News

The theme of the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling." (Ephesians 4:4)

On June 5, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement joyfully welcomed benefactors to Graymoor for our annual Heritage and Benefactor Appreciation Day – a heartfelt celebration of faith, community and gratitude.

I often meet people who have made a pilgrimage to Lourdes, the famous Marian shrine in France.  They travel there hoping for a remedy for a serious illness.  None of these people received the hoped-for cure, but you would never know it.  Because while they were not cured physically, they were healed spiritually.  Healing is different from curing.  We can be perfectly healthy and still need healing: of emotions, of memories, of relationships, the brokenness inside of us. 

The Jubilee Year of Hope is off to a great start at Graymoor. We have many incredible opportunities for you to grow in grace.

Dr. Aaron Hollander, executive director of GEII, was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune for an article about Pope Leo XIV's childhood parish. In the article, Aaron mentions that there may be a desire to make the church more of a destination for visitors who are curious about Pope Leo's early life.

Fr. Jim Loughran, SA, and Dr. Teresa Rossi of Centro Pro Unione spoke about the importance of ecumenism ahead of the papal conclave. Listen to the full interview at the link below.

In his blog for the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, Fr. Elias D. Mallon, S.A., Ph.D., explains the relevance of Pope Leo XIII's 134-year-old encyclical Rerum Novarum as the basis for modern Catholic social teaching.

On May 13-14, GEII Executive Director Dr. Aaron Hollander joined the National Council of Churches Governing Board in Washington DC, for a packed ecumenical worship service at Lomax AME Zion Church and a Theological Symposium on the Current State of Ecumenism.

Earlier this month, Fr. James F. Puglisi, SA, was in Assisi to take part in the ecumenical gathering titled "The Feast of the Mystery of the Creation in Christ: An Ecumenical Dream for the Third Millennium."

As members of the Society of the Atonement, whose mission is one of healing, reconciliation, and unity, we welcome Pope Leo XIV with open hearts and renewed dedication to our calling.