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Why Franklin Graham chose Minneapolis for an Easter message about truth in a divided America

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:00:47 -0400

Rev. Franklin Graham is visiting a city recently marred by division and headline-grabbing violence, including the storming of a church service, on a mission of hope and truth this Easter Sunday.

"What is Truth?," an Easter special hosted by Rev. Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), was filmed in Minneapolis, which has been a focal point of civil unrest this year.

A mob of 39 individuals stormed Cities Church in St. Paul in January chanting "Who needs justice, we need justice" after the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at anti-ICE demonstrations in nearby Minneapolis. All 39 have since been arrested, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

"It's hard to understand the depth to which our country has fallen. The hatred, the violence, the crime — it's rampant. It seems like the whole world is in conflict. In this time of division, many are wondering, where can we find truth?" Franklin Graham said.

FOR YOUNG TPUSA FAITH EVENT ATTENDEES, MINNESOTA CHURCH STORMING IS A SACRED LINE CROSSED

The tactics deployed against Christians at Cities Church were rebuked by the niece of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Alveda King, in an interview with Fox News Digital.

"I was taught to protest prayerfully and non-violently," King said. "So, yes, I was absolutely shocked and disturbed to see a worship service disturbed with hostility. That is not the way to get God's attention. That should not be the way to get America's attention."

The 30-minute program features music from the late Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels and Michael W. Smith.

LEFTIST PASTOR CALLS MINNESOTA CHURCH INVASION DIVINE JUDGMENT ON 'MAGA EVANGELICALS' AMID DOJ PROBE

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was previously chaired in Minneapolis, where Graham served as the president of University of Northwestern, then Northwestern College. "What is Truth?" was filmed from its campus.

Last year's televised Easter message from Rev. Graham featured Southern California after the devastating Palisades fires, titled "Easter from the Ashes." Samaritan's Purse has helped more than 700 homeowners in the Palisades area recover personal property.

Previous Easter specials by Franklin Graham have been filmed from Jerusalem during the conflict between Israel and Hamas and war-torn Ukraine.

"Jesus told His disciples, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Me.’ This is what Easter's all about — our hope is in a risen Savior," Graham said.

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"What is Truth?" airs on the Fox News Channel Easter Sunday, April 5, at 12 p.m. ET.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

Through winter storms and injury, Buddhist monks finish 2,300-mile 'Walk for Peace' to Washington, DC

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 18:34:28 -0500

Nearly two dozen Buddhist monks arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday after completing a 2,300-mile "Walk for Peace," a months-long journey on foot that carried them through nine states and across winter storms, injuries and bitter cold.

The monks, draped in burnt-orange robes, began their walk in Texas more than three months ago and have consistently described the trek as a spiritual journey rather than a political demonstration. Their arrival in the nation’s capital marked the final major stop of the walk.

"We walk not to protest, but to awaken the peace that already lives within each of us," said Bhikkhu Pannakara, the spiritual leader of the Walk for Peace, in remarks shared publicly by the group. "The Walk for Peace is a simple yet meaningful reminder that unity and kindness begin within each of us and can radiate outward to families, communities, and society as a whole."

The journey crossed Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia, with the monks at times walking barefoot in frigid winter temperatures. Organizers said the group pressed on even as powerful winter storms swept across large portions of the country, bringing heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain.

AMID DIVISION AND NOISE, A SIMPLE TRUTH: AMERICA STILL HAS A HEART

Along the way, crowds gathered to greet the monks as they passed through cities and small towns, often braving harsh weather conditions to offer encouragement. Supporters lined roadsides, knelt as the monks passed and presented them with flowers.

"I feel like in our country and in our world right now that you have to show your support for peace in every possible way you can," Bob Anderson, 74, of Gloucester County, Virginia, told Reuters during a stop by the monks in Richmond. "And so this is a great way to do so. That’s why I’m here."

The walk has drawn widespread attention online, with the group’s official Facebook page amassing millions of followers as images and videos of the journey circulated widely.

THE CHURCH IS HOLY GROUND, NOT A STAGE FOR THE LEFT'S POLITICAL RAGE

While the trek has been largely celebratory, it has not been without serious setbacks. While traveling through Dayton, Texas, a truck struck the monks’ escort vehicle, injuring several people, according to local media reports previously cited by Reuters. Two monks sustained serious injuries, and one monk lost part of his leg as a result of the crash.

Despite the mishap, the group continued the walk, honoring both their original message and their injured companions.

Moments shared on the "Walk for Peace" Facebook page trumpeted quieter acts of compassion along the route. Posts showed Aloka, the rescue dog the monks refer to as the "Peace Dog," curling up beside the monk who lost part of his leg following the crash. In another moment shared by the group, a widow of a 9/11 officer offered Bhikkhu Pannakara her late husband’s pin to attach to his robes, a gesture the monks described as full of "honor and peace."

During their stop in North Carolina, the monks were acknowledged by Gov. Josh Stein, who thanked them for their message.

"You are inspiring people at a time when so many are in need of inspiration," Stein said.

The monks plan to spend two days in the capital, including a visit to the Washington National Cathedral and a meditation retreat.

Video shared by the "Walk for Peace" Facebook page showed the monks crossing from Virginia into Washington early Tuesday, where Bhikkhu Pannakara thanked supporters who had followed the journey.

"We are so deeply grateful for all the support we have received throughout this journey," Pannakara said in a message shared by the group. "Your love, your kindness, your presence — all of it has carried us forward."

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While the physical journey into the nation’s capital marks a milestone, Pannakara said the broader purpose of the walk was not limited to the distance covered.

"This physical journey may be reaching its destination, but the walk for peace continues always — in each of us, through each of us," he said. "May we help peace bloom more in the world, one step at a time."

Cissie Graham Lynch warns abortion fight ‘far from over’ at annual March for Life in DC

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:34:31 -0500

Cissie Graham Lynch joined tens of thousands of Americans at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Friday as President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., addressed the crowd and the White House touted a series of recent pro-life actions.

According to a White House release, Trump issued a proclamation declaring "National Sanctity of Human Life Day" and outlined multiple policy moves by federal agencies aimed at restricting abortion funding, strengthening conscience protections and rolling back Biden-era guidance.

In a video message played for marchers, Trump shared what the White House described as the nation’s "recognition of the right to life from its founding to today — that every life is a sacred gift from God."

Vance also delivered remarks, calling on Americans to defend unborn children.

TRUMP URGES GOP TO BE ‘FLEXIBLE’ ON HYDE AMENDMENT, IGNITING BACKLASH FROM PRO-LIFE ALLIES

"The mark of barbarism is that we treat babies like inconveniences to be discarded rather than the blessings to cherish that they are," Vance said. "But the inheritance of our civilization is something else — the fact that, as Scripture tells us, each life is fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator."

Johnson also spoke at the rally, sharing his own personal story.

"I was the product of an unplanned teen pregnancy exactly one year before Roe in January of 1972," Johnson said. "And a lot of people tried to convince my very young parents that they should just ‘take care of that problem.’ But I am eternally grateful that they allowed me the chance at life."

TRUMP TELLS MARCH FOR LIFE PROTECTING THE UNBORN IS 'BATTLE' THAT 'MUST BE WON'

Graham Lynch, the daughter of Rev. Franklin Graham and a senior advisor and spokesperson for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, also addressed the crowd and reflected on how attending the March for Life changed her own views.

"When I first attended the March for Life years ago, God convicted my heart," she said. "Growing up, the message we heard in public education, culture and media was that Roe could never be overturned, it was the law of the land."

She said she once stayed silent out of concern for women she knew who had abortions, but said witnessing the march firsthand transformed her.

PRO-LIFE LEADERS FIRMLY REJECT TRUMP'S CALL FOR HYDE AMENDMENT 'FLEXIBILITY' IN HEALTHCARE TALKS

"What I saw that day changed me — a generation that refused to accept Roe as their future, a generation that wouldn’t stop until every life is protected," she said.

She also reflected on the overturning of Roe v. Wade, calling it the result of decades of prayer and perseverance, while warning that the work is not finished.

"It took nearly 50 years of prayer, faith and effort to overturn Roe," Graham Lynch said. "But the fight isn’t over yet. Abortions still happen every day — and they will continue until the moral heart of our nation changes."

The White House said recent federal actions include expanding the Mexico City Policy to block U.S. foreign assistance from subsidizing abortion, ending the use of fetal tissue from aborted babies in taxpayer-funded research and reviewing Planned Parenthood affiliates’ eligibility for $88 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans.

According to the White House, the actions are part of a broader effort to "restore a culture of life" and protect religious freedom.

Graham Lynch urged Americans to remain engaged beyond attending the march.

"Don’t believe the lie that we can’t make a difference," she said. "The fight starts right where we are — in our families, our churches and our communities."

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She delivered the closing prayer at the event, calling for continued prayer for the nation.

"Today — and every day — we need to pray for God to move in powerful ways in our country, to soften hearts, and remind us that life is always worth defending," Graham Lynch said.

EXCLUSIVE: Franklin Graham’s daughter calls women’s sports fight a ‘Genesis 1 issue’ at Supreme Court

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 21:34:28 -0500

Cissie Graham Lynch, a senior advisor at Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said the fight over women’s sports is rooted in biblical truth as the Supreme Court heard arguments in cases involving laws designed to protect female athletes.

Graham Lynch attended the Supreme Court arguments Tuesday in Washington, D.C., and spoke exclusively to Fox News Digital, saying the moment carries generational consequences for women and girls.

"This isn’t a political issue, this is a Genesis 1 issue," Graham Lynch said. "Regardless of what the Supreme Court decides, God’s Word is clear—men are men and women are women. And today, I’m grateful girls finally had their historic day in court to say just that."

The cases before the court center on how sex and gender are defined in law and whether states can restrict biological males from competing in women’s sports. Samaritan's Purse joined amicus briefs supporting the laws.

SUPREME COURT WEIGHS STATES' POWER TO SET SEX-BASED RULES IN SCHOOL SPORTS

The Supreme Court is hearing two cases involving state laws governing participation in women’s sports: Little v. Hecox, which challenges Idaho’s ban on biological males competing in women’s athletics; and West Virginia v. B.P.J., a case involving a transgender student athlete and West Virginia’s women’s sports law.

"I believe the winds of change are coming and people will realize this is not a good thing. It’s damaging. It’s heartbreaking," Graham Lynch said. "When you turn away from God’s design, it never ends well."

Graham Lynch pointed repeatedly to Scripture as the foundation of her position. "This comes down to the basic truth that God spoke into existence in Genesis 1:27," she said.

