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Hello, I'm Gina Christian, and you're listening to our OSV newscast for Wednesday, August 26th, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic news of the day. Here we go. Yesterday, Pope Leo XIV appointed Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly as a member of the Vatican Dicastery for the laity, family, and life. Kelly heads up the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization, and he now joins the Vatican body that helps guide the church's outreach to laypeople, families, and young people. Kelly has served as Supreme Knight and CEO of the Knights of Columbus since 2021, and the organization has about 2.1 million members worldwide. As a member of the Laity Dicastery, Kelly will contribute to the office's mission of promoting the lay apostolate, family life, youth ministry, the protection of human life, and the dignity of older adults. The Dicastery was established by Pope Francis in 2016, and it oversees major global church initiatives, including World Youth Day, the World Meeting of Families, and the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. The next World Youth Day is scheduled for Seoul South Korea in August 2027. Kelly has been a Knight of Columbus for 42 years, and previously he led the St. John Paul II National Shrine, advised the U.S. State Department on religious freedom, and served 24 years in the U.S. Navy. Hundreds of faith leaders and organizations are urging the Trump administration to extend temporary protected status for El Salvador before it expires in September. The designation, also known as TPS, grants the U.S. government the power to shield eligible migrants from deportation if they're from countries experiencing dangerous conditions such as war, disaster, or other unrest. El Salvador's TPS designation is scheduled to expire on September 9th, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The removal of the TPS designation for El Salvador would impact the legal status of more than 170,000 Salvadoran nationals in the U.S., according to the Congressional Research Service. In an August 21st letter to President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mark Wayne Mullen, more than 270 faith leaders and organizations, including several U.S. bishops, Catholic entities, and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, or Clinic, argued that Mullen should extend El Salvador's TPS designation to prevent disruption to U.S. communities where Salvadoran migrants have established ties and to prevent family separation due to ongoing dangerous conditions in that country. Father Flager was previously cleared of allegations in 2021 and 2022, and he'd vigorously denied the latest claim, saying he and countless others at the parish in the 1990s had no memory of the accuser. The priest is an outspoken activist against racism, gun violence, and other social injustices, and he said in a July statement he'd been threatened, slandered, and attacked throughout the 51 years of his ministry, especially over his opposition to Trump administration policies. In his August 24th statement, Cardinal Supich also appeared to address concerns raised by St. Sabina parishioners, who in a July 17th open letter had called for an immediate and comprehensive reform of archdiocesan investigative policies. They cited the traumatic impact of their pastor's repeated removal for investigations. Cardinal Supich stressed in his latest statement the importance of those independent inquiries, including for the accused, and he urged parishioners to unite their sufferings with those of Jesus Christ while assuring the parishioners of his support. Spanish Catholics are marking twin anniversaries tied to St. John of the Cross, and renewed public interest in the 16th century mystic, poet, and reformer is drawing pilgrim scholars and visitors to sites across Spain. Father Miguel Ángel González Gonzalez, who is prior of the Discalced Carmelite Order's La Santa Monastery in Ávila, said this saint sparks an interest far beyond strictly religious circles. It embraces a wide range of spiritual, literary, historical, artistic, and cultural perspectives. The Jubilee commemorates the saint's 1726 canonization and his 1926 proclamation as a doctor of the church, meaning his life of holiness and his writings provide authentic guidance to the faithful. Jubilee events have included liturgies, concerts, exhibitions, conferences, and pilgrimages linking places central to his life, from his birthplace in Fontiveros to his tomb in Segovia. Born Juan de Epesi Alvarez in 1542, St. John co-founded the Discalced Carmelites with Saint Teresa of Avila. He's best known for spiritual classics such as The Dark Night of the Soul and the Spiritual Canticle. Church leaders say his message resonates in a world marked by conflict, polarization, and uncertainty. Father Gonzalez told OSV News, St. John wields extraordinary significance for our times, not because he offers political or social prescriptions, but because he touches upon something deeper, the human heart and its search for meaning. And finally, from Washington State, a story of loss, faith, and the healing love of Christ. Back in 2017, Song Huan Nash died after battling stage 4 stomach cancer since the summer of 2016, leaving behind his wife, Amy Nash, and the couple's three children, Christian, Mason, and Mercy. Through the tragedy of losing a loved one, the Nash family found themselves in a dark place. But it was there, Amy said, that the sacred heart of Jesus shone. She said that first happened when Mason, then six years old, told his mother one morning that during the night, Jesus came to him and gave him his heart. Mason, who's now fourteen, said that afterward he felt everything was going to be alright. The teen said he remembers feeling nervous when Jesus held out his hands to him, but didn't realize how powerful the moment would be. Amy said she tells Mason, Jesus trusted you with his heart. Jesus still trusts you with his heart. It's still in your hands. The experience touched the entire family who eventually consecrated themselves to the sacred heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I'm Gina Christian. Check out the show notes for a link to our website. You can find the stories in this episode. As always, please do make sure to subscribe to this podcast. Give us a follow on social media and bookmark osvnews.com. And a shout out to our listeners around the world. It is good to see you checking in. Drop us a line, let us know what you think. Thanks for the ones who've already done so. We look forward to hearing from more of you. Thanks so much for listening, and God bless.

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