SPEAKER_00 0:01

Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Tuesday, May 5th, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. In Washington, the head of the U.S. Bishops Pro Life Committee is calling for action on a long-promised federal review of the abortion drug Mife Prestone. In a May 4th letter to the Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FDA Commissioner Marty McCary, Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, wrote that he is concerned about reports alleging a deliberate delay in the completion of that review and urgently encouraged the FDA to proceed as expeditiously as possible. The Wall Street Journal has reported that pro-life groups are growing increasingly worried the review is being slow walked. The Trump administration has thus far left in place a Biden-era policy permitting MiFi Prestone to be distributed by mail, a policy pro-life organizations have pushed hard to end. Adding to the uncertainty, the Department of Justice has indicated in court filings that the review may not be completed until after November's midterm elections, a timeline that is drawing growing frustration from pro-life advocates across the country. The Diocese of Springfield announced plans last week for a national shrine honoring Venerable Augustus Tolton, widely regarded as the first publicly recognized African American Catholic priest in the United States. The shrine will be established at St. Boniface Church in Quincy, Illinois, the very site where Father Tolton celebrated his first Mass in the U.S. following his ordination in Rome in 1886. The diocese has launched a fundraising campaign for an over$5 million renovation of the long-dormant church, which will include significant mold remediation and updated building systems. Father Tolton is one of the so-called Saintly Seven, a group of African Americans with active sainthood causes, and 40 potential miracles attributed to his intercession have already been investigated. Bishop Thomas Popraki of Springfield blessed a plaque from the city of Quincy designating St. Boniface a landmark property, marking a significant milestone in honoring Father Tolton's legacy. Conflicting claims and deep concern are emerging over reports that a Christian school in southern Lebanon was destroyed during Israeli military operations, the latest incident in a troubling pattern of violence targeting Christian sites in the region. The Vatican newspaper, Loservatore Romano, and Lebanese sources reported that Israeli bulldozers demolished the Holy Savior School in Yarun, which also housed a convent. The Israeli Defense Forces denied the demolition, saying only limited damage occurred during operations targeting Hezbollah infrastructure. Church officials described the school as a vital spiritual and educational center for families already displaced by earlier conflict. Father Ibrahim Faltas of the Custody of the Holy Land condemned the incident in stark terms. What danger can a place of worship, a school, or a convent pose? He asked. Is this violence born of ideology, preconceptions, or blind racism? The incident adds to a growing list of concerns, including a recent assault on a French nun in Jerusalem and increased settler violence in the West Bank. Catholic leaders are calling for accountability and protection of religious sites. Federal authorities have charged a juvenile in connection with a hoax that triggered a frightening active shooter scare at Villanova University last August, disrupting an outdoor back-to-school mass at the alma mater of Pope Leo XIV. U.S. Attorney David Metcalfe of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced April 30th that the unnamed juvenile, described as a self-identified member of a cyber criminal group called Purgatory, will be prosecuted for a series of swatting calls targeting several universities and institutions. Researchers who study online violent extremism have linked purgatory to the larger comm group of online extremists, which also includes the Child and Youth Sextortion Group 764. Villanova's Associate Vice President of Public Safety shared the news with the university community in an April 30th message, expressing hope the update would offer some measure of clarity, reassurance, and a sense of closure. He also noted the school is working to enhance its security protocols in the wake of the incident, which he acknowledged made for a deeply difficult and unsettling beginning to the academic year for many. One he says surpassed even his greatest performances. Irish dance icon Michael Flatley met Pope Leo XIV on April 29th at a general audience in St. Peter's Square, and he was clearly moved by the experience. It was an incredible honor to meet his holiness, Flatley told OSV News afterward. I had to kiss his ring before we finished the conversation because it meant so much to me. He blessed my rosary beads and I'll cherish them forever. The River Dance star, who grew up Catholic in Chicago, also discovered an unexpected bond with the American-born Pope. I said, You know, I was born not far from you on the south side of Chicago, Flatley recalled, and he lit up. Flatly, who recently battled cancer, reflected on faith as the foundation of everything he has built. Jesus Christ gave me every opportunity to become a great dancer, he said. But my greatest day was today, meeting the Holy Father. And that's your OSV Newscast for today. I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News. Check out the show notes for direct links to the stories in this episode. Make sure to subscribe to this podcast, follow us on social media, and bookmark osvnews.com. Thanks so much for listening and God bless. This has been an OSV News production. To learn more, visit osvnews.com.