ChurchPOP

Catholic culture that's fun, informative, & inspirational. ✨ Instagram: churchpop. Also in Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Italian. A service of @EWTNews

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When Father Davi de Melo hurried to the hospital to baptize a baby girl born prematurely, he had no idea how impactful and moving the moment would be; for him, for the family, and for millions of faithful online who were deeply touched by the video that quickly went viral.

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."

Read more at https://t.co/gQ3fT4oyvT!

✍🏻Victoria Arruda
📹: IG @pe.davidemelo

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‘Batti cinque, Papa. (High‑five, Pope!)’ While in Assisi, Pope Leo greeted several young people—and this one finally got the high‑five he wanted so badly. Language barrier? Zero. Pope Leo speaks fluent high‑five and he masters the secret handshake too.

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You can tell Pope Leo loves these rides — this is totally his happy place.
From soaring over Monaco in March and Angola in April to joining the pilots in Spain in June, and now touching down in Assisi today, he keeps reminding us that joy and mission go hand in hand. Wherever he lands, he comes to bring Christ to the people — with a big smile.

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A debutante party in Paraty, Brazil drew a lot of attention on social media for a detail that went far beyond the decor or the dress.
Maria Flor chose to dedicate the celebration of her 15th birthday to her devotion to Our Lady of Aparecida.
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.
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.

Read more at https://t.co/gQ3fT4oyvT!

✍🏻Cleiton Ramos
📹: IG @juliavilmaeventos

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Vacation time is great for rest, fun, and new memories — but it doesn’t have to mean taking a break from your spiritual life. In fact, it can be an amazing chance to grow closer to God while you enjoy the summer!

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: https://t.co/9eUzhJQZOf

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Pope Leo just met Matthew McConaughey and his wife inside St. Peter’s Basilica. The Oscar-winning actor now joins the growing list of celebrities who’ve made the trip to Rome to greet the pope. Photo: Vatican Media

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August 4 is the feast day of the great patron of all priests, Saint John Vianney, also known as the Cure d'Ars. And what a fitting patronage it is!

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.

https://t.co/qKHtX1aLom

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SPOKANE, Wash. — Three fast-moving wildfires burning around Spokane have grown to nearly 10,000 acres, destroyed at least 700 structures, and forced about 65,000 people to evacuate, with no containment reported as of Monday, August 3.

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!

https://t.co/cXAwBEksad

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Tucked into the corner of Lonsdale and Elizabeth Streets, right in the pulse of Melbourne's CBD, sits a building that has quietly watched the city grow up around it. St. Francis' Church isn't just old — it's the oldest Catholic church in Victoria, and one of only a handful of Melbourne buildings still standing from before the Victorian gold rush of 1851 ever began.

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.

➡️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.

Video: IG @foodiepg2122

Read more at https://t.co/dlgjmBQCsA

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A tender gesture became one of the most talked-about moments of Independence Day celebrations in Peru last week.
➡️ A heart-warming gesture by the dogs of the National Police K-9 Unit became one of the most talked-about moments of Independence Day celebrations in Peru last week. They "prayed" alongside their trainers, during their part in the military parade and quickly went viral on social media.
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."

✍🏻 Harumi Suzuki

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This week we sadly saw how images of the Virgin Mary were vandalized in Medjugorje.
But just one day earlier, thousands of kilometers away in Brazil, blogger Ítalo de Alencar was in the right place at the right time to capture something beautiful:
the moon posing like a crown atop the world's largest image of Our Lady of Fátima, in Crato, Ceará.

Video: @italoalencaar_ IG

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As wildfires ravage Europe and the western United States, one specific image has taken the internet by storm. In France, photojournalist Patrick Bernard captured a crucifix on his iPhone that was left standing among the ashes of the fires that struck Saumos, a small commune in the Médoc region near Bordeaux. The photo posted to Instagram on Sunday July 26th, quickly went viral.

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.

Read more: https://t.co/F7P32kFAb6

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You all know the news, there is something we can do...

In response to the recent attacks against our Catholic faith in Medjugorje, let us answer evil with prayer. Join us in offering an Act of Reparation to Our Blessed Mother, and before you scroll, pray three Hail Marys. 🙏

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When news broke that LeBron James was heading to the Philadelphia 76ers, the sports-crazed region did what it does best: it went completely wild.

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.”

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.”

https://t.co/cSdGh6wZvu

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We celebrate the feast of Solanus Casey on July 30th.

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 20th 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.

Here are 7 Similarities Between St. Francis and Blessed Solanus Casey: https://t.co/eLTaySr1NP

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While @Erling Haaland is going viral for replying to memes and random comments, Norway’s original GOAT and first king‑saint is quietly drawing thousands of pilgrims offline.

After a week‑long trek across Norway’s countryside, pilgrims from around the world completed the ancient St. Olaf’s Way, arriving at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, where Bishop Erik Varden — who preached this past Lent’s retreat to Pope Leo — welcomed them and celebrated a votive Mass in the saint’s honor on his July 29 feast day.

He blessed them with a relic of the Viking king who once carried a battle axe — and later, a crown of sainthood.

“It is still a very secular country,” Bishop Varden said, “but it is not devoid of Christian life. The Lord is present. Things are quiet, but things are happening.”

A thousand years after his death, the king who helped bring Christianity to Norway is still drawing souls home — long before football stars made the country trend online.

Video: EWTN Norway

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Volunteers and parish workers in Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, have restored the statue of Our Lady, Queen of Peace, on Apparition Hill the day after it was defaced in an overnight act of vandalism, according to local reports and the Medjugorje parish office.

