Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services were paid $62 MILLION in government grants...

American News

 
Oct 16, 2026

Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services were paid $62 MILLION in gov grants to resettle thousands of Somalis in Minnesota: report

Both Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services have been at forefront of shaping the region in Minnesota with the heavy Somali populaiton.

The Post Millennial

Oct 16, 2026

$62 million was paid out to two Christian groups to build up and settle a sizeable portion of the Somali community in Minnesota, which eventually led to the growth of the Somali population in the state.

Both Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services have been at the forefront of shaping the region in Minnesota with the heavy Somali population, in part because of government contracts that have been going back generations, per the New York Post.

Parker Thayer, an immigration expert at the Capital Research Center in Washington, DC, told the outlet, "This is a very big pile of government money and a whole bunch of different groups have come to get their own slice of it."

Thayer said that the money flowing into immigration programs in Minneapolis is "in the hundreds of millions.” Since 2021, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has been given over $140 million in federal resettlement contracts, Thayer said. The US Conference of Catholic Bishops oversees Catholic Charities.

“It is hurting the ability of these organizations to fundraise in arguably more important areas of their work. I imagine a lot of donors are being pushed away by something that is very reasonably viewed as highly controversial by a lot of people,” he added.

God’s Spooks: Religion, Spying, and the Cold War

by Matthew Avery Sutton

January 15, 2026

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

—John 8:32, inscribed on the wall at CIA headquarters, Langley, VA

In the early years of World War II, the U.S. State Department asked all American personnel living near enemy lines in China to return home. Baptist missionary John Birch refused to leave. God, he believed, wanted him in Asia. For years Birch had worked with local Chinese communities. He knew their language, their customs, and the layout of their land. He soon put this knowledge to work—not just for God but for Uncle Sam. In 1942 his life took a dramatic turn when a squadron of bombers led by Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle crashed in the Chinese countryside. The American airmen had taken off from a carrier in the Pacific, dropped bombs on Tokyo, and then flown toward safety in China, where they parachuted from their planes as their fuel supplies ran out. When Birch received word of the raid and subsequent crash, he rendezvoused with the soldiers and helped them navigate through enemy lines and to freedom.

Birch’s performance impressed the Army and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). They saw in Birch a loyal foot soldier who knew the Chinese language and understood the geography and politics of the region. They put him to work, baptizing him in the waters of covert operations. During and immediately after the war Birch provided the OSS with intelligence on Chinese communism while still fronting as a missionary. He was eventually captured by communists and killed, becoming the first “martyr” of the Cold War. He later became the inspiration for Robert Welch’s extreme right-wing, anti-communist John Birch Society. Birch’s work for the government revealed that religious activists could make extremely valuable contributions to American intelligence services. But his death also demonstrated the potential consequences of mixing faith with work for the U.S. government.

What follows investigates the complicated relationship between the CIA and religion. Since its inception, the CIA has used missionaries and other religious activists for intelligence and espionage work; it has used religion as an effective propaganda tool, and its agents have even posed as clergy. CIA agents and religious activists managed to keep their partnerships mostly hidden until the 1970s. But in the wake of Vietnam and Watergate, numerous journalists and then Congress began scrutinizing the agency more closely. They revealed to the world that the CIA had been employing missionaries to further its agenda and that some religious activists were receiving substantial rewards for their work on the government’s behalf. In fact, the CIA and religious activists have long collaborated to achieve numerous policy goals.

In recent years, historians of religion have worked to better embed their narratives in the rich and complex historical contexts in which their subjects acted, linking issues of faith and belief to the ebbs and flows of particular environments. Historians Jon Butler, Paul Harvey, and Kevin Schultz have called for better integration of religion into more “mainstream” American history. The case of missionary-CIA collaboration answers that call by demonstrating how important it is for scholars to understand the many ways that religion functions in ostensibly nonreligious spheres. In the specific case of intelligence and espionage, religion had tangible impacts on American covert activities abroad. CIA-missionary relationships highlight underexplored intersections between religion and foreign policy; they expose in new ways the complicated nature of church-state collaboration; and they offer fresh insights into the many ways in which religion functions in nontraditional spheres.

At the same time, historians have much to learn by probing how and in what ways individuals and religious groups have benefited from their cooperation with the government. The State Department has often helped missionary groups expedite visas and gain entry into new regions of the world in return for their collaboration. Some government agencies have also provided humanitarian ministries with cash, food, and other supplies, subsidizing and supporting their work. Missionaries have received equally valuable, even if less tangible, benefits as well: many have found satisfaction in the conviction that in serving Uncle Sam, they were serving God. Despite the official disestablishment of religion, these partnerships illustrate how the state can serve as a historical actor, substantially aiding, or substantially undermining, a wide variety of missionary ventures.

