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The priest, who serves at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Recife, Brazil, recounts being contacted by a parishioner who explained that his granddaughter had been born prematurely and asked if he could go to the maternity ward to perform the baptism as soon as possible, given the delicate situation.

"Life that insists on living," Father Davi wrote in the post. He explains that Maria weighs “only 570 grams,” the equivalent of 1.25 pounds. “So tiny, so fragile, and yet, paradoxically, so full of life. Her beating heart pumps blood."

"Now, blood of God’s own lineage! More than that: a daughter! With all that this entails. It is a moment of joy for this young priest to share in this celebration taking place on earth and in heaven!" the post concludes.

In the video, the priest is seen baptizing little Maria Borba Reis, held in her mother's arms, using a small disposable cup and drying her off with a napkin.

Luiza Borba, the baby's mother, commented on the post grateful to the priest and asking for prayers: "Thank you so much, Father! Please pray for our Maria and for us."

Ordained three years ago, Fr. Davi revealed to ChurchPOP that this was the first time he had experienced such a situation. He felt joy but also some nervousness, noting, "I had performed baptisms in the ICU before, but never under these circumstances."

"I think I was more nervous than the mother herself, because when I saw the size of the baby… Wow, she was so tiny, I was startled; so I was very nervous, yet happy at the same time," he stated.

Father Davi said little Maria "is recovering" and that he hopes "she will be well soon, so she can be a testimony at the parish and return to the church to thank God."

As this was the first time he had performed a baptism under such circumstances, the priest asked the parents for permission to post the video on his social media. However, the priest did not expect the post to go viral so quickly, garnering over a million views in less than a day and moving people around the world.

"It was mainly to bear witness to the importance of parents having their children baptized as soon as possible, especially in circumstances like these, a more delicate situation, and I decided to share it, but I never imagined it would go viral so quickly."

Emergency Baptism

Paragraph 1256 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that "the ordinary ministers of Baptism are the bishop and priest and, in the Latin Church, also the deacon."

However, it notes that "In case of necessity, any person, even someone not baptized, can baptize, if he has the required intention. The intention required is to will to do what the Church does when she baptizes, and to apply the Trinitarian baptismal formula."

Father Davi explains:

"In the risk of death, all formalities are dispensed (...) and anyone, even someone without faith, an atheist, or a nurse who is not Catholic, can baptize at that moment, provided the baptism is performed 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit' using the Trinitarian formula and running water. And the baptism is valid."

Later on, if that’s the case, "the rites can be supplemented, but baptism is performed only once," the priest emphasises.

This, he reflects, reveals "the Church's desire for everyone to be saved."

Let us pray for little Maria!

Maria Flor chose to dedicate the celebration of her 15th birthday to her devotion to Our Lady of Aparecida.

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The shades of blue, present throughout the decoration, were chosen as a tribute to the patroness of Brazil. But the moment that moved guests the most came right after the debutante's entrance.

During the ceremony, her mother led the enthronement of an image of Our Lady of Aparecida as a way of giving thanks for the graces received throughout the family's life.

According to event planner Júlia Vilma, who organized the celebration, every detail was designed to reflect what the family wanted to convey.

"Every decor doesn’t just tell a story. Some reveal a devotion."

According to Júlia, every detail of the party was designed to express the teenager's faith.

"The shades of blue that adorned Maria Flor's 15th birthday were chosen to honor her faith and her love for Our Lady of Aparecida, patroness of Brazil."

She also emphasized that the celebration sought to tell a story through the symbols present at the party.

"When every detail is thought out with purpose, the celebration stops being just beautiful and starts telling a unique story."

In the comments, many social media users related to the gesture. One follower wrote,

"Only someone who has Our Lady as a mother knows."

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A Tradition That Can Also Be a Testimony of Faith

Quinceañera parties (fifteenth-birthday celebrations) usually mark the passage from childhood into a new stage of life. In many cases, the celebration begins with a Thanksgiving Mass before the reception.

In Maria Flor's case, the party itself became an opportunity to publicly display her devotion to the Mother of God.

Rather than turning the celebration into just a big social event, the family chose to place Our Lady at the center of one of the most important moments in the teenager's life.

The result moved thousands of people and showed that faith can also be present in the small details of a celebration.

With this in mind, the Diocese of Getafe (Spain) shared on social media a “Good Christian’s Vacation Kit”: simple ideas to help you keep your faith alive during your days off.

