Author Archives: Joseph Kopacz

Bearing hope in a land that hungers for peace

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
In January 2026, The Holy Land Co-ordination undertook its annual mission to the land made holy by the incarnate presence of the Lord nearly 2,000 years ago. The Holy Land Coordination was initiated by the Vatican, the Holy See at the beginning of the third millennium in order to deepen the relationship between the Christian communities in Palestine and Israel with Catholic Episcopal Conferences in Europe, the British Isles, Canada and the United States. Its defining characteristics are pilgrimage, prayer, presence, and pressure or persuasion. The theme for 2026 was: A Land of Promise – Encounter and dialogue with People of Hope.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz visited a Bedouin community outside of Jerusalem on the Holy Land Co-ordination pilgrimage undertaken by various Catholic Episcopal Conferences in Europe, British Isles, Canada and the United States. This year’s theme was A Land of Promise – Encounter and dialogue with People of Hope. (Photo by Marcin Mazur/Catholic Church of England and Wales)

The pilgrimage included a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where we celebrated Mass at the Lord’s tomb on two consecutive days. The first moment of the resurrection dawned on this site when the risen Lord Jesus blessed men and women of every age with the hope and peace that the world cannot give and for which the Holy Land hungers and thirsts. The Eucharist was the heart of each day and especially meaningful when celebrated with various communities of biblical roots. This pilgrimage did not include the traditional holy sites marking the Lord’s life, death and resurrection, but rather an experience of the sacred each time the people of Palestine and Jerusalem opened their hearts and homes to us in wholehearted hospitality.

Along with pilgrimage and prayer, another pillar of the Holy Land Co-ordination is presence. Each encounter with diverse communities on the margins was an opportunity to humbly listen to their stories of daily hardship and yet to witness their resolve not to give up hope for a life of dignity and peace. Our presence was an embrace of hope, an assurance that they are not forgotten. Who are the marginalized in Palestine and Israel whose voices are barely heard during the current din of war and catastrophic destruction in Gaza in response to the heinous act of terrorism on Oct. 7, 2023.

At the outset, we sat with a Bedouin community who are visible from the highway that leads from Jerusalem to Jericho toward the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. Their ancient way of life is threatened daily by the intimidation and violence of the extremist Jewish settlers who want to drive them from the land. These nomadic tribes are recognized by law and so they seek legal recourse from the government over their plight, but their voices are barely heard, and their rights are routinely ignored. They were grateful that we spent time with them in conversation that continued over a traditional Bedouin meal. It was an affirmation of their dignity, a great gift for them and for us.

Bishop Joseph Kopacz pauses in prayer while lighting a candle at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Taybeh during the Holy Land Co-ordination pilgrimage. (Photos by Marcin Mazur/Catholic Church of England and Wales)

Throughout the West Bank many Palestinian communities have been under extreme duress and relentless pressure to leave their ancestral lands and villages either through internal displacement or external migration. We visited Taybeh – a Christian community of approximately 1,300 residents who are struggling mightily for their survival. We celebrated Sunday Mass and afterwards listened to the elders of the town who spoke about their struggle that has led to the forced migration of nearly 90% of their family members and neighbors. Extremist Jewish settlers destroy their olive trees, steal or kill the livestock, confiscate their land and cast a climate of fear over this besieged community. In the current climate especially, their voices go unheard, and their rights are relentlessly trampled. The Taybeh community is indicative of the evident diminishment of the Christian population in the Holy Land. Those who remain are long suffering and survive by relying on the generosity of those who left and have not forgotten them, as well as their own industriousness born of their love for their ancestral homeland. Courage and hope are renewed with visits such as ours. On another note, considered to be the first Palestinian brewery, Taybeh beer made on site is delicious, and provides much needed employment for some of the locals.

Leaving the West Bank, we visited the St. James Vicariate of the Latin Patriarchy which is comprised of Hebrew speaking Christians in Israel. They were eager to point out that they have lived peacefully for generations in the midst of their Jerusalem Jewish neighborhoods. Whereas Arabic is the mother tongue of the Palestinian population, the Hebrew speaking Catholic Christian is a rarity – 1,000 to 2,000 in the dominant culture of 8 million. They work tirelessly to teach the faith to the next generation of their children and youth, as well as to serve the Catholic migrants in Israel who come from the Philippines and other countries to shore up Israel’s work force.

We had the privilege of a lengthy visit with Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem and his staff that included the Eucharist, a sumptuous meal and presentations that provided a broader perspective of the besieged Christian population in the Holy Land that includes Palestine, Jordan and Cyprus. His ardent prayer and hope are to see the return of the flow of pilgrims and tourists to the holy sites from around the world because the locals suffer greatly in their absence.

On the final day of the Holy Land Co-ordination pilgrimage, Bishop Kopacz and the group had an opportunity to visit the St. John Paul II Foundation, an educational institution for Christian youth, located in Bethlehem.

In the midst of our visit to the Latin Patriarchy, we heard from Father Gabriel Romanelli via Zoom. He is the pastor of Holy Family Parish in Gaza who has lived with the daily devastation since the war began. No one can reverse the unimaginable loss of life and the destruction of essential structures and infrastructure, but he is hoping that governments and NGOs can collaborate to begin the rebuilding process without delay. In his experience, each day that passes without the distribution of food, medicine and water is a death sentence for many who are extremely vulnerable. All people of good will are hoping against hope that the peace plan takes hold, and the weapons are put aside.

