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Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Monday, August 24th, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. Pope Leo XIV delivered a pointed challenge to the world's drift toward rearmament and division this weekend, calling instead for a culture of love and mercy. Speaking Saturday to thousands gathered for the annual Meeting of Friendship Among Peoples in Rimini, Italy, the Pope urged people to challenge suspicion, arrogance, and ideology while rejecting what he called the idolatry of profit and the destructive misuse of technology and finance. He called for exposing unjust structures of power that fuel poverty, inequality, war, and environmental disaster, insisting technological development must be restrained when it becomes invasive or harmful. The world, he said, needs courageous pioneers willing to take the first step by changing the direction of their own lives. His speech, repeatedly interrupted by applause, capped a day-long visit to Italy's Adriatic coast that began in the Republic of San Marino before continuing to Rimini, where the Pope celebrated Mass at the gathering organized by the Catholic movement Communion and Liberation, only the second time a pope has attended in person since 1980. A year after a deadly shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in South Minneapolis, the Stomes family is preparing to begin another school year while carrying painful memories and a deep sense of hope. On August 27, 2025, Molly and Matt Stomes were at home and at mass, respectively, while their four children were at the church and school when gunfire erupted. While all four children were unharmed, Matt helped move children to safety inside the church, while Molly, a nurse practitioner, ran from their home across the street and began assessing injured students as families waited for ambulances. As the anniversary approaches one year later, Molly says August is a difficult month, especially as children prepare to return to school. But she and Matt also point to the support of their Catholic community, including meals, therapy dogs, and a new family puppy. While the Annunciation School community continues to heal from the tragedy, their faith remains central. Last year's school-wide scripture theme, drawing on Jeremiah 29.11, offered the promise of a future filled with hope. This year, the school's theme from Luke 1.79 calls the community to guide our feet into the way of peace. Houston's Magnolia Park neighborhood, home to one of the city's most deeply rooted immigrant communities, is still reeling from the death of Lorenzo Salgado Arujo, who died July 7th following an encounter with federal immigration agents. Family members, community advocates, and church leaders have since called for accountability and a full investigation into the circumstances of his death. More than 300 Catholics, clergy, and community members gathered July 25th for a vigil mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, a cornerstone of the Magnolia Park community, where Archbishop Joe Vasquez of Galveston, Houston, called for both compassion and reform. Following Mass, hundreds joined a mile and a half prayer procession, with Salgado Arrujo's 29-year-old son, Ronaldo, carrying a large wooden cross adorned with roses for most of the route. The procession concluded at Canal Street with a candlelight vigil, where Ronaldo set the cross down near the site of his father's death. Justice is needed for everyone, for all who have been victims, he told the crowd. Two months after twin earthquakes devastated northern Venezuela, the Catholic Church remains at the center of the country's recovery, providing both spiritual comfort and material aid amid historic destruction. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck June 24th, killing more than 6,400 people and injuring over 86,000. Archbishop Jesus Gonzalez de Zarate, president of the Venezuelan Bishops Conference, told OSV News the disaster displaced roughly half the clergy in the hard-hit La Guara region and severely damaged dozens of churches, schools, and clinics. Yet the church's pastoral mission remains resolute. In response to superstitious claims framing the disaster as divine punishment, Venezuela's bishops have emphasized God's mercy instead. Archbishop Gonzalez expressed gratitude for global church solidarity, noting that Archbishop Alberto Ortega Martin, the Apostolic Nuncio, has celebrated Mass nearly every Sunday among displaced people living on the street in the hardest-hit areas, embodying what Gonzalez called the closeness of the Holy Father. In September, Vatican journalists plan to present the Pope with letters written by Venezuelan survivors. What actually draws young people to the Catholic Church and keeps them there? Teenagers and young adults serving at St. John's summer program in the Washington Archdiocese have some clear answers. Start with a genuine invitation, build authentic relationships, and create a place where kids feel they truly belong. At the day camp in Hollywood, Maryland, which serves children ages 4 to 14, young counselors described how friends who invited them, Catholics they admired, and communities where they felt at home all helped their faith become personally their own. Addie Lyons, age 19, said relationships open the door to faith far more effectively than theology lectures. Counselors build friendships and have fun with the kids first, letting questions about God arise naturally along the way. Christopher Damron, also age 19, added that young people respond best when the faith is explained clearly, in language they can actually understand and connect with their everyday lives. 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.