Daily Readings

A poll found two-thirds of Americans have a positive view of Pope Leo XIV’s calls for peace amid the Iran war and a majority of people hold a negative view of President Donald Trump’s criticisms of the Holy Father and threats to destroy Iranian civilization.The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll surveyed 2,560 American adults between April ... read more

ABUJA, Nigeria — The judicial vicar of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt has urged Christians in the West African nation to adopt a balanced approach of nonviolence while taking necessary steps to defend themselves in the face of growing persecution.In an interview with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa,  following ... read more

Researchers have named a moth species “Pyralis papaleonei,” or “Pope Leo moth," in honor of the Holy Father.“The new species is dedicated to the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV,” authors Peter Huemer, Lauri Kaila, and Andreas H. Segerer wrote in a research article on the species. “The pontiff is a strong advocate ... read more

The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Peter Nolasco (1182-1258), born in France, but later settled in Barcelona, Spain. After taking part in the Crusades against the Albigensians, he used his inheritance to free Christian prisoners held by the Moors. He later founded the Order of Our Lady of Mercy (Mercedarians) beginning in 1218 devoted to ransoming ... read more

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Nick Argel Vaquilar as the new bishop of Urdaneta in the Philippines on the very day of Vaquilarʼs 56th birthday and two days before the anniversary of his priestly ordination.“I know that I am not capable of this big responsibility,” Vaquilar said. "But being chosen for this big responsibility, ... read more

Every Sunday, the police arrive to photograph him. He must report to authorities every time he leaves his parish and about every liturgical service in which he participates. If he speaks of any social issue during a homily, he risks one of two things: imprisonment or exile.Speaking anonymously to ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service ... read more

In southern Lebanon, the village of Yaroun has drawn widespread attention after images and video circulated showing the demolition, allegedly by Israeli forces, of a monastery and Catholic school belonging to the Salvatorian Sisters.Yarounʼs mayor, Adib Ajaka, rejected claims by the Israeli army that it did not know the buildings were religious places, and the ... read more

Today the Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Angelus of Jerusalem, O.Carm (1185-1220), priest, martyr, hermit, mystic, reformer, thaumaturge, missionary, convert from Judaism and a professed Priest of the Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. He is also known as St. Angelus of Sicily and St. Angelo. Born in 1145 at ... read more

Auxiliary Bishop Keith Chylinski of Philadelphia called for the rejection of stigma around mental health, emphasizing that God “wants us to be healthy mind, body, and soul.”“Sometimes when we think about mental health, and there could be a stigma, there could be fear, there could be shame in addressing wounds that we have, illnesses that ... read more

The faithful curious about who Pope Leo XIV was before his election to the papacy now have a new window into the Augustinian spirituality that shaped him.The Order of St. Augustine and the Vatican Publishing House have published a book by Pope Leo XIV titled “Free Under Grace: Writings and Meditations 2001–2013,” a collection of ... read more

MAPUTO, Mozambique — The bishop of Mozambique’s Catholic Diocese of Pemba has expressed sorrow following a terrorist attack that destroyed the historic St. Louis de Montfort Parish in Cabo Delgado province, saying the local community “remains in shock” after the assault.In a message sent to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) International, a Catholic ... read more

A priest from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, recovering from a hip fracture at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) said he was twice offered assisted death by healthcare staff who knew he was a priest and opposed to euthanasia — a practice critics say is growing as medical professionals are increasingly encouraged to initiate such conversations.“There are ... read more

On Monday, the Holy See Press Office confirmed that Pope Leo XIV will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on May 7.The meeting follows a period of tension between the Holy See and U.S. President Donald Trump. In April, Trump publicly attacked the pontiff on social media, calling him “weak on crime and ... read more

Pope Leo XIV praised the work of Catholic Charities USA on Monday, encouraging the organization not to be discouraged despite institutional challenges.In his address to the board of directors during a private audience, the pontiff expressed gratitude for their work with the less fortunate in the United States and noted the current funding difficulties the ... read more

WASHINGTON — As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) is also celebrating an auspicious anniversary this year: its 50th.Several hundred supporters of this uniquely ecumenical think tank, which explicitly engages on pressing public policy questions within the context of the country’s historic Judeo-Christian moral framework, celebrated the ... read more