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Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Thursday, May 7, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. In a sign that diplomacy between Washington and the Holy See continues despite public tensions, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sat down with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican today for more than 45 minutes. The meeting covered Iran, humanitarian aid, and global conflicts. Rubio then met separately with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Perilin, and the Vatican's foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher. The Vatican said the meetings reaffirmed a shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States, stressing the need to work tirelessly to promote peace. Rubio said he came to underscore our shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity. The visit comes just days after President Trump claimed the Pope supported Iran having nuclear weapons, a charge Pope Leo swiftly rejected, saying the church has spoken out for years against all nuclear weapons. Today's meeting was one of several on the Pope's schedule, which also included Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, bishops from Burkina Faso and Niger, German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, and members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard. In what may be a surprising topic to appear in Vatican events, a parish just inside the Holy See recently hosted a wide-ranging conversation on UFOs, extraterrestrial life, and the modern disclosure movement. The talk, titled UAPs from Schopenhauer to Other Forms of Intelligence, was presented April 29th by UFO researcher Vladimiro Bibelotti at the St. Anne Parish, home to a long-running lecture series called Cultural Wednesdays. For more than three decades, the series has featured presentations on subjects ranging from music and poetry to science and religion. During the roughly one-hour talk, Biboloti surveyed the history of UFOs from classical antiquity to the modern American disclosure movement, citing Greek philosophers, military reports, and congressional testimony. He also highlighted Vatican astronomers and pontifical university professors who have spoken on the compatibility of extraterrestrial life with the Catholic faith. The event came amid renewed claims from President Trump and members of Congress that secret UFO files could soon be declassified. The parish now hosts roughly 26 public events annually, reflecting a longstanding commitment to engaging cultural questions through the lens of Catholic thought. Ahead of the first anniversary of his election as Pope, the French Bishops' Conference announced that Pope Leo XIV is expected to make an official visit to France in late September, with stops likely in Paris and at the Marian Shrine in Lourdes. Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline of Marseille confirmed that preliminary discussions with the Pope have already produced an early schedule, with reports in France pointing to a possible visit around September 19th. In Lourdes, Bishop Jean-Marc Mikas said preparations are already underway, with Pope Leo expected to celebrate Mass, lead the famous torchlight procession, and spend the night at the sanctuary. The bishop described the atmosphere among staff and pilgrims as one of great joy. In Paris, the visit could include appearances at Notre Dame Cathedral and the College de San Bernardine. The Vatican has not yet confirmed the itinerary or dates. The trip would mark Pope Leo's first visit to France as Pope and comes ahead of France's 2027 presidential campaign season. Before debate began, lawmakers held a moment of silence for eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moiskey, who were killed in the attack. The bill would ban the sale of semi-automatic military-style assault weapons and large capacity magazines, restore a ban on binary triggers, and increase funding for school safety and children's mental health programs. Supporters called it a necessary response to rising gun violence. Opponents argued it targets law-abiding citizens rather than criminals. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul in Minneapolis urged lawmakers to transcend historical ideological divisions on guns and school safety, expressing support for what he called an all-of-the-above approach to protecting students. The bill now heads to the Minnesota House. The House passed a$390 billion farm bill on April 30th on a near-party line vote, with the bill now facing an uncertain path in the Senate, where significant changes are expected. Catholic advocates are urging senators to maintain robust support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, a cornerstone of the nation's social safety net. Julie Bodnar, outreach and policy advisor for the Secretariat of Justice and Peace at the USCCB, told OSV News the Farm Bill has historically been one of the rare pieces of legislation that brings everything together. There's no need to pit farmers, rural communities, and hungry people against each other, she said. These interests are aligned. They're not opposed. The House bill has drawn criticism from some as overly partisan, and the Senate is expected to craft its own version before sending it back to the House for final consideration.com. Thanks so much for listening and God bless. This has been an OSV News production. 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