saturday at 4 p.m. and weekday Mass will be celebrated Thursday mornings at a yet-unspecified time.

“I urge all of you to become more involved by using your time, talents, and treasures to support your home parish of Saint Boniface,” Chorbishop Maroun wrote in the letter. “I assure you of my sincere commitment to serve you with dedication, humility, and love. I look forward to getting to know you as we continue to grow together in faith. We are here to serve you and to accompany you with prayer, care, and pastoral support.”

Father Ostrowski will no longer be the parochial administrator of the parish at the end of the day June 30. St. Boniface sacramental records will be received by Our Lady of Lourdes in Minneapolis.

As the parish is suppressed, two representatives from St. Boniface will be chosen by parishioners to consult with St. Maron’s leadership semi-annually regarding the agreement, dedicated funds and sacramental needs of former St. Boniface parishioners, according to official Church documents.

In a letter to parishioners, Father Tix wrote, “As readily expressed at the all-parish meeting, this news is hard to hear and feels much like a death in the family, but many also expressed this as the understandable outcome, given factors ranging from changing demographics and the same kind of active engagement in parish life that was seen in the past as the lifeblood for St. Boniface’s 168 year history.”

How might you help a nation in political turmoil celebrate its 250th anniversary and the unlikely creation of the first large-scale, self-governing republic in the modern world?

Dedicate it to the Sacred Heart of Jesus — as the U.S. bishops will do for the United States of America on June 11, marking the first such formal consecration of the country to Christ’s heart.

The prelates made the decision to do this during a Nov. 11, 2025, session of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ fall plenary assembly in Baltimore — and while they were singularly focused on an exceptional gesture to mark our country’s semiquincentennial, the consecration still probably can’t come at a better time.

According to a CNN/SSRS poll released April 3, Americans are divided by intense levels of cynicism, viewing both the Democratic and Republican parties in deeply negative terms. A full 77% of Americans, the Pew Research Center reported April 15, think the nation’s political system needs major changes or complete reform.

Archbishop Alexander K. Sample of Portland, Oregon, who chairs the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty, told OSV News there are three essential reasons the bishops voted for the consecration.

First “would be to place our nation under the kingship of Christ,” he said. “Yes, we are a democratic republic; we are a civil society — but no civil society can long endure without being under the kingship of Christ himself; to place ourselves under God’s providence and care.”

And while our young nation fought a revolution to throw off a monarchy, Archbishop Sample emphasized the continuity between Jesus’ kingship and America’s founding ideals.

“In the history of our nation, it’s undoubtable and it’s irrefutable that the faith — and our reliance on God — really was the foundation that our Founding Fathers placed this nation on,” he said. “So at this time, as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it’s to remind all of us that — whatever civil government we might have — we are all under, ultimately, the kingship of Christ.”

Second, Archbishop Sample noted “there’s a certain reparation aspect to the Sacred Heart. I think we can’t forget that part of the consecration is to make reparation for offenses against God; against the heart of Christ.”

Some of those offenses, he remarked, are part of American history.

“We are a great and blessed nation — but there are mistakes that we have made as a people over these 250 years. And so this is a good time,” the archbishop added, “to also make reparation to the heart of Christ for those offenses against his love, and his mercy, and his justice — for all peoples.”

Finally, Archbishop Sample said, “there’s this desire, through this consecration, to also call us to have a greater heart for the poor and the suffering … as we honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we can’t just honor it as a private devotion. It has to move us, and move our hearts.”

Pope Francis, he said, “was a man who loved these beautiful, rich devotions we have in the faith … and wanted to call our attention to the fact that the heart of Christ is the heart of mercy … and through the heart of Jesus, we find healing and reconciliation.”

Pope Francis brought the Sacred Heart to wider Catholic attention with the 2024 encyclical “Dilexit Nos” (“He Loved Us”), observing the devotion needs to be revived for our era.

Devotion to the Sacred of Heart of Jesus — which traces its roots to at least the second century — grew during the Middle Ages and was later extended to the universal church following Christ’s revelations of his Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a 17th-century French woman religious.

Emily Schumacher-Novak — associate director of Education and Outreach at the USCCB’s Secretariat of Justice and Peace — said the June 11 consecration is accompanied by an abundance of USCCB resources, including a prayer and downloadable prayer card; a Novena to the Sacred Heart (June 3-11); a ceremony to enthrone the Sacred Heart in the home; consecration resources for parishes; materials from the Knights of Columbus and the Pope’s Prayer Network; and the “We Hold These Truths – America 250” article and video series, which feature the contributions of Catholics to the United States.

“We are also offering a resource that invites people to do 250 hours of adoration and 250 works of mercy,” Schumaker-Novak said. “It’s that connection back to charity and justice that our Church calls us to — to pray for all the things in our world that need healing — that we can do in front of the Blessed Sacrament.”

The national consecration — at Mary, Queen of the Universe Basilica in Orlando, Florida — will be live streamed via the USCCB homepage on June 11.

“As the bishops of the United States do the consecration of the whole nation to the heart of Christ, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we’re also encouraging local communities to do the same — especially in our families and in our dioceses,” concluded Archbishop Sample.

He noted family, parish and diocesan consecrations are not meant to replace the national consecration.

“It’s so we’re sort of doing it on all levels, so to speak,” said Archbishop Sample, “to really make this a meaningful moment in the light of the Church here in this great and blessed land.”

Kimberley Heatherington is a correspondent for OSV News. She writes from Virginia.