Here are 7 easy actions you can start today:

1. Spend a few minutes in prayer each day
   It doesn’t have to be long or complicated. A simple, “Good morning, Lord. Thank you for this day. Help me to live it well,” is enough to begin by putting God at the center.
2. Find a nearby Mass wherever you are
   Wherever you travel, there’s almost always a church! Use Google Maps, check the local diocesan website, or just ask around. Summer break is not a reason to skip Sunday Mass.
3. Take the Bible with you
   You don’t need to read it cover to cover. Start with a Gospel — for example, St. Mark, which has only 16 chapters. Summer can be the perfect time to spend more time with the Word of God.
4. Don’t forget your rosary
   It fits in any pocket and goes everywhere: the beach, a road trip, the mountains, or the airport. It doesn’t need Wi-Fi and it’s the best “travel companion” for your soul.
5. Practice a work of mercy
   Help someone who can’t pay you back. Vacation time usually gives more opportunities to serve others. One small act of kindness can completely change someone’s day.
6. Read a good spiritual book
   Vacations are ideal for reading what you never have time for during the year: Confessions by St. Augustine, The Way by St. Josemaría, The Lord by Romano Guardini… There’s something for everyone.
7. Give yourself a moment of silence
   Vacations can be packed with plans, conversations, and activities. Try to set aside at least ten minutes a day just to be in silence. Remember: God speaks in the silence (1 Kings 19:12).

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In their post, the diocese also asked followers to suggest more ideas to complete this “Good Christian’s Vacation Kit.” Some of the top suggestions were:

• “I would add a prayer of thanksgiving at the end of the day.”
• “Frequent sacramental confession”
• “I’d include finding a nearby chapel with Perpetual Adoration and making a visit.”
• “The Liturgy of the Hours… at least one, Lauds or Compline 😍.”

What would you add to this kit to live your vacation without drifting away from God?

Officials say the destruction could make this the most destructive wildfire event in Washington State history. Beyond Spokane, wildfire activity is spreading across the region. Oregon broke its annual wildfire acreage record just three days into August.

On August 3rd, Bishop Thomas A. Daly of the Catholic Diocese of Spokane was able to gain access to the fire zone, granted by emergency personnel, to assess the damage and give encouragement to the faithful.

Bishop Daly’s team went with him and his Director of Communication Sarah Potter snapped this powerful photo of a private residence that had been burned down by the Old Trails Fire, the largest of the three wildfires that are devastating the Spokane area. All that remained fully intact was a statue of the Virgin Mary. The image went viral as it was later posted to the Diocese of Spokane’s social media with the caption: 

In the midst of unimaginable loss, this image speaks without words.

The fires may consume homes and forests, but it cannot consume faith, hope, or the love that binds a community together.

Please continue to pray for all who have lost homes, for those forced to evacuate, and for every firefighter, law enforcement officer, emergency personnel, and volunteer serving our region.

Our prayers must always become action. Faith calls us not only to pray for our neighbors but to care for them.

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us. 

After the bishop’s visit to the devastation site, he released a letter to the faithful addressing the loss. The letter was titled “Standing Together in Hope”.

On Monday, August 3, Spokane County Sheriff's deputies arrested Aaron Farinacci, 37, for allegedly starting the Old Trails Fire. He was booked on suspicion of first-degree arson and is being held on a $1 million bond.

Pray for Spokane, WA, and the PNW as they continue to battle historic wildfires!

By God’s grace, and with unstoppable devotion to his vocation, Vianney transformed the small French town to which he was assigned. His fame as a confessor and counselor became so great, tens of thousands of pilgrims visited him each year.

What’s less known about him, though, is the fact that Saint John Vianney endured physical attacks from the devil.

In one story, his sister spent the night at his home attached to his parish church when a strange rapping sound on the wall and table awakened her. Afraid, she went to Vianney, who was hearing confessions late at night.

He explained:

“Oh, my child, you should not have been frightened: It is the Grappin [“pitchfork”; his nickname for Satan]. He cannot hurt you. As for me, he torments me in sundry ways. At times he seizes me by the feet and drags me about the room. It is because I convert souls to the good God.”

In another instance, Vianney was in his parish church hearing confessions when someone reported that Vianney’s bedroom had caught on fire.

His response?

