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Hello, I'm Gina Christian, and you're listening to our OSV newscast for Friday, May 22nd, 2026.
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Let's catch you up on the Catholic news of the day.
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Here we go.
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Pope Leo XIV has cleared the way for the beatification of a Maronite patriarch who played a pivotal role in the creation of modern Lebanon.
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During a meeting today, the Pope recognized a miracle attributed to Patriarch Elias Hoyek.
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He was born under Ottoman rule, and from 1899 to 1931, he led the Maronite Catholic Church, which is one of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches that, together with the Roman Catholic Church, make up the universal Catholic Church.
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During World War I, Hoyek tapped church funds and global connections to shield his people from a devastating state-orchestrated famine.
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After the war, his advocacy at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference helped secure an independent Lebanese state.
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Along with Hoyek, Pope Leo also advanced several other sainthood causes.
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He recognized the martyrdom of Father Francisco Gonzalez de Cordova and 79 companions who were killed for their faith during the Spanish Civil War.
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In addition, the Pope recognized the heroic virtues of four other individuals: a Salesian missionary in India, an Italian Capuchin friar, a Spanish abbess, and a Cameroonian Carmelite brother.
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Somalia is nearing catastrophe again as aid agencies warn that millions are facing severe hunger, displacement, and collapsing access to basic services.
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A coalition of humanitarian groups says nearly 6.5 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity, while 1.8 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, including hundreds of thousands in urgent need of treatment.
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Bishop Jamal Bulo Slaim and Daibes of Djibouti told OSV News the crisis is being driven by drought, conflict, climate shocks, and economic strain, while international funding is falling far short of what's needed.
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Caritas Somalia reports that only a fraction of donor support has arrived, leaving women, children, and the elderly especially vulnerable.
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The situation has worsened as fuel and food prices surge following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
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Somalia's prolonged instability further complicates relief efforts.
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It continues to face an insurgency by Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group in East Africa.
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Despite insecurity and the small Christian presence in an overwhelmingly Muslim Somalia, the Catholic Church continues humanitarian outreach
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through Caritas and local partnerships, while calling for sustained international solidarity and long-term investment in peace and recovery.
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Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius received an honorary doctorate on May 18th from the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow.
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The doctorate was given for an integrative approach combining theological reflection, spirituality, and pastoral responsibility.
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In an OSV News interview ahead of the ceremony, the Cardinal pointed to signs of spiritual renewal in secular Sweden, where Catholics make up just 1.5% of the population.
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He said more adults are seeking baptism, and young people are increasingly drawn to the church.
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The cardinal also highlighted efforts to integrate immigrant Catholics into parish life, and he noted his diocese has acquired more than 20 former Protestant churches.
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The Cardinal reflected on artificial intelligence ahead of Pope Leo XIV's upcoming encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, and the Cardinal warned that technological advances must be guided by moral responsibility, human dignity, and the common good.
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He pointed to St.
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John Paul's emphasis on spiritual anthropology, calling it somewhat prophetic, as the issue of what a human being is is now being discussed with respect to artificial intelligence.
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He added that St.
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John Paul asked us to really give more importance to Christian anthropology, the dignity of man, and today it's even more acute.
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And as Pope Leo releases that encyclical on artificial intelligence, an AI ethics scholar told OSV News that a key challenge lies in emergent misalignment, which renders AI models as human adversaries.
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I spoke with Brian Patrick Green, Director of Technology Ethics at the Marcula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.
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And he said these sorts of misaligned behaviors, where the thing is obviously not behaving the way it's supposed to, are pretty dangerous.
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While AI alignment signifies the technology squares with human values, emergent misalignment demonstrates a capacity to act at odds with those principles, leading to potentially dangerous consequences.
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Green said the challenges of AI implementation represent a mix of both human and machine concerns.
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He commended Anthropic, which is the AI research and safety firm teaming up with the Vatican on the rollout of the new encyclical, for its ongoing efforts to seek advice from Vatican experts and other religious leaders.
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Green called that a testament to the humility of the company and its staff.
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And he said, they're willing to say we don't have the answers.
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It's time to turn to other people and figure out what else we can do to really try to make sure we're producing an AI that's going to be the best AI can be.
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And finally, ahead of his priestly ordination tomorrow for the Diocese of Fresno, California, Deacon Scott Vincent Borba, who was the co-founder of Beauty Giant ELF Cosmetics, sat down with OSV News to share his thoughts on how he hopes to serve in his ministry.
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The deacon left stardom for the seminary, and following a media fast during his seminary formation, Deacon Borba said he's ready straight out of the gate to proclaim God's love and mercy to all.
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In particular, he said he has a restlessness of love for the poor, which drives him, as he recalled his seminary experiences of ministering to those experiencing homelessness and poverty.
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Once a savvy businessman and a connoisseur of luxury cars, Deacon Borba said he set his heart on a new goal.
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He told me, I'm just filled with this love, this compassion for people.
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I want to get out there and try to quench their thirst for Christ.
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Have them receive the love they need at that moment.
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God bless you, Deacon.
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We are praying for you as you enter into your priesthood.
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And that's your OSV Newscast for today.
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I'm Gina Christian.
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Check out the show notes for a link to our website where you can find the stories in this episode.
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Make sure, as always, to please subscribe to this podcast.
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Follow us on social media and bookmark osvnews.com.
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We'll be back on Monday, yes, Memorial Day, with a special edition of this podcast dedicated to Pope Leo's new encyclical on artificial intelligence, Magnifica Humanitas.
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And wherever in the world you are as you're tuning in, thanks so much for listening and God bless.