RILEY GAINES SLAMS DEMS AS SCOTUS SET TO HEAR ARGUMENTS ON WOMEN'S SPORTS CASES

"God’s Word tells us that He created us in His own image — male and female. God has defined gender. It’s not up for discussion or debate. He has hardwired our gender down to the cellular level. No matter how hard one may try, you just can’t change the coding of your DNA. It’s time to stop fighting against this and start celebrating the goodness of God’s plan for our lives."

She said the court proceedings were encouraging but emphasized the ruling is still months away.

"This was such an encouraging day in court, but this case won’t be decided for some time," Graham Lynch said. "So we need to continue to pray that the Supreme Court’s decision will reinforce God’s design to protect and honor women."

Graham Lynch said the issue is deeply personal for her as a mother. "I’m so thankful to live in a country where these things can be fought each and every day in court," she said. "As the mother of young daughters, I want our country to be a safe place for women. The decisions made in this court are going to affect my children. These are generational decisions that will affect millions of young girls for years to come."

TOP DEMS SILENT AFTER TRANS ATHLETE THEY BACKED IN SCOTUS CASE IS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION

She also urged Christians to speak out more forcefully. "I hope these cases help wake Christians up," Graham Lynch said. "Believers can’t stay on the sidelines anymore. I’m so proud of the girls who have stood up in these cases. But we need to do this together. Christians need to be bold. Now is the time for churches, organizations and ministries to step up and faithfully uphold the truth and the reality that our God-given biology matters."

Graham Lynch praised the athletes who helped bring the issue to court.

"The young girls at the center of these cases are an inspiration," she said. "They stood when the world sat. And I pray this will encourage us all to stand when evil comes knocking at our door."

Also present at the Supreme Court was Kate Anderson, senior counsel and director of the Center for Parental Rights at Alliance Defending Freedom, who echoed Graham Lynch’s concerns. "It’s a bigger issue than just the field; it’s all of the advantages of sports, but it’s also private spaces and all the other areas that women are being really erased by a culture that says that men are women and women are men," Anderson said.

Anderson said the arguments left supporters hopeful.

"I think everyone felt very hopeful. This is common sense," she said. "So we would hope that we could be hopeful about the Supreme Court recognizing that women are unique, and that we need protection in our sports and our private spaces, that we shouldn't have to share those with male athletes."

Anderson said she spent time outside the court with female athletes who helped bring the cases forward. "I got to be outside the court today with many of the female athletes who really started this," she said. "And just to see their courage and then their joy to be out there and see that their work years and years ago—many of them are in college or beyond now—when they were in high school and they took a stand, that now it’s having an impact."

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She said the issue has gained momentum beyond partisan lines.

"For so many years, this issue felt like it flew under the radar," Anderson said. "And now it's really taking hold. And it's beautiful, too, to see that it's become an issue that's crossing political bounds."

A Supreme Court ruling is expected later this year. Graham Lynch said the conversation will continue on her upcoming "Fearless" podcast as she encourages faith leaders and families to remain engaged while the court considers its decision.

Buddhist monks walking 2,300 miles from Texas to DC go viral with 1M+ social media followers

Tue, 13 Jan 2026 02:02:26 -0500

Buddhist monks have set off on a trek across the country on foot that has drawn national attention as they travel from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., as a part of a monthslong journey they describe as a spiritual practice.

The more than 2,300-mile journey they have named the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center’s Walk for Peace began in late October and is estimated to conclude later this winter in the nation’s capital.

The walk, according to the group’s official page, is intended to promote peace, compassion and mindfulness during a time they say the country is marked by division and uncertainty.

"This is not a protest," the monks say in public statements. "It is a spiritual practice."

AT LANCASTER MARKET, I WITNESSED AN AMERICA THAT STILL WORKS — NO POLITICS REQUIRED

The monks are affiliated with a Texas-based Buddhist meditation center.

They describe the walk as a moving meditation as they continue to pass through cities, small towns and rural communities across the U.S.

They have been greeted by supporters who have gathered along the route, walking short stretches with the group and offering food or simply observing quietly as they pass.

The Monks are keeping a blog that tracks their journey in real time. On the blog they say those who "visit the venerable monks along our path, we tie a blessing string around your wrist—a simple thread that carries profound meaning."

According to the blog, the cord is a reminder and every time the wearer sees it, "in a moment of stress, during a difficult conversation, when patience feels impossible—it gently calls you back to the intention you set when you met us: to walk with us in spirit, to nourish peace, mindfulness, loving-kindness, and compassion in your daily life."

"It is a connection string between this journey and you, a tangible link that says: you are part of this walk for peace. We are walking together, always," they write.

WITHOUT GOD, NEW YORK'S DREAM TURNS HOLLOW. MY WALK ACROSS AMERICA PROVES IT

In addition to the monks, Aloka, a rescue dog the monks refer to as the "Peace Dog," has become an unexpected focal point of the journey.

During the journey, photos and videos are being shared online and show Aloka traveling along highways and sidewalks, resting during breaks and greeting supporters.

These special moments have helped the monks’ walk gain traction on social media, where their Facebook following recently surpassed 1 million followers.

Millions of supporters are sharing messages of encouragement and reflection in response to the journey.

"I am so inspired. Thank you — the United States so desperately needs this message," one follower wrote.

Another supporter said the walk has had a personal impact on their daily life.

"Praying for you all each night. You have opened a light within me that makes me want to be a kinder, more peaceful person. I think now before speaking and have become more aware of my breathing," the follower wrote. "Your trip has a lot of people thinking and restoring hope back in our country and peaceful thoughts throughout the day. It is simply wonderful, the journey you are on."

Others said the message resonates with them during a turbulent period for the country.

"The message of peace is resonating with so many in America during these scary times," another supporter commented.

So far, the Buddhist monks have made it across much of the country, prompting online searches and interest in the walk, the monks’ mission and their destination in Washington. The videos have circulated widely as the group continues eastward.

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They continue to emphasize that the walk is non-political and open to people of all backgrounds, describing peace as "not a destination, but a way of living."

The monks say their message remains the same: peace begins with individual action — one step at a time.

Rev. Franklin Graham delivers Kentucky flood survivors new homes for Christmas: ‘We can finally breathe’

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 18:47:47 -0500

Standing in the snow on an eastern Kentucky mountaintop Friday, Rev. Franklin Graham dedicated 18 newly constructed homes in Jesus' name to families who lost everything in the region's catastrophic 2022 floods. It was a moment survivors described as the first real breath of relief they've had in three years.

"This is Franklin Graham," he says in an exclusive video to Fox News Digital. "Terrible floods here a few years ago just destroyed hundreds of homes. Well, today we are dedicating 18 houses that are finished and ready for people to move in."

The homes are part of the new Chestnut Ridge subdivision, a 57-lot neighborhood built from scratch by Samaritan’s Purse and an army of volunteers.

"We’re grateful to God," Graham added. "We couldn’t do this without the partners who provided land, the finances, the volunteers. These people are going to be in their homes for Christmas."

CHIP CARTER MARVELS AT BIPARTISANSHIP HE WITNESSED AT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, FATHER'S FUNERAL

Flood survivor Lora Honycutt described the moment she stepped into her new house in a raw, unfiltered way captured on video.

"When I walk in this house here … the floors are not sinking," Honeycutt said, wiping her eyes. "Even the smell is different. … I can’t describe the feeling."

She added through tears, "These are happy tears. … These are happy tears."

Video clips showed families breaking down as they crossed thresholds, their first structurally sound homes since the deadly floods destroyed entire communities three years ago.

For Paul Johnson, the dedication was life-changing. When the floods wiped out his home, he lost the permanent address required to stay on his lung transplant list.

"I was taken off the list when I moved into an RV. After today, I can get back on the transplant list," Johnson said. "This home exceeds anything I expected. It’s beautiful. I feel very blessed. It’s a great day."

SAMARITAN'S PURSE RACES TO HELP JAMAICA AFTER CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE MELISSA DESTRUCTION: 'NOT BEEN FORGOTTEN'

The Chestnut Ridge homes have two, three or four bedrooms with one notable exception. A family with 10 children has the only home in the new subdivision with five bedrooms after spending 1,128 nights crammed into two campers since losing everything in the floods.

"We were thankful to have a place to lay our heads," the mother said, "but it was aggravating. We were all on top of each other."

Looking around her new five-bedroom home, she couldn’t hold back.

"We’re so dumbfounded, I don’t know what to do," she said. "We can breathe."

A SEASON OF HOPE: T2T'S GIFT OF INDEPENDENCE AND DIGNITY FOR INJURED HEROES

Former U.S. Ambassador Kelly Craft and her husband, Joe, the CEO of coal mining company Alliance Resource Partners, donated the land on which the new neighborhood was built.

Graham also praised employees at the Lowe's in Hazard, Kentucky, some of whom volunteered on construction crews.

Samaritan’s Purse has now constructed nearly 100 homes across Kentucky, from tornado-ravaged Mayfield to the devastated communities of the east.

Crews are also rebuilding in North Carolina, which continues to reel from Hurricane Helene.

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As snow fell across the mountaintop, Graham prayed over families receiving their brand-new houses, no longer haunted by the memories of 2022's floods.

"We give God the glory, and we praise Him and, of course, these people are going to be in their homes for Christmas," Graham said as he looked over the row of new homes.

Franklin Graham shares ‘first gift’ of Christmas as Samaritan’s Purse prepares to deliver 13M shoebox gifts

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 17:37:24 -0500

Franklin Graham joined Fox News’ annual Christmas tree lighting celebration in New York City Friday night, delivering a message about faith, generosity and what he called "the first gift" of Christmas, God giving His Son, Jesus Christ.

The president and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association also highlighted this season’s goal for Operation Christmas Child, which will send more than 13 million of its gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 130 countries.

Graham appeared live on Fox Square alongside hosts and hundreds gathered for the network’s holiday kickoff, presenting one of the gift boxes packed by his 3-year-old granddaughter.

The box, filled with a Minnie Mouse stuffie, school supplies and a handwritten note she helped prepare with the help of her family, represented the kind of gift Samaritan’s Purse has distributed worldwide for nearly 30 years.

FOX NEWS TO PRESENT 6TH ANNUAL ALL AMERICAN CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING ON NOV. 21

"This year, we’ll have about 13 million of these boxes," Graham said. "Each one has about 30 gifts in it. And what we want to teach children is the importance of giving. God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, and we want the children of the world to understand the importance of receiving a gift, and for the children who pack them, the importance of learning how to give."

