World News

Dominican Father Nelson Medina explains the purpose of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18–25, as well as the goal and parameters of ecumenism. Dominican Father Nelson Medina discusses this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. | Credit: “EWTN Noticias”/Screenshot Jan 22, 2026 / 10:00 am (CNA). Friar Nelson Medina, ... read more

Dominican Father Nelson Medina discusses this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. | Credit: “EWTN Noticias”/Screenshot Jan 22, 2026 / 10:00 am (CNA). Friar Nelson Medina, a Colombian Dominican priest who holds a doctorate in fundamental theology, explained why it is important for the Catholic Church to celebrate and promote a ... read more

Catholic students attend SEEK in January 2026. | Credit: FOCUS Jan 22, 2026 / 09:00 am (CNA). Multiple news reports have said the number of Generation Z Catholics is surging in the United States. ZENIT, an international Catholic news service, and Magisterium AI, a Catholic artificial intelligence agency, cited data from the ... read more

Researchers’ findings reveal conflicting data. Catholic students attend SEEK in January 2026. | Credit: FOCUS Jan 22, 2026 / 09:00 am (CNA). Multiple news reports have said the number of Generation Z Catholics is surging in the United States. ZENIT, an international Catholic news service, and Magisterium AI, a Catholic artificial intelligence agency, ... read more

The Walk for Life West Coast is in its 22nd year and previously has drawn crowds as large as 50,000. Major features of the Jan. 24 event include a rally at the City’s Civic Center Plaza and a 1.8-mile walk to Embarcadero Plaza. ... read more

Abidjan – The creation of the Catholic University of Ivory Coast and a spiritual retreat center for priests are the two main topics at the heart of the 128th Plenary Assembly of the Episcopal Conference of Ivory Coast, being held from January 20 to 25 in San Pedro. The Assembly opened on January 20 in ... read more

Macau – On Friday 23 January, at 7 pm, in the cathedral dedicated to the Nativity of Our Lady, a solemn liturgy will be celebrated to open the programme of celebrations and initiatives to mark the 450th anniversary of the establishment of the diocese of Macau. The program of celebrations involves the nine parishes, where ... read more

The SECAM president described the first official audience between Pope Leo XIV and the leadership of the Church in Africa as a “very important meeting.” The SECAM delegation, (left to right) Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza, Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba, and Father Rafael Simbine, meets with Pope Leo XIV on Jan. 17, ... read more

By Jude Atemanke Jan 22, 2026 / 08:00 am The president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) has described the first official audience between Pope Leo XIV and the leadership of the Church in Africa as a “very important meeting” that marks a new ... read more

Quezon City – Corruption and social injustice are the result of "withered hands" that deprive citizens of goods and resources. Drawing on the Gospel story of Jesus healing a man's withered hand , Bishop Dave Dean Capucao of the Territorial Prelature of Infanta, east of Manila, reminded the faithful of "the need to address systemic ... read more

By Sumon Corraya Jan 22, 2026 / 07:00 am As Bangladesh heads toward a crucial general election on Feb. 12, the country’s largest Islamist party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has offered an unusual assurance to religious minorities, pledging that it would not impose Islamic Sharia law if it comes to power. ... read more

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s leader promised Christian minorities the party will not impose Sharia law if elected on Feb. 12, but analysts question whether the pledge is genuine or strategy. Shafiqur Rahman, leader of the largest Islamist political party in Bangladesh. | Credit: Delwar Hossain/Wikimedia (CC0) Jan 22, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA). As Bangladesh ... read more

Kinshasa – “It was a wonderful surprise to hear that, given the many difficult situations, the Pope dedicated his thoughts and words on Sunday, January 18, to the displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, especially the approximately 200,000 people living in refugee camps under makeshift tarpaulins in Burundi, struggling with the rainy season, ... read more

Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds in St. Peter's Square after praying the Angelus on Jan. 18, 2026. The Pope specifically encouraged Catholic communications professionals to be 'sowers of good words.' ... read more

The former provincial of the Jesuits in Britain stepped down from his subsequent role as senior chaplain at the Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy after a student there lodged an abuse complaint. Cherwell, an Oxford student newspaper, alleged that the Jesuits “substantially misrepresented the nature of the complaint made by the student.” ... read more