Dozens of small handmade signs and large bold banners waved in the crowd of some 30,000 visitors in St. Peter’s Square wishing Pope Leo XIV a happy birthday Sept. 14. Two gold mylar balloons with the numbers “7” and “0” were held up high.

The widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk delivered an address Sept. 12, vowing that his legacy would live on and urging the nation, particularly its youth, to embrace faith, family and the controversial movement he founded.

Stopping difficult, controversial or “hateful” words before they are uttered may leave some feelings unhurt, but the price of insult-free living will be the destruction of authentic engagement between people. It will mean more social distrust, loneliness and isolation which are already an epidemic.

As we inched forward, I watched him lift each host and place it into people’s hands. I was in awe that our son is so grown up.

The ornate, intimate St. Pier Giorgio Frassati Chapel at Immaculate Conception Parish is believed to be one of the first adoration chapels in the Americas named for the new saint.