74th Red Mass Is Held In D.C. Cathedral To Mark Beginning Of New Supreme Court Term Forbes Breaking News

Forbes Breaking News 

Oct 4, 2026 

DC's Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle held their annual Red Mass on Sunday, marking the beginning of a new Supreme Court term.

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Washington Archbishop Cardinal Wilton Gregory was the principal celebrant at the Mass, while Deacon Darryl Kelley offered the homily. The assembly sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” prior to the opening of the Mass.

Attendees at the liturgy included Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. as well as associate Justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Elizabeth Barchas Prelogar, the U.S. solicitor general, was also in attendance.

Red Masses are offered for those who work in all legal professions. The practice dates back to the 13th century.

Source

Vatican’s UN diplomat: Hate speech violates command to love one’s neighbor

by Gina Christian - OSV News

September 18, 2026

Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia el-Kassis, the Holy See's new permanent observer to the United Nations in New York, poses in an undated photo with U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres. At a conference sponsored by the U.N.'s Alliance of Civilizations Sept. 17, the archbishop said in an address, "Hate speech of any kind "contradicts the commandment to love one's neighbor, poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution. Credit: OSV News photo/Eskinder Debebe, courtesy United Nations


(OSV News) — Hate speech “contradicts the commandment to love one’s neighbor,” said the Vatican’s top diplomat to the United Nations.

Archbishop Christophe Z. el-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and the Holy See’s permanent observer to the U.N., shared his thoughts in a statement during the Sept. 17 “Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech.”

The conference, which took place at the U.N.’s New York headquarters, was sponsored by the U.N.’s Alliance of Civilizations, created in 2005 to address social and cultural polarization.

In his address — which came one day after three Vatican dicasteries released a new note on the importance of interreligious and ecumenical dialogue — Archbishop el-Kassis said hate speech “poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution.”

Such damage is inflicted regardless of whether hate speech is “directed against individuals or communities on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or any other characteristic,” he said.

While “freedom of expression is a fundamental right that must be protected,” said the archbishop, “this freedom carries corresponding responsibilities.”

“Speech that deliberately incites hatred or violence cannot claim the protection of liberty,” he said, since “it erodes the very conditions in which genuine freedom can flourish.”

Cardinal Timothy Dolan at the WABC Freedom 250 Gala

 

Zohran Mamdani speaks at a 9/11 memorial service

Audio volume is extremely low.

 

 Zohran Mamdani speaks at a 9/11 memorial service

Fox Business Streamed live New York City

 

Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers remarks at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church; National Shrine’s Interfaith 9/11 Memorial Service. (Credit: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church).

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St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
130 Liberty Street,
Manhattan, New York City, New York

US evangelical body welcomes government announcement of $2 billion for faith-based global health work

By CDI Staff Aug 11, 2026 06:09 EDT 

A newly acquired Boeing 757 sits outside the Samaritan's Purse Airlift Response Center at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. Courtesy of Samaritan's Purse

The National Association of Evangelicals has praised a U.S. government announcement directing nearly $2 billion in health and humanitarian funding through faith-based organizations, calling it an encouraging sign that global compassion work will remain a national priority.

The State Department announced on Aug. 6 that the investment represents the largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in more than 20 years. Awards will support services in more than 20 countries and are expected to reach 7 million people across 16 humanitarian crises.

"Faith-based hospitals, clinics, community health workers and humanitarian organizations combine trusted local relationships with compassionate service," NAE President Walter Kim said in a statement issued Aug. 10.

Galen Carey, the NAE's vice president of government relations, said the announcement signals that such partnerships will endure. "The administration's announcement is a big boost to those efforts and an encouraging sign that lifesaving global health partnership will remain a national priority for years to come," he said.

The funding is divided into two streams. Approximately $1.4 billion is designated for health services — including an $850 million, five-year Faith and Community Initiative Award to World Vision and its consortium partners, along with $570 million channeled through agreements with country governments. That portion is projected to strengthen more than 2,500 faith-based hospitals and clinics across 17 countries and fund the training of more than 30,000 community health workers. Programs supported include vaccinations, HIV/AIDS treatment, Ebola response and nutrition initiatives.

The remaining $538 million will go toward humanitarian assistance through Samaritan's Purse and a World Vision–Compassion International consortium. More than $100 million is immediately available for natural disaster response across 23 disaster-prone countries, the State Department said.

