benny joseph

Missionary Catholic, husband, father of 5 awesome children, IT professional, a Jesus and Mother Mary lover 😀 on the way to Heaven.

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

A small crucifix worn by Salvadoran FIFA referee Iván Barton became an unexpected talking point during the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final between Spain and France, offering a quiet display of faith on football's biggest stage.

Images from the match at AT&T Stadium showed the silver cross attached to Barton's whistle lanyard, hanging against his red FIFA referee jersey as he officiated one of the tournament's most high-profile fixtures. The subtle symbol quickly gained attention on social media, where many praised the official for openly yet discreetly expressing his Christian faith.

Born on January 27, 1991, in Santa Ana, El Salvador, the 35-year-old balances two careers. Alongside his role as an elite football referee, Barton is a professor of Organic Chemistry and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of El Salvador.

He earned his FIFA international badge in 2018 and has rapidly risen through the ranks of world football officiating. After making his FIFA World Cup debut in Qatar in 2022, Barton was selected again for the 2026 tournament. This year, he has officiated several major matches, including Japan vs. Sweden in the group stage, Switzerland vs. Colombia in the Round of 16, and the Spain–France semi-final.

The crucifix attached to his whistle reflects both Barton’s personal faith and the Christian heritage of his native El Salvador. Though understated, the symbol resonated with many football fans worldwide, serving as a reminder that expressions of faith can quietly accompany even the world’s biggest sporting events.

#IvanBarton #FIFAWorldCup2026 #SpainVsFrance #FaithInSports #ChristianFaith #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al Zaidi has appealed to Christians living abroad to return to Iraq, describing their homecoming as a national priority and pledging government support to help rebuild the country’s historic Christian presence.

During a meeting with Chaldean Patriarch Paul III Nona, al Zaidi said that Christian families who return would be eligible for Iraq’s one-million residential land plot initiative. He emphasized that Iraq's strength lies in its ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity, calling Christians “an active and essential component” of society whose contributions have shaped the nation's past and will remain vital to its future.

The prime minister also invited Christian entrepreneurs and investors in the diaspora to participate in Iraq's reconstruction, particularly in the healthcare and education sectors. He pledged continued government support to help ensure the success of these investment projects, stimulate economic growth, and generate employment.

Patriarch Nona welcomed the initiative, saying it sends a strong message of reassurance to Iraqi Christians abroad, strengthens confidence in the country's future, and encourages business leaders to contribute to the country's development.

Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Nicodemus Matti Sharaf also welcomed the appeal, describing it as an official recognition of Christians’ rightful place in their ancestral homeland. However, he cautioned that symbolic invitations alone would not reverse decades of emigration.

#IraqiChristians #ChristiansInTheMiddleEast #IraqReconstruction #ReligiousFreedom #ChaldeanChurch #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

Senad Mrkaljevic, a Yugoslavia-born Muslim had the slightest guess that he would one day be ordained a Catholic priest. Nevertheless, God had a wonderful plan for him, first in the form of Bosnian war and later in the form of the Bible. Born in 1984 in Brčko, a part of then Yugoslavia, Senad took refuge in Germany during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 along with his family.

Senad’s spiritual transformation began much later, when he was 23. Then, through mysterious ways that can only be called providential, he was attracted to the Bible, which he began to read secretly. Soon, he was visiting the Church services on Sunday mornings, despite his own doubts if he was doing the right thing. Over time, his doubts vanished. What initially began as a secret practice of faith, gradually gave him the mettle to profess openly and he joined a seminary with conviction and faith.

