World News

The medal recognizes what organizers described as the pontiff's lifelong advocacy for religious liberty and freedom of conscience — principles embedded in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. ... read more

Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas, said in a March 15 pastoral message that “the current national campaign of mass detention and deportations is a grave moral evil, one which must be opposed, with prayer, peaceful action and acts of solidarity with those affected.” “I am blessed with many friendships with our local ... read more

When religious language is used to sanctify political power, Christianity risks contradicting its own central symbol, writes Enzo Del Brocco. ... read more

Just war theory is back; not that it ever really left. But in recent years, writes Michael Sean Winters, there has been an effort to replace it as the principal means by which the church addresses issues of war and peace. ... read more

On this week's episode of "The Nonviolent Jesus Podcast," John Dear hosts Jonathan Kuttab of Palestine, executive director of Friends of Sabeel North America, a Christian solidarity group working with Palestinians for peace. ... read more

Pope Leo XIV received 35 Nigerian bishops on March 14, a week after receiving a group of 37 Nigerian bishops. The prelates were in Rome for their ad limina visits. Nigeria, a nation of 243 million (map), is the most populous nation in Africa and sixth most populous in the world; it ... read more

At a UN event held on March 12, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia joined diplomats from Italy, Paraguay, and Turkey in highlighting the exploitative nature of surrogacy. Archbishop Caccia, until recently Permanent Observer of the Holy See at the United Nations and now the apostolic nuncio to the United States, said that “stories of the ... read more

In a message for the 100th anniversary of the French Movement of Christian Entrepreneurs and Leaders, Pope Leo XIV said that “the vocation of the Christian leader should be understood as a service to the common good and the integral development of the person.” “Economic activity cannot be limited to the mere management of ... read more

Pope Leo XIV, who has lived at the Palace of the Holy Office since his election, took possession of the papal apartment at the Apostolic Palace on March 14, following a renovation. Pope Francis chose not to stay in the papal apartment, instead residing in Domus Sanctae Marthae, the Vatican guest house, during his ... read more

Andrea Tornielli, the editorial director of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, questioned the strategic efficacy of a rise of military spending in Europe and elsewhere and said that disarmament is the more prudent alternative. In an article published March 14, Tornielli wrote, “The massive sums allocated to armaments raise a fundamental question: does the ... read more

At the Mass that preceded the inauguration of the judicial year of the Tribunal of the Vatican City State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin preached that as God’s justice aims at correcting the sinner, human justice should aim at the rehabilitation of the offender. “God’s justice becomes care, love, salvation, and forgiveness for the repentant ... read more

At the inauguration of the judicial year of the Tribunal of the Vatican City State, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the relation between justice and charity. Citing St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, Pope Leo told the jurists on March 14 that “only when relationships are ordered according to truth does that communion which ... read more

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clearand did not let my enemies rejoice over me.O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.R. I will praise you, Lord, for ... read more

We always find that those who walked closest to Christ were those who had to bear the greatest trials. — St. Teresa of Ávila ... read more

During the next two weeks the Gospel for each Lenten weekday Mass is from St. John. We shall read, day after day, about the growing hostility against Jesus that climaxed in the horror of Good Friday. The tragedy begins today on a happy note--a continuation of yesterday's Laetare Sunday spirit. --The Vatican II Weekday Missal ... read more