Another key facet of our pilgrimage were gatherings with those dedicated to reconciliation, justice and peace. In these dark times of war and devastation, voices for peace in Israel are given little credence from the majority of the population and have no chance at all among the hardliners and extremists. In many sectors of society, the peacemakers are not considered blessed, but treasonous for deviating from the prevailing standard of uncompromising retribution. This goes for the majority on both sides. Nonetheless, the voices and witness of The Rossing Center for Education and Dialogue, of Rabbis for Human Rights and the Defense of Human Dignity, and of the Parents Circle – Family Forum whose members, Palestinian and Israelis, have lost children to war and terrorism, and yet walk side by side, were all points of light and hope. Against all odds, they persevere with their vision for a sustainable and humane future and tirelessly work to impact the hearts and minds of the young, especially in the education system and other forums.

The final day for the Holy Land Co-ordination pilgrimage was in Bethlehem where the Christian population is greatly diminished, having been scattered to the four winds in recent decades. Many have left the city of the Lord’s birth and now live in the Diaspora, so to speak, likely never to return to their homeland. Nevertheless, we had the opportunity to visit a school for the deaf, the St. John Paul II Foundation, an educational institution for Christian youth, and the Latin Patriarch seminary that has recently reopened its doors to candidates from Palestine, Jordan and Cyprus. In these three diverse educational settings, hope is renewed in the eager faces of the children, youth and candidates for the priesthood. Of course, the generosity from Christians from afar is crucial for the survival of these institutions.

In conclusion, each evening the bishops and staff gathered for reflection, conversation and prayer. From this hour of prayerful listening to one another and to the Holy Spirit the accompanying statement was written to be distributed by our Episcopal Conferences and through our (arch)dioceses. In doing so, the fourth pillar of pressure/persuasion of the Holy Land Co-ordination is addressed. May the seeds that are planted through this unique pilgrimage in solidarity with many who cry out in this tortured land, produce a harvest of justice and peace.

Final Communiqué of the Co-ordination of Episcopal Conferences in Support of the Church of the Holy Land, 17 – 21 January 2026

Click here for photos from Bishop Kopacz’s Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

The same Christ, across the ages

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“All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.”
(Isaiah 52:10)

By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
For nearly two thousand years, the Good News of Jesus Christ’s birth, life, death and resurrection has been proclaimed to all the nations. Now more than ever, through modern channels of communication, the message goes out to the ends of the earth for people to hear this Good News and to see the church in their midst serving their Lord in manifold ways.

The following three excerpts have been chosen from different eras in the church’s history to affirm that while the world may be continually in flux, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

The following is taken from the profound works of the one who was esteemed as “golden mouth” for his brilliant preaching:

“That invisible and eternal nature has not disdained for our sakes to take to itself the infirmities of our flesh. The Son of God, who is the God of all things, is born a man in body. He permits himself to be placed in a crib, who holds the heavens in his hands. He is confined in a manger whom the world cannot contain; he is heard in the voice of a wailing infant, at whose voice in the hour of his passion the whole earth trembled.” – St. John Chrysostom, Epiphany Homily

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

This fourth-century saint was exiled three times and suffered immensely at the hands of the Arian heretics of his day. He not only persevered; he thrived as a living witness to the power of the Word made flesh.

In the fifth century, Pope Leo the Great, who resisted Attila the Hun at the gates of Rome, convincing him not to sack the city, was one of the most eloquent Fathers of the early church. The following comes from a Christmas homily of his and adorns the contemporary Christmas prayer of the Catholic Church in the Liturgy of the Hours:

“Today our Savior is born; let us rejoice. Sadness should have no place on the birthday of life. The fear of death is swallowed up; life brings us joy with the promise of eternity. No one is shut out from this joy. Let the just rejoice, for their reward is at hand. Let sinners be glad, for they are offered mercy. Let pagans take courage, for they are summoned to life. … In this mystery of the Word made flesh, a new dignity is bestowed upon human nature. O Christian, recognize your dignity. Make a partner in the divine nature. Do not return by sin to your former baseness. Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member, and by whose blood your freedom was purchased.” – Pope St. Leo the Great

In our own time, we struggle to allow the eternal light of the Word made flesh to shine in the darkness and shadows of our fallen world. The following is taken from the Focolare “Word of Life” series for December 2025, whose mission is unity and whose path is love:

“To a world like ours, where the law of the strongest, the cleverest, the most unscrupulous prevail, and where sometimes everything seems paralyzed by materialism and selfishness, we receive the unarmed innocence of the Christ Child, and once again recognize God’s patient and merciful presence in human history.”

As we celebrate the culmination of the Jubilee Year of Hope this Christmas on Epiphany, we proclaim that the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us, because the love of God was first poured into our world on that first Christmas night nearly 2,000 years ago.

May the Wise of our time continue to seek the One who is the way, the truth and the life, who reveals that sacrificial love for all is the only way to fulfill our dreams.