He was ordained in St. Hedwig's Cathedral in Berlin by Archbishop Heiner Koch. His ordination was attended by his mother. “My conversion and my decision to become a priest were accepted by my Muslim family in Bosnia and also by my siblings,” he recalls thanking God Who ultimately turns everything for our good.
#SenadMrkaljevic #CatholicPriesthood #ConversionStory #Berlin #FaithJourney #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

Moments after their ordination to the priesthood, seven newly ordained priests of the Missionaries of Divine Mercy gathered around Bishop Martin Igwemezie Uzoukwu and laid their hands on him, invoking God’s blessing upon the bishop who had just ordained them. Bishop Uzoukwu, the founder of the congregation and the Bishop of Minna, then reverently kissed each priest’s newly anointed hands as a gesture honoring the sacred priesthood they had received. This moving exchange took place following the Rite of Priestly Ordination on July 4 at Holy Ghost Cathedral in Enugu, Nigeria.
#PriestlyOrdination #MissionariesOfDivineMercy #Nigeria #CatholicPriesthood #BishopUzoukwu #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

As Spain prepares for its FIFA World Cup semi final against France, head coach Luis de la Fuente is drawing strength from a source beyond football—his Catholic faith. Rather than praying for victory, he thanks God daily for the gift of life, health, and the strength to fulfill his mission. His inspiring witness reminds millions that prayer is not about changing the outcome of a match but about trusting God in every circumstance. Watch this inspiring story of faith on football's biggest stage.

#SpainVsFrance #FIFAWorldCup #LuisDeLaFuente #FaithInFootball #CatholicFaith #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

Colombia’s President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella entrusted his incoming administration to Our Lady of the Rosary of Chiquinquirá during a Eucharistic Mass at the national shrine in Boyacá on July 9, fulfilling a promise made during his presidential campaign.
@ABDELAESPRIELLA

#Colombia #AbelardoDeLaEspriella #OurLadyOfChiquinquira #CatholicFaith #VirginMary #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

In a message to the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, Pope Leo affirmed the Holy See’s openness to dialogue on artificial intelligence during what he described as “this epochal turning point.”

#popeleoxiv #ai #geneva #UN #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

Students and teachers at Malvinas Argentinas School in Buenos Aires have created a giant mural of Jesus using recycled plastic bottle caps.
#JesusMural #RecycledArt #BuenosAires #ChristianArt #EcoFriendlyArt #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

He conquered football with his feet, but he conquered hearts with his faith. From a war-scarred childhood, refugee camps, and the shadow of minefields to the pinnacle of world football, Luka Modrić's journey is far more than a sporting triumph.

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

A gust of wind blew Pope Leo's zucchetto from his head as he paused on Lampedusa's rocky shoreline to pray for migrants who lost their lives trying to reach Europe. Unfazed, the Pope continued in silent prayer, facing the Mediterranean.

[SW Prayer @SwPrayer]

As the United States celebrates its independence on the 4th of July, let us take a moment to pray for God’s blessings and protection for this nation.

#IndependenceDay #America250Year #PrayForAmerica #GodBlessAmerica #AmericaPrays #shalomworldprayer

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

As celebrations erupted following Team USA's victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, defender Mark McKenzie led his teammates in a profoundly moving moment that transcended football.

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

As celebrations erupted following Team USA's victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina to secure a place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16, defender Mark McKenzie led his teammates in a profoundly moving moment that transcended football.
#WorldCup2026 #MarkMcKenzie #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

Pope Leo has released his prayer intention for July, inviting Catholics around the world to pray for respect for human life. In his monthly message, the Pope describes every person as a sacred gift from God.

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

Watch the full interview on Shalom World News YouTube channel: https://t.co/JkGyMgQeCZ
#NikkiKingsley #ConversionStory #JesusChrist #CatholicFaith #FaithTestimony #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

A devastating earthquake struck Venezuela on Wednesday, leaving at least 164 people dead and over 1000 injured after powerful tremors tore through the country’s central region.

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

During his visit to the Vatican’s summer camp, Pope Leo shared a powerful lesson with children about the right place of technology in our lives.

#popeleoxiv #shalomworldnews #children #technology

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

The Ranchi district court in India has acquitted Sister Concilia of the Missionaries of Charity and two others, clearing them of all charges in the 2018 Ranchi child trafficking case. 
#motherteresa #motherteresanuns #shalomworldnews

[Shalom World News @shalomworldnews]

Since 2007, the Syro-Malabar Church of Saints Gervasis and Prothasis in Kerala, India, has hosted a rare celebration honoring the twin martyrs with a gathering of twins from across the country.

#SyroMalabarChurch #TwinMartyrs #KeralaCatholics #HolyQurbana #ShalomWorldNews