Graham thanked Fox News employees, who packed more than 400 shoeboxes ahead of National Collection Week (Nov. 17–24).

"To have the help of Fox — packing boxes — it’s been wonderful," Graham said. "It’s a great partnership."

Hosts on stage encouraged viewers to participate by scanning a QR code displayed on screen, which directed them to Samaritan’s Purse packing instructions.

FOX NEWS KICKS OFF HOLIDAY SEASON WITH SIXTH ANNUAL ALL-AMERICAN CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY

The segment was shown during the ceremony’s faith-themed portion, with Graham grounding the moment in the biblical foundation of Christmas.

"Christmas is about giving," he said. "God gave the first gift — His Son, Jesus Christ, who came to take our sins. At Christmas, we honor Jesus Christ and remember what He did for us."

Operation Christmas Child, run by Samaritan’s Purse, is in its National Collection Week through Monday. Nearly 5,000 drop-off locations are open nationwide for families and churches to deliver packed boxes containing toys, hygiene items and school supplies.

EXCLUSIVE: FRANKLIN GRAHAM’S SAMARITAN’S PURSE LAUNCHES 767 AIRLIFT OF FOOD, AID FOR GAZA FAMILIES AMID WAR

The project involves roughly 300,000 volunteers and reaches deep jungles, city slums, mountainside villages and more than 1,000 remote Pacific islands, according to Samaritan’s Purse. Shoeboxes collected in the U.S. are combined with gifts from around the world to reach children in difficult or isolated regions.

"At Samaritan’s Purse we have the opportunity to share the true meaning of Christmas with millions of children around the world through Operation Christmas Child," Graham told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement. "I am so grateful for each and every person who makes this project possible and for every shoebox that opens the door for us to tell another child the Good News of Jesus Christ."

Families can also build a shoebox online by selecting items digitally and adding a photo or personal note.

Operation Christmas Child began in 1993 and has since delivered more than 232 million boxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories. Many distributions are coordinated through local churches that pair the gifts with evangelistic programs and community outreach.

"This is an opportunity for children to give to someone else and not want anything in return," Graham said. "We live in a selfish world, but this teaches the next generation the importance of giving."

As the Christmas tree lights reflected off the crowds gathered in midtown Manhattan, Graham’s message tied the ceremony back to the reason millions of families participate in the annual shoebox drive.

"God so loved this world that He gave His only-begotten Son," he said. "That’s what Christmas is all about."

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Anyone can pack a shoebox in person or build one online at SamaritansPurse.org/OCC-FoxNews. A QR code provided by Samaritan’s Purse can also be embedded or displayed on-screen.

Samaritan's Purse races to help Jamaica after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa destruction: 'Not been forgotten'

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 04:00:30 -0400

Samaritan’s Purse, led by Franklin Graham, has airlifted more than 38,000 pounds of emergency relief supplies to Jamaica after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa tore through the island, leaving widespread destruction and thousands homeless.

Less than 48 hours after Melissa made landfall with winds topping 185 mph, the North Carolina-based Christian relief organization deployed its Disaster Assistance Response Team and began unloading critical aid in Kingston.

"Hurricane Melissa has pummeled Jamaica and left tens of thousands of families in urgent need of help," Graham told Fox News Digital.

"Entire communities have been ripped apart, flooded and left in ruins. Many families just had their entire world disintegrate around them. We already have 38,000 pounds of relief supplies and teams on the ground with more on the way. We want these people to know that God loves and cares for them. He sees their pain — they have not been forgotten."

US RESCUE TEAMS TO DESCEND ON HARD-HIT CARIBBEAN AFTER CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE MELISSA'S IMPACT

The first Samaritan’s Purse cargo flight, a B757 from the organization’s Airlift Response Center in Greensboro, carried 1,500 family kits filled with tarps, ropes, solar lights, jerry cans and water filters. A second flight, a DC-8 jet, is scheduled to depart Friday carrying two community water filtration systems, each capable of providing clean water for 10,000 people a day along with additional supplies and medical teams.

Edward Graham, the organization’s chief operating officer and Franklin Graham’s son, said crews were preparing even before the storm struck. "Before Hurricane Melissa even hit, our teams were standing by — closely coordinating with our church partners in Jamaica, preparing supplies, and loading our aircraft," he said. "Now our disaster response specialists are on the ground, and we are hard at work to provide relief to families who are hurting. Please pray for Jamaica and these families who have lost so much."

The storm knocked out power to much of the island, severed communications, and flooded entire neighborhoods in Jamaica’s southern parishes. Airport staff who processed the Samaritan’s Purse cargo said it was the first relief shipment to arrive.

EXCLUSIVE: FRANKLIN GRAHAM’S SAMARITAN’S PURSE LAUNCHES 767 AIRLIFT OF FOOD, AID FOR GAZA FAMILIES AMID WAR

Dave Holzhauer, who leads the organization’s disaster response in Jamaica, described the devastation as "heartbreaking." "Entire hospitals, schools, and homes have been wiped out, and many families who were just beginning to recover from previous storms are now starting over again," he said. "Floodwaters remain high in some communities, and the need for hope and practical support is overwhelming. We’re working urgently to reach the hardest-hit areas — places that are still cut off by debris and flooding — with life-saving aid and the love of Christ."

The relief effort is being coordinated with Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and more than 250 local church partners through Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child network. Officials say the group is prepared to provide mobile medical teams and emergency water systems as hospitals struggle to reopen.

Vincent Rose, a church partner in southern Jamaica, said many communities remain isolated. "We lost communication early yesterday morning and are still without power — possibly for days to come," he said. "It’s very bad on our side. Crews are trying to clear the main thoroughfare so the emergency restoration process can begin. As for us, we’re okay, though a lot of water came into our home after shingles blew off the roof. Please continue to pray for everyone here as we begin to recover."

Franklin Graham said Samaritan’s Purse chaplains trained through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association have also joined the deployment to provide emotional and spiritual care. "Our mission is to meet physical needs while sharing the hope of Jesus Christ," he said. "As we deliver supplies and clean water, we’re also reminding families they are not alone."

Melissa became one of the strongest storms ever recorded in the Caribbean, with winds topping 185 mph and widespread flooding and landslides reported across Jamaica. The hurricane left thousands without shelter and triggered a nationwide blackout.

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Samaritan’s Purse says additional relief flights are planned in the coming days as crews continue assessing needs. The organization, which has responded to disasters around the world since 1970, is asking for continued prayers and support.

For more information on the organization’s efforts or to donate, visit samaritanspurse.org.

EXCLUSIVE: Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse launches 767 airlift of food, aid for Gaza families amid war

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 16:54:10 -0400

Rev. Franklin Graham’s Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse launched its inaugural 767 cargo aircraft Saturday, carrying 290,000 packets of vitamin-fortified food, thousands of blankets and solar lights for women and children in Gaza. It was the humanitarian ministry's latest aid mission to the war-torn region.

In an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital, Graham said the relief effort comes amid continuing instability.

"Gaza is a very volatile place — it is still dangerous. There are more than 2 million people there who need help," Graham said. "What Hamas did was horrendous. It was a massacre. Not only did they take 251 innocent civilians hostage from Israel on October 7, they have also held the entire population of Gaza hostage for 18 years. Hamas has got to go."

He added the plane’s mission was driven by a desire to show compassion in a time of crisis.

GAZA HUMANITARIAN FOUNDATION: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE US-BACKED AID GROUP

"Today we are taking over 290,000 packets of food loaded with protein and fortified with vitamins, as well as thousands of solar lights and blankets for families who have lost so much," he said. "Pray with us for the people in Gaza that this cargo will be helping."

The shipment departed Saturday morning from the organization’s Airlift Response Center in Greensboro, North Carolina. Before takeoff, Graham joined staff and flight crew on the tarmac, bowing in prayer beside the towering white jet that marks a new chapter in the relief group’s aviation fleet.

Edward Graham, Samaritan’s Purse COO and Franklin Graham’s youngest son, called Gaza "one of the most challenging places to work in the world" and thanked staff for serving despite danger.

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"The fact that Samaritan’s Purse is able to help there and show the love of God to the people of Gaza is something that only He could do," Edward Graham said. "I’m thankful for our staff who are willing to go and that their hearts are broken and pierced by the things that break the heart of Jesus Christ."

The group’s latest airlift comes nearly two years after the outbreak of war, which has left families across Gaza without consistent access to food, electricity or medicine.

Samaritan’s Purse began working in the region immediately after the fighting erupted, sending doctors, nurses and emergency aid. Since then, the organization says it has delivered more than 223 tons of food and distributed over 1 million rations to civilians, while medical teams have treated more than 1,700 patients.

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This newest shipment continues the group's work with a particular focus on children and women left vulnerable by the ongoing conflict. The cargo included not only food but 12,000 solar-powered lanterns to provide light in communities where power has been cut and 12,000 blankets for families who lost homes or belongings.

The effort reflects a long-standing strategy by the North Carolina-based relief group to use its fleet of planes to deliver supplies to hard-hit areas around the world. In recent years, Samaritan’s Purse has deployed mobile field hospitals to Ukraine, distributed emergency shelter kits in Sudan and helped earthquake survivors in Haiti.

The addition, the wide-body 767 gives the ministry greater reach, allowing it to deliver larger relief shipments on fewer flights.

Franklin Graham said that kind of investment was necessary given the scope of human suffering seen in Gaza and Israel.

"This is about showing God’s love to people who are hurting," he said. "It’s about letting them know they are not forgotten."

The organization has also worked in Israel, where communities remain shaken from Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack and the months of war that followed. Samaritan’s Purse has pledged 42 ambulances, 28 of them armored, to Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service, and is supporting 11 major construction projects, including ambulance response stations and community centers equipped with bomb shelters.

Former Arkansas Gov. and Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee praised the effort Saturday, writing on X that Samaritan’s Purse is "the most efficient and effective disaster response organization on the planet."

The 767 is expected to deliver the food and supplies on the ground in Gaza in the coming days. Samaritan’s Purse said additional relief flights are planned as conditions allow.

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"This is not a one-time effort," Franklin Graham said. "As long as people are suffering, we will continue to go."

EXCLUSIVE: Bishop Robert Barron says Charlie Kirk ‘died with a microphone in his hand,’ as faith under attack

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 20:23:37 -0400

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital after delivering his Red Mass homily to Minnesota’s Catholic lawyers and judges, Bishop Robert Barron warned that the brutal murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk represents a cultural breaking point for America — not only because of the tragedy itself, but because it symbolizes an assault on free speech and civil dialogue.

