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Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Thursday, June 18th, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. Pope Leo XIV advanced the sainthood causes of several men and women this morning, including a New York-born foundress and 20 Spanish Civil War martyrs. During a meeting with Cardinal Marcelo Sameraro, prefect of the Dicaster for the Causes of Saints, the Pope declared Mother Mary Teresa Talon venerable, recognizing her heroic virtues. Born in Hanover, New York, in 1867 to Irish immigrants, Mother Talon spent 33 years with the Holy Cross Sisters before founding her own community in 1920, the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, dedicated to contemplation and door-to-door personal ministry among the poor and neglected. She died in 1954, leaving behind a community that continues her mission today in New York, New Jersey, Arizona, Nigeria, and the Philippines. Her mother house and her burial site is in Monroe, New York, in the Archdiocese of New York. The Declaration of Venerable is a key milestone on the path toward beatification and eventual canonization. Poplio described universities as privileged places for dialogue, where respectful exchange can overcome misunderstanding and distrust, and where meaningful encounters between students and faculty of diverse backgrounds help people grow in wisdom. He said relationships with others, with languages and cultures, are vitally important for who we are as human beings. The Pope expressed hope that the Hebrew University community, one of the most diverse institutions in a deeply divided region, will be a beacon of hope and unity in a world that is increasingly divided. Religious Freedom Week is just a few days away, and a Catholic expert is making the case that protecting religious liberty is ultimately about protecting something even more fundamental, human dignity. OSV News spoke with Emily Schumacher Novak, Associate Director of Education and Outreach for the USCCB's Secretariat of Justice and Peace, ahead of the annual observance, which runs from June 22nd to the 29th, beginning on the feasts of Saints Thomas More and John Fisher. This year's observance, she said, is more timely than ever. The accompanying USCCB Novena prayers reflect on specific threats to religious freedom both in the United States and abroad. It is our human dignity that is being protected when we are seeking to live out our faith in public, Schumacher Novak told OSV News. We have the right to seek God, to look for who God is to us, and to do that in freedom. She urged Catholics to lend their voices in support of religious freedom for all people, not just their own, as a matter of justice and human dignity. What started as a research project for a theater production ended up on Broadway and opened a window into a rich and largely undocumented piece of Catholic heritage. Darren Pafal Purdy, a theater professor in Philadelphia, became fascinated by the habits of the Sisters of Charity of New York while working on a production of Doubt, a parable, a play set in the 1950s that prominently features the congregation. Despite an abundance of photographs, there was almost no documentation, not even a pattern, explaining how the long black garments derived from the widow's clothing of congregation founder St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton were actually constructed. Pufal Purdy interviewed sisters and worked through archival materials to painstakingly reconstruct the habits piece by piece. The project took on added significance after the Sisters of Charity of New York announced in 2023 that they would no longer accept new members. His devotion to details led to the Commission to create habits for a 2024 Broadway revival of doubt. But the work is not about costumes, Puffal Purdy said. It's about fashion history, it's about women's history, and about Catholic heritage. OSV CEO Kyle Hamilton announced the move today, saying Crow will provide strategic and operational leadership for OSV's publishing division, including OSV Books, OSV News, and its catechetical products, while continuing to serve as editor-in-chief of OSV News. In a statement, Crow said she is grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the church and proclaiming the gospel through Catholic media. She also expressed a desire to build on the legacy of OSV founder Archbishop John Francis Knoll and his mission of communicating the faith through both traditional and emerging forms of media. A former president of the Catholic Media Association and award-winning writer and editor, Crow has been with OSV for 13 years. She and her husband, Michael Heinlein, live in Indiana with their three children. The OSV News team wishes to congratulate Gretchen on her new role and lots of prayers for her continued success as editor-in-chief of OSV News. 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.