“The Grappin is very angry. He couldn’t catch the bird so he has burned the cage. It is a good sign. We will have many sinners this day.”

What incredible faith!

He was so beloved that, after dying at age 73, a bishop presided over his funeral Mass with 300 priests and 6000 people in attendance.

Saint John Vianney's Prayer for Priests

God, please give to your Church today
many more priests after your own heart.
May they be worthy representatives
of Christ the Good Shepherd.

May they wholeheartedly devote themselves
to prayer and penance;
be examples of humility and poverty;
shining models of holiness;
tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God;
zealous dispensers of your grace in the sacraments.

May their loving devotion
to your Son Jesus in the Eucharist
and to Mary his Mother
be the twin fountains of fruitfulness for their ministry.

Amen.

Saint John Vianney, please pray for us!

This isn't a museum piece frozen in the 1840s — St. Francis' is reportedly the busiest church in the country today, hosting up to 38 Masses and welcoming more than 10,000 worshippers and visitors every single week, right in the middle of Melbourne's office towers and tram lines. The interior, hidden behind a deliberately plain exterior, holds a cedar ceiling, stained glass, and color that surprises most first-time visitors, following a $2.8 million restoration in the 1990s.

This week, the beauty of the church is trending on social media as @foodiepg2122 shared a reel of it to Instagram:

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A Church Born From a Letter

The story starts not with bricks, but with a plea. In 1839, a small group of Catholics in the Port Phillip District — who'd been meeting for prayer in a private home — wrote to the Church asking for a priest of their own. Father Patrick Geoghegan, an Irish Franciscan newly arrived from Dublin, answered the call, landing at Williamstown in May 1839 as the district's first resident Catholic priest.

A modest timber chapel went up first while something grander took shape. On 4 October 1841 — the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi — Geoghegan laid the foundation stone and named the church in honour of his order's founder. Designed by architect Samuel Jackson in a simple Gothic style, the church took its first Mass on 22 May 1842, though it wouldn't be fully blessed until 23 October 1845.

Cathedral, Then Parish Again

For twenty years, St. Francis' punched well above its weight. When James Alipius Goold became Melbourne's first Catholic bishop in 1848, St Francis' became his cathedral — the seat of the entire Melbourne diocese. It held that title until 1868, when the still-unfinished St Patrick's Cathedral opened its nave and took over the role. 

Nearly a century after its founding, the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament took over pastoral care of St. Francis' in 1929, turning it into a dedicated Eucharistic shrine. That transformation stuck — the congregation later established a novitiate and seminary on-site through the 1930s and 40s.

Where History Walked Through the Doors

Few buildings in Australia can claim ties to as many defining names and moments:

• Mary MacKillop, Australia's first canonized saint, was baptized at St. Francis' in 1842 and made her First Communion there in 1850.
• Ned Kelly's parents were married in the church that same year, 1850 — a quiet footnote before their son became one of Australia's most infamous bushrangers.
• The church survived the gold rush boom of the 1850s largely intact, even as Melbourne transformed into one of the wealthiest cities in the world around it, adding a Lady Chapel during that era and a sanctuary in the 1870s.

During the Grand Parade and Civic-Military Parade for Independence Day, held on July 29 on Avenida Brasil in Lima, the National Police's Canine Unit once again took part with a display that drew applause from the crowd.

One of the moments that drew the most attention occurred when Beto, a golden retriever, rested his front paws on his handler's knee and lowered his head, giving the impression that he was "praying."

Rony Goñas, a member of the Canine Police Department, explained the meaning behind the demonstration:

"Before starting any activity, we entrust ourselves to the Divine Maker for the corresponding blessing, and in this way, we begin the exercises that follow."

The scene can be seen in the following video, starting at minute 0:53.

This isn't the first time a member of the K-9 Unit has starred in a similar moment. Days earlier, during the Grand Civic School Parade held in the district of Comas, Mittens, a beagle, performed the same gesture before starting her demonstration in front of the main stage.

When introducing the act, one of the officers explained to the audience:

"Mittens is going to say a prayer. She's going to lift up a prayer to our Divine God; she's going to bow in reverence, she's going to say the prayer. She's going to ask on behalf of all of you, so that today goes as well as possible for you, and so that we can reach our destination safely."

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What is the function of the K-9 Unit?