El mismo Cristo, a través de los siglos

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
“Todos los confines de la tierra verán la salvación de nuestro Dios.” (Isaías 52:10)

Durante casi dos mil años, la Buena Nueva del nacimiento, vida, muerte y resurrección de nuestro señor Jesucristo ha sido proclamada a todas las naciones. Ahora más que nunca, a través de los canales modernos de comunicación, el mensaje llega hasta los confines del mundo para que la gente escuche esta Buena Nueva y vea a la iglesia en su entorno sirviendo a su Señor de múltiples maneras.

Los siguientes tres extractos han sido seleccionados de diferentes épocas de la historia de la iglesia para afirmar que, aunque el mundo se encuentre en constante cambio, Jesucristo es el mismo ayer, hoy y mañana.

Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

Lo siguiente se extrae de las profundas obras de aquel que fue considerado “boca de oro” por su brillante predicación:

“Que la naturaleza invisible y eterna no ha despreciado por nosotros tomar para sí las debilidades de nuestra carne. El Hijo de Dios, que es el Dios de todas las cosas, nace hombre en cuerpo. Se permite ser colocado en una cuna, que sostiene el cielo en sus manos. Está confinado en un pesebre que el mundo no puede contener; se le oye en la voz de un bebé llorando, ante cuya voz en la hora de su pasión tembló toda la tierra.” – San Juan Crisóstomo, Homilía de la Epifanía

Este santo del siglo IV fue exiliado tres veces y sufrió enormemente en manos de los herejes arrianos de su época. No solo perseveró; prosperó como testigo viviente del poder de la Palabra hecha carne.

En el siglo V, el papa León el Grande, que resistió a Atila el Huno en las puertas de Roma, convenciéndole de no saquear la ciudad, fue uno de los padres más elocuentes de la iglesia primitiva. Lo siguiente proviene de una homilía navideña suya y adorna la oración navideña contemporánea de la Iglesia Católica en la Liturgia de las Horas:

“Hoy nace nuestro Salvador; Regocijémonos. La tristeza no tiene lugar en el cumpleaños de la vida. El miedo a la muerte se abrasa; La vida nos trae alegría con la promesa de la eternidad. Nadie se queda excluido de esta alegría. Que los justos se regocijen, porque su recompensa está cerca. Que los pecadores se alegren, porque se les ofrece misericordia. Que los paganos tomen valor, porque son llamados a la vida. … En este misterio del Verbo hecho carne, se otorga una nueva dignidad a la naturaleza humana. Oh cristiano, reconoce tu dignidad. Haz un compañero en la naturaleza divina. No vuelvas por pecado a tu antigua maldad. Recuerda quién es tu cabeza y de quién eres miembro, y por cuya sangre fue comprada tu libertad.” – Papa San León Magno

En nuestro tiempo, luchamos por permitir que la luz eterna del Verbo hecho carne brille en la oscuridad y las sombras de nuestro mundo caído. Lo siguiente está extraído de la serie “Palabra de Vida” de los Focolares de diciembre de 2025, cuya misión es la unidad y cuyo camino es el amor:

“A un mundo como el nuestro, donde prevalece la ley del más fuerte, del más inteligente, de lo más inescrupuloso, y donde a veces todo parece paralizado por el materialismo y el egoísmo, recibimos la inocencia desarmada del Niño Jesús, y reconocemos una vez más la presencia paciente y misericordiosa de Dios en la historia humana.”

Al celebrar la culminación del Año Jubilar de la Esperanza esta Navidad en la Epifanía, proclamamos que el amor de Dios ha sido derramado en nuestros corazones por medio del Espíritu Santo que nos ha sido dado, porque el amor de Dios fue derramado por primera vez en nuestro mundo en aquella primera noche de Navidad, hace casi 2,000 años.

Que los Sabios de nuestro tiempo sigan buscando aquel que es el camino, la verdad y la vida, que revela que el sacrificio y amo por todos es el único camino para cumplir nuestros sueños.

The Lord is near: Advent’s call to hope and conversion

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
“Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, grant us peace in our days that with the help of your mercy we may be free from sin and safe from all distress as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

This is the magnificent intercessory prayer that the priest pronounces during the Communion Rite of each Mass throughout the year after the Lord’s Prayer and prior to the sign of peace on behalf of all the faithful, a proclamation of the fullness of faith and hope in the Lord’s promises. This is the spirituality of Advent that looks to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, all the while knowing in our hearts that he is Emmanuel, God with us already. This is the mystery of our faith that celebrates his first coming in the Incarnation, the majestic Christmas story, and looks beyond – awake and alert – to the end of time for his second coming. This is also our hope for all who have died in the Lord and gone before us. “Arise, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” (Eph. 5:14)

Meanwhile, we rejoice with Christians knowing that he is always near in the fullness of Jubilee faith “through the Holy Spirit who has been poured into our hearts,” celebrated sacramentally and recognized wherever two or three are gathered in his name in prayer and loving service.

An Advent wreath is depicted in a stained-glass window at Christ the King Church in Commack, N.Y. (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz)

Although Advent has a different aura than Lent, the call to conversion is just as real. The voice of John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord is not merely a suggestion among different options. This is our faith that is proclaimed above, “that with the help of your mercy we may be free from sin.” The Sacrament of Reconciliation is always the gold standard to know the Lord’s mercy and peace, and during the culmination of the Jubilee Year of Hope in the heart of Advent it really shines.

