Vatican News

Cuba’s bishops are scheduled to travel to Rome later this month to meet with Vatican dicasteries and present Pope Leo XIV with a report on the state of the dioceses on the island.In a message that will be read at Masses this weekend, the bishops will announce that they have been “called to Rome during ... read more

As the Church marks the 12th World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, Pope Leo XIV renewed what he called the Church’s “urgent call” to end a crime that “gravely wounds human dignity” and undermines authentic peace.The annual day of prayer is observed on Feb. 8, the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, a ... read more

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of February is for children with incurable diseases.In a video to be released on Feb. 5, the Holy Father prayed that the faithful would realize that “the smiles, even in the midst of pain,” of children suffering from incurable diseases, “are a testimony of [God’s] kingdom.”In the ... read more

With the theme “Peace Begins with Dignity: A Global Call to End Human Trafficking,” the Catholic Church will mark this year’s 12th World Day of Prayer and Reflection Against Human Trafficking.In 2026, the observance coincides with the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, a universal symbol of the fight against modern slavery.Established by Pope Francis in ... read more

St. John Henry Newman, proclaimed a doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIV in November 2025, has been added to the General Roman Calendar, establishing his optional memorial on Oct. 9.Since Pope Francis canonized Newman in 2019, the English saint — a convert and a pivotal figure in Catholic thought — has been honored ... read more

In his first message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, Pope Leo XIV warns that artificial intelligence and digital technologies can undermine human relationships and distort reality unless they are guided by responsibility and rooted in education.The pope’s message, titled “Preserving Human Voices and Faces,” emphasizes the uniqueness of every person and the ... read more

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, warned Tuesday about a culture of “ex cathedra” condemnations online and called for greater humility in the Church to avoid repeating “the same deception that led to the excesses of the Inquisition.”“Today on any blog, anyone — even without having ... read more

The canon archivist of Vigo Cathedral in Spain, Father Avelino Bouzón Gallego, has confirmed the Spanish origins of Pope Leo XIV’s maternal family by researching the archives of a parish in Galicia in Spain’s far northwest.After reading on Dec. 14, 2025, in a biography of the pontiff by Rafael Lazcano that Leo XIV has ancestors ... read more

For the first time in his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV received the prelates of the Roman Rota in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican on the occasion of the opening of the judicial year, emphasizing that true justice requires a balance between the rigor of truth and the compassion of charity.In his welcoming address, Archbishop ... read more

Last week, the “ad limina apostolorum” visits began at the Vatican. These official pilgrimages to Rome are undertaken by all the bishops of the world, usually organized by episcopal conferences, to renew their communion with the See of Peter.The expression “ad limina apostolorum” comes from Latin and means “to the thresholds of the apostles.” During ... read more

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday urged Christians to deepen their common witness by growing in “ecumenical synodal practices,” recalling the shared recitation of the Nicene Creed at Nicaea and thanking the Churches in Armenia for preparing this year’s resources for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.The pope made the appeal during the celebration of ... read more

Pope Leo XIV has set “One in Christ, United in Mission” as the theme for World Mission Day 2026, marking the 100th anniversary of the annual celebration established by Pope Pius XI.In his message, released Jan. 25 on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, the pope writes that the Church’s missionary renewal depends ... read more

Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that the Gospel “calls us to dare to trust,” warning that fear and excessive caution can leave Christians “paralyzed by indecision” rather than ready to follow Christ.In his reflection before the noon Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, the pope returned to the day’s Gospel (Matthew 4:12-22), asking two questions about ... read more

Pope Leo XIV sits during the Jan. 21, 2026, general audience alongside a Swiss Guard at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media Jan 24, 2026 / 08:00 am (CNA). Pope Leo XIV warned of the risks that go hand in hand with information in the digital age and urged journalists never to ... read more

Franciscan Father Augusto Ramírez Monasterio is shown after his initial interrogation and torture; he is hiding the wounds on his hands and wrists. | Credit: Photo courtesy of Ana Morales Ramirez , Jan 23, 2026 / 12:34 pm (CNA). Pope Leo XIV approved on Jan. 22 the beatification of Guatemalan martyr Friar ... read more