San Damiano Secular Franciscan Fraternity - Chicago, Illinois

03/19/2026

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa said the use of God's name to justify war is a grave sin, stressing that God is present with those who suffer and die in conflict, not with those who exploit religion for political ends.

03/18/2026

Strong call for universal healthcare from Pope Leo today

03/18/2026

Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York celebrated his first St. Patrick’s Day Mass at the cathedral named after the beloved Irish saint, St. Patrick’s Cathedral—often known as “America’s Parish.”

“When many Irish immigrants first arrived in this country, they were not always welcomed warmly. They often faced suspicion, discrimination, and hardship,” he said in his homily.

Catholic Extension Society is proud to work in solidarity with immigrant communities today who work hard to build their churches and are proud of their Catholic faith and heritage.

Read Archbishop Hicks' full homily here: https://thegoodnewsroom.org/full-text-archbishop-ronald-hicks-saint-patricks-day-homily-march-17-2026/

03/18/2026

Some years ago, I was in Guatemala for the summer serving as a chaplain at a hospital, one which cared for those who could not afford treatment at the government-sponsored clinics. One day, I met a husband and wife from the poorest and most remote region of the country; they were there with their ba...

03/18/2026

The morning after Kristallnacht, Berlin streets were littered with broken glass and burned synagogues. Shops destroyed. Homes ransacked. People beaten. Ninety-one Jews murdered. Thirty thousand sent to concentration camps. Fear hung over the city like a thick fog.

Inside St. Hedwig’s Cathedral, Monsignor Bernhard Lichtenberg, 63, stood at the altar. He knew informers sat in the pews. The Gestapo had eyes everywhere. One word could mean arrest, imprisonment, or death.

He spoke anyway.
“We pray for the suffering Jews and non-Aryan Christians.”

The room froze. Some shifted uncomfortably. Some whispered warnings. But Lichtenberg’s voice stayed steady. That day, he made a choice: silence was impossible.

And so it continued. Night after night, every night, for nearly three years. He named the victims. He prayed openly, refusing to let fear dictate his actions. While most clergy kept silent, aligning themselves with the regime, Lichtenberg refused.

When the N***s began the “T4” euthanasia program, murdering disabled children and adults deemed “unworthy of life,” he protested in letters, demanding they stop. When Jews were sent east to ghettos and camps, he prayed for them by name. Friends begged him to stop, warning him of danger. He ignored them.

Eventually, the Gestapo acted. On October 23, 1941, Lichtenberg was arrested for “misusing the pulpit” and making statements dangerous to the state. He was sent to Tegel Prison.

Prison was brutal. The food barely sustained him. The cells were freezing. Disease spread unchecked. His body, already weakened by age, began to fail. Two years passed.

When his sentence ended in October 1943, officials ordered him to Dachau. Everyone knew what that meant: death awaited most who arrived. But Lichtenberg’s response stunned them.
“No,” he said. “Send me to the Łódź Ghetto instead. I want to minister to those imprisoned there.”

His request was denied. On November 3, 1943, he was placed on a transport train. Weakened and broken, he never reached Dachau. On November 5, in the town of Hof, his body gave out. He died, still wishing he could share the fate of those he had defended.

Bernhard Lichtenberg was not a superhero. He was a priest who could have stayed silent, kept his life, and retired peacefully. But he didn’t. He chose courage over comfort, truth over safety.

He prayed every night. He spoke the words that others were too afraid to say. He showed that even in the darkest times, one voice can still matter — if it dares to speak.

After the war, the world recognized him. Yad Vashem honored him as Righteous Among the Nations. Pope John Paul II beatified him as a martyr. His remains rest beneath St. Hedwig’s Cathedral — the same place where, night after night, he prayed for those the world tried to erase.

03/18/2026

On March 18, Franciscans commemorate Saint Salvador (Salvator) of Horta (1520–1567), a Catalan friar known in his lifetime for his humility, intense prayer life, and healing powers.

To learn more about this Franciscan cook, beggar, and healer, see our blog post: https://www.franciscantradition.org/blog/saint-salvador-of-horta-franciscan-healer/

Image: "Saint Salvador of Horta and Inquisitor of Aragon" by Bartolome Esteban Murillo (1618-1682)

03/14/2026

03/13/2026

Stations of the Cross will be prayed at 4:00 pm today at St. Peter's in the Loop.

Join the Franciscan Friars and fellow believers to follow the way of the cross in our Savior's footsteps. Come and meditate on the sufferings of our Lord and what Christ endured for our salvation.

All are welcome.

03/13/2026

More than 500 students, environmental activists, faith leaders and outside guests attended “Earth’s Cry, Humanity’s Call,” Siena University’s 2nd annual symposium on integral ecology, held Feb. 5 on its campus in Loudonville, New York.