Catholic churches across the United States are seeing increases in attendance, especially for Easter.This comes just a few short months after Pope Leo XIV was interpreted as making a push for more inclusivity within the religion.'[There is] a thirst and hunger for God and stability that faith brings to people's lives.'An Italian academic who follows the Vatican said earlier this year that the new pope is likely to continue his predecessor's "trajectories."Pope Francis famously said in 2013, "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?"To that end, Pope Leo's comments at the beginning of 2026 were determined by some to signal an increasing tolerance toward those who are typically considered at odds with the Catholic tradition."Only love is trustworthy; only love is credible," the pope said in January. "While unity attracts, division scatters."However, the truth was somewhere in the details. Massimo Faggioli, the academic from Trinity College Dublin, told Reuters that the pope was "working to convince the cardinals that they need to work collectively together to do what the Catholic people want them to do."As the year has progressed, followers have learned that while the pope told his biographer the church's beliefs about "gay and trans people" has not changed, he added, "but the Church invites everyone."RELATED: Massachusetts stands firm on denying Catholic couple foster parent license — even after state scraps woke policy Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images Truly progressive messaging was not clearly found in the pope's Lent messaging soon thereafter. He asked parishes to listen to "the word of God, as well as to the cry of the poor and of the earth."He said Catholics must strive to make their communities places where "the cry of those who suffer finds welcome, and listening opens paths towards liberation, making us ready and eager to contribute to building a civilization of love."No matter how one interprets the pope's call to religious arms in 2026, it has seemingly worked, with a recent survey of Catholic parishes showcasing a rather large uptick in attendance.The New York Times reported at length about the surge in followers, starting with the Archdiocese of Detroit, which will see 1,428 new Catholics for Easter, its highest in 21 years.Galveston-Houston will see a 15-year peak, while Des Moines has an increase of 51% this year, 265 to 400.Washington Cardinal Robert McElroy said his congregation is up by nearly 200 — already at its highest in 15 years — while Philadelphia's following has nearly doubled since 2017. Newark has gone from 1,000 Easter-goers in 2010 to 1,700 in 2026.RELATED: Hollywood gossip king returns to Christ: Perez Hilton’s shocking conversion Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio/Getty Images McElroy told the Times he thinks the Holy Spirit is behind the surge, while Archbishop Mitchell Thomas Rozanski of St. Louis says the increase could be due to a rise in uncertainty and anxiety.There is "a thirst and hunger for God and stability that faith brings to people's lives," he said. The archbishop then blamed technology and COVID-19 for magnifying isolation.The report also claimed that those between 18 and 35 years old were the noted age range that has seen the most growth among several dioceses.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

I just finished "BLT week." This was a week in which I ate one bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich every day. By doing so, I managed to consume one 16-ounce packet of bacon, most of two slicing tomatoes, and a ball of iceberg lettuce in eight days.This is the price you pay when you’re single and live by yourself. When the extra fancy bacon goes on sale at your local supermarket, you can’t resist buying it. And then you hurriedly pick up a tomato and lettuce.People have urged me to invest in a quality freezer. But I don’t want to live a freezer life. I watched my Boomer father give his best years to the freezer ethos.And then it’s a race to eat all that bacon before it goes bad, or gets relegated to the back of the refrigerator, where it will eventually go really bad.I know you can use bacon in a lot of different ways, but I’m not that creative. I stick with the BLTs. And maybe a couple of strips with breakfast.But of course, familiarity breeds contempt. And so after a week of constant bacon, I’ve had enough. Pork for dorksLast month, I did a "pork chop week." It was the same scenario as the bacon: I bought a packet of five pork chops on sale. But then I had to make sure to eat one a day, lest I forget about them and they end up in the back of my fridge, where I would rediscover them months later.This is a standard practice for me. Since I’m rarely cooking for someone else, and I can’t resist a deal, I end up buying family-sized portions of different food products — which I then feel obligated to eat continuously until they're gone.I suppose I could buy a “grab-and-go,” single-person meal from the deli section of my supermarket. These meals are designed for chronically stressed-out single people, who have given up on life. Typically, they consist of one sad pork chop, a pathetic glop of mashed potatoes, and three scrawny green beans, all encased in microwaveable plastic, for the outrageous price of $20.No thank you on that. Instead I buy the pork chop family pack. Five pork chops for $5.Those five pork chops are intended to be one meal for a family of five. But for me, it’s a week’s worth of pork chops. At the end of which, I’d rather not see another pork chop for a while.A friend in needI have a friend who is also single. She lives alone in another state. She gets caught in the same trap, buying too much food, much of which is perishable.But unlike me, she doesn’t force herself to eat it all. She throws the extra in the fridge and forgets about it. This is where I come in. I go visit her and spend a week eating all the leftovers in her fridge. The fish sticks she didn’t eat. The remainder of a takeout pad thai order. Half of a tuna casserole she forgot about. Or part of a stale Sarah Lee cheesecake. Recently, I found slices of cold pizza that had spent weeks in the back of her fridge. Fortunately, using my advanced single-guy microwave skills, I was able to bring these deceased