OSV Newscast
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Cardinal McElroy on AI and Work, German Archbishop Visits US Border, Peru's Giant Papal Statue, JPII Foundation turns 45
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Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for Sept. 8, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.
Read the stories in this episode:
- Cardinal Robert McElroy warned at a Labor Day Mass in Washington that artificial intelligence will radically reshape the labor market within twenty years, urging that workers have a genuine voice in decisions about automation.
- Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg compared the U.S.-Mexico border fortifications to the Berlin Wall after a weeklong solidarity visit, warning that treating migration purely as a security threat erodes human dignity.
- Pope Leo XIV returned to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano, a place of lifelong personal devotion, asking Mary's help to bring God's word to light through "courageous and wise decisions."
- The Peruvian port city of Callao is building a nearly 46-foot statue of Pope Leo XIV — the world's largest monument to the pontiff — ahead of his November visit to the country where he holds citizenship.
- The John Paul II Vatican Foundation will mark its 45th anniversary in Rome this October with a papal audience, highlighting scholarship work that has supported more than 1,100 students in Poland.
Hello, I'm Maggie Murray of OSV News, and this is your OSV Newscast for Tuesday, September 8th, 2026. Let's catch you up on the Catholic News of the Day. Here we go. As artificial intelligence reshapes workplaces across the country, Cardinal Robert McElroy posed a question at this weekend's Labor Day Mass that few can answer with confidence. Will there be meaningful work left? The Archbishop of Washington asked during his homily Sunday at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle. The answer to that is no one knows. The Mass, organized by the Catholic Labor Network ahead of yesterday's federal holiday, brought together parishioners, workers, and labor representatives to reflect on the dignity of work, economic justice, and workers' rights. Cardinal McElroy described work as a way people participate in creation, contribute to their communities, and express themselves, even when the work itself is difficult, and stressed that human labor carries an inherent dignity that must never be diminished. But he was direct about the disruption ahead. The labor market is going to radically change in the next 20 years, he said, predicting major worker dislocations and urging that workers themselves have a genuine voice in decisions about AI and automation. Archbishop Stefan Haysa of Hamburg, who chairs the German Bishop's Migration Commission, described the razor wire and towering barriers as deeply disturbing in an interview with OSV News following a week-long solidarity visit. He warned that when nations treat migration purely as a security threat, basic human dignity is the first casualty. Drawing parallels between the American situation and rising tensions in Europe, Archbishop Haza said that in most circumstances, the rule of law and the respect for human rights are declining. Along his route, he met with church leaders, including El Paso Bishop Mark Seites, along with aid workers and migrants facing deportation. He credited the Catholic Church with sustaining the humanitarian response on the ground, noting that Catholic groups operate roughly 80% of the region's migrant shelters. Reflecting on a joint border mass with Bishop Seitz, he said simply, in the Catholic Church, there are no borders. Pope Leo XIV returned yesterday to a Marian shrine that has shaped his spiritual life for more than four decades. The Pope traveled to Genetsano, a small town about 35 miles east of Rome, to celebrate an evening mass at the Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of Good Council on the vigil of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was his second visit as Pope. The first came just days after his election in the May 2025 conclave. The shrine, entrusted to the Augustinians, holds deep personal meaning for Pope Leo, who first visited while studying in Rome in the early 1980s and returned many times as prior general of the Augustinians, as Bishop of Chiclayo and as a cardinal. Before Mass, a new fresco image of the Pope was unveiled on the basilica wall. Let us ask her for her good counsel, the Pope said in his homily, so that we may welcome the divine word, keep it within us, and bring it to light through courageous and wise decisions. Peru is preparing an extraordinary welcome for its adopted son. The port city of Cayao is building a nearly 46-foot-tall statue of Pope Leo XIV, which city officials say will be the largest monument to the pontiff anywhere in the world, set to overlook the Pacific Ocean before his November arrival. The steel and marble sculpture depicts the Pope with open arms, with parkland donated by the city and funding provided by a private company. Mayor Cesar Perez said the project aims to promote faith, hope, and unity. The tribute reflects Pope Leo's deep ties to Peru, where he became a citizen while serving as Bishop of Chiclayo and later served as apostolic administrator of Callao during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pope is expected to visit Lima, Chiclayo, Pucaipa, and Cusco from November 11th to November 17th, a route observers note spans all three of the country's regions coast, mountains, and jungle. The Peru leg will conclude his first South American journey, which also includes Uruguay and Argentina. The John Paul II Vatican Foundation will celebrate its 45th anniversary in Rome from October 19th to 22nd, gathering members of its international community and culminating in a private audience with Pope Leo XIV. Founded in 1981, the Foundation supports students, pilgrims, culture, and the arts. Its scholarship program at the Catholic University of Lublin in Poland has helped more than 1,100 students and over 40 doctoral graduates, with the foundation investing more than 500,000 euros annually. Gloria Nowagana of Uzbekistan, one beneficiary, said the foundation offered her far more than financial support. It gave me the possibility of being part of a community and of a great work initiated by John Paul II, she told OSV News. Foundation spokesman Father Tomas Podlevsky summed up the mission plainly. We do not promote John Paul himself, but the works that he began. 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.
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