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Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 6/23/26

Pope Leo XIV joined children at the Vatican summer camp as they sang an unofficial World Youth Day anthem and looked ahead to the 2027 gathering in Seoul.

Young Catholics from the Diocese of Brooklyn are reflecting on their experiences at the Jubilee in Rome.

Pilgrims carried the Blessed Sacrament through southern New Hampshire as the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage continues its journey.

Descendants of Staten Island’s historic Sandy Ground community are working to preserve the nation’s oldest continuously inhabited free Black settlement.

Currents News Special, ‘America 250: The Faith Story’ To Air Friday, June 26 at 7 PM

As the United States celebrates 250 years of independence, NET-TV will premiere a special edition of Currents News, “America 250: The Faith Story,” on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 7 p.m.

The hour long broadcast explores the vital role religion, and Catholics in particular, have played in the American story.

This special will feature:

  • The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage — One Nation Under God

Pilgrims carrying the Blessed Sacrament are journeying across America, stopping at historic sites that highlight the Church’s enduring presence in the life of the nation. Beginning in St. Augustine, America’s oldest Catholic city and ending in Philadelphia, the pilgrimage is serving as a powerful witness to faith, unity and hope.

  • The Country’s Consecration

For the first time in the nation’s history, the U.S. Bishops have consecrated the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus during its 250th year. We examine the meaning of this historic act and why the Diocese of Brooklyn joined in this spiritual milestone, entrusting the country’s future to Christ.

  • The Fight for Freedom and Faith in the Diocese of Brooklyn

Long before Brooklyn became one of America’s most vibrant Catholic communities, its shores and neighborhoods were witness to some of the defining moments of the Revolutionary War. Join us in visiting historic sites throughout the Diocese of Brooklyn, including the Brooklyn Heights promenade and the Old Stone House in Park Slope, and explore how the struggle for liberty unfolded in the diocese, making its Catholic story part of the broader American journey.

Currents News is produced by NET-TV, an Emmy Award-winning cable network featuring news and information from the Catholic perspective.

It is available in the New York area on Spectrum Channel 97, Optimum Channel 30, and Verizon Fios Channel 548. Viewers can also watch the programming live at www.netny.tv/watchnow and on YouTube.

Mr. Met Surprises Catholic School Students at End-of-Year Mass

By Currents News

Students at Sacred Heart Catholic Academy in Bayside, Queens got an unexpected guest on their last day of school. Mr. Met brought smiles, high-fives, and plenty of excitement as he joined the school community for Mass, photos, and a special kindergarten graduation celebration.

Brooklyn Catholics Make Annual Pilgrimage to Historic Pennsylvania Shrine

By Currents News

Hundreds of Catholics from across the Diocese of Brooklyn traveled to Pennsylvania for a day of prayer, fellowship, and faith at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa. The annual Cursillo pilgrimage brought together members from more than 35 parishes and offered a unique connection to both American history and spiritual renewal.

Human Trafficking Concerns Rise as FIFA World Cup Draws Millions of Visitors

By Katie Vasquez

Human trafficking advocates are warning that the FIFA World Cup, one of the largest sporting events in the world, could create opportunities for traffickers to exploit vulnerable individuals.

The tournament is expected to draw 6.5 million visitors from around the globe for more than 100 matches over five weeks. While the event celebrates international competition and unity, experts say large-scale sporting events can also increase the risk of human trafficking.

“Unfortunately, one of the evil byproducts that occurred during this awesome event where you see countries come together,” said James King, executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference.

Concerns stem from past major sporting events. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office reported that 73 victims were recovered and 29 traffickers were arrested in Santa Clara, California, during this year’s Super Bowl, a single-day event.

“It’s naive for us to think that an influx of tourism and an influx of traffic on the road would not create, you know, a demand,” said Felicitas Brugo Onetti, anti-trafficking education outreach coordinator for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain labor or commercial sex acts. Advocates point to issues that emerged during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

“Migrants from a bunch of different countries in Asia going to Qatar for promises of a job,” Brugo Onetti said.

Faith-based organizations, including the New Jersey Catholic Conference and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, are working to educate the public about the issue. The groups recently hosted a webinar and continue to partner with nonprofit organizations that work directly with trafficking victims.

King said some organizations distribute bars of soap to hotels with wrappers containing the human trafficking hotline number.

“They do that because they know victims of human trafficking often are in these hotels,” he said.

Experts encourage the public to remain alert for suspicious activity and to contact law enforcement or event staff if concerns arise. They stress that individuals should never approach suspected victims or traffickers directly.

Leaders from the New Jersey Catholic Conference and the USCCB say Catholics have a particular responsibility to respond to the issue.

