World News

The U.S. government on May 8 began releasing files related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) — previously referred to as unidentified flying objects (UFOs) — generating nationwide speculation regarding government evidence of extraterrestrial life and nonhuman intelligence. But what does the Catholic Church have to say about it? There is “no dogma or formal teaching” ... read more

The Church has never pronounced dogmatically on the question of extraterrestrial intelligence, but Catholic thinkers over the years have contributed to the discourse on the long-running topic. An ostensible flying saucer is seen in this photo released by the Amalgamated Flying Saucer Club of America, which was headquartered in Los ... read more

Cuban Piarist fathers demanded that the nation’s Communist regime return a cloister and school confiscated in 1961. “Nationalized in 1961, state ownership brought only neglect and now, destruction,” the Piarists said in a statement on the buildings’ current condition. ... read more

A book by a certified yoga instructor explores the “darkness” behind the practice of yoga and the many "misconceptions” of the practice for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.Linda Carl spoke about the dangers of yoga and her newest book, “Yoga Unveiled: My Spiritual Journey from Darkness to Light," at a May 11 discussion at the Catholic ... read more

Author Linda Carl warns that it is easy to enter into the “darkness” of yoga because its terminology and actions can be “confusing or misleading.” Linda Carl speaks at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C., on May 11, 2026. | Credit: Tessa Gervasini/EWTN News ... read more

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced today the formation of the Catholic Response for Emergencies (CR4E), an alliance “to address in a coordinated way the humanitarian crises that mark our time.” The alliance is organized by Caritas Internationalis, the Church’s confederation of relief and development agencies, and the International Catholic Migration Commission. ... read more

The Institute for Works of Religion, colloquially known as the Vatican bank, posted its strongest financial results in a decade. “For the financial year 2025, the bank posted net income of 51 million euros [$59.9 million]—a 55 percent increase from the previous year’s 32 million euro [$37.6 million] profit, and the strongest result since ... read more

The leader of an apostolate that ministers to persons with same-sex attractions in a manner consistent with the teaching of the Church expanded upon his earlier criticism of the Synod report on doctrinal issues. Father Brian Gannon, Courage International’s executive director, told the National Catholic Register that the Synod report’s “misrepresentation of ... read more

Israel declined to the renew the residency permit of Father Louis Salman, a Jordanian priest of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem who ministered at a West Bank parish. The decision sparked outrage among Palestinian Christians, the International Middle East Media Center reported. Father Salman celebrated his last Mass in Beit Sahour on May ... read more

The Supreme Court on May 11 extended mail delivery of the abortion pill mifepristone until May 14. On May 4, the Court granted a one-week stay on a federal appeals court decision that temporarily halted the delivery by mail of mifepristone. ... read more

The Holy See Press Office released the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue’s latest annual message to Buddhists for the festival of Vesak. The message, entitled “Buddhists and Christians for an ‘Unarmed and Disarming’ Peace,” was dated May 1 and released on May 11. “To foster an unarmed and disarming peace also means nurturing ... read more

Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Steven Lopes of the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter (U.S. and Canada) as apostolic administrator of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross (Australia). Bishop Lopes will thus govern, at least temporarily, two of the Church’s three personal ordinariates of former Anglicans. The ... read more

The New York Times today published a profile of Michal Gatchalian, a 45-year-old Filipino who was sexually abused by a priest when he was 17. “Despite the reforms made by the Vatican, the Church here still employs the same methods in handling abuse cases,” said Gatchalian, now a victims’ attorney. “They’re more focused on ... read more

Pope Leo received Bishop Petar Palić of Mostar-Duvno, the diocese in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which Medjugorje is located. ... read more

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published “Natural Family Planning: Designed by God Guided by Love Open to Life.” The author of the two-page text is Msgr. Robert Cannon of the Diocese of Venice, Florida. ... read more