Barron argued that Kirk’s killing is resonating so strongly because "he died not with a gun or a knife or a grenade in his hand, but a microphone." To Barron, the attack reveals that something "basic to our civilization is in danger of being lost."

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Speaking inside the Cathedral of St. Paul, Barron said Kirk’s death "shook the foundations" of American civic life because it struck at the heart of free and open dialogue.

"Each human being is a subject of infinite dignity, and without that recognition, conversation devolves into violence," he said.

Barron described Kirk as "a man of great intelligence, charm, and goodness of heart." Charlie, he said, embodied a tradition of open debate stretching back to the roots of Western civilization.

"Charlie, as thousands of videos on YouTube attest, was committed to open dialogue, particularly on college campuses."

The bishop explained that this tradition rests on two bedrock assumptions, the dignity of the individual and the objectivity of truth.

"There is a rational structure to the world and moral values to which anyone, by virtue of being a rational creature, can appeal."

Both principles, he added, are grounded in God.

"Thomas Jefferson knew that human rights were rooted in this divine soil: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.'"

EXPERTS WARN LEFTIST CELEBRATIONS OF CHARLIE KIRK'S DEATH SIGNAL A DANGEROUS MAINSTREAM SHIFT IN POLITICS

Barron said Kirk understood that faith was central.

"He always made it clear that the most important thing in his life — the thing he most wanted to be remembered for — was not his party affiliation or political philosophy but his Christian faith."

Citing Pope Benedict XVI’s 2006 Regensburg address, Barron warned that when reason is abandoned in favor of willpower and ideology, debate inevitably collapses into oppression and violence.

"If we make reason subject to the will, dialogue will tend to devolve into oppression and violence. … We’re left simply with a clash of wills."

He pointed to a disturbing statistic that "34% of college students feel that it is sometimes permissible to respond to a speaker on campus with violence."

To Barron, that number underscores the urgency of Kirk’s example.

"To the degree that we lose touch with the venerable tradition of dialogue in which Charlie stood, we will continue to see the bombs and bullets fly."

Barron said one of the "single ugliest" reactions to Kirk’s killing has been celebratory posts from some professors and government officials.

"Without religion, the very conditions for civil conversation are fatally compromised," Barron said.

As more Americans turn to ideology instead of faith, he warned, "a shared sense of human dignity and objective morality are both diminished and public discourse imperiled."

Addressing judges, lawyers and lawmakers gathered for the Red Mass, Barron said part of the noble purpose of law is to protect these very principles.

"Positive law nests within the natural law, which itself nests within the eternal law — the very structure of the divine mind."

He noted that Martin Luther King Jr. drew on this tradition in his "Letter from Birmingham Jail."

"Law, like reason and speech, is not a function of the will or a tool in the hands of the powerful; it is an expression of the divine Logos who creates and sustains human life and calls us from darkness to light."

Barron closed his homily by urging prayer for both the legal profession and the country itself.

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"Law has a high moral and spiritual purpose, because without these foundations, we will devolve into violence. And that’s, I think, what we saw in almost iconic form in the death of Charlie Kirk and why it’s had such a resonance around the country."

The Red Mass, hosted annually by the St. Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild at the Cathedral of St. Paul, brought Barron’s warning directly to jurists, law students and public servants.

EXCLUSIVE: HUD Secretary Turner, worship leader Sean Feucht unite at National Mall faith-based event

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 22:25:51 -0400

HUD Secretary Scott Turner declared Saturday that "faith is back in our government" as hundreds gathered on the National Mall for the agency’s first faith-based disaster recovery event.

The faith event, featuring a musical performance with Sean Feucht as part of HUD’s Innovative Housing Showcase, marked a shift in how the federal government engages with Christian organizations.

"After disaster strikes, the devastation can be overwhelming. I’ve met with those impacted, heard their stories, and seen the destruction first-hand," Turner, also an associate pastor, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive statement.

"In these moments, faith-based organizations are often the first to respond. I’ve witnessed their incredible recovery work: homes built, houses of worship turned into emergency centers and small businesses reopened with support from local churches. Under the leadership of President Trump, faith is back in our government."

TOP TRUMP OFFICIAL VOWS TO END 'CYCLE OF GOVERNMENT DEPENDENCY' IN HOMELESS CRACKDOWN

"These [faith-based] organizations are not just filling a gap. They are breathing new life into devastated communities, and HUD’s role is to strengthen their efforts with resources and support needed to recover," Turner concluded.

The event, held Sept. 6 beginning at 6 p.m. on the National Mall amid strong wind and rain. featured speeches from faith leaders across the country before closing with worship led by Feucht.

For Feucht, the night represented a dramatic turn. After years of clashing with left-leaning governments in cities like Seattle, he stood in Washington under an official invitation from HUD.

CHRISTIAN WORSHIP RALLY IN SEATTLE REMAINS PEACEFUL DESPITE PROGRESSIVE PROTESTS

"God bless America! Last month up in Canada Mark Carney’s Govt did everything he could to keep us from worshipping Jesus… pulling permits, blocking parks, but here in America the Trump Administration is rolling out the red carpet to Christians and giving us a chance to bring worship to the heart of the Capital! God is good!!!" Feucht said in an exclusive statement to Fox News Digital.

Feucht launched his "Let Us Worship" movement in 2020 during COVID lockdowns to protest restrictions on church gatherings. The movement gained traction nationwide but faced repeated backlash.

Canadian cities revoked permits in August 2025. Seattle activists branded his events "malicious harassment and incitement" against the LGBTQ community.

In 2020, Seattle closed Gas Works Park ahead of a scheduled rally, sparking accusations of discrimination against believers. Violence broke out again in May of this year at a Seattle rally, leading to arrests.

Saturday’s event told a different story. HUD placed churches and faith-based responders at the center of its disaster recovery strategy, treating them as partners instead of outsiders.

Speakers included Shayam Menon of HUD’s Center for Faith, Dave Donaldson of the White House Faith Office, Pastor Matthew Barnett of the Dream Center, Scottie Stice of the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, Luther Harrison of Samaritan’s Purse and Rev. Nathan Newman of Mission to North America.

"Powerful night with Sean Feucht and Secretary of HUD, Scott Turner," wrote @brag_dc on X. "Jesus was the Star!"

Turner delivered remarks before Feucht closed with a worship set and final words from Pastor Lorenzo Sewell. The National Mall, long a stage for protests and cultural events, hosted worship tied directly to federal leadership.

For Turner, the showcase put churches where he believes they belong, which is at the front of national recovery efforts. For Feucht, it marked the transformation of his movement from rallies of believers to federally recognized gatherings.

Rain and thunder swept across Washington on Saturday, but worshipers remained. Feucht later posted on social media that the night was "absolutely historic in every way."

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The event tied into HUD’s partnership with the America 250 initiative, commemorating the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday. Both Turner and Feucht used the historic event to send the same message: faith is not only alive but welcomed at the center of American public life.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

LGBTQ Catholics march through St. Peter’s Basilica in Jubilee rite as Vatican calendar entry stirs controversy

Sat, 06 Sep 2025 20:39:35 -0400

Over 1,000 LGBTQ Catholics and their families walked through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica this weekend as part of a Jubilee pilgrimage listed on the Vatican’s official Holy Year calendar.

The event appeared under the neutral title "Pilgrimage of the Tenda di Gionata Association (Jonathan's Tent) and other associations" for Sept. 6, 2025, on their website.

The listing marks the first time an LGBTQ pilgrimage has been included in the Vatican’s Jubilee program.

Many pilgrims hailed it as a sign of welcome following Pope Francis’ 12-year papacy, while critics in Catholic media blasted the move as undermining church tradition.

POPE LEO SIGNALS CONTINUATION OF POPE FRANCIS' WELCOMING OF LGBT COMMUNITY IN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Some participants wept as they entered the basilica. "It just felt epic, like I was able to touch the hand of God," Justin del Rosario told the Associated Press, who carried a crucifix across the threshold with his male partner.

Pilgrims came from the U.S., Italy and Brazil. Groups included DignityUSA, Outreach and a delegation of transgenders from Rome.

Many pointed to Pope Francis’ record, from his 2013 remark, "Who am I to judge?" to his decision allowing priests to bless same-sex couples as paving the way for the pilgrimage. While never changing the church's teaching on homosexuality, Francis met repeatedly with LGBT advocates.

POPE LEO OPTS TO SHARE PAPAL RESIDENCE WITH FOUR ASSOCIATES, BREAKING WITH TRADITION

Pope Leo XIV, only months into his papacy, did not mention LGBTQ Catholics during his Jubilee audience but met privately this week with Jesuit Fr. James Martin, who said the Holy Father echoed Francis’ welcoming message.

Vatican officials stressed that adding the pilgrimage to the calendar was logistical, not endorsement. "They are not sponsored activities. Once it is ascertained that there is space, we insert the pilgrimage into the general calendar," Vatican spokeswoman Agnese Palmucci told Reuters.

Online reaction showed sharp divides.

"Yes, the Vatican’s first LGBTQ+ pilgrimage approved by Pope Francis a few months before his death is taking place this weekend under Pope Leo." posted Pope Crave (@ClubConcrave) on X.

Others condemned it as a betrayal of doctrine. "F-- the Rules inside Saint Peter’s. The LGBT group La Tenda di Gionata makes their entrance into St. Peter’s Basilica today... this is the New Church. Behold the legacy of Pope Francis," wrote Catholic commentator Michael J. Matt (@Michael_J_Matt) on X, posting photos from the basilica.

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The Vatican did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Graham family responds to global crackdown on Christians with $1.3M defense fund and urgent call to action

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 22:09:34 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: As Christians around the world face mounting legal and cultural threats for expressing their faith, the Graham family is stepping up efforts to defend freedom of speech and religion through both financial support and public advocacy.

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) has launched a new $1.3 million legal defense fund to assist Christians and churches across Europe who are being taken to court over their biblical beliefs.

At the same time, Cissie Graham Lynch, daughter of Franklin Graham and granddaughter of the late Rev. Billy Graham, is urging believers not to stay silent in the face of growing hostility, including in the United States.

"We preach a message of God’s love, but when a small group of activists in the U.K. called it hate—we were cancelled," Franklin Graham told Fox News Digital. "Our advertisements were removed from buses and venues dropped our events. We stood our ground and challenged the decisions in court. Though it took seven years, all nine legal disputes were resolved in our favor."