The National Police of Peru's K-9 Unit is made up of specially trained dogs that assist in search and rescue operations, detection of explosives and illicit substances, and also take part in security operations and other specialized missions.

The gesture by Beto and Mittens ended up becoming one of the most shared moments of the national celebrations.

Bernard has spent four decades as a photojournalist, chronicling stories from the road with a self-imposed rule: every photo, every word, every piece of music he shares is created entirely on his iPhone. When he's not traveling, he calls Bordeaux home.

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"The Fire Passed Through Here, and Then Passed Through Again"

Locals call it simply "the Christ" — a mission cross that has stood in Saumos since the late 19th century, marking the site of the town's annual Good Friday procession. André Prouvoyeur knows it well. He's a forester whose land borders the cross, and a technical advisor with France's Forest Fire Defense Service (DFCI).

He described the devastation to Catholic French media outlet, Famille Chrétienne:

"Here we are south of Saumos. The fire passed through here, and then passed through again.

This is the Calvary that people here locally call 'the Christ.' It is originally a mission cross, and this is where the Good Friday procession takes place.

The underbrush was burned, the grass that had been cut was burned—you can see that as well. This small shrub was also burned, and here you can see the scorch marks on the back of the cross. It was slightly burned too."

Even the cross didn't escape entirely unscathed — but it held.

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A Water Source and a Well of Faith

During the fires, Prouvoyeur's role extended well beyond watching the flames pass through his land. His property holds a large water reserve that became a critical resource for everyone fighting the blaze:

"I serve with the Forest Fire Defense Service (DFCI), so I am a technical advisor. In addition, because I have a large water reserve on my property, everyone comes to draw water from it. The volunteers, the Forest Fire Defense Service, the firefighters, every water tanker that passes by, the farmers—all the tankers that come through fill up with water at my place.

What keeps me going is my faith. It is faith in my work, but it is also faith in Christ."

More Than a Century of Standing Watch

The crucifix’s endurance is only more striking given its history. Prouvoyeur explained that it was erected during a wave of Catholic missionary work in a part of France that had long resisted religious influence:

"This is a mission cross because here in the Médoc—southern Médoc in particular—it was a very difficult region for religion. It is still a difficult region for religion today. But missionary campaigns were carried out here, and this cross is one of the surviving mission crosses dating from the end of the 19th century."

More than 130 years after it was first raised to bring faith to a resistant region, the Christ of Saumos has captured the attention of the world through a single photograph of what the fire could not take. 

Across social media, photo-shopped images instantly flooded every feed. Lebron James was suddenly spotted grabbing a hoagie at the local deli, ordering a whiz-wit at the neighborhood steak shop, and hanging out on the streets of Philly.  

Watching the digital frenzy unfold, Father James DeGrassa, pastor of Queen of Peace Catholic Church just north of the city, saw more than just viral memes. He saw a prime pastoral opportunity. 

“I started seeing everybody posting pictures of him. ‘Oh, he’s at our deli,’ or ‘Oh, he’s having our cheesesteak,’” Father DeGrassa told my colleague Zelda Caldwell at the National Catholic Register, adding: “I jumped on the hype.” 

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Why let the local sandwich shops have all the fun? Why not capitalize on LeBron fever to get people into the pews? 

Father DeGrassa started by updating the roadside parish marquee: “Welcome LeBron; Mass for Feast of Saint James; Tomorrow at 8 am.”  

Then came the main event. On Saturday — the actual feast day of St. James — he shared an AI-generated image on Instagram featuring himself and the NBA icon posing together right in front of the altar. The caption read: “LeBron James came out to Mass for the Feast of Saint James this morning.” 

Local parishioners, well-accustomed to their pastor’s playful sense of humor, immediately got the joke. What Father DeGrassa didn’t expect was for the algorithm to take the post and run a full-court press across the internet. 

The image rapidly exploded to over 4 million people worldwide. Suddenly, the church office phone began ringing off the hook with calls from confused fans across the country. One caller earnestly asked, “When is the LeBron James Mass?” 

“I’m like, ‘Don’t people realize it’s a joke? He’s not even in the area yet,’” Father DeGrassa said. 

Eventually, the deluge of calls turned the viral moment into “a monster,” prompting the priest to take the photo down. But back home in the parish, the stunt was a slam dunk.  

“Everybody from the 99-year-old woman to the 10-year-old boy was coming out of Mass saying, ‘That’s hilarious. We love that picture of LeBron.’” 

