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Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Tuesday, June 9th, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. While the Vatican confirmed this afternoon that Pope Leo XIV did in fact meet the Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny in Madrid last night after joking days earlier that he would be competing with the singer for Spaniards' attention as their tours in Spain's capital overlapped, the Pope's visit to Spain continued on today to Barcelona. Flying in from Madrid this afternoon, his first stop was Barcelona's Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, where he offered a prayer in Catalan, invoking Our Lady of Mercy on behalf of the city. At the cathedral, the Pope urged Catholics to be witnesses and prophets of unity, of welcome, of harmony, and of peace, even at the cost of sacrifice and renunciation in a world torn apart by wars and divisions. The centerpiece of the Barcelona leg comes tomorrow, when Pope Leo will celebrate Mass at the iconic Sagrada Familia and inaugurate its Tower of Jesus Christ, the Basilica's crowning spire, on the hundredth anniversary of the architect Antony Gaudi's death. Cardinal Juan José Omeya of Barcelona said there is enormous expectation surrounding the visit, noting that the Pope's words and gestures are reaching people very deeply. Coming off the heels of releasing Magnifica Humanitas, his first encyclical, Pope Leo XIV has shown that he has a sense of humor about artificial intelligence, and he used it to make a serious point. During a luncheon with Spain's bishops in Madrid yesterday, the Pope joked that he had asked an AI system what he should say to the Spanish episcopate. The program reportedly responded by beginning with, Pope Francis would say, prompting Leo to quip, I think there is another Pope now. The room laughed, but the lighthearted exchange set up a deeper point. Pope Leo said Christians follow a different algorithm than artificial intelligence, one rooted in the gospel, directing believers toward love, accompaniment, and service. He urged the bishops to listen attentively to God's voice, respond courageously to modern challenges, and foster unity amid growing polarization. The Church's strength comes not from resources, the Pope said, but from holiness, communion, and fidelity to the Holy Spirit. As Catholics around the world continue to unpack Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, one Eastern Catholic scholar says the document carries a dimension that deserves special attention. Inez Merzaku, professor of ecclesiastical history and director of Catholic Studies at Seton Hall University, told OSV News that the Eastern Catholic perspective is crucial to understanding what Pope Leo is really asking of the world in Magnifica Humanitas. This encyclical is not anti-technology, it is anti-babble, Merzaku said, pointing to what she describes as a biblical contrast at the heart of the document. Babel, she explained, represents technological power without communion. Jerusalem, by contrast, represents patient rebuilding every brick through prayer and shared responsibility. The Eastern lens, she said, deepens that contrast by asking not just whether AI is useful, but whether it forms or deforms the human person. Does technology help us see each person as an icon, heart, and body, or does it reduce them to a function or a media profile? That question, Murzaku said, is why the Eastern Catholic voice matters. New data is painting a troubling picture of the daily reality facing Christians in Israel, and advocates are urging victims not to stay silent. According to figures presented June 4th by the Religious Freedom Data Center, more than 88 incidents of harassment against Christians have already been documented in Israel so far this year, with 63 occurring in the second quarter alone. At that pace, 2026 is on track to surpass last year's total of 181 documented cases. Most incidents have taken place in Jerusalem's old city and surrounding Christian sites, ranging from spitting and verbal abuse to vandalism, grave desecration, and attacks on religious symbols. Church representatives say such harassment has become a daily reality, while authorities tend to describe events as isolated acts by a small minority. Speakers at a recent conference criticized limited police follow-through on complaints and urged victims to keep reporting incidents. Religious Freedom Data Center founder Yiska Harani also highlighted underreporting within Christian communities as a significant challenge, but noted growing support from universities and hundreds of volunteers helping document cases and advocate for accountability. Just in time for the 100th anniversary of Anthony Gowdy's death and Pope Leo's visit to the Sagrata Familia tomorrow, Lego has unveiled something truly monumental. The Danish Toy Company announced last week a new model kit of Barcelona's iconic Basilica of the Holy Family, calling it one of the world's most recognizable and ambitious buildings. And the scale of the set matches that description. At 12,060 separate pieces, it is the largest Lego building set ever released by Peace Count. The Sagrada Familia has been under construction since 1882, and its central tower of Jesus Christ, the tallest and final spire, was completed in February 2026. The model includes a stained glass window effect, the Passion Facade, and the Basilica's famous towers, each representing central figures in the church, the Twelve Apostles, the Four Evangelists, and the Virgin Mary. We felt an immense responsibility to do justice to the Sagrata Familia through this design, said one of the Lego architecture designers. While the completed Lego set won't hit the shelves until November 1st of this year, Pope Leo inaugurates the completed tower of the actual Basilica tomorrow. 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.