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Following those victories, BGEA created the Billy Graham Defense Fund, seeded with £500,000 (approximately $678,000) from court settlements. Samaritan’s Purse, which Graham also leads, contributed an additional £500,000, bringing the total to £1 million, or about $1.3 million.

"We took the damages that we won through BGEA’s court cases in the U.K., and put those funds into the Billy Graham Defense Fund — a new ‘war chest’ to help other Christians in Europe who are threatened or intimidated into silence and not expressing their faith," Graham said.

But the issue, he added, is not confined to other countries.

"The silencing of Christians isn’t just happening in other countries," he said. "BGEA and Samaritan’s Purse have also been involved in many different legal cases that affect the freedom of believers to live out their faith here in the U.S."

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Between 2017 and 2024, BGEA and Samaritan’s Purse filed 20 amicus briefs in religious liberty cases, including Coach Joe Kennedy, Jack Phillips, and Baronelle Stutzman, all of which were heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.

"We want Americans who are standing up for biblical beliefs in court to know that we are with them — they are not alone in this fight," Graham said. "We must work to preserve the right to proclaim the Gospel here in the U.S. and in the U.K., so that we can continue to share the hope of Jesus Christ around the world. There is no human liberty more precious and important than the freedom of speech and religion."

Cissie Graham Lynch said she hopes the Defense Fund serves as a practical and symbolic source of strength for believers facing public pressure and legal retaliation. "You could be canceled for speaking the truth. You may be called names," she said. "But every time you choose to fight that fight, you help build a stronger foundation for other people of faith to stand on."

"There is no human liberty more precious and important than the freedom of speech and religion," she added. "We must work to preserve the right to proclaim the Gospel here in the U.S. and in the U.K.—because the stakes are far too high to stay silent."

Lynch shared a series of interviews exclusively with Fox News Digital recorded during the European Congress on Evangelism, a Berlin gathering hosted by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The event brought together more than 1,000 Christian leaders from 55 countries and territories.

She said Christians around the world, including in the United States, are increasingly being pressured to suppress their beliefs.

"My family personally knows the backlash that comes when you take a stand for the Gospel," Lynch said. "It may come with a high cost, but I want people to know how powerful their voice is when they fearlessly share the Good News of Jesus Christ."

"We are seeing so many concerning cases in the United States where Christians are dragged into the courtroom if they share their beliefs in the workplace, at school, or on sports teams," she added. "If you care about preserving religious liberty and free speech for the next generation, we all need to pay attention."

Among those Lynch interviewed was Päivi Räsänen, a Finnish member of Parliament. Räsänen told Lynch she is once again on trial for a 2019 tweet quoting Romans 1 from the Bible. She has been acquitted twice in lower courts, but Finnish prosecutors have appealed, sending the case to the nation’s Supreme Court.

"The police gave me a possibility to renounce what I believe," Räsänen said. "I said, ‘I will not apologize for what Apostle Paul has stated. It is the Word of God, it is not only my opinion.’"

She warned that even unsuccessful prosecutions can lead to a broader effect. "If we start to censor ourselves, the more restricted becomes the space to use these rights," she said. "The biggest threat to these rights is self-censorship."

Kristen Waggoner, president and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), also spoke with Lynch. ADF has represented clients in multiple U.S. Supreme Court cases related to religious freedom, including Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The organization has also taken on international cases involving silent prayer arrests in the U.K. and blasphemy charges in Nigeria.

"Around the world, we're seeing a rising tide of censorship," Waggoner said. "These are God-given rights. It's upon us to defend them and to protect those rights — knowing that it leads to human flourishing, and the flourishing of the Gospel."

British theologian Dr. Amy Orr-Ewing, who has taught at Oxford University, told Lynch that she sees a hunger for truth among young people in the West despite increasing pushback on public faith.

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"I've been in ministry for over 25 years and I haven't known a moment like the one we are in, in the West… for truth, for the Gospel," she said. "Grievance and rage, victim culture and identity politics are not the answer to your rage — Jesus is."

Lynch said her goal is to equip Americans with a broader understanding of global threats to religious liberty and to encourage them not to retreat. She hosts the "Fearless with Cissie Graham Lynch" podcast.

Grieving parents of slain Hamas hostage share powerful message on how to 'disarm the other side'

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:59:02 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: Jewish student leaders from across the United States gathered Monday in the nation’s capital for the Israel on Campus Coalition’s National Leadership Summit, where they heard an address from the parents of an American-Israeli hostage killed by Hamas.

Jon and Rachel Polin, the parents of 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin, delivered a direct appeal to the group of more than 700 students: find your purpose, speak with courage and help secure the release of the 50 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza.

"Pull your shoulders back, head up, be proud, engage, try to truly learn and listen," Jon Polin said. "Disarm the other side by engaging and talking."

Their remarks, shared exclusively with Fox News Digital, came just days after the latest ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas collapsed. The Polins appeared alongside freed hostages Keith and Aviva Siegel as keynote speakers.

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Hersh Goldberg-Polin was abducted by Hamas terrorists from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023. His death was confirmed this summer, following nearly 10 months of uncertainty. "He will always be 23," Rachel recounted.

Rachel spoke plainly of her family’s pain. "This wasn’t a choice," she said. "This was very much reflexive, very innate, very primal and natural as a parent… I need Hersh. I need him. Like I need water."

She challenged students to find their "why," recalling the words of a former hostage who survived three days in a Gaza tunnel with Hersh. He told the Polins that Hersh had quoted Viktor Frankl: "When you have a why, you’ll figure out how." The surviving hostages, Rachel said, repeated the "what is our why?" mantra daily to keep spirits high.

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In sharing who Hersh was, Jon described a young man who embodied what he now calls "a revolution for good."

"He excelled at listening," Jon said. "He would go over to people he disagreed with and say, ‘Hey, let’s have coffee. Let’s talk.’ Rarely do we win when we’re outshouting another side." Rachel called it "radical listening."

Jon shared a conversation with another Israeli who had made Hersh’s photo his phone background. "Every morning, the first thing I do is look at my phone. I see this picture of Hersh. And I ask: what can I do to be better?" he told Jon. "That’s the revolution."

"Do one thing every day," Rachel urged the student leaders. "Some people wear a yellow ribbon. Some say a psalm. Some write to the White House. It doesn’t matter what it is, it matters that you’re doing something."

Addressing the spike in antisemitism on college campuses, Jon urged students not to succumb to despair or victimhood.

"Let’s stop saying, ‘Woe is us,’" he said. "Pull your shoulders back. Put your head up… Flip the narrative to one of pride, strength and resilience."

Instead, he challenged students to confront hatred with confidence. "We are challenged. We have difficulties. But… we have every ingredient to overcome our difficulties. We need to do it. We need to do it together. We don’t have another choice."

Rachel also urged the student leaders to strive for progress, not perfection. "We all have to figure out what’s our purpose," she said. "What am I going to do today so when I go to sleep tonight, I’ve left the world one molecule better?"

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Her remarks ended on a note of hope.

"I bless all of us to have the resilience, the recovery, the healing, and the comfort that we all so desperately are thirsty for," Rachel said. "There is light ahead. Let’s all go toward that light."

America's longest-running TV evangelist, Jimmy Swaggart, in critical condition after cardiac episode

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:57:43 -0400

The family of prominent televangelist the Rev. Jimmy Swaggart, 90, said he remains hospitalized in critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest.

During a Sunday service, Swaggart's son, the Rev. Donnie Swaggart, asked the congregation to keep his father in their prayers, saying that only a "miracle" could extend his father’s life.

"On this Father’s Day, we urgently ask you to pray for Brother Swaggart. He needs a miracle from heaven right now, this morning. We must have the Lord intervene in this situation, and we need your prayers," Donnie Swaggart wrote in a post on his father's Facebook page.

"He's my rock and my hero and he needs the Lord's healing power today. If I am able to get away, I will try to be at the service to give everyone an update," Donnie Swaggart wrote in another post.

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The Rev. Jimmy Swaggart has preached the gospel of Jesus Christ on television longer than any other American evangelist in history, according to his ministry website.

Swaggart, who was born on March 15, 1935, in Ferriday, Louisiana, launched into full-time ministry in 1955. He serves as the pastor of the Family Worship Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and is the founder of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries.

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At his peak in the mid-1980s, Swaggart was the country’s top-rated TV preacher. His services were broadcast to over 2 million households.

However, his image was bruised after he was linked to a 1987 scandal involving a prostitute that he met in a seedy New Orleans motel.

TEXAS MEGACHURCH PASTOR RESIGNS AFTER WOMAN SAYS HE SEXUALLY ABUSED HER IN THE 1980S

Swaggart never confessed to anything more than an unspecified sin during a televised apology in which he tearfully delivered his "I have sinned speech."

A few years later, he was stopped by police while driving in California with a suspected prostitute in his car.

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Swaggart also made headlines for saying in a televised worship service that he would kill any gay man who looked at him romantically. Swaggart said he made the comment jokingly and did not mean any harm.

Fox News Digital reached out to Swaggart's representatives for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

'Powerful and very inspiring': The Shabbat Project turns 12

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:17:21 -0400

Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein, the chief rabbi of South Africa, and his wife, Gina, started The Shabbat Project, a global movement to encourage Jews of all levels of faith to observe Shabbat, in 2013. This year, from sunset on Friday, Nov. 15, until the stars come out on Saturday, Jewish people from around the world will come together to observe this sacred day of rest and reestablish a connection to God and with each other.

The Shabbat Project begins every year following the Torah portion Vayera, which shows the hospitality of Abraham, whose tent was always open to welcome strangers. The first Shabbat Project was held in the Chief Rabbi’s home country, where 30,000 South African Jews filled synagogues, attended post-Shabbat concerts and attended a "dinner under the stars," according to The Jerusalem Post. The project has grown exponentially since then – Rabbi Goldstein said he expects there will be over a million participants this year, from 1,500 cities and across 100 countries.

Festivities will include challah bakes, concerts and mitzvah (good deed) auctions dedicated to hostages and soldiers in Israel, and people locally who need healing, according to Robin Meyerson, Director of the North American Shabbat Project.

Rabbi Goldstein described Shabbat as a "divine gift." He explained how observing Shabbat honors the gift of family, faith, and connecting with others "in a world where all of these values are as vital as they are increasingly elusive." He added that Shabbat gives "one day each week and we are free and blessed. And it is never more than six days away."

Rabbi Goldstein told Fox News Digital that Shabbat has always been a soul mate and constant companion that has accompanied Jewish people throughout history, bringing "peace, inspiration, rest and respite, no matter what we have faced." During these formidable times, while war rages in the Middle East and there is a massive global surge of antisemitism, he emphasized that Shabbat "fortifies us with a sense of purpose, giving us the courage and strength to withstand the challenges of Jewish history."