“We have this call. Francis, the Holy Father, really talked about the sin of human trafficking,” Brugo Onetti said. “The sin of human trafficking is an open wound on the body of Christ. And we’re all called to combat it.”

King said the Church views trafficking as a violation of human dignity.

“We look at human trafficking as an assault on the dignity of the person,” he said. “They are a child of God and they are due that protection.”

The organizations say they will continue raising awareness about human trafficking and plan to hold additional webinars ahead of future major sporting events.

Catholic News Headlines for Monday 6/22/26   

The FIFA World Cup is underway in cities across North America — Catholic leaders are warning that major sporting events come with dangers of human trafficking.

Pope Leo XIV paid homage St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, the first American citizen to be canonized, by visiting her birthplace near Milan.

Hundreds of Catholics from the Diocese of Brooklyn received a U.S. history lesson while getting closer to God during a pilgrimage to Pennsylvania.

The mascot for the New York Mets made a special stop at a Queens Catholic academy to celebrate the last day of school for students.

Siblings Create Mass Reflection App for Young Faith Seekers

By Katie Vasquez

Two students at Our Lady of Peace School are using technology to help young people deepen their faith through a new app they created called Mass Reflection Buddy.

Sydney Fernandez, a seventh grader, and Izzy Fernandez, a sixth grader, spend plenty of time on their cell phones. But instead of using social media, the siblings developed an app designed to help tweens and teens connect with weekly Gospel readings and reflect on their emotions through faith.

“It says the Gospel verse for that week,” Sydney said. “Then it asks how you’re feeling. You’ll pick an emotion, and it will give you a simplified version and explain how you can relate the Gospel to your life.”

The app was created as an alternative to social media platforms.

“We created an alternate app for social media that would help them get closer to God,” Izzy said.

Their parents, AJ and Rosa Fernandez, do not allow their children to have social media accounts but encourage them to use technology in positive and productive ways.

“That’s kind of what the catalyst was for them to make this — to use the word of the Lord to help them figure out their feelings,” one parent said.

“As parents, in this day and age, I think it’s difficult to push back because your children are inevitably going to have access to technology,” the parent added. “It’s up to you to make sure that they’re accessing the correct types of technology.”

The brother-and-sister team developed the project for Our Lady of Peace School’s annual STREAM Fair, which focuses on science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics. Their project earned first place among seventh-grade entries.

The app took approximately two and a half months to create and is geared toward tweens and teens.

“We used an AI model to make the prototype,” Izzy said. “We learned how to make a detailed enough prompt for the AI so it could get it without having many mistakes.”

After completing the prototype, the siblings asked classmates and family members to test the app.

“There were a few questions, and they all said that it made them feel better and that they understood it,” Sydney said.

The students hope the app will help young people strengthen their relationship with God and better understand their faith.

“I feel like this can help them understand better and become closer to God,” one of the siblings said.

“We think that it’s important to stay close to God,” the other added.

Over the summer, Sydney and Izzy plan to explore making Mass Reflection Buddy available to a wider audience.

Astoria Youth Inspired Nearly a Year After Jubilee of Youth

By Katie Vasquez

ASTORIA- For members of the youth group at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Astoria, attending the Jubilee of Youth in Rome in August 2025 was the experience of a lifetime.

The young pilgrims were among an estimated 1 million people who traveled to Rome for the international gathering. Now back in New York City, they are reliving the event through photos and videos while reflecting on its impact on their faith.

“It was really inspiring honestly,” said Aranza Sanchez, a youth group member. “I would see people singing and praising.”

One of the biggest highlights for the group was praying with Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope. Pope Leo XIV was elected the 267th pontiff about two months before the event.

“I’ve loved him ever since the start of being a pope,” said youth group member Amy Vu. “I really appreciate how he does really try to connect with the youth.”

The experience inspired several participants to become more involved in their faith after returning home.

“Ever since I came back from Rome, I started being more involved in everything that involves my faith,” said Marco Vallerojas, a youth group member. “The biggest thing that I’ve changed is that I’m an altar server now. I serve in my parish, and I enjoy it a lot, and I feel like it’s strengthening my faith.”

Dayonel Mejia, co-youth minister at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, said the pilgrimage helped participants see the global nature of the Catholic Church.

“The Catholic faith isn’t just Mount Carmel in Astoria,” Mejia said. “It’s a worldwide church, and people celebrated in so many different ways and flavors and colors.”

Mejia said he hopes the young pilgrims returned with memories and lessons that will stay with them for years to come.

“They really got to walk away with something that hopefully they cherish forever,” he said.