World News

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary this Fourth of July, Americans are reflecting on the men and women whose courage, leadership, and vision helped shape the nationʼs history. While Catholics were not always welcomed with open arms in the new America, many Catholics went on to play an indispensable role in building the ... read more

“The loneliness was one of the hardest parts,” said Jared Plasberg, a 23-year-old who ran across the country from February to June to raise money for pregnant women in crisis.The trek took 114 days, about four months, and spanned thousands of miles. The whole time, Plasberg pushed an 80-pound stroller. It held his supplies but ... read more

Before America became a nation, before its founding documents were written, and before its first flag was raised, the holy sacrifice of the Mass was already being celebrated on these shores.For centuries, the history of Catholicism in America has been written in the shadow of hardship, sacrifice, and perseverance. At the center of that story ... read more

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass on Saturday on the Italian island of Lampedusa, warning that migrants who have died crossing the Mediterranean Sea are “victims both of decisions that were made and of decisions that were not made.”In his homily at the Arena sports field July 4, the pope cited the Gospel parable of the ... read more

Vatican City – On the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, Pope Leo XIV, the Chicago-born Pontiff, joined the celebrations of that “defining moment” in the history of the United States of America, July 4, 1776, that “gave enduring voice to the ideals of liberty, equality, the pursuit of happiness, justice and ... read more

King Charles is quite clearly embarrassed to be associated with Christianity and certainly doesn’t want to be considered a defender of Christian belief. A few months ago, he recorded a special Ramadan greeting to British Muslims—something his mother had never done—but failed to record an Easter greeting to Britain’s Christians. Even after a considerable backlash, ... read more

The wide range of reactions to the American flag through painting, photography, print, video and mixed media make the 74-piece exhibit at Fairfield University as diverse as the country itself. ... read more

My … prayer is this: That God will bless America, so that she may increasingly become — and truly be — and long remain — “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” — St. John Paull II,  Washington DC,  1979 ... read more

The United States celebrates Independence Day, the national celebration of our Nation's independence, the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Church in the United States of America incorporates this observance into the liturgy with a special Mass asking for peace, justice and truth. As we celebrate let ... read more

The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), whose members are known as “Lefebvrians,” rejected the recent excommunications decreed by the Vatican after consecrating four bishops without papal authorization on July 1 and asserted that the sanctions imposed are “objectively unjust and invalid.”In a letter addressed to Pope Leo XIV, released on July 3, Father Davide ... read more

The ultraconservative Catholics insisted they were merely saving souls and were victims of an unjust sanction by the Holy See. ... read more

PHILADELPHIA — Pope Leo XIV said he was “honored” to accept the 2026 Liberty Medal from the National Constitution Center (NCC) in livestreamed remarks delivered for the ceremony in Philadelphia on July 3.“I am honored to accept the Liberty Medal of the National Constitution Center in this year that marks the 250th anniversary of the ... read more

"As every American knows, the path to building a society that would embody those high ideals of liberty and justice for all was not always easy and, in many respects, is still a work in progress," the pontiff said. ... read more

Pope Leo XIV celebrated the contributions of Catholics and immigrants to the United States in an open letter to Americans for the country’s 250th anniversary.The letter, dated June 25 and released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Friday, also highlighted the principles of religious freedom and the right to life.Unknown block type "cdn77.asset", ... read more

The Vatican this week issued a decree declaring that the bishops involved in the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X’s illicit consecrations have incurred automatic excommunication and that the group is in schism with the Church.The illicit ordinations occurred in Écône, Switzerland, on July 1 after Pope Leo XIV had urged the group to “turn ... read more