Tomer Weiner, 26, credits "thousands of miracles" for the fact that he and his girlfriend, Shoval Roberman, 24, survived the Oct. 7, 2023 Nova music festival massacre in southern Israel, where Hamas terrorists murdered 364 young festivalgoers, and abducted approximately 40.

Weiner relayed how his birthday, Oct. 14, fell on Shabbat the week after the terror attacks, and was "a celebration of life." He said that he "thanked God for keeping me safe after what we've been through." In the Shabbat Project launch video, he described the holiness of the atmosphere.

"People look at each other’s eyes without being on the cell phone," he said. "Everybody is so united."

Columbia Law student Eli Shmidman, 27, said Shabbat has unified students on campus. After a year of battling antisemitism, students who had never kept Shabbat before saw that Shabbat "is something that uniquely identifies us as who we are," and felt a strong desire to connect with it, he said.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported a record 477% increase in campus anti-Israel incidents involving vandalism, harassment and assault throughout the 2023-24 school year.

Shmidman described how non-Jewish friends who had offered their support also wanted to experience what Shabbat was like.

"They also found it very powerful and very inspiring," he said.

In The Shabbat Project video, Israeli released hostage Sapir Cohen, 29, described how she made a pact with God before she was abducted to Gaza. As terrorists broke down the door, she promised, "God, I will keep Shabbat. I will keep Shabbat." She said that she always believed in God, and told herself, "If you are in Gaza, it’s because God sent you here."

Cohen was abducted from her boyfriend’s parent’s home on Kibbutz Nir Oz on Oct. 7, 2023, where 40 people were murdered and 79 kidnapped, including her boyfriend, Sasha Troufanov, 28, who is still being held hostage, according to reports.

Several months ago, Cohen spoke at Congregation Beth Tefillah of Arizona about how putting everything aside on Shabbat makes her feel free.

"I feel peace in my body and in my mind," she said. "This peace gives me a lot of energy to start a new week."

In the video, Cohen said that she dedicates Shabbat to the soldiers and their loved ones, and to the hostages who are still in Gaza.

To see the first Shabbat Project commercial, "Shabbat. The gift we can't replace," please click here.

Catholic institute launches program to address suicide epidemic among young men

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:03:45 -0400

One of the most prominent Catholic ministries in the United States is launching a program aimed at combating the nation's mental health crisis among young men.

The Word on Fire Institute told Fox News Digital that Redemption, a "men's formation community," is set to begin this week and serve as a social resource for young men struggling with depression, loneliness, suicidal ideation, and other existential crises.

"The outreach we have initiated through the Word on Fire Institute is not simply concerned with mental health (while this is taken with utmost seriousness) but with an existential crisis that has had deep impact on men in our culture — this crisis is about meaning and purpose," Bishop Robert Barron, the founder of Word on Fire and the Word on Fire Institute, told Fox News Digital.

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"Look at the manner that the culture encourages the worst behaviors and, once lives are ruined, offers no chance at redemption. Consider how the culture simultaneously holds men to high standards while at the same time denigrating them as toxic and buffoons," the bishop continued. "Finally, men are more and more socially isolated, having few if any friends or mentors."

The program will offer regular virtual meetings, online resources, and spiritual counseling for men around the world seeking community or religious guidance.

The Redemption program was inspired by actor Shia LaBeouf, who lived with a men's monastic community while preparing for his role in the 2022 film "Padre Pio."

Barron, who became friends with the actor following his public conversion to Catholicism, said LaBeouf approached him "about finding a way to help the Capuchin friars to extend to others the grace that he had received."

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LaBeouf has said in interviews that his time with the Capuchins saved him from a spiraling existential crisis that was pushing him to the brink of suicide.

Barron turned to Word on Fire CEO Fr. Steve Grunow to explore how LaBeouf's life-saving encounter with faith could be extended to men around the world.

"Too many men face the agony of hopelessness alone and without recourse. The raw facts of life hit men hard and when they are down and out, where and how can they find redemption and the amazing grace of another chance?" Grunow told Fox News Digital.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, men committed suicide 3.85 times more than women in 2022.

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Additionally, the AFSP reports that white males made up 68.5% of all suicides in that same year.

"The statistics regarding the prevalence of male suicide should be a wake up call. How have so many men come to understand that killing themselves is the most efficacious way out of a crisis?" Grunow added. "Why are so many men losing hope or living lives of quiet desperation? It seems to me that the Church should be at the forefront of addressing a situation that is all often dismissed or overlooked."

Thousands of Christians ‘deliberately targeted’ and killed in Nigeria, new report says

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 12:00:06 -0400

World stands by ignoring the ‘time bomb’ as militants shout ‘we will destroy all Christians’, says non-profit Open Doors

Israeli archaeologists discover unique ancient seal affirming biblical account of Jerusalem 2,700 years ago

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 07:16:09 -0400

The stone ring indicates a multi-national culture thriving in ancient Jerusalem

Catholic bishop and Orthodox artist discuss materialism, scientific arguments for Christ, reunification

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 05:20:47 -0400

A Catholic bishop and an Orthodox artist are asking believers and non-believers of all backgrounds to open their minds to a world more complex than what is visible.

Bishop Robert Barron, the most widely followed Catholic bishop in the world outside the Vatican, hosted his second annual Wonder Conference focusing on the intersection between faith and science.

Fox News Digital sat down with the bishop and his guest speaker, Orthodox liturgical artist Jonathan Pageau, to talk about how human beings should conceive faith and science in their daily lives.

"People are victims of indoctrination," Barron told Fox News Digital about the increasingly atheistic culture in the Western world. "When it comes to materialism, materialism isn't something the sciences yield. Materialism is a philosophy. It's a philosophical view, and it's ultimately incoherent […] You cannot be a scientist and not believe, at least implicitly, in the invisible – that's to say, in the purely intelligible pattern."

Pageau feels similarly, telling Fox News Digital that one of the main goals of his work is "trying to kind of shatter some of the presuppositions that people have" about what God is.

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"What are we talking about when we talk about 'God'?" he asked during the interview. "There's still people that think that God is basically a guy – an invisible guy that is just equal to all material reality. And that's what the ancients talked about when they talked about ‘gods.’"

"Ultimately, the source of all reality is the transcendent God," Pageau continued, adding that he hoped his artwork and speeches were "helping people see that again."

The 2024 Wonder Conference, held this year in the Barron's home Diocese of Winona-Rochester, is focused on the theme of "Nature and the Human Body."

The conference ran from Aug. 2 to 4 and boasted speakers from a variety of backgrounds, including theoretical physicists, priests, scholars of gender studies, philosophers and computer scientists.

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"The human body is at the core of today’s most controversial topics, including evolution, artificial intelligence and gender ideology," according to Wonder organizers. "It’s become more important than ever to become confident when talking with friends and family about these topics."

In addition to the hundreds of Catholics attending the conference in-person, its lectures and keynotes were livestreamed for free online.

Pageau spoke at Wonder on Saturday in a lecture titled "The Body as a Symbol and the Symbol of the Body."

The Orthodox liturgical artist has become popular through his YouTube series "The Symbolic World" – videos that examine patterns of meaning and symbolism in Scripture with lectures such as "Sacrifice: The Paradox of Salvation" and "Ritualized Behavior from Animals to Church."

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Barron said he originally met Pageau through mutual academic connections, including behavioral psychologist and lecturer Dr. Jordan Peterson.

Barron and Pageau, despite their denominational differences, preach a similarly complex and intricate conception of God rooted in the earliest theologians of Christianity – from a time when denominational distinction did not yet exist among believers.

It was Pageau's methodology for explaining the Scriptures that ultimately convinced Barron to collaborate with the Orthodox speaker – a focus on early Christian leaders that Barron also picked up earlier in life after what he described as an unsatisfying catechesis.

"It was [Pageau's] way of reading the Bible, which is very patristic, based on the Church fathers. And I grew up with a very rationalistic approach to the Scriptures that was kind of a spiritually dead end, actually. And I came upon the fathers eventually," Barron told Fox News Digital.

He continued, "But when I heard Jonathan speaking about them, I thought, 'That's right. That's the best way to open up the meaning of the Scriptures in a way that honors the Scriptures.'"

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"The major difference, as far as I'm concerned, would be the papacy. That is the major point of demarcation," Barron said of their divergent beliefs. "Now there is a theological dimension to it, to be sure, but it's also a juridical issue."

And while both would be thrilled to see the Catholic Church and Orthodox Communion reunite after nearly 1,000 years of schism, neither wants such a reunion to be rushed or haphazard.

"I'm sitting here with Bishop Barron and I love him very much, and I appreciate our discussion," Pageau said. "But I honestly hope, at least in the short term, that [unification] doesn't happen. And I know that sounds might sound mean at the outset, but I think that we […] have to be careful not to gloss over things."

He continued, "Like if we are going to have reunification, it has to be a true unification that heals the things that make us different. If we just try to plow over it, and we try to impose it top down, or we try to just make it happen, for kind of political or… ideological reasons. I think that it will cause a lot of chaos down the line."

A pre-recorded discussion between Barron and Pageau is soon to be published on the bishop's YouTube channel, in which the two dive deeper into their shared approach to theology and Christian witness.

Southern Baptist Convention formally passes resolution opposing IVF treatments

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 08:17:27 -0400

One of the largest Evangelical Christian denominations in the United States has formalized opposition to in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) passed a resolution on Wednesday opposing the use of IVF technology due to the regular destruction of human embryos in the process.

"We grieve alongside couples who have been diagnosed with infertility or are currently struggling to conceive, affirm their godly desire for children, and encourage them to consider the ethical implications of assisted reproductive technologies as they look to God for hope, grace, and wisdom amid suffering; and be it finally," the resolution states.

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The resolution emphasized that alternatives exist for couples struggling with infertility, stating that the SBC will "continue to promote adoption as one way God may call upon couples to grow their families and to consider adopting frozen embryos in order to rescue those who are eventually to be destroyed."

IVF technology has become a sharply divisive issue among Republicans since the overturn of Roe v. Wade allowed multiple states to activate laws protecting human life from the moment of conception.

In vitro fertilization typically requires the artificial fertilization of multiple human embryos, some of which are often then perpetually frozen or destroyed.

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The legal liability of destroying these embryos led many IVF clinics to pause operations until carve-outs could be legislated — frequently by ostensibly pro-life Republicans.