The attack took place in the early hours of Tuesday, July 28, when black paint was poured across the face, chest, and dress of the statue on Podbrdo (Apparition Hill), and the words "Devil in a skirt" were scrawled on its pedestal. A second statue near the close-by Blue Cross was similarly defaced, and a banner in Polish naming the shrine's six visionaries was left at the site. Surveillance footage also captured a man dousing the outdoor altar of St. James Church with a flammable liquid and setting it on fire; the blaze was quickly extinguished by firefighters.

In response, members of the parish community, the Cenacolo Community, and other volunteers moved swiftly to clean and repair the damaged statues and altar area, allowing the shrine's evening prayer program to continue that same day.

After the restoration was completed, pilgrims and the Cenacolo Community knelt before our Lady to give thanks.

Bosnian police arrested a 31-year-old Polish national, identified in local media as Bartłomiej Włodzimierz Krakowiak of Kraków, in the village of Cerno near Ljubuški shortly after the incident. He faces charges of damaging or destroying religious property, an offense carrying a sentence of six months to five years under Bosnian law. Bosnian state prosecutors have since taken over the case.

The Medjugorje Parish Office issued a statement calling on the faithful to respond "as Our Lady has been teaching us in Medjugorje for more than 40 years: with prayer, fasting, and forgiveness," adding that "the shrine remains open to all pilgrims". Bishop Petar Palić of Mostar-Duvno also urged Catholics not to let evil "infect us with its own logic.”

The vandalism occurred just days ahead of Medjugorje's annual Mladifest Youth Festival, set to draw tens of thousands of pilgrims from August 1–6.

more: https://t.co/TfBf8tEOQ6

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Before dawn, the world woke up to heartbreaking images from Medjugorje: statues of Our Lady defaced with black paint and blasphemous graffiti, and the outdoor altar of St. James Church set on fire just days before the annual youth festival. Local authorities say multiple Marian shrines were targeted in a coordinated attack, including Apparition Hill (Podbrdo) and areas near the Blue Cross, leaving many pilgrims shocked and deeply hurt.

Yet in the face of this violence, the parish of Medjugorje and many Catholics around the world are returning to the very heart of its message: prayer, fasting, conversion, and forgiveness. Priests connected with Medjugorje often summarize this spirituality into five simple but powerful practices—popularly called the “five stones,” recalling David’s battle against Goliath. Just as David chose five smooth stones to face a giant, many believers see these five spiritual “weapons” as God’s way of equipping them for the giants of our time.

These “five stones” are:

- Daily prayer, especially the Rosary
- Fasting, typically on Wednesdays and Fridays
- Daily reading of Sacred Scripture
- Monthly confession
- Frequent participation in the Eucharist

Far from being something “new,” these are classic, deeply Catholic practices—yet countless pilgrims say they rediscover them in a fresh way at Medjugorje, especially through long confession lines and intense Eucharistic devotion. Many testify that when they begin to live these five stones seriously, their faith comes alive: prayer deepens, love for the Mass grows, and real conversion of heart begins.

Now, after the recent acts of desecration, these humble “stones” take on an even more concrete meaning. The parish has explicitly called the faithful not to respond with hatred, but with “prayer, fasting, and forgiveness,” turning spiritual weapons against evil rather than people. In a world overwhelmed by noise, anger, and spiritual confusion, the five stones of Medjugorje stand out as a simple, concrete path back to God—and a powerful way to pray for peace, reparation, and healing for this wounded shrine.

More : https://t.co/FgcwwzXa8O

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Long before Jared Goff was slinging touchdowns for the Detroit Lions and commanding packed stadiums, a group of Dominican sisters sitting at the 50-yard line already knew his ultimate destination.

And it wasn’t because of his bulging biceps or his stats. It was pure, unadulterated “ball knowledge” from a nun.

In a now-viral video, Sister Miriam shared a story from 2011, back when she was teaching at Marin Catholic High School and Goff was just a skinny junior starting at quarterback.

The NFL’s official Instagram account shared the clip, where it has already drawn nearly 1 million views—and even caught Jared Goff’s attention, earning a like and comment from the Lions quarterback.

https://t.co/EV4vfnseVb

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One month after the devastating earthquake that shook Venezuela, the Catholic Church continues to walk with those most in need. With prayer and visible presence, priests and religious are bringing hope where pain is still very real.

While much of the country is slowly moving into recovery, the streets of La Guaira still carry deep wounds. Priests, sisters, and pastoral workers go through the hardest‑hit areas blessing homes, listening to those who have lost loved ones, and reminding everyone that God has not abandoned them — even in the midst of tragedy.

One of them is Father Xulio Ruiz, from the Sons of Mary Immaculate, who walks the streets giving funeral blessings, entrusting the souls of the deceased to God.

In videos shared by Venezuelan journalist Johan Zapata, you can see how faith also sustains those working in the rescue efforts. Amidst physical and emotional exhaustion, a young man approaches the priest holding several flashlights.

“Father, Father, bless my work tools,” he asks, before going back to clearing rubble in search of victims.

“You are not alone, God is with you”
Many families are still searching for the bodies of their loved ones, buried beneath the ruins. The pain of loss is raw — but so is the presence of the Church, trying to console those who are suffering the most.

One scene shows a woman who finds the body of her son in the remains of a collapsed building.

“I’m all alone now,” she cries, running toward Father Ruiz. She embraces him, asks for a blessing, and through tears tells him she wants to go with her son.

With a trembling voice, the priest responds: “You are not alone, God is with you.”

Read more and watch the viral clips: https://t.co/JVQnC2CIA1