VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Hours after the United States bombed the sites of three nuclear-enrichment facilities in Iran, Pope Leo XIV called the situation in the Middle East "alarming" and said diplomacy was the only responsible way forward."Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility: Stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable abyss," the pope […]

WASHINGTON – “Solidarity with refugees and migrants is not optional; it’s a living testimony of the Gospel,” said Bishop Mark J. Seitz. On World Refugee Day (June 20), the Catholic Church stands in prayerful solidarity with refugees around the globe to recognize and honor the courage, resilience, and dignity of those forced to flee their homes.As chairman of the U.S. […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Access to vast amounts of data and information is not the same thing as having intelligence, which is uniquely human and requires being open to truth, goodness and the real meaning of life, Pope Leo XIV told AI experts and executives."Authentic wisdom has more to do with recognizing the true meaning of life than with the […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Holy Year 2025 can have a lasting impact on the world's poorest countries if governments and international institutions embrace a key element of the biblical concept of jubilee by forgiving, restructuring or pausing foreign debt repayments, said a report commissioned by Pope Francis.At the late pope's request, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences and the […]

ROME (CNS) — Almost a year after Pope Francis set up a commission to develop a large solar-panel array on Vatican property outside of Rome, Pope Leo XIV visited the site and the Vatican Radio employees working there.The 1,060-acre site about 11 miles northwest of Rome is home to Vatican Radio's shortwave transmitters and transmission center.The Vatican press office said […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The world must resist the allure of modern weapons which threaten to give conflicts a ferocity surpassing that of previous wars, Pope Leo XIV said."The heart of the church is torn apart from the cries that arise from places of war," he said at the conclusion of his general audience in St. Peter's Square June 18. […]

WASHINGTON – The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) commemorates  Religious Freedom Week from June 22–29. This year’s theme, “Witnesses to Hope,” builds on the annual report released earlier this year by the Conference’s Committee for Religious Liberty that highlights the impact of political polarization on religious freedom. In addition to issues such as mandates for in vitro fertilization, and […]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Leo XIV will spend two weeks of July at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, bringing back a centuries-old tradition that had been suspended by Pope Francis.Pope Leo also will celebrate the feast of the Assumption of Mary for the whole town and visitors Aug. 15 as per tradition, according to the Prefecture of […]

WASHINGTON- “I urge all Catholics to engage their elected officials on all issues that threaten the gift of human life, in particular the threat of abortion,” said Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities. On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson […]

WASHINGTON – “As your shepherds, your fear echoes in our hearts and we make your pain our own. Count on the commitment of all of us to stand with you in this challenging hour,” said Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), addressing the surge in immigration enforcement actions. He offered a reflection on […]