Two Republicans are pushing new legislation to protect access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) across the country just months after an Alabama Supreme Court ruling determined frozen embryos are legally people and made those who destroy them liable.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, joined with Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., to introduce the bill that would enshrine protections for the fertility procedure into law.

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"As Republican senators from Texas and Alabama, [Britt] and I are united on many issues, including the need to protect both life and access to IVF treatments, which many families rely on to have children," Cruz wrote on X.

Southern Baptists are not the only religious denomination to condemn the use of IVF.

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The Catholic Church released a document in April reaffirming its opposition to IVF and surrogate pregnancies, calling the practices an offense to human dignity.

"Acknowledging the dignity of the human person also entails recognizing every dimension of the dignity of the conjugal union and of human procreation," the Vatican document Dignitas Infinita stated. "Considering this, the legitimate desire to have a child cannot be transformed into a 'right to a child' that fails to respect the dignity of that child as the recipient of the gift of life."

Fox News Digital's Julia Johnson contributed to this report.

Pope Francis allegedly repeats anti-gay slur while discussing ban on homosexual seminarians

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 10:26:30 -0400

Pope Francis allegedly doubled down on his use of an anti-homosexual slur in a meeting this week, according to prominent Italian news outlets.

The pontiff reportedly used the word frociaggine in a Tuesday meeting with priests in Rome in which he explained why the Catholic Church does not accept open homosexuals into the priesthood.

"A bishop came to me and told me, ‘There is too much frociaggine here in the Vatican,’" the pope told the priests, according to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

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The Italian reports cited anonymous sources claiming to have attended the meeting.

It's not the first time the pope has used the term while discussing the need to expel homosexuality from Catholic seminaries.

Italian news outlet Dagospia broke the news on May 27 that Pope Francis told the Italian Episcopal Conference in a private meeting that there is already too much "frociaggine" in some seminaries and that homosexuals shouldn't be allowed to enter the priesthood.

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Similar reports appeared in Italian outlets Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica following the alleged comments, which were not recorded.

"Pope Francis is aware of the articles that came out recently about a conversation, behind closed doors, with the bishops of the CEI (Italian Episcopal Conference)," the Vatican said in a statement following the May meeting.

The Vatican appeared to confirm the reports, but emphasized that the comment did not renege on Francis' assertion that all people are called to the Church, regardless of their personal issues or sins.

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"As he has said on several occasions, ‘In the Church there is room for everyone, for everyone! No one is useless, no one is superfluous, there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone,’" the Tuesday statement continued.

The Vatican press office added that the pope "never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who felt offended by the use of a term, reported by others."

The Vatican has ruled since 2005 that homosexual men cannot be considered for the priesthood.

Pope Francis has reaffirmed this stance on multiple occasions over the years.

Vatican releases guidance on investigating 'supernatural phenomena'

Sat, 18 May 2024 08:07:35 -0400

The Catholic Church published a document on Friday providing new guidance for the discernment of alleged supernatural phenomena.

The document — translated into seven languages — specifically addresses how the Church should investigate events "that seem to exceed the bounds of ordinary experiences and present themselves as having a supernatural origin (such as alleged apparitions, visions, interior or exterior locutions, writings or messages, phenomena related to religious images, and psychophysical phenomena.)"

Throughout the history of Christianity, most church denominations have acknowledged supernatural occurrences and miraculous events variously attributable to the Holy Spirit, angels, saints, or other benevolent entities.

"When spiritual experiences are accompanied by physical and psychological phenomena that cannot be immediately explained by reason alone, the Church has the delicate responsibility of studying and discerning these occurrences carefully," the Vatican document states.

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The document offers the following four considerations for the Church when addressing alleged supernatural occurrences: "(a) whether signs of a divine action can be ascertained in phenomena that are alleged to be of supernatural origin; (b) whether there is anything that conflicts with faith and morals in the writings or messages of those involved in the alleged phenomena in question; (c) whether it is permissible to appreciate their spiritual fruits, whether they need to be purified from problematic elements, or whether the faithful should be warned about potential risks; (d) whether it is advisable for the competent ecclesiastical authority to realize their pastoral value."

According to the new guidelines, the Church will no longer aim for authoritative affirmation of the supernatural origin of an event, but instead approve or reject the public's devotion and popular piety based on available evidence.

Multiple reasons were offered for this change, namely the amount of time necessary to confidently rule on supernatural phenomena and the increasing impact of rapid, worldwide mass communication.

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Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), announced at a Vatican press conference on Friday that the decision is due to these factors leading to greater danger of misinformation and manipulation.

The DDF warns that incidents claimed to be of supernatural origin can be manufactured by people seeking "profit, power, fame, social recognition, or other personal interest" and can contain "doctrinal errors, an oversimplification of the Gospel message, or the spread of a sectarian mentality."

The Catholic Church believes that a miracle or manifestation of divine origin cannot teach or propagate ideas contrary to Scripture or Sacred Tradition — in other words, a supernatural event cannot witness against or contradict established Christian doctrine.

The DDF considers such contradictory incidents "merely the product of someone’s imagination, desire for novelty, tendency to fabricate falsehoods, or inclination toward lying."

A full investigation into the origins and explanations of an alleged supernatural event by the DDF can take years, even decades. This slow turn-around time on investigations means their findings are often delivered far too late to affect the local community's interpretation of events, leading to theological confusion.

Only six cases of alleged supernatural events have been conclusively closed by the Vatican since 1950, according to Fernández.

Additionally, the DDF notes technology's globalizing effects on the Catholic Church and how "with the development of modern means of communication and the increase in pilgrimages, these phenomena are taking on national and even global proportions, meaning that a decision made in one Diocese has consequences also elsewhere."

Local bishops are now instructed to document their own investigations of alleged supernatural phenomena in their dioceses before forwarding their findings to Rome.

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The DDF will examine and further investigate the claims before offering a ruling on how the clergy and laity should proceed.

Possible rulings range from nihil obstat ("nothing stands in the way), to prohibetur et obstruatur, ("forbidden and obstructed") to the most conclusive outcome, Declaratio de non supernaturalitate ("declaration of non-supernaturalism.")

READ THE DOCUMENT (WRITTEN IN SEVEN LANGUAGES) — MOBILE USERS CLICK HERE

The DDF may also instruct bishops to refrain from publicizing alleged supernatural events due to concerns about authenticity or exploitation by self-interested parties.

"As a rule, neither the Diocesan Bishop, nor the Episcopal Conferences, nor the Dicastery will declare that these phenomena are of supernatural origin, even if a Nihil obstat is granted," the DDF stated. "It remains true, however, that the Holy Father can authorize a special procedure in this regard."

The Friday document fully replaces guidelines previously established under Pope Paul VI in 1978.

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The Catholic Church urges "extreme prudence" before ascribing phenomena to a supernatural force, warning that being too quick to attribute divine origin to explainable occurrences can damage the faith and warp belief.

Harsh canonical penalties exist for members of the Catholic Church who knowingly falsify evidence of a miraculous event.

The most popular Catholic outside the Vatican: Bishop Barron

Sun, 12 May 2024 08:00:14 -0400

It's common knowledge that the most widely followed Catholic prelate in the world is Pope Francis — Bishop of Rome, Successor to the Prince of the Apostles, and Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church.

But less obvious is the runner-up — Robert Barron, bishop of Winona-Rochester, online evangelist and founder of Word on Fire Ministries. Barron doesn’t hold any special position in the Catholic Church’s hierarchy. On paper, he’s the simple diocesean bishop of a midsize Minnesota diocese. But through his internet presence and public ministry, a religious revival of global proportions is underway.

The bishop has over 1 million subscribers on YouTube, 3 million followers on Facebook and close to 500,000 on Instagram. Barron has the ear of conservative intellectuals, elected officials, Hollywood entertainers and political activists shaping modern society. He has been invited to speak by executives at companies such as Google and Amazon, and maintains a dizzying schedule that takes him from Washington, D.C., to Rome to Prague to London and beyond.

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Fox News Digital traveled to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester to follow Barron for a day in his ministry and get a glimpse behind the scenes of Catholicism’s most successful modern evangelist.

He recalled that he was still just a priest when he published his first YouTube video in 2007 — a review of the Martin Scorscese film "The Departed." It got just over 100 views. At the time, he was ecstatic about such success.

"I thought, 'Really? 100 people watched it? Terrific!" he told Fox News Digital.

It was from these humble beginnings that Barron’s evangelization grew, becoming one of the first Catholic voices pushing back against growing nihilism and anti-Christian rhetoric in American culture. As the demand for more meaty explorations of the faith has risen, the bishop has expanded into Bible studies, academic lectures, theological lessons and historical documentaries about saints that helped shape the Christian religion.

The bishop speaks and carries himself the same both on-camera and off. He speaks in a casual tone, but doesn't attempt to dumb down theological language — Latin vocabulary is peppered throughout his dialogues and his mind is a near-comprehensive reference catalog for quoting Vatican II documents.

Speaking on controversial moral debates — abortion, gender ideology, IVF, the death penalty — he takes the tone of a sympathetic yet stern parent. There's not much scolding of the opposition, but even less negotiation on fundamental principles. This approachable — yet uncompromising — disposition may be the source of his ministry's wild success.

Barron is one of numerous faith leaders sifting through the rubble left by the rise and rapid decline of a particularly anti-religious movement in the previous decades.

"I think the ‘New Atheist’ wave came and went. It left behind a lot of very unhappy and directionless people," Barron told Fox News Digital.

The movement he referenced was a short-lived phenomenon in the early 2000s led by the so-called "Four Horsemen" of atheism — writer Christopher Hitchens, neuroscientist Sam Harris, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett.

More than a decade from the New Atheists’ peak in relevance, not much is left of their march against organized religion. This year, the number of religious "nones" (individuals without affiliation to an organized religion) dropped for the first time since 2016. Even individuals without formal religious affiliations more often self-describe themselves as "spiritual" or at least "agnostic" instead of outright "atheist."

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Barron isn’t surprised New Atheism failed to stick.

"I think our culture, which has so emphasized the primacy of [one’s] own choice determining value, has left behind a lot of broken people," Barron said. "And they're looking."

Christianity — and the Catholic Church in particular — has seen a dramatic re-entry into the public consciousness. High-profile converts, including actors, politicians and even some former New Atheists themselves, have brought traditional, apostolic Christianity to the forefront of the culture war for the American mind.

In the face of wayward souls searching for answers, Barron describes his job simply — "proclaiming the Gospel." It's not an easy job.