We also pray “to be free of all distress” because anxiety over many of life’s uncertainties casts a long shadow over the love of God and the light of the Gospel, eclipsing the virtues of faith, hope and love. Persistent distress and anxiety are in opposition to the hope that does not disappoint. We do believe, and we ask the Lord to increase our faith to know the fullness of God’s peace during this season of joyful expectation as we await the “blessed hope and the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ.”

The Blessed Mother as the Immaculate Conception and Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is the paradigm presence during our Advent longing. God prepared her from the first moment of her conception to be the mother of the Savior, and with a pure heart and a willing spirit open to divine providence, she fulfills the yearning of her people for the Messiah. “The dawn from on high broke upon the world to shine on those who dwelled in darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet on the way to peace.” (Luke 1:77-79)

Her apparitions to Juan Diego nearly 500 years ago brought a people back from the brink of annihilation to the light of a new day. Yes, she is the great mother who reveals the tender compassion of our God. With the Blessed Mother and all the saints, the church in every age fulfills the Lord’s commission to work for the salvation of all as a beacon of hope.

Let us rejoice because the Gospel is preached, the sacraments are celebrated, and works of charity, justice and peace abound. May we inspire one another as Advent advances to believe, hope and love. Indeed, the Lord is near! Come, Lord Jesus!

El Señor está cerca: el Adviento llama a la esperanza y la conversión

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
“Líbranos, Señor, de todo mal, concédenos paz en nuestros días para que, con la ayuda de tu misericordia, estemos libres de pecado y a salvo de toda afligencia mientras esperamos la bendita esperanza y venida de nuestro Salvador, Jesucristo.”

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

Esta es la magnífica oración de intercesión que el sacerdote pronuncia durante el Rito de Comunión de cada Misa a lo largo del año después del Padre Nuestro y antes del signo de paz en nombre de todos los fieles, una proclamación de plenitud de fe y esperanza en las promesas del Señor. Esta es la espiritualidad del Adviento que mira hacia la segunda venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo, sabiendo en nuestro corazón que Él es Manuel, Dios esta con nosotros. Este es el misterio de nuestra fe que celebra su primera venida en la Encarnación, la majestuosa historia navideña, y mira más allá – despierta y alerta – hasta el fin de los tiempos para su segunda venida. Esta es también nuestra esperanza para todos los que han muerto en el Señor y han ido antes que nosotros. “Despiértate tu que duermes, Y levántate de los muertos, Y te alumbra cristo.” (Efesios 5:14)

Mientras tanto, nos alegramos con los cristianos sabiendo que Él siempre está cerca en la plenitud de la fe jubilar “por el Espíritu Santo que ha sido derramado en nuestros corazones”, celebrados sacramentalmente y reconociendo que dondequiera que dos o tres estén reunidos en su nombre en oración y servicio amoroso.

Aunque el Adviento tiene un aura diferente a la Cuaresma, el llamado a la conversión es igual de real. La voz de Juan el Bautista clamando en el desierto para preparar el camino del Señor no es simplemente una sugerencia entre diferentes opciones. Esta es nuestra fe la que se proclama a lo alto: “para que, con la ayuda de tu misericordia, estemos libres de pecado.” El Sacramento de la Reconciliación es siempre el estándar de oro para conocer la misericordia y la paz del Señor, y durante la culminación del Año Jubilar de la Esperanza en pleno Adviento realmente brille.

También oramos “para estar libres de toda angustia” porque la ansiedad ante muchas de las incertidumbres de la vida proyecta una larga sombra sobre el amor de Dios y la luz del Evangelio, eclipsando las virtudes de la fe, la esperanza y el amor. El sufrimiento y la ansiedad persistentes se oponen a la esperanza de no decepcionar. Creemos, y pedimos al Señor que aumente nuestra fe para conocer la plenitud de la paz de Dios durante esta época de alegre expectativa mientras esperamos la “bendita esperanza y la venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo.”

La Santísima Virgen como la Inmaculada Concepción y Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe son la presencia paradigmática durante nuestro anhelo adventista. Dios la preparó desde el primer momento de su concepción para ser la madre del Salvador y, con un corazón puro y un espíritu dispuesto y abierto a la providencia divina, Darás a conocer a su pueblo la salvación mediante el perdón de sus pecados, gracias a la entrañable misericordia de nuestro Dios. Así nos visitara desde el cielo el sol naciente para dar a luz a los que viven en tinieblas y en sombra de muerte, para guiar nuestros pasos por la senda de la paz. (Lucas 1:77-79)

Sus apariciones a Juan Diego hace casi 500 años trajeron a un pueblo de vuelta del borde de la aniquilación a la luz de un nuevo día. Es la gran madre que revela la tierna compasión de nuestro Dios. Con la Santísima Virgen y todos los santos, la iglesia en todas las épocas cumple la misión del Señor de trabajar por la salvación de todos como un faro de esperanza.

Regocijémonos porque se predica el Evangelio, se celebran los sacramentos y abundan las obras de caridad, justicia y paz. Que nos inspiremos mutuamente mientras el Adviento avanza hacia la creencia, la esperanza y el amor. ¡En efecto, el Señor está cerca! ¡Ven, Señor Jesús!

