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Between Memory and History: When September 11 Meets the Jewish New Year
Confirmed
In Short: Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg draws parallels between the Berlin Wall and the U.S.-Mexico border, emphasizing the importance of human dignity and compassion.

Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg, during a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border, drew a poignant comparison between the towering fortifications and razor wire that divide Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, with the Berlin Wall. 'Certainly, it is the state’s responsibility to regulate migration,' Hesse said, 'but during my trip to Mexico and the U.S., I also witnessed what happens when migration is treated exclusively as a security issue: a fundamental sense of humanity ends up being lost.
In a time marked by profound changes, the Church is called to serve the human person, listening to and welcoming the deepest questions of their heart and the longings that dwell within them, pointing to Christ as 'the key, the focal point and the goal of … all human history,' Hesse added, echoing the words of Saint John XXIII.
Meanwhile, the 2026 VMAs, set for September 27th and airing on CBS and MTV, will honor Nirvana as its 2026 Video Vanguard recipient, marking a significant moment in the history of the awards show. The band, which hasn’t been active in over 30 years, will be remembered for their iconic performance at the 1992 VMAs, where they teased the opening chords of 'Rape Me' before pivoting into 'Lithium.
Among the notable events marking 25 years since the 9/11 attacks, The Independent described the events as 'the biggest, most murderous and most spectacular terrorist onslaught in history.' This week, a peaceful march organized by the African National Congress (ANC) in Ciskei ended in tragedy, with government troops unleashing a barrage of gunfire.
What's confirmed
- Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg, during a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border, drew a poignant comparison between the towering fortifications and razor wire that divide Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, with the Berlin Wall. 'Certainly, it is the state’s responsibility to regulate migration,' Hesse said, 'but during my trip to Mexico and the U.S., I also witnessed what happens when migration is treated exclusively as a security issue: a fundamental sense of humanity ends up being lost.
- In a time marked by profound changes, the Church is called to serve the human person, listening to and welcoming the deepest questions of their heart and the longings that dwell within them, pointing to Christ as 'the key, the focal point and the goal of … all human history,' Hesse added, echoing the words of Saint John XXIII.
- Meanwhile, the 2026 VMAs, set for September 27th and airing on CBS and MTV, will honor Nirvana as its 2026 Video Vanguard recipient, marking a significant moment in the history of the awards show. The band, which hasn’t been active in over 30 years, will be remembered for their iconic performance at the 1992 VMAs, where they teased the opening chords of 'Rape Me' before pivoting into 'Lithium.
- Among the notable events marking 25 years since the 9/11 attacks, The Independent described the events as 'the biggest, most murderous and most spectacular terrorist onslaught in history.' This week, a peaceful march organized by the African National Congress (ANC) in Ciskei ended in tragedy, with government troops unleashing a barrage of gunfire.
What's still developing
- Indeed, as a result of the choices made throughout history that have run counter to this dignity, even today “man is split within himself”, and “all of human life, whether individual or collective, shows itself to be a dramatic struggle between good and evil between light and darkness”.
- The journey that made it possible to highlight the fundamental characteristics and rights of human dignity certainly represents one of the most significant chapters in human history.
- "When Bishop Seitz and I celebrated a beautiful Mass in Ciudad Juárez with Mexicans, Americans and migrants, the bishop summed it up perfectly: In the church, there are no borders. That is how Catholicism is brought to life," he told OSV News.
- Reiner – the director of some of the most beloved American films of all time such as This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally – and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were found dead from stab wounds in their Los Angeles home last December.
- The late actor has broken the record for the longest gap between acting wins in Emmy history.
- On Sunday (6 September), Reiner won the award for outstanding guest actor in a comedy for his role as Albert Schnur in The Bear at the ceremony formerly known as the Creative Arts Emmys, and received a standing ovation from the audience.
- His win over the weekend has seen him break the record for the longest gap between acting wins in Emmys history.
- It is a sharing that calls on us to leave behind all passivity and indifference in the face of current events, history and people’s lives, especially in the face of the rapid and profound changes we are experiencing today.