"You have to have a lot of little medicines in the black bag," Barron said at his Word on Fire offices in Rochester, Minnesota. "When you're going to go deal with someone pastorally, you don't know where they're going to be, what their issues are, what their pathologies might be, what their hang-ups are. So you'd better have a lot of things in your bag."

He made the comment while reflecting on the recent conversion of Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali-born American writer who became one of the loudest voices in the New Atheism movement.

Last year, Ali renounced her past advocacy for religious skepticism and declared herself a Christian. She is in good company. Celebrities who have recently declared a new Christian affiliation include entertainer Russell Brand, artist Kat Von D, and rapper Daddy Yankee. OnlyFans model Nala Ray now claims to be seeking salvation after abandoning her highly lucrative career in professional nudity.

High-profile converts to the Catholic Church specifically have come from a variety of cultural spheres as well — actors including Shia LaBeouf, Rob Schneider, and Dasha Nekrasova have embraced the faith in recent years. Porn star Bree Solstad renounced her adult entertainment work last month and converted after a trip to Rome and Assisi.

In the political realm, recent public converts to the faith include Sen. JD Vance and political pundit Candace Owens. Author and culture commentator Jordan Peterson recently applauded his wife Tammy Peterson's entry into the Catholic Church after a miraculous recovery from cancer.

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Famous converts can be fickle and prone to disappointing believers not long after their declaration of faith. Kanye West declared himself "born again" in 2019 and has since appeared to have abandoned the faith. Britney Spears similarly expressed affiliation with the Catholic Church in 2021 before renouncing the religion just a year later.

Regardless of which public conversions endure, their increased prominence points to a larger social consciousness about Christianity.

Even the world of stand-up comedy — for decades a soapbox for militant, self-proclaimed atheists such as George Carlin and Ricky Gervais — is now flush with personalities such as Shane Gillis and Tim Dillon, self-professed "Irish-Catholics" who are far from churchgoers, but talk about seeking spirituality amid sometimes barbed jokes about their baptismal religion.

Barron baptized the son of comedian John Mulaney (who often explores his complicated relationship with religion on stage) while serving as a bishop in Los Angeles. He told Fox News Digital he finds Mulaney's public wrestling match with Catholicism to be "very interesting to watch as a comedian" and "very funny."

"I think what's happening — it's not yet baptisms, marriages, confirmations. I think it's a broader, more elemental thing going on now, an interest — people crossing a river, people entering a door. They're coming toward it," Barron told Fox News Digital.

Specific dioceses have reported entries into the Catholic Church are up by 50-70%, but Barron acknowledges that big-picture statistics on church participation "haven't really turned around yet." He instead sees conversions and renewed interest in Christianity as the beginning of a cultural shift that will manifest more tangible fruit down the road.

Modern Catholic converts frequently point to the Church’s distinctive attributes as a major influence on their decision to explore the faith — universal liturgy, firmly defined doctrine, institutional hierarchy and a theological tradition that can be traced back to the time of Jesus Christ.

"The mainstream Protestant churches became so secularized. They became, in many cases, just an echo of the left-wing secular culture," Barron said. "So they have very little to offer."

"[Catholicism has] hung on to a dogmatic tradition, a liturgical tradition. We take the saints seriously, we take art and liturgy seriously. And all of that, I think, does attract people intellectually," he added.

While a bedrock level of faith is central to all denominations of Christianity, Catholicism embraces a unique tradition of theological inquiry that encourages students to interrogate their own beliefs and seek logical answers within a Biblical and historical framework with the guidance of a millennia-old magisterium.

"The church has this very articulate moral tradition, and there's a tendency in our country to subjectivize this business," said Barron. "The fact that we have this rigorously thought through, objective, intellectual tradition, I think is attractive and that is one reason why people find Catholicism compelling. The idea is we keep proclaiming it in season and out, whether it's popular or not."

This renewed cultural cache has presented new problems for a Christian denomination that has always been a foreign-coded minority in the United States. With all eyes on the Catholic Church, the uninformed expect the institution to be dynamic and active about public politics in a way it has never been.

Whether it’s disagreements with Democrats about abortion or feuds with Republicans over the death penalty, the Catholic Church’s moral teaching is too rigid to fit snugly within either party — a departure from the left-right binary that defines American politics.

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Barron’s popularity and well-educated perspective on the faith has led many Catholics and non-Catholics alike to look to him as a political figurehead — a proposition Barron is unwilling to entertain.

"The thing we can't do, and we don't do, is partisan politics," he said. "We can't get in the business of saying, 'Okay, don't vote for him, vote for this guy.' Bishops don't do that and priests shouldn't do that."

Keeping out of partisan politics is difficult for Catholic leaders when the President of the United States is a pro-choice member of the church.

President Biden has made his self-professed Catholic faith such a cornerstone of his public image that he is frequently photographed gripping rosary beads or making the Sign of the Cross. At the same time, he lobbies for policies that directly contradict the core ethical teachings of the church.

Discontented laity and non-Catholics turn to the church hierarchy in search of catharsis — or more cynically, perhaps a chance to score political points against enemy politicians. The most hysterical culture warriors even demand Catholic prelates place censures and excommunications on elected officials as a show of force.

Political partisans have questioned why Biden and other Catholic lawmakers haven't been excommunicated by the pope or their local bishops. Some even write to Word on Fire demanding to know why Barron himself hasn't placed an excommunication on the president — an action he is incapable of taking and one he would not recommend regardless.

"It would be completely counterproductive, something as dramatic as that," Barron said.

He continued, "The bishop can and should speak, first of all, personally and privately with the guy and try to convince him that there's a problem with this position. I think that's a good opening move, prudentially."

"Now, what do you do if he stays adamant in his position? I think it's okay then — even in a public way — to say ‘This is an inconsistent view.’ You know, excommunication is such a kind of dramatic and final approach. So I understand the pope's reticence about that or any bishop's reticence about that," Barron said. "But I think [it’s good] to be publicly unambiguous about the church's view and how this politician is out of line with it. And he shouldn't be, as a Catholic. I have no problem with that."

Barron has made his frustration with Biden’s inconsistencies in Catholicism and pro-choice politics well known.

"We certainly can talk about the moral issues as they play themselves out in the political arena. I've done that over and over again with abortion, euthanasia, all kinds of different things," Barron said. "I criticized Biden for being a self-professing Catholic at the same time advocating the most radical access to abortion possible and pointing out how inconsistent that is."

Many other Catholic bishops have made similar criticisms of the president, including Cardinal Wilton Gregory of Washington and even Pope Francis himself.

"I leave it to [President Biden's] conscience and that he speaks to his bishop, his pastor, his parish priest about that incoherence," the pope remarked in 2022.

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To Barron, the insistence that the Catholic Church has a special expectation to manifest punishments against its disobedient laity is misguided: "Why haven't Protestant leaders then excommunicated Bill Clinton? I mean, he took the same radical position."

In a democratic nation, the onus of responsibility for religious dysfunction in politics falls to the laity, he argues.

"Cardinal [Francis] George, who I admire very much — people would come to him and ask, 'Why aren't you doing more about abortion and all this?' And he would say, ‘Look, you people run the society. You elect these people,'" Barron recalled. "So, I'm here to tell you what Catholic truth is and how to live. But now off you go. You politicians and lawyers and scientists and activists — go, go, go."

Since the Second Vatican Council concluded in 1965, the Catholic Church has urged the laity to participate more fully in the works of the church by evangelizing in their own secular lives.

It is a key development that Barron feels has been forgotten in the decades since. The bishop is quick to complain that laity too often come to him asking for advice in fields they know far more about than him.

"If I would bring in business leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, and get them in a room and read the gospel for the coming Sunday […] I'd say, ‘Okay, now all of you — see, judge, and act," Barron said. "What do you see in your world? How do you judge it in light of what I've just told you in light of the gospel? And now, what do [you] do to Christify the world? Because I don't know. I'm not an investor, I don't know that world. But they do."

With dogmatic atheism in the rearview mirror, Barron’s most pressing concern for the future is the coming generations of children who will grow up with neither religion nor rigorously considered disbelief. Instead, they'll likely mature in a society lacking contemplation of a transcendent dimension altogether — "the first generation to lose that."

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"If you've really lost a sense of God, the importance of God — of religion, of ritual — you're going to live in this very buffered space of the secular order. And that has never been the case in human history," the bishop said. "There's always been the village atheist, but the overwhelming majority of people have seen their happiness as a function of a relationship to a highest good, to a transcendent good."

But Barron insists there is plenty of hope. He believes it because he’s seen the seeds of his own efforts bud and bloom in front of his own eyes in the most unexpected ways.

"There is a kind of awakening, a kind of revival going on. And the very fact this thing that I started years ago — so tiny and so experimental and insignificant — how it would develop and grow. That's a good sign to me of that," Barron concluded.

"There's a yearning. There's an openness to it. So I take hope in that."

Vatican preparing 'guidelines' for 'apparitions', 'other supernatural phenomena'

Wed, 08 May 2024 09:28:37 -0400

The Vatican is preparing to release a document giving guidance on how to discern supernatural phenomena.

The Holy See Press Office announced the upcoming document will be published May 17 with a live-streamed press conference featuring Prefect for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández.

Fernández has previously said the dicastery is "in the process of finalizing a new text with clear guidelines and norms for the discernment of apparitions and other phenomena," according to the National Catholic Register.

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An "apparition" refers to an instance in which a divine entity — such as a saint, the Virgin Mary, or Christ himself — makes itself known to a person on Earth. The concept is a recurring theme in the Bible and most Christian denominations affirm the belief that such brushes with the supernatural can still occur today in various capacities.

Alleged apparitions are usually documented and scrutinized by the diocesan bishop's office and then forwarded to Rome for further investigation.

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The last time the Vatican doctrinal office released guidance on apparitions was in 1978 under Pope Paul VI. That document, "Norms Regarding the Manner of Proceedings in the Discernment of Presumed Apparitions or Revelations," was released due to the increased influence of mass media.

The Miracle of Fátima in 1917 is perhaps the most well-documented apparition in the modern day. After an alleged series of appearances by the Virgin Mary to several peasant children that promised a public miracle, tens of thousands of people in Fátima, Portugal claimed to witness the sun move erratically across the sky and produce radiant colors for several minutes.

The Catholic Church recognized the "supernatural" aspect of the event in 1930. Pope Pius XII formally approved the Fátima apparitions a decade later.

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Last month, the Vatican released a document providing guidance on the place of "human dignity" in the modern age.

The document denounced gender theory, gender transitions, and surrogate pregnancies as violating basic moral precepts.