The poor remain at the heart of the Gospel

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
During his homily last Sunday on the commemoration of the World Day of Prayer for the Poor, Pope Leo XIV urged world leaders to listen to the cry of the poorest, which challenges those who bear political responsibility. “There can be no peace without justice,” he said, “and the poor remind us of this in many ways – through migration as well as through their cries, which is often stifled by the myth of well-being and progress that does not take everyone into account, and indeed forgets many individuals, leaving them to their fate.”

The pope also encouraged the efforts of charity workers and volunteers and invited all Christians to seek the Kingdom of God by working to transform human coexistence into a “space of fraternity and dignity for all, without exception.”

Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.

This is a challenging time across the world where currents of nationalism and isolationism are fracturing global solidarity that is essential for a sustainable commitment on behalf of justice and peace. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, has been resolute in word and action for 2,000 years and notably in the modern era since the time of Pope Leo XIII on behalf of human dignity and international solidarity. It is unmistakable that there has been a seamless garment of Catholic Social Teachings from the heart of the church that has been carefully articulated in papal documents.

In recent history there are the writings and witness of Popes Francis and Benedict, St. John Paul II, St. Paul VI, and St. John XXIII. Each Holy Father in their generation spoke passionately to world leaders to turn away from war and unbridled nationalism in order to foster a more peaceful and interdependent fraternity of nations. During the pandemic, Pope Francis sat alone in St. Peter’s Square before the Blessed Sacrament and commended to Divine Providence the wellbeing of all nations and peoples. From imposed isolation and prayerful solitude in 2020 Pope Francis wrote his third encyclical Fratelli Tutti, (Brothers and Sisters All) on fraternal social friendship and global solidarity that springs from our shared humanity.

Pope Saint John XXIII released Pacem in Terris in the midst of the Second Vatican Council, a profound prayer and a plea for peace and solidarity in our world. A few years later St. Paul VI wrote Populorum Progressio on the Development of Peoples and prophetically taught that Integral Human Development contains the imperative of Moral, Spiritual, and Social Growth, not just material wellbeing. St. John Paul II in Sollicitudo Rei Socialis on the 20th Anniversary of Populorum Progressio in 1987 taught unreservedly that the Social Teaching of the Church is integral to its evangelizing mission. Pope Benedict in his 2005 document Deus Caritas Est wrote that “the church’s deepest nature is thus expressed in her three-fold duty: to proclaim the Word of God, celebrate the sacraments, and exercise the ministry of charity. These duties are inseparable and presuppose one another.”

The Catholic Church in the United States wholeheartedly embraces the teachings of our Holy Fathers as core values and a Gospel vision for our world. On the commemoration of the World Day of Prayer for the Poor, we are proud that as a global church we have vast experience in providing humanitarian aid and development assistance through International Agencies such as Catholic Relief Services in collaboration with NGOs and governments alike.

“The Catholic Church has long recognized that helping those in need, regardless of nationality or faith, is a moral imperative. Humanitarian and development aid are an integral part of the church’s commitment to human life and dignity. As the church pursues a more peaceful world through dialogue and diplomacy, lifesaving and life-affirming assistance act as necessary complements that allow for sustainable solutions to take root.

“A comprehensive pro-life, Catholic vision for U.S. humanitarian and development assistance recognizes that the U.S. government, alongside the church, shares a responsibility to advance the common good. Given that government institutions and the church are jointly called to create a more just world, a Catholic approach to U.S. international assistance invokes both parties as essential partners in the promotion of sustainable change that effectively addresses global needs.” (Catholic Vision for U.S. Humanitarian and Development Assistance USCCB)

Pope Leo XIV has reminded us in Dilexi Te, his first Apostolic Exhortation “that the burning heart of the church’s mission convinces me of the need to go back and re-read the Gospel, lest we risk replacing it with the wisdom of this world. The poor cannot be neglected if we are to remain within the great current of the church’s life that has its source in the Gospel and bears fruit in every time and place. This too is essential for the path to holiness.”

Los pobres permanecen en el corazón del Evangelio

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
Durante su homilía el pasado domingo, en conmemoración del Día Mundial de Oración por los Pobres, el Papa León XIV pidió a los líderes mundiales a escuchar el clamor de los más pobres, que desafío a los que tienen tienen responsabilidad política. “No puede haber paz sin justicia”, dijo, “y los pobres nos lo recuerdan de muchas maneras – tanto a través de la migración como desde sus llantos, que a menudo se ven agobiados por el cuento del bienestar y el progreso que no tiene en cuenta a todos, y de hecho olvida a muchos individuos, dejándolos a su suerte.”

El papa también respaldó los esfuerzos de los trabajadores y voluntarios de caridad e invitó a todos los cristianos a buscar el Reino de Dios trabajando para transformar la convivencia humana en un “espacio de fraternidad y dignidad para todos, sin excepción.”

Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

Este es un momento desafiante en todo el mundo donde corrientes de nacionalismo y aislacionismo están fracturando la solidaridad global, principalmente de un compromiso llevadero en favor de la justicia y la paz. La Iglesia Católica, por otro lado, ha sido firme en palabras y acciones durante 2.000 años y, de forma notable, en la era moderna desde la época del Papa León XIII, en favor de la dignidad humana y la solidaridad internacional. Es inconfundible que ha sido una prenda sin costuras de las Enseñanzas Sociales Católicas desde el corazón de la iglesia que ha sido cuidadosamente articulado en documentos papales.

En la historia reciente existen las cartas y testimonios de los papas Francisco y Benedicto, San Juan Pablo II, San Pablo VI y San Juan XXIII. Cada Santo Padre de su generación a hablado apasionadamente a los líderes mundiales para que se alejen de la guerra y del nacionalismo desenfrenado para fomentar una fraternidad de naciones más pacífica e interdependiente. Durante la pandemia, el Papa Francisco se sentó solo en la Plaza de San Pedro ante el Santísimo Sacramento y encomendó a la Divina Providencia el bienestar de todas las naciones y pueblos. Desde el aislamiento impuesto y la soledad orante en el 2020, el Papa Francisco escribió su tercera encíclica Fratelli Tutti (Hermanos Todos) sobre la amistad social fraternal y la solidaridad global que surge de la humanidad que compartimos.

El Papa Juan XXIII liberó a Pacem in Terris en medio del Concilio Vaticano II, una profunda oración y un llamamiento por la paz y la solidaridad en nuestro mundo. Unos años después, Pablo VI escribió Populorum Progressio sobre el desarrollo de los pueblos y enseñó proféticamente que el Desarrollo Humano Integral contiene el imperativo del Crecimiento Moral, Espiritual y Social, no solo el bienestar material. San Juan Pablo II en Sollicitudo Rei Socialis en el 20º Aniversario de Populorum Progressio en 1987 enseñó sin reservas que la Doctrina Social de la Iglesia es parte integral de su misión evangelizadora. El Papa Benedicto, en su documento del 2005 Deus Caritas Est, escribió que “la naturaleza más profunda de la Iglesia se expresa así en su triple deber: proclamando la Palabra de Dios, celebrando los sacramentos y ejerciendo el ministerio de caridad. Estos deberes son inseparables y se reconocen mutuamente.”

La Iglesia Católica en Estados Unidos abraza plenamente las enseñanzas de nuestros Santos Padres como valores fundamentales y una visión evangélica para nuestro mundo. Con motivo de la conmemoración del Día Mundial de Oración por los Pobres, nos enorgullece que, como iglesia global, tengamos una amplia experiencia en el racionamiento a la ayuda humanitaria y asistencia al impulso a través de agencias internacionales como Catholic Relief Services, en colaboración con ONG y gobiernos por igual.
“La Iglesia Católica ha reconocido durante mucho tiempo que ayudar a quienes lo necesitan, independientemente de su nacionalidad o fe, es un deber moral. La ayuda humanitaria y el desarrollo es una parte integral del compromiso de la iglesia con la vida y la dignidad humana. Mientras la iglesia busca un mundo más pacífico mediante el diálogo y la diplomacia, la asistencia que salva vidas y afirma la vida actúan como complementos necesarios que permiten que radiquen soluciones sostenibles.

“Una visión integra y provida católica para la asistencia humanitaria y de desarrollo de EE. UU. reconoce que el gobierno de EE. UU., junto con la Iglesia, comparten la responsabilidad de promover el bien común. Dado que las instituciones gubernamentales y la iglesia están llamadas conjuntamente a crear un mundo más justo, un enfoque católico hacia la ayuda internacional de EE. UU. invoca a ambas partes como socios esenciales en la promoción de un cambio sostenible que aborde eficazmente las necesidades globales.” (Visión Católica para la Asistencia Humanitaria y al Desarrollo de EE. UU. USCCB)

El Papa León XIV nos ha recordado en Dilexi Te, su primera Exhortación Apostólica: “que el corazón ardiente de la misión de la Iglesia me convenza de la necesidad de volver a leer el Evangelio, no sea que corramos el riesgo de reemplazarlo por la sabiduría de este mundo. No se puede descuidar a los pobres si queremos permanecer dentro del reglamento de la de la vida en la iglesia, que tiene su origen en el Evangelio y da fruto en cualquier tiempo y lugar. Esto también es esencial para el camino hacia la santidad.”

In God’s family, “it’s a small world” after all

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The Wednesday papal audience regularly gathers pilgrims from around the world in St. Peter’s Square, and during this Jubilee Year the square could not contain the vast throng. The universality of the church was on full display during the nearly two-hour audience with Pope Leo XIV, which was well worth the 6 a.m. departure from our hotel.

The Holy Father’s message, delivered in eight languages, went out to all the earth with the passion of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”

Human speech echoed around the square to the delight of all physically present and to the virtual cloud of witnesses around the world.

Pope Leo XIV leads his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Oct. 29, 2025. Dozens of representatives of the world’s religions were at the audience, which was dedicated to “Nostra Aetate,” the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on relations with Judaism, Islam and other world religions. The landmark document was promulgated 60 years ago: Oct. 28, 1965.
Inset shows Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson, who was among those in attendance. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

With each audience, bishops are invited to come forward to sit near the stage, and our hearty group’s early arrival gave me an excellent vantage point to see, hear and appreciate the unpretentious yet splendid presentation surrounding Pope Leo’s message. As an added bonus, I was fortunate to sit next to the archbishop of Bangkok, Thailand, who spoke about the church’s reality in a country that is 96% Buddhist, where Catholics number around 500,000 – about 1% of the total population.
It was a relevant portrayal because, to my left, there were as many Buddhist monks at the audience as there were bishops. Pope Leo had just conducted an interfaith prayer service for peace at the Colosseum the day before with representatives from all major religious traditions.