pizza slices back to life and make a nice meal out of them. Singles going steadySome people refer to these food portion problems as a “singles tax.” It’s that extra bit you have to pay because you have not coupled up or don’t have a family. You especially get gouged by the singles tax when you travel. I travel a lot, and the amount I spend on hotels ... yikes! Or paying for gas on long driving trips when I’m the only person in the car. Such trips feel very wasteful.But this is becoming the norm: Solo travelers, solo diners, solo apartment dwellers — more than ever, people are living by themselves. According to Pew Research, “About 38% of adults aged 25 to 54 in the U.S. are unpartnered, which includes those living alone, a significant increase from 29% in 1990.”Alone again, naturallySo where did this trend away from couples and toward singletons begin? For myself, it began in my 20s. I knew that I wanted to be a writer, which is, of course, a precarious profession.In my case, that seemed to preclude a wife and kids. How would I support them over the inevitable lean years? I wouldn’t want to force my “starving artist” lifestyle on a family.But nowadays, you don’t have to justify being single by your choice of jobs. People just prefer it. Men and women no longer have a “yin and yang” relationship. They are no longer considered two different types of humans who complement each other and need each other’s different abilities.No, men and women are increasingly the same. They both have jobs. They both own homes. They both have cars and gym memberships and credit cards and food preferences. As they have become more isolated and less dependent on one another, men and women increasingly live alone, shop alone, dine alone. Everyone can take care of themselves. Nobody needs anybody. It sounds good in terms of personal freedom. But you can’t help wonder about the long-term societal effects. And really, how happy can you be when you’re forced to eat yet another BLT, after you just ate six of them?RELATED: All downhill from here: An aging hot dog hangs up his skis Pierre Lahalle/Getty ImagesCold, cold heartAnd yes, people have urged me to invest in a quality freezer. But I don’t want to live a freezer life. I watched my Boomer father give his best years to the freezer ethos: putting stuff in there and then digging it out, five years later, covered in ice and snow, and not remembering what it is or why he bought it.No, I want to live now. I want to eat now. I want to go to the supermarket and feel the thrill of finding a jumbo pack of gourmet chicken apple sausage at half price!If that means I’ll be eating chicken apple sausage every day for the rest of the calendar year, that is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Hope, always hopeIn the meantime, I remain hopeful that change is possible. That men and women will come together, embrace their differences, and learn to live with each other again. (And increase the birthrate?)Only then will we create the kind of families who can easily consume five pork chops in one sitting. In the meantime, if you need any chicken apple sausage, I’ve got extra.

Ukrainian government communications discussed a scheme to direct American taxpayer dollars to then-President Joe Biden’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee to boost Biden’s 2024 re-election bid against President Donald Trump, according to an intelligence report obtained by Just the News.The newly unclassified documents summarize raw intercepts from U.S. spy agencies in late 2022. Officials who reviewed the files stated that there was a lack of curiosity to investigate the allegations under the Biden administration, the news outlet reported.'In this manner, most of the US funding would be diverted to Joe Biden’s election campaign without the ability to track where exactly the funds came from.'The American tax dollars were intended to fund a clean energy project in Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia.“The Ukrainian Government and unspecified U.S. Government personnel, through USAID in Kyiv, reportedly developed a plan that would provide hundreds of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund an infrastructure project for Ukraine that would be used as a cover to send approximately 90% of funds allocated to the DNC to fund Joe Biden’s re-election campaign,” the report read, according to Just the News. “They were confident the project would be funded initially, even though at some time in the future the project would be disapproved as unnecessary. At this time, the money would already be allocated and impossible to return or use for a different purpose,” it added.The report named two American subcontractors that could potentially receive the funds, officials told Just the News. However, those names were redacted in the report obtained by the news outlet. RELATED: 'USADF is garbage': Senior US foreign aid official will plead guilty to taking kickbacks, lying to feds Donald Trump, Joe Biden. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images“The plan included details of how subcontractors would be funded through U.S. companies so that how the funds were spent and allocated would be difficult to track,” the report continued. “Additionally, contracts would be executed that would be difficult to verify. In this manner, most of the U.S. funding would be diverted to Joe Biden’s election campaign without the ability to track where exactly the funds came from.”Just the News reported that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently learned about the intelligence intercepts. She reportedly asked USAID officials to review their records to ascertain whether the alleged scheme was executed and whether a criminal referral should be made to the FBI.RELATED: Tulsi Gabbard warns: Powerful foreign allies eager to pull US into war with Russia Tulsi Gabbard. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesAn official told the news outlet that Gabbard’s team has not found substantive evidence indicating that the allegations were thoroughly investigated under Biden’s leadership. The official noted that the communications are not believed to be linked to Russian disinformation efforts.Trump shared the Just the News article in a post on social media. In a statement to Blaze News, a spokesperson for Gabbard confirmed the existence of related intelligence, adding that the director’s team is “working to review USAID holdings.”Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A brother and sister pair in Florida are both facing decades in federal prison after a bomb was discovered at an Air Force base days after they had fled the country.Alen Zheng, 20, and Ann Mary Zheng, 27, who lived together in Land O' Lakes, Florida, are both under federal indictment in connection with the bomb.Officials described the device as 'viable' and 'potentially very deadly.'On March 10, a person called 911 to report that an IED had been placed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, CENTCOM for the U.S. military. Investigators searched the base but did not find any suspicious device at that time.However, on March 16, an IED was discovered at the base visitor center. At a press conference on Thursday, officials described the device as "viable" and "potentially very deadly."The 911 call about the bomb was eventually traced back to Alen Zheng, who, along with Ann Mary, had purchased plane tickets to China on March 11 and then flew there the following day, according to Gregory Kehoe, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of Florida. Before they left, the siblings allegedly sold a black Mercedes SUV that investigators determined was at MacDill at the time the bomb was placed. IED "residue" was later discovered in the vehicle, Kehoe alleged.For reasons unknown, Ann Mary Zheng returned to the U.S. on March 17. She and their mother spoke with investigators and "conceded" that they knew about the IED planted at MacDill and Alen's involvement in it, Kehoe claimed.RELATED: Another Chinese researcher busted for allegedly smuggling crop-harming biomaterial into America Alen Zheng, who is believed to still be in China, has been charged with attempted damage of government property by fire or explosion, unlawful making of a destructive device, and possession of an unregistered destructive device. If convicted, he could spend up to 40 years behind bars.Ann Mary Zheng — who has been accused of "corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating, and concealing a 2010 black Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 with the intent to impair its integrity and availability for use in the federal prosecution of Alen Zheng" — has been charged with evidence tampering and assisting after the fact. She faces up to 30 years if convicted.A spokesperson from the office of the U.S. attorney for the Central District of Florida confirmed to Blaze News that the siblings are naturalized U.S. citizens and that their mother, whose name was not provided, is in federal custody regarding immigration."The mom's in custody because she is an overstay, and ... she's in custody for deportation," Kehoe said at the press conference. She has not been charged with any crime, but Kehoe indicated that the investigation is ongoing and that the possibility of future charges against her could not be precluded.Of note, MacDill Air Force Base received a call on March 18 from someone who mentioned a bomb placed there. "How did you like the surprise at the MacDill Visitor Center?" the caller said, according to a DOJ press release. "Tick tick boom, it's gonna be between your eyes."The suspected caller, 35-year-old Jonathan Elder, was arrested Monday.The spokesperson from the U.S. attorney's office told Blaze News that there is no known link between Elder and the Zhengs at this time.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida just got one step closer to being expelled from the House of Representatives. The House Ethics investigative subcommittee effectively found Cherfilus-McCormick guilty of nearly every campaign finance violation levied against her earlier this year. The bipartisan panel voted to start the process that could lead to Cherfilus-McCormick's expulsion after she was accused of laundering millions of dollars worth of Federal Emergency Management Agency funds related to a COVID-era contract into her campaign account. 'That raises serious concerns about due process.'"After careful deliberation that lasted until well past midnight, the adjudicatory subcommittee found that Counts 1-15 and 17-26 of the [Statement of Alleged Violations] have been proven," the committee said in a statement. "Shortly after the House returns from April recess, the full Committee will hold a hearing to determine what, if any, sanction would be appropriate for the Committee to recommend."RELATED: Senate approves DHS funding — but there's a catch Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty ImagesThis verdict came after the committee's six-hour hearing Thursday, which was the first public ethics hearing since 2010. Cherfilus-McCormick is facing several accusations in addition to a federal criminal indictment ranging from filing false financial disclosures, seeking "special favors" with earmark funding requests, and improperly using funds to finance her campaign.Ahead of the hearing, Cherfilus-McCormick criticized the committee, saying her legal team was denied "reasonable time to prepare" for the trial. "That raises serious concerns about due process and the fundamental rights every American is entitled to under our Constitution," Cherfilus-McCormick said in a statement. "While I am limited in what I can address due to an ongoing federal matter, I have cooperated fully within those constraints."RELATED: Democrats’ latest victory in deep-red Mar-a-Lago district offers bleak midterm forecast Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images"I urge the Committee to follow its own precedents and uphold fairness and not allow this process to be driven by politics or numbers," Cherfilus-McCormick added. "I welcome the opportunity to set the record straight and challenge these inaccuracies, when I am legally able to do so. Make no mistake: I am innocent and I am a fighter. My district is made up of fighters. I will continue to fight for the people I was elected to serve.”In order for Cherfilus-McCormick to be expelled, two-thirds of representatives would have to vote in favor of expulsion, requiring some Democrats to agree to vote with Republicans. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!