One notable feature of the awards is a requirement that at least 80 percent of resources go directly toward frontline health services. That compares with the 35 to 40 percent the State Department has historically allocated in comparable programs — a shift the NAE indicated reflects the efficiency and community embeddedness that faith-based organizations bring to global health delivery.

The announcement comes after a turbulent period for U.S. international assistance. Following significant changes to foreign aid programs in 2025, the NAE issued a statement titled "Compassion for a World in Need," urging evangelical Christians to support global compassion ministries and calling on Congress to preserve poverty-focused aid delivered through faith-based partners. The Aug. 6 State Department announcement was received by the organization as a positive response to those concerns.

The NAE has long maintained that faith-based organizations occupy a distinct position in global health and humanitarian work — not only as service providers, but as institutions embedded in local communities with relationships that government agencies cannot replicate. Kim and Carey both framed the funding as a recognition of that role, and as an investment in long-term, trust-based partnerships rather than short-term contracting.

Source

THE SABBATH OF CREATION SHALL BE DISREGARDED AND SUNDAY HONORED BY INTERNATIONAL LAW/THE SUNDAY LAW

Myth or Mainstay Separation of Church and State with Nathan Tyler

Democratic pastors run to reclaim Jesus from Trump's Republicans

Democratic pastors run to reclaim Jesus from Trump's Republicans

Malcolm FOSTER
Sat, July 11, 2026 at 9:30 PM EDT

James Talarico, running for the Senate in Texas, is one of a crop of Democrats with deeply religious backgrounds who are challenging Republican dominance among Christians (RONALDO SCHEMIDT)


A band of white Democratic pastors have a striking message ahead of November's US midterm elections: Republicans have hijacked Jesus for political gain, and we're not going to stand for it.

For decades, it's been a truism that Republicans have cornered the Christian market -- at least when it comes to white voters.

But these ministers are so fed up with President Donald Trump, and particularly his policies against immigrants, that they're running as Democrats in November to rein him in.

"The Christians we're hearing in Washington don't reflect the Jesus of the Gospels," one of the insurgents, Adam Hamilton, told AFP.

As the head of a 24,000-member Methodist megachurch in a deeply conservative, rural area of Kansas, Hamilton would typically fit the profile of a right-wing Republican Christian.

However, along with support for fiscal responsibility and a strong military, the 62-year-old Hamilton backs legal access to abortion and protecting LGBTQ rights in his campaign for the US Senate.

Citing the "crassness and mean-spiritedness" of Trump's presidency, he said what's happening in Washington is "inconsistent with the values that I've preached for 36 years."

Rubio speaks with Vatican secretary of state about escalation of Russia-Ukraine war, peacemaking efforts

The conversation comes days after Russia launched one of its largest combined missile and drone attacks since the start of the war.

The Vatican's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin attends a plenary session at the Summit on peace in Ukraine, at the luxury Burgenstock resort, near Lucerne, on June 16, 2024. The two-day gathering brings together Ukrainian President and more than 50 other heads of state and government, to try to work out a way towards a peace process for Ukraine -- albeit without Russia. (Photo by ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ALESSANDRO DELLA VALLE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

McKenna Snow

July 9, 2026 

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a conversation July 9 with the Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin regarding the war between Ukraine and Russia and efforts to achieve peace.

“The two leaders discussed efforts to achieve a negotiated end to the Russia-Ukraine war,” U.S. Secretary of State spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a July 9 statement.

No additional details were provided.

The war in Ukraine saw a dramatic surge of violence earlier this month when Russia launched a missile and drone attack overnight, killing at least 21 people and injuring more than 80 in Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials, as Zeale News reported. This attack marked one of Russia’s largest combined missile and drone attacks since the war began, according to the report. More than 52,000 people sheltered overnight in Kyiv’s metro system the night of July 1 following a warning from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to seek shelter ahead of impending Russian strikes.

Reuters reported July 9 that Russian military experts have also been discussing escalation of the conflict, including potentially striking European targets “such as NATO bases in Baltic countries.”

“Such a step would risk drawing Russia into direct confrontation with the U.S.-led alliance, testing the NATO commitment that an attack on one member nation constitutes an attack on all,” Reuters added.

However, Ukraine has recently carried out strikes on oil refineries, storage depots and ports in Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine, causing Russian civilians to bear stark fuel shortages, according to Reuters. A source that regularly meets with President Vladimir Putin told Reuters that “Ukraine's recent successes, however, have made Putin more angry and more determined to give a tough response,” the outlet reported.

