Daily Readings

The word of God continued to spread and grow.After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,they returned to Jerusalem,taking with them John, who is called Mark.Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.While ... read more

Today is the Memorial of St. Catherine of Siena (1347-1380). She was born Catherine Benincasa in Siena at a date that remains uncertain, was favored with visions from the age of seven. Becoming a tertiary of the Dominican Order, she acquired great influence by her life of prayer and extraordinary mortifications as well as by ... read more

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, published an extensive pastoral letter in which he offered a profound reflection on the mission of the Church in the Holy Land amid war, emphasizing that the city of Jerusalem “is not a spoil of war” but rather a heritage of humanity.The document, titled “They Returned to ... read more

While various leading U.S. prelates have taken the position that the U.S. war with Iran fails to meet the Churchʼs classic just war criteria, opinion on the matter is not unanimous.In recent days, one of the countryʼs most prominent bishops in the public arena, Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, contended that itʼs not even ... read more

The Vatican has released a new document titled “Integral Ecology in the Life of the Family” aimed at promoting the care of creation and human life within the family, warning against the advancement of certain ideologies that encourage abortion and sterilization as means to control population growth.The document, issued April 27, notes that there is ... read more

MANILA, Philippines — Sister Eva Fidela Maamo, a Catholic nun and surgeon known across the Philippines as the “Healing Nun” for her decades of free medical care to the poor, has died at age 85.She died on April 14, according to Our Lady of Peace Hospital, which announced her passing the following day.In the 1970s, ... read more

Those who had been scattered by the persecutionthat arose because of Stephenwent as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,preaching the word to no one but Jews.There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,proclaiming the Lord Jesus.The hand of the Lord was with ... read more

Today the Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of St. Peter Chanel (1803-1841). St. Peter was born in France in 1802. He was ordained a priest in 1827, and engaged in the parochial ministry for a few years; but the reading of letters of missionaries in far-away lands inflamed his heart with zeal, and he resolved ... read more

The official schedule of events for the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen has been announced by the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois.“I am filled with deep gratitude and great joy as we announce the schedule of events surrounding the long-awaited Mass of beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen," Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria ... read more

Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) has named Julie Abbott its 2026 volunteer of the year for her work as “a good and faithful servant.”Abbott has spent more than 15 years and nearly 5,000 hours answering the Relief & Hope emergency services hotline and accompanying callers, many of whom are at their lowest and most vulnerable points.The ... read more

The Apostles and the brothers who were in Judeaheard that the Gentiles too had accepted the word of God.So when Peter went up to Jerusalemthe circumcised believers confronted him, saying,‘You entered the house of uncircumcised people and ate with them.”Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying,“I was at prayer in the ... read more

Today is the traditional feast of Our Lady of Montserrat. Monserrat is located in the region of Catalonia in Spain. Legend relates that the original sculpture was carved by St. Luke and brought to Montserrat by St. Peter in 50 A.D. St. Ignatius of Loyola, a former Crusader, decided to become a missionary after having ... read more

U.S. bishops said violence is never the answer after a shooter breached the hotel hosting the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in Washington, D.C. and injured a Secret Service agent on April 25.Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement, “We are grateful the lives of the President, ... read more

Jesus said: "The shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger, they will run away from him, because they do not recognize ... read more

Today is the Feast of St. Mark, the Evangelist, the author of the second Gospel, was the son of Mary whose house at Jerusalem was the meeting place of Christians, where St. Peter sough refuge after having been freed from prison. He was baptized and instructed by St. Peter. He accompanied St. Paul and his ... read more