World News

The Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, is preparing to receive 282 converts into the Church at Easter, up 47% from last year, and the highest number since 2014. In 2021, 138 converts were received into the Church in the eastern Ohio diocese. ... read more

The US bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty issued its 2026 annual report, “The State of Religious Liberty in the United States.” The report, released on February 17, identified “six areas of critical concern—threats and opportunities—for religious liberty in 2026”: Political and anti-religious violence Unjust terms and conditions on federal grants, and unreliability ... read more

The US bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty issued its 2026 annual report, “The State of Religious Liberty in the United States.” The report, released on February 17, identified “six areas of critical concern—threats and opportunities—for religious liberty in 2026”: Political and anti-religious violence Unjust terms and conditions on federal grants, and unreliability ... read more

Cape Town - Raising the price of alcohol to reduce the damage caused by its abuse on society. This is the goal of the march taking place today, 18 February, in front of the South African Parliament in Cape Town. The demonstration is organized by the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance-South Africa , an organization ... read more

Kinshasa – The Catholic parish church of Bulé, the capital of Bahema Badjere in Ituri Province in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, was desacrated and looted. During the night between Sunday, February 15th and Monday, 16 unknown perpetrators smashed the church's window frames, opened the tabernacle, and threw the consecrated hosts to the ground. They ... read more

This year marks the ten-year anniversary of the martyrdom of Jacques Hamel, the 85-year-old French priest who was brutally murdered on July 26, 2016, by two Muslim men inspired by the terrorist group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, otherwise known as ISIS or ISIL. During the Prayers of Petition, the two men, ... read more

Tombura Yambio – Fifteen years after independence, there is no respite for the more than 12 million inhabitants of the world's youngest country. Decades of conflict and isolation, initially due to the war between 1955 and 2005, have caused a devastating humanitarian crisis that continues to affect the entire population. After gaining independence from Sudan ... read more

Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Mass of Ash Wednesday at the Basilica of Saint Sabina late this afternoon, following the customary penitential procession that began at the Church of Saint Anselm (booklet, video). ... read more

Pope Leo XIV celebrated the Mass of Ash Wednesday at the Basilica of Saint Sabina late this afternoon, following the customary penitential procession that began at the Church of Saint Anselm (booklet, video). ... read more

Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro, appointed president of the Pontifical Academy for Life last May, defended the academy’s focus on universal health care at its 2026 plenary assembly. “The theme chosen for this year, Healthcare for All: Sustainability and Equity,” is consistent with “the work undertaken in recent years: the defense of life cannot be ... read more

Father Francesco Ielpo, OFM, the custos (Franciscan provincial) of the Holy Land, hailed the rebirth of faith in Syria, and especially in the nation’s Idlib Governorate. Father Ielpo, who visited Syria from February 9-13, told Vatican News that “the greatest tragedy [Idlib families] say they have experienced is the forced expulsion of young ... read more

Father Francesco Ielpo, OFM, the custos (Franciscan provincial) of the Holy Land, hailed the rebirth of faith in Syria, and especially in the nation’s Idlib Governorate. Father Ielpo, who visited Syria from February 9-13, told Vatican News that “the greatest tragedy [Idlib families] say they have experienced is the forced expulsion of young ... read more

From February 22 to March 22, the remains of St. Francis will be exposed for veneration in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. Pope Leo has proclaimed a Year of Saint Francis in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. Vatican News, the news agency ... read more

From February 22 to March 22, the remains of St. Francis will be exposed for veneration in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. Pope Leo has proclaimed a Year of Saint Francis in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. Vatican News, the news agency ... read more

The Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) announced a Eucharistic chain of prayer for peace in the Holy Land, Ukraine, and around the world. Bishops of each nation are assigned a different day during Lent to celebrate Masses for this intention, beginning on February 18 in Albania and concluding on April ... read more