Daily Readings

The Diocese of Albany, New York, will pay survivors of sexual abuse a $148 million settlement in restitution for what Bishop Mark O’Connell called a “shameful chapter” of abuse in the diocese’s history.The diocese announced the settlement in a press release on March 27. The nine-figure amount was still subject to court approval, but the ... read more

DHAKA — Pope Leo XIV has erected a new diocese in northern Bangladesh, naming a veteran seminary rector as its first bishop in what local Catholics are calling an Easter gift to the region’s predominantly Indigenous faithful.The Diocese of Joypurhat was established March 25, carved out of territories belonging to the dioceses of Rajshahi and ... read more

In a bipartisan letter, federal lawmakers from both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives urged President Donald Trump to use an upcoming U.S.-China summit to advocate the release of Christian leaders being detained by China’s communist regime.In the March 24 letter, U.S. Sens. Ted Budd, R-North Carolina, and Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, and Reps. Riley ... read more

Catholic organizations in the Middle East are helping provide aid, food, and shelter to people in Lebanon who are displaced by the ongoing military conflict, and some people remain concerned that a possible full-scale invasion by Israel could exacerbate the crisis.Lebanon was pulled into the regional conflict when Iranian-backed Hezbollah fighters launched missiles into northern ... read more

The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.For which of these are you trying to stone me?”The Jews answered him,“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.You, a man, are making yourself God.”Jesus answered them,“Is it not written in ... read more

It is one week before Good Friday. Today's Mass is a further reminder of how hatred against Christ escalated in those final days before Holy Week. Fridays of Lent have a special penitential quality. --The Vatican II Weekday Missal ... read more

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The Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, expressed its approval of a plan for military chaplains to display insignia on their uniforms that reflects their religious faith as opposed to their military rank.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on March 24 that he will sign a memo that directs military chaplains, all of whom are ... read more

Bishops and other members of the Catholic Church in Spain called for prayers and offered reflections in light of the euthanasia of 25-year-old Noelia Castillo Ramos following a two-year legal battle by her family to try to obtain treatment for her psychiatric issues rather than having her death induced.Since it became known that Castillo was ... read more

The administration of euthanasia for 25-year-old Noelia Castillo Ramos took place in Spain on March 26 — an event occurring after she faced immense life challenges since childhood and following nearly two years of a legal battle waged by her parents to preserve her life.According to Spanish law, to request euthanasia, an individual must be ... read more

Catholic Relief Services has joined a coalition dedicated to using sustainable means to eradicate hunger and poverty around the world.“CRS is delighted to join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty,” said Sean Callahan, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) president and CEO, in a press release. “Ending hunger and poverty requires more than goodwill. It requires ... read more

Several congregations of religious sisters have lost their lawsuit against the iconic American gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson, which claimed the company has “facilitated” mass shootings in the United States. A version of the lawsuit was first filed in December 2023 in Nevada district court by the Adrian Dominican Sisters, the Sisters of Bon Secours ... read more

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said on Thursday that the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran does not meet the Catholic Church’s criteria for a just war.“No, it does not seem to meet the conditions,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an academic conference at the Vatican Apostolic Library.When asked by EWTN News ... read more

LAHORE, Pakistan — Catholic bishops in Pakistan have voiced support for the military amid an Eid al-Fitr ceasefire following weeks of deadly cross-border violence with neighboring Afghanistan.In a March 23 message, Archbishop Joseph Arshad of Islamabad-Rawalpindi praised the army “for their sacrifices in defending the country’s borders, saying the nation will always remember the bravery ... read more

A 400-year-old Bernardine monastery and UNESCO World Heritage site in “the heart of Ukraine’s Catholic region” will require significant repairs following Russian attacks.“This happens a lot,” Steven Moore, executive producer of the war documentary “A Faith Under Siege,” told “EWTN News Nightly” on March 25, live from Kyiv. Russia carried out missile strikes on March 24 ... read more