Two sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters on the condition of anonymity that Putin was more likely to escalate the war in the upcoming months rather than negotiate peace. President Donald Trump has had separate phone calls with Putin and Zelenskyy within the past week. Trump also met with Zelenskyy in person July 8 in Turkey during the NATO summit.

Rubio met Cardinal Parolin at the Vatican in May 2025 and communicated with him earlier this year about international situations. In January, the two had a conversation about promoting peace and religious freedom around the globe and efforts to improve humanitarian situations particularly in Venezuela. Pigott said at the time that during that conversation, the two leaders also “reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation between the United States and the Holy See in addressing shared priorities around the world.”

Source

Fit for a pontiff: How the US Embassy to the Holy See prepared to host Pope Leo for a special July 4 celebration

The evening marked a historic visit to the U.S. ambassador’s residence as the country celebrates its 250th anniversary.

McKenna Snow

July 7, 2026

When Pope Leo XIV accepted an invitation from the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See to celebrate the Fourth of July with a special dinner, a significant amount of effort went into making the occasion impeccable and memorable.

The U.S. Embassy to the Holy See posted a video to social media this week offering a behind-the-scenes look at the preparations that took place ahead of the July 4 occasion, saying dedicated teamwork was required.

“Hosting a July 4th dinner for the Holy Father doesn't happen by accident,” the embassy stated. “Behind every perfectly set table, every carefully prepared dish, and every seamless moment of the evening stood a dedicated team at Villa Richardson who spent weeks planning, preparing, and perfecting every detail. A huge thanks to our wonderful team!”

U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch and his family welcomed Pope Leo the afternoon of July 4 at the ambassador’s residence in Rome, as Zeale News reported that day with exclusive comments from Burch.

>> Exclusive | Pope Leo XIV marks Fourth of July with historic visit to US ambassador’s residence in Rome <<

FREEDOM 250: The Prophetic Fate of the American Republic

La Sierra University Selects Lesbian to Give Commencement Address

June 25, 2026 NewsHound



This is a generated image, not from the actual graduation


RIVERSIDE, Calif. – On Sunday, June 14 almost 400 La Sierra University graduates celebrated their graduation to a commencement speech by California State Sen. Sabrina Cervantes.

A Democrat, Sabrina Cervantes currently represents the 58th Assembly District, which comprises portions of the Inland Empire. Sabrina was first elected to the State Legislature in 2016, and from 2022-2024, served as Chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. She is also the first openly LGBTQ+ hispanic person to represent Western Riverside County in the Legislature. “Sabrina and her ‘wife’, Courtney, are the proud parents of triplets.”



Other speakers were Sam Leonor (of One Project infamy) and Criston Arthur, the previous provost of Andrews University.

Arthur spoke for the Lavender (LGBTQ+) Graduation on June 5. To the LGBTQ+ Lavenders Arthur said “You are La Sierra,” affirming that the university community is “big enough for all,” and expressing his support for them.

Leonor spoke at the baccalaureate.

The lesbian State Senator Sabrina Cervantes gave the commencement address.

Observations

I wonder what Harold Marshall Sylvester (HMS) Richards (who has a building named after him on LaSierra campus) would say about this lavender graduation? I wonder what he would say about them having a lesbian with a ‘wife’ give the commencement address?

What do you say about it?

Source

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What is the image of the beast and what is the act of worshiping it?

Mathew 28: 19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.....

"But what is the “image to the beast”? and how is it to be formed? The image is made by the two-horned beast, and is an image to the beast. It is also called an image of the beast. Then to learn what the image is like and how it is to be formed we must study the characteristics of the beast itself—the papacy." GC 377

"When the early church became corrupted by departing from the simplicity of the gospel and accepting heathen rites and customs, she lost the Spirit and power of God; and in order to control the consciences of the people, she sought the support of the secular power. The result was the papacy, a church that controlled the power of the state and employed it to further her own ends, especially for the punishment of “heresy.” In order for the United States to form an image of the beast, the religious power must so control the civil government that the authority of the state will also be employed by the church to accomplish her own ends." GC [443]

"When the leading churches of the United States, uniting upon such points of doctrine as are held by them in common, shall influence the state to enforce their decrees and to sustain their institutions, then Protestant America will have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy, and the infliction of civil penalties upon dissenters will inevitably result." GC 379


SUMMARY OF THE KEY CONCEPTS BASED ON THE GREAT CONTROVERSY REFERENCE ABOVE:

1. What is the "Image to the Beast"?

· The "image to the beast" is a replica of the papal system that arose when the church of Rome used secular power to enforce its doctrines. This union of church and state led to the persecution of those labelled as heretics.

