Chi Rho Letters - 3rd Sunday of Easter

Apr 18, 2026 10:31 pm

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April 18, 2026 - Volume II, Issue 8


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The future belongs to men and women of peace. In the end, justice will always triumph over injustice, just as violence, despite all appearances, will never have the last word.

-Pope Leo XIV



Editor’s Note

Happy 3rd Sunday of Easter! Today, we hear of the story of Jesus joining Cleopas and a companion on the road to Emmaus, and these are the Chi Rho Letters.


Before we dive into this week's reflection, I wanted to mention that I made a quick update to the "Liturgical Week Ahead" section to provide you links to Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, the two hinge hours, if you would like to join in the Church's official prayer. Each walks through Psalms and canticles from the Old and New Testaments. Morning Prayer is generally prayed around 6-8am and Evening Prayer is generally 6-8pm. The links provided also have audio versions if you would like to follow along. I plan to have these going forward in each new issue.


Now, onto this week's reflection:


A few months ago I came across this writing which sounded oddly familiar:


Reflection on Substack



Now, onto the Headlines -


The biggest story this week was the continued friction between President Trump and Pope Leo. Trump drew a lot of backlash after going after the pope online and posting imagery that many Catholics found deeply offensive. Catholic leaders pushed back quickly, including the Knights of Columbus, while Pope Leo himself refused to turn it into a spectacle, saying that debating Trump was “not in my interest at all.” The contrast was hard to miss. One approach chases outrage, clicks, and a fast-moving news cycle. The other stays fixed on the Church’s steadier call for peace, even when that witness seems less dramatic.


In the world of Church Governance, Pope Leo is starting to give us a clearer sense of where he wants to lead the Church. His call for a June consistory of cardinals is one of the biggest signs yet that he intends to move with purpose, especially on evangelization and the life of the Church. Here at home, the Archdiocese of Dubuque announced a major parish reorganization that will halt weekend Masses at dozens of parishes, which is a sobering reminder of the priest shortage and the difficult decisions many dioceses are facing. Previewed in last week’s Chi Rho Letter, we should also keep our Chaldean Catholic brothers and sisters in prayer as their new patriarch, Archbishop Amel Nona, begins his leadership of the Church. And, as always, let us not forget Catholics in China, where reports continue of pressure being placed on underground believers to join the state-controlled church.


Papal Watch this week centered on Pope Leo’s first trip to Africa. Leo began his tour in Algeria, the same country and region where St. Augustine lived and preached. While en route, Leo spoke to reporters about some of his favorite spiritual reading recommendations, one of which was St. Augustine’s Letter to Proba. Augustine wrote the letter in response to a wealthy Roman widow who was confused by St. Paul’s words in Romans 8:26, that “we do not know how to pray as we ought.” In his reply, Augustine reframes prayer not simply as speech directed toward God, but as desire. True prayer, he writes, consists less in words than in the persistent longing of the heart. I’ve included this letter in this week’s Contemplative Corner.


The trip is shaping up to be one of the defining moments of Leo’s young pontificate, and the themes have been very consistent: peace, solidarity with suffering Christians, the dignity of the human person, and resistance to the abuse of power. Whether he was addressing political leaders, meeting students, visiting hospitals, or praying at sites marked by martyrdom, Leo’s call for peace and for a deeper relationship with God remained constant. We also got a few more personal stories this week that continue filling in the picture of who he is, from memories shared by his family to stories showing how quickly papal fame can spill over onto those closest to him.


On the pro-life front, several stories also reminded us that the Church’s witness in the public square is not slowing down, from conscience protections and legal fights over abortion referrals to the bishops speaking up for pregnant women and nursing mothers in immigration detention. Even the story on Catholic AI carried some of that same energy. Catholics are not checking out of the modern world. We are still trying, however imperfectly, to bring Christ into it.


Finally, there were some genuinely encouraging signs of life in the Church this week. Stories about teens entering the Church, young men reporting a renewed seriousness about religion, Eucharistic adoration in Rome, and the witness of martyrs and religious communities all point to something many Catholics seem to be sensing right now: being Catholic is cool again.



Sunday Readings

Third Sunday of Easter - Link

Reading 1: Acts 2:14, 22-33

Psalm: Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Reading 2: 1 Peter 1:17-21

Gospel: Luke 24:13-35


Collect:

May your people exult for ever, O God,

in renewed youthfulness of spirit,

so that, rejoicing now in the restored glory of our adoption,

we may look forward in confident hope

to the rejoicing of the day of resurrection.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.


Headlines

War in Iran



Church Governance



Technology



Papal Watch



Feel Good Stories



Pro-Life News



Contemplative Corner

St. Augustine's Letter to Proba

St. Augustine’s Letter 130 is a striking guide to prayer for restless hearts. Writing to the widowed noblewoman Proba, he reminds readers that true happiness is not found in comfort, status, or abundance, but in God alone. Augustine shows that real prayer is less about many words and more about a steady, holy desire for eternal life. If you have ever wondered what to ask for in prayer, this letter offers a clear and searching answer: seek the one thing that truly lasts.


Read: Letter to Proba



Collection Plate

Catholic Relief Services - Focus on Middle East Conflict - Link

As conflict and displacement continue to affect communities across the region, Catholic Relief Services is working with trusted local partners to provide lifesaving assistance and support families forced from their homes. With your gift, families across the Middle East will continue to receive vital relief and care as they seek refuge and relief. Please give now to support families across the Middle East.



The Liturgical Week Ahead

Coloring indicates Liturgical Color, links provided to USCCB site.


April 20, 2026 | Monday | Monday of the Third Week of Easter

Acts 6:8-15 | John 6:22-29

Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer


April 21, 2026 | Tuesday | Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter

Acts 7:51—8:1a | John 6:30-35

Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer


April 22, 2026 | Wednesday | Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter

Acts 8:1b-8 | John 6:35-40

Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer


April 23, 2026 | Thursday | Thursday of the Third Week of Easter

Acts 8:26-40 | John 6:44-51

Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer


April 24, 2026 | Friday | Friday of the Third Week of Easter

Acts 9:1-20 | John 6:52-59

Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer


April 25, 2026 | Saturday | Feast of Saint Mark, evangelist

1 Peter 5:5b-14 | Mark 16:15-20

Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer


Community Prayer Intentions

For Strength and Comfort

  • Families of Servicemembers
  • Those affected by the Iranian and Ukrainian wars
  • Families experiencing losses
  • Marge and Ed Polinski
  • Myers Family
  • Demers Family
  • Pope Leo XIV


Eternal Rest

  • Noel Demers
  • Bernice Myers
  • Emma Niese
  • Jack Flewelling
  • Those killed in the wars in Iran and Ukraine
  • Pope Benedict XVI
  • Pope Francis


Saints in Progress, pray for us!



Thank you!

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Please know of my prayers for you, and please continue to pray for me and my family. I’ll see you next time, but in the meantime, God Bless!


–☧ Rob

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