This isn't Father DeGrassa’s first time riding the wave of pop culture. When Taylor Swift brought her Eras Tour to town, he posted a sign advertising “Swift” Masses.  

“I try to catch on to whatever’s happening in the area and build up the hype,” he told Zelda Caldwell at the Register.  

Behind the viral jokes lies a very intentional ministry strategy — one specifically aimed at reaching men who might otherwise spend their weekends glued to the TV. 

“I just try to do whatever’s good to get people to come to church,” Father DeGrassa said. “I just feel like [the men] are the ones that are kind of lost in this area because most of the sports are on the weekend and the guys are watching football all day.” 

The strategy is working. Women in the parish frequently tell him their husbands are finally returning to church after years away. 

As for the viral LeBron post? Father DeGrassa has zero regrets, pointing out that the Gospel reading following the viral uproar happened to be the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes. “I’m going to talk about how it got multiplied, about how this post got so crazy,” he said. 

And if Lebron James — or anyone else inspired by the viral fake photo — decides to drop in one Sunday? The doors are wide open. 

“Everyone got the joke around here, but it went to like 4 million people,” Father DeGrassa smiled, “so God knows who’s going to show up.” 

As many times as we’ve visited the center and venerated his tomb, we’ve never thought about the strong connection and similarities between Blessed Solanus Casey and St. Francis of Assisi.  But all of us, as we move toward the 800^th anniversary of the passing of St. Francis this October, should think and pray about just how much they have in common.  

1. They both loved the Eucharist.

Most of the sparce writings of Francis were about the Eucharist, and Solanus loved to kneel before the Eucharist in the quiet of the night, and to play the violin in the chapel for Jesus in the tabernacle.

2. They Were Humble.

Francis was humbled by the poverty and humility of Jesus becoming a man, washing others' feet, and lowering himself to become the Eucharist for us to eat. Solanus, the lowly porter of the monastery, welcomed all people with a smile, no matter who they were, as if they were Jesus. They both had a deep love for the poor.

3. They Suffered Ridicule.

Francis was ridiculed for his extreme life of poverty in an attempt to live the Gospel fully. Solanus was ridiculed for his whispery voice which was damaged by diphtheria.

4. They Were Intelligent and Gracious.

Both Francis and Solanus were charming and gentle. Francis was very intelligent, and did well at school, but did not enjoy it. Solanus did poorly in his studies as a priest because he couldn’t learn German, which was not his native language. Researchers though, looking at his writings, concluded he was very intelligent.

5. They Had a Love of Music.

Solanus played the violin. Francis had a beautiful voice for singing, and loved the sound of the lute, which is similar to a guitar.

6. They Were Affected Deeply by Man’s Inhumanity to Man.

Francis yearned to be a soldier because of the mystique, but was disillusioned by both the violence of war and spending a year in captivity in a dungeon. Solanus’s move toward priesthood began after seeing a drunken soldier stab a woman, and he considered what he could do to oppose such violence and evil.

7. They Had Very Difficult Illnesses, but Faced it with Joy and Acceptance, With a Focus on Others.

Francis had a painful stomach condition, and an illness of the eyes that made him very sensitive to light, and caused much pain. Nearing the end of his life he was almost blind, yet still composed the “Canticle of the Sun,” a song of praise to God for His creation. Francis had also received the stigmata (the wounds of Christ) and could hardly walk. He died at 44 years of age. Solanus had Erysipelas an extremely painful skin infection that eventually took his life in 1957 at the age of 86. He faced the agony with gratitude. As he died, he sat up in bed, stretched his arms out and said, “I give my soul to Jesus Christ.”

Solanus Casey was a much-loved Capuchin friar, part of the Franciscan religious order founded in the 16th century.  He lived most of his life in the 20^th century, 700 years after the death of St. Francis.  It’s quite an affirmation of the impact of the ministry of St. Francis, to recognize these similarities and reflect upon how a simple American friar, born thousands of miles away, and so far removed from the year of Francis’ birth, 1226, continues to have such an impact.

We celebrate the feast of Solanus Casey on July 30^th. The 800^th Anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi is October 4, 2026. This year has been declared The Jubilee Year of St. Francis by Pope Leo XIV.  

St. Francis of Assisi and Blessed Solanus Casey…PRAY FOR US!