· In Protestant America, the "image" refers to a similar union where Protestant churches will influence the state to enforce religious decrees and sustain their institutions, similar to what the papacy did.

Street Church Speaking in Tongues outside of Delaney Hall ICE detention facility 6.7.26

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Louise Scott-Rountree Councilmember At-Large, City of Newark   

Newark's Councilwoman At Large, Reverend Louise Scott-Rountree Speaks

Walsh School of Foreign Service Undergraduate Commencement 2026 Georgetown University

Adventists on Secretary Marco Rubio meeting with Pope Leo during Vatican Visit (An AI Response)

Adventists on Marco Rubio / Pope Leo Vatican meeting


On May 7, 2026, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican in a high-profile visit aimed at stabilizing diplomatic relations following public friction between the Trump administration and the Holy See. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

While official Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) organizations have not released a formal collective statement on this specific May 2026 meeting, the event aligns with long-standing Adventist prophetic interpretations regarding the "union of church and state."

Key Details of the Rubio-Vatican Meeting

• Purpose: The meeting was framed as an effort to "cool the rhetoric" and return to traditional diplomatic channels after President Trump publicly criticized the Pope, particularly regarding the war with Iran.
• Discussion Topics: Rubio and Pope Leo discussed Middle East peace efforts, humanitarian aid in the Western Hemisphere (specifically Cuba), religious freedom, and the impact of AI.
• Diplomatic Gestures: Rubio presented the Pope with a crystal football paperweight bearing the State Department seal, while the Pope gifted Rubio an olive-wood pen symbolizing peace. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Typical Adventist Perspectives on Such Meetings

Adventists often view high-level political meetings with the Vatican through the lens of eschatology (end-time beliefs). Common themes in Adventist discourse regarding these interactions include:

• Church and State: Adventists strongly emphasize the separation of church and state. Diplomatic "fence-mending" between the U.S. government and the Papacy is frequently interpreted as a precursor to the "healing of the deadly wound" mentioned in Revelation 13, leading toward a global religious-political alliance.
• The "Sunday Law" Concern: A central Adventist belief involves a future "National Sunday Law" in the United States. Events that show the U.S. executive branch seeking counsel or reconciliation with the Vatican are often monitored by Adventist commentators (such as those at Liberty Magazine or Adventist Review) as potential steps toward this prophetic scenario.
• Role of Religious Freedom: While Rubio highlighted "shared concerns" over religious freedom during his visit, Adventist religious liberty advocates often remain cautious. They watch to see if such cooperation favors traditionalist religious agendas over the individual rights of minority faiths. [1, 2, 3]

AI can make mistakes, so double-check responses

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P.S. 

Marco Rubio spends two hours at the Vatican 

https://youtube.com/shorts/tXoqNwXa75M?si=Vi_VT9nazU8KiLH4

Pope Leo XIV to meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 7

Pope Leo XIV and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (@Vatican Media)


Pope Leo XIV will meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 7 at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. They had already met a year ago following the Mass marking the official beginning of the Pope’s pontificate.



Vatican News

At 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 7, Pope Leo XIV will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.

The Holy See Press Office confirmed the meeting after media reports had been published on Sunday. Rubio is expected to arrive at 11:15 a.m.

The U.S. Secretary of State had already met the Pope, who is originally from Chicago, on May 18, 2025, following the Mass for the beginning of his Petrine ministry. U.S. Vice President JD Vance also greeted the Pope during the same event.

On the day following that Mass, on May 19, 2025, a bilateral meeting took place between Pope Leo XIV and both Vance and Rubio.
Meeting with Polish PM

On Thursday 7, the same morning of his meeting with the U.S. delegation, the Pope will also meet the Prime Minister of Poland, Donald Tusk.

According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the audience will take place at 9:00 a.m.

Source

‘A great experience’: Illinois mayors meet with Pope Leo in Rome

Alonzo Small and Lourdes Duarte
4 weeks ago

CHICAGO (WGN) — A group of (30) Illinois mayors recently ventured overseas to the Vatican to meet Pope Leo.

Matteson Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin, also the president of the Illinois Municipal League, led a delegation of Illinois mayors to Rome for an exclusive meeting with the first American pope. The group departed on March 28 and returned on April 2.

‘God bless the White Sox’ earns a thumbs up from Pope Leo in Rome, video shows

Speaking with WGN’s Lourdes Daurte on Friday’s Evening News at 5 p.m., Chalmers-Currin called the encounter with Pope Leo a great experience.

Photo courtesy of Sean Howard