World News

The European Parliament building in Brussels, Belgium. / Credit: Ala z via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0) EWTN News, Dec 17, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA). In a strongly secular European Union, the Balkans’ complex religious reality plays an important role as officials and diplomats gather on Wednesday to discuss the membership plans for ... read more

John Prevost reflects on the years after his brother left home, from his brother Robert's time in the minor seminary and missionary life in Peru to his transition into the papacy. ... read more

By Bohumil Petrík EWTN News, Dec 17, 2025 / 04:00 am In a strongly secular European Union, the Balkans’ complex religious reality plays an important role as officials and diplomats gather on Wednesday to discuss the membership plans for six nations. The EU-Western Balkans summit on Dec. 17 brings ... read more

Pope Leo XIV received Prime Minister Robert Abela of Malta on December 15. “Marking 60 years of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See, we discussed peace, climate change, humanitarian challenges, and our shared commitment to dialogue and human dignity,” Prime Minister Abela said in a social media post about the “meaningful ... read more

Responding to a psychologist’s letter for a message that can “touch the hearts” of young people, Pope Leo XIV spoke of “the importance of Christian witness as a way to help young people encounter Christ: a simple, authentic witness, matured in prayer, in community life, and in the awareness of being ‘continuously loved by God,’” ... read more

St. Olympias Feast date: Dec 17 Born sometime between 360-365, this pious, charitable, and wealthy disciple of St. John Chrysostom came from an illustrious family in Constantinople. Her father (called by the sources Secundus or Selencus) was a "Count" of the empire. One of her ancestors, Ablabius, filled the consulor office in 331, ... read more

Saint Jose Manyanet y Vives Feast date: Dec 17 St. Jose Manyanet y Vives was born on January 7, 1883 in Catalonia, Spain. At the age of five, José’s mother dedicated him to the Virgin Mary, and later entered the seminary while still a youth. He was ordained in 1859 and served as the secretary ... read more

Pope Leo XIV is expected to accept Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s resignation this week — and will possibly name a bishop from the pontiff’s Illinois home state to lead the Archdiocese of New York, well-placed sources said. Dolan, who has served as archbishop since 2009, submitted his resignation in February after reaching the mandatory retirement age ... read more

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,the son of David, the son of Abraham.Abraham became the father of Isaac,Isaac the father of Jacob,Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,whose mother was Tamar.Perez became the father of Hezron,Hezron the father of Ram,Ram the father of Amminadab.Amminadab became ... read more

Invisible in his own nature he became visible in ours. Beyond our grasp, he chose to come within our grasp. Existing before time began, he began to exist at a moment in time. — St. Leo the Great ... read more

December 17 marks the beginning of the O Antiphons, the seven jewels of our liturgy, dating back to the fourth century, one for each day until Christmas Eve. These antiphons address Christ with seven magnificent Messianic titles, based on the Old Testament prophecies and types of Christ. The Church in these following Golden Nights travels ... read more

Dominic Bevan (D. B.) Wyndham Lewis (1894-1969) entered the Catholic Church shortly after his service in the infantry in World War I. Widely acclaimed as one of Britain's greatest humorists, he wrote a regular column in the London Daily Express (and later the Daily Mail) under the pseudonym of "Beachcomber". Similar wit is found in ... read more

At his weekly public audience on December 17, Pope Leo XIV said that the restlessness that all people experience will be eased when “we ill enter into God’s repose, which is peace and joy.” The Pope said that restlessness, characterized by “too much doing,” is a sign that the human soul is searching for fulfillment. ... read more

The Ugandan army has confirmed that a priest who has been missing since December 3 is in custody, having been seized for “involvement in violent subversive activities against the state.” Father Deusdedit Ssekabira was abducted by armed men, who did not identify themselves and showed no warrant for his arrest, according to witnesses. The Diocese ... read more

An activist Brazilian priest with an enormous media following has been to end his appearances on broadcast and social media. Father Julio Lancellotti, who has millions of online followers, told reporters that he had accepted the order from Cardinal Odilo Scherer of Sao Paulo “in a spirit of obedience and resilience.” Father Lancellotti, who is ... read more