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Image by Grok. "The Radiance of Christian Joy"
By Gia Chacón, National Catholic Register,
Gia Chacón is the founder of For the Martyrs, the leading voice for persecuted Christians worldwide. She has worked extensively on the ground across the Middle East, advocating for religious freedom, human dignity, and providing direct support to communities suffering for their faith. Her leadership continues to mobilize awareness and action in response to the global crisis of Christian persecution.
COMMENTARY: The world doesn’t need another leader to echo its fears. It needs a shepherd who reminds us that hope is not dead.
When Pope Leo XIV stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and offered the world his first words, “Peace be with you,” there was something unmistakable about his presence. It wasn’t just the solemnity of the moment or the weight of the role he had just accepted. It was pure happiness. And since that moment, almost every photo of him has shown him smiling. He exudes a joy that isn’t performative or polished, but radiant and almost tangible. The kind that flows from a heart close to Christ.
In a world marked by depression, division and disillusionment, that kind of joy is revolutionary.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that the world is in the midst of a mental health crisis. When I scroll through TikTok for five minutes, I see influencers casually glorifying antidepressants or joking about “mentally spiraling.” Almost as if having a mental health diagnosis is part of their aesthetic. …
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