Catholic Standard

The following is the full text of Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus address given Aug. 16, 2026, in Castel Gandolfo. Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Yesterday we contemplated the Virgin Mary in her unbreakable bond with her Son. Not even death could sever that union of persons in soul and body, which is eternal life. Every Sunday reminds us that the same fulfillment is reserved for those who follow Jesus. His resurrection is not a past event, but new life that draws us in.

Warning against increased violence in the West Bank, Pope Leo XIV urged world leaders to decisively pursue an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. "I renew my appeal for an end to the ongoing violence against the Palestinian civilian population in the West Bank, and I urgently call on the international community to work toward advancing the two-state solution, for a just and lasting peace," the pope said Aug.

For the many living through war, displacement and devastating natural disasters, Mary remains a source of hope and maternal consolation, Pope Leo XIV said. After praying the Angelus prayer on the Feast of the Assumption, Aug.

"Every human life, given by God, is sacred," Florida’s Catholic bishops told Gov. Ron DeSantis Aug. 13 in urging him to stay the execution of William Silvia and commute his death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Silvia, now 61, was convicted June 6, 2008, of first-degree murder for killing his estranged wife, Patricia Silvia, in 2006. He was sentenced to death on Jan. 28, 2009. His execution by lethal injection is scheduled for Aug. 18.

HILLBILLY THOMISTS BLUEGRASS/FOLK BAND Member of The Hillbilly Thomists, a bluegrass/folk band of Dominican friars, pictured in an undated publicity photo is touring the U.S. to promote their new album "Strange Land." The band performs a mixture of bluegrass, folk, gospel and original songs composed by the friars.

Bishop Evelio Menjívar of Wheeling-Charleston, W.Va., seventh from left, and Bishop Michael W. Fisher of Buffalo, N.Y., episcopal liaison to Catholic Scouting America, are surrounded by clergy and Scouts following Mass at the Scouting America National Jamboree at Summit Bechtel Reserve in Mount Hope, W.Va., July 26, 2026. Behind them are more than 2,000 Catholic Scouts who attended the Mass.

On Labor Day, we remember the people whose hands, minds and daily sacrifices built this nation: the construction worker rising before dawn, the nurse working through the night, the teacher preparing lessons after school, the farmworker harvesting food under a relentless sun, and the parent holding two jobs while still struggling to pay the rent.

Mass readings for Aug. 16: Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 Matthew 15:21-28 This Sunday, one thing becomes clear: God really doesn’t check passports or papers. That is one of the messages of this Sunday’s scripture, and it couldn’t be more timely or provocative. In our polarized world – a world divided by nationalities and religions, raging at each other with drones and missile strikes, seeking to expel foreigners and build walls – these readings offer another way.

After he began serving as the archbishop of Washington in 2025, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy held consultations with parish lay leaders throughout the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington.

Volunteer Monica McGovern at right joins campers, counselors and other volunteers during morning prayer at the Rockville Catholic Summer Program on Aug. 5, 2026 at the parish center of St. Patrick Catholic Church in Rockville, Maryland. The summer camp marked its 10th anniversary this year.