The central focus of the pope’s words at the Colosseum and the audience was prayer and a plea for peace, justice and reconciliation, inspired by the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate (In Our Age), a document of the Second Vatican Council that highlighted the need for interfaith prayer, dialogue and study for God’s glory and a more just and peaceful world. The love of Jesus Christ impels us to proclaim the Gospel of salvation and peace everywhere and for all time.

At the conclusion of each audience, all bishops are welcome to form a line to personally greet the Holy Father. This procession and the entire audience are preserved on the Santa Sede Vaticano website, with the unabridged encounters of each bishop with the pope. It is a treasured moment that is stored in memory for me and preserved on social media for countless others.

What words were exchanged between us during that heartfelt greeting? I introduced myself as being from the Diocese of Jackson and the state of Mississippi, and he smiled and said, “Ah, the United States.” Pope Leo XIV is the first successor of St. Peter to know that Mississippi is more than a river. After thanking him for his ministry in the church, I departed with a pair of rosaries – a prized gift from the Holy Father.

Immediately afterward, there was a joyful reunion with our diocesan group of pilgrims, who had advantageous seating in the square, allowing them to view the stage and capture it all on the big screen nearby. Afterwards, while walking through the square in my episcopal house cassock as everyone was spilling into the neighboring streets and passageways, there were many interactions and conversations.

I spoke to, prayed over, and took photos with pilgrims from France, Mexico, Ireland, Peru, the Philippines and Indiana. What a delight! This is where it came full circle with my recent travels. I asked the pilgrims from Mexico where exactly they live, and the first place blurted out was Saltillo. How true it is that all roads lead to Rome.

The mission trip to Saltillo was an exceptional springboard into pilgrimage and will be the subject of another column. One of the pilgrims from Peru stated the old adage in another way: “Obispo, es un mundo pequeño.” (“Bishop, it’s a small world.”)

Verdad, peregrino, verdad! True, pilgrim, so true. The message of the Good News of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, goes out to the ends of the earth and back again. The Wednesday audience left no doubt about this truth.

In God’s family, “it’s a small world” after all

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By Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
The Wednesday papal audience regularly gathers pilgrims from around the world in St. Peter’s Square, and during this Jubilee Year the square could not contain the vast throng. The universality of the church was on full display during the nearly two-hour audience with Pope Leo XIV, which was well worth the 6 a.m. departure from our hotel.
The Holy Father’s message, delivered in eight languages, went out to all the earth with the passion of Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.”
Human speech echoed around the square to the delight of all physically present and to the virtual cloud of witnesses around the world.

Pope Leo XIV leads his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, Oct. 29, 2025. Dozens of representatives of the world’s religions were at the audience, which was dedicated to “Nostra Aetate,” the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on relations with Judaism, Islam and other world religions. The landmark document was promulgated 60 years ago: Oct. 28, 1965. Inset shows Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz of Jackson, who was among those in attendance. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

With each audience, bishops are invited to come forward to sit near the stage, and our hearty group’s early arrival gave me an excellent vantage point to see, hear and appreciate the unpretentious yet splendid presentation surrounding Pope Leo’s message. As an added bonus, I was fortunate to sit next to the archbishop of Bangkok, Thailand, who spoke about the church’s reality in a country that is 96% Buddhist, where Catholics number around 500,000 – about 1% of the total population.
It was a relevant portrayal because, to my left, there were as many Buddhist monks at the audience as there were bishops. Pope Leo had just conducted an interfaith prayer service for peace at the Colosseum the day before with representatives from all major religious traditions.
The central focus of the pope’s words at the Colosseum and the audience was prayer and a plea for peace, justice and reconciliation, inspired by the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate (In Our Age), a document of the Second Vatican Council that highlighted the need for interfaith prayer, dialogue and study for God’s glory and a more just and peaceful world. The love of Jesus Christ impels us to proclaim the Gospel of salvation and peace everywhere and for all time.
At the conclusion of each audience, all bishops are welcome to form a line to personally greet the Holy Father. This procession and the entire audience are preserved on the Santa Sede Vaticano website, with the unabridged encounters of each bishop with the pope. It is a treasured moment that is stored in memory for me and preserved on social media for countless others.
What words were exchanged between us during that heartfelt greeting? I introduced myself as being from the Diocese of Jackson and the state of Mississippi, and he smiled and said, “Ah, the United States.” Pope Leo XIV is the first successor of St. Peter to know that Mississippi is more than a river. After thanking him for his ministry in the church, I departed with a pair of rosaries – a prized gift from the Holy Father.
Immediately afterward, there was a joyful reunion with our diocesan group of pilgrims, who had advantageous seating in the square, allowing them to view the stage and capture it all on the big screen nearby. Afterwards, while walking through the square in my episcopal house cassock as everyone was spilling into the neighboring streets and passageways, there were many interactions and conversations.
I spoke to, prayed over, and took photos with pilgrims from France, Mexico, Ireland, Peru, the Philippines and Indiana. What a delight! This is where it came full circle with my recent travels. I asked the pilgrims from Mexico where exactly they live, and the first place blurted out was Saltillo. How true it is that all roads lead to Rome.
The mission trip to Saltillo was an exceptional springboard into pilgrimage and will be the subject of another column. One of the pilgrims from Peru stated the old adage in another way: “Obispo, es un mundo pequeño.” (“Bishop, it’s a small world.”)
Verdad, peregrino, verdad! True, pilgrim, so true. The message of the Good News of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen from the dead, goes out to the ends of the earth and back again. The Wednesday audience left no doubt about this truth.

Fe, esperanza y dignidad de toda persona humana

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Por Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz, D.D.
No olvidemos que estamos en el año del Jubileo de la Esperanza con la invitación obligatoria a llevar la luz del Evangelio a todos los rincones de nuestra vida.

Por lo tanto, “con gran alegría celebramos octubre como el Mes del Respeto a la Vida en medio del Año Jubilar de la Esperanza de la iglesia. Este Año jubilar nos ofrece la oportunidad de apreciar de nuevo, y con inmensa gratitud, el don de la nueva vida que hemos recibido en el bautismo, una vida capaz de transfigurar el drama de la muerte. La vida, muerte y resurrección de nuestro Señor Jesucristo es el fundamento de nuestra esperanza. A través de Cristo, nuestros pecados son perdonados, la muerte es vencida y la vida es victoriosa”, dijo el obispo George Thomas, USCCB.

Obispo Joseph R. Kopacz

El refrán del Año jubilar, “la esperanza no defrauda”, revela un horizonte infinito más allá de este mundo y, al mismo tiempo, nos ancla más firmemente en nuestras rutinas y responsabilidades diarias. Debido a que el amor de Dios se ha derramado en nuestros corazones a través de la fe que despierta la dignidad de cada persona humana hecha en la imagen y semejanza de Dios, el respeto de la iglesia por la vida desde el momento de la concepción hasta la muerte natural permanece indestructible.

Que caigan las escamas de nuestros ojos para ver la belleza de la vida que nos rodea, desde la concepción y el nacimiento de un hijo, hasta los sacrificios diarios de los padres y cuidadores que lo dan todo por el bienestar de sus hijos, por las bendiciones de la educación, la recreación, la familia y la comunidad. Para los ancianos que han soportado el calor del día y que son cuidados hasta el final en el seno de la familia o en los centros de atención que acompañan a la familia durante los años crepusculares, celebramos y damos gracias.

“Sin embargo, los titulares del día a día nos recuerdan lo desesperadamente que nuestro mundo está, anhelando la esperanza que solo Dios puede proporcionar. Todos los días somos testigos del abrumador desprecio por la vida humana: a través del aumento de los derechos de aborto y suicidio asistido; los asesinatos de estudiantes inocentes, incluso en oración; el maltrato de nuestros hermanos y hermanas inmigrantes mientras soportan un ambiente de agresión; la violencia política e ideológica infligida contra víctimas desprevenidas. Estos ataques amenazan la vida precisamente cuando es más vulnerable y necesita protección”, dijo el obispo Thomas.

A pesar de estas realidades, el don de la vida humana existe como un signo de esperanza para nuestro mundo de hoy, desafiando los poderes de las tinieblas y la cultura de la muerte. El Papa Francisco en la Bula de Convocación que inauguró el Año Jubilar nos recordó que la esperanza es amor en acción que responde al sufrimiento en nuestras puertas. Esta virtud aperitiva debe encenderse en los corazones fragiles de nuestros jóvenes, en los enfermos, en los ancianos abandonados, en los que están en la pobreza extrema, en las víctimas de la violencia y la guerra, en los asilados, refugiados e inmigrantes explotados, y la lista continúa.

Sin embargo, la iglesia y muchas de sus parroquias, escuelas y ministerios pueden invocar y llaman a la vida del cielo a través del poder de la fe, la esperanza y el amor. De hecho, esta es una realidad diaria, y por ello damos gracias.

Con respecto al respeto por la vida, el Papa León XIV ha citado el poder emergente y el potencial de la inteligencia artificial, que puede ser una fuerza para el bien o para el mal. En sintonía con los recientes Santos Padres, el papa León ha levantado la dignidad de la persona humana en el centro de una mayor solidaridad y unidad en todo el mundo.

En la segunda Conferencia Internacional de Inteligencia Artificial en Roma, durante una sesión celebrada intencionalmente en el Palacio Apostólico del Vaticano, el Santo Padre compartió el siguiente pensamiento: “La sabiduría auténtica tiene más que ver con reconocer el verdadero significado de la vida, que con la disponibilidad de datos”.

En este sentido, el Santo Padre expresó su esperanza de que las deliberaciones de la conferencia “consideren también la IA dentro del contexto del aprendizaje intergeneracional necesario que permitirá a los jóvenes integrar la verdad en su vida moral y espiritual, informando así sus decisiones maduras y abriendo el camino hacia un mundo de mayor solidaridad y unidad”.