The Confession I Didn’t Make: An Embarrassing Case of Sacramental Mistaken Identity

The%20Confession%20I%20Didn%u2019t%20Make%20-%20Patrick%20MadridMADRID: One Saturday, many years ago, a friend of mine was visiting from out of town. Looking for some prayerful encouragement—and probably a kick in the rear to get himself to confession—he confided painfully to me that he had fallen into a pattern of serious sexual sin, about which he was understandably distressed and embarrassed.

Happy Birthday, End of an Era, and We’re Being Hunted

Happy%20birthday%2C%20end%20of%20an%20era%2C%20and%20we%u2019re%20being%20huntedCONDON: Cardinal Pierre has given over his entire life to serving the Church, and it is only right that, as his final departure from office looms, he enjoy the thanks of the institution he has served so faithfully for so long. He can, and should, look back with satisfaction on a full and impressive career...

What’s Special About the Most ‘Fruitful’ U.S. Dioceses Like Nashville and Tulsa? ‘It’s the People’...

What%u2019s%20Special%20About%20the%20Most%20%u2018Fruitful%u2019%20US%20Dioceses%3F%20%u2018It%u2019s%20the%20People.%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterMCKEOWN: The Register’s ongoing “Catholic Hubs” series has sought to highlight places where Catholicism seems to be on the upswing, rather than on the decline — places where efforts to promote and live out the Catholic faith really seem to be working. But it’s difficult to describe such places without recourse to buzzwords, like “vibrant,” “thriving” or “flourishing.”

Why Does God Permit Animal Pain?

Why Does God Permit Animal Pain? - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: Why would a good God allow an injured fawn to lie trapped for two weeks under a fallen tree in excruciating pain before a predator finally comes along and puts an end to its short, wretched life? Provocative questions like this one bring us face to face with the problem of animal pain...

Papal Nuncio Turns 80, Describes Vatican-U.S. Bishops’ Relationship as ‘Normal,’ Not in Conflict

Papal%20nuncio%20turns%2080%2C%20describes%20Vatican-US%20bishops%20relationship%20as%20%u2018normal%2C%u2019%20not%20in%20conflictELHABBAL: The relationship between the Vatican and the U.S. Catholic bishops is not as contentious as people might think, according to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, who offered insights into his role as papal nuncio to the U.S. since 2016 during an interview with “EWTN News In-Depth” ahead of his 80th birthday...

This Sunday, Jesus Will Give Us Everything If We Crawl Out of Satan’s Trap

This%20Sunday%2C%20Jesus%20Will%20Give%20Us%20Everything%20If%20We%20Crawl%20Out%20of%20Satan%u2019s%20Trap%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: Make no mistake, the Beatitudes are about what you get, not just what you give. For we tiny creatures in a universe where everything we see for lightyears is created by God, receptivity is the key to our existence. Even when we are being generous, we have nothing to give God and our neighbor except for what we have received from God and our neighbor...

That Time I Stayed in a Haunted Hotel

That Time I Stayed in a Haunted Hotel - Patrick MadridMADRID: I told this true story on my radio show several years ago. Here’s what happened to me one night (and the following day) in Oklahoma City. I was there for a speaking event, a luncheon talk. The Archbishop of Oklahoma City had invited me to address a diocesan Catholic professionals group of roughly 150 people. It was a pro forma event—you fly in the night before, get a hotel, come in the next day, do the speaking event, fly home. A very typical kind of thing that I do.

Christ Offers More Than John Lennon Could Ever Imagine

Christ Offers More Than John Lennon Could Ever Imagine| National Catholic RegisterCHAPP: I want to make one very simple claim, so simple it can appear naïve and even childish: We cannot solve our problems without God. More specifically, we cannot solve them without Jesus Christ, God incarnate. Which is to say, we cannot solve them without Christians willing to live prophetic lives of counter-witness...

What Did St. Thomas Aquinas Believe About the ‘Evil Eye’?

Thomas Aquinas on the Evil Eye - by Deacon TomTOMMCDONALD: People wrongly assume this is some kind of Satanic salute, with the index and pinky fingers making little devil horns (hence “throwing up the horns”). In fact, it was popularized through the late, great singer Ronnie James Dio, of Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and Dio. Ronnie was the proud grandson of a nonna from the old country, who would make the traditional gesture to ward off the malocchio, or “evil eye.”

Our Man in Washington: Who Will Be the Pope’s New Nuncio?

Our%20man%20in%20Washington%3A%20Who%20will%20be%20the%20pope%u2019s%20new%20nuncio%3F: The long-serving apostolic nuncio to the United States, Cardinal Christophe Pierre, turns 80 on Friday. While the cardinal’s replacement may take a few days, or even a week to be announced by the Holy See, there is no doubt that the guard will soon be changed. Media reports continue to speculate on who might be named to replace Pierre...

Catholic priest who worked with Alex Pretti says he was known for his ‘kindness’

Priest%20who%20worked%20with%20Alex%20Pretti%20says%20he%20was%20known%20for%20%u2018kindness%u2019: A Catholic priest who worked with Alex Pretti, the man shot and killed by federal agents in Minnesota, said he was known for his “kindness” and disputed the narrative of top Trump administration officials that he was a violent “domestic terrorist” and would-be assassin. Pretti, an ICU nurse, was shot while filming federal officers on a Minneapolis street on Jan. 24...

Notre Dame Sees Record Number of Converts Preparing to Join Catholic Church

Notre Dame Sees Record Number of Converts Preparing to Join Catholic Church| National Catholic RegisterSTRELOW: Before his freshman year at the University of Notre Dame, the only time Alex Huang had ever set foot in a church building was for a piano recital. Now, the first-year student from Minnesota is just months away from becoming Catholic. Raised by parents who never considered practicing religion due to their upbringing in atheist China...

St. John Bosco and the Joy of Teaching A Soul

St. John Bosco and the Joy of Teaching A Soul | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: Children are not subjects but a reminder of the revelation of God’s love, possessing a visible reality that requires any teacher to both nurture and nourish the soul of a child. The premise of any teaching environment requires and involves the exercise of a loving environment directed at the soul and care of the child, and not the initial regurgitation of information...

The Blessed Path: A Reflection on the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Blessed Path: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - St. Paul CenterHAHN: He is sent to lead a new exodus that brings Israel out of captivity to the nations and brings all the nations to God. As Moses led Israel from Egypt through the sea to give them God’s law on Mount Sinai, Jesus too has passed through the waters in baptism. Now, in today’s Gospel, He goes to the mountain to proclaim a new law, the law of His Kingdom. The Beatitudes mark the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to Abraham...

German Cardinal Woelki of Cologne: ‘For Me the Synodal Way Is Over’

German%20cardinal%3A%20%u2018For%20me%20the%20Synodal%20Way%20is%20over%u2019: A German cardinal has declared his participation in the controversial German Synodal Way finished, expressing deep skepticism about plans to establish a permanent synodal conference. “For me the Synodal Way is concluded,” Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne said according to CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News...

Is Pope Leo Bringing Back Episcopal Due Process?

Is Pope Leo bringing back episcopal due process?CONDON: The resignation last week of Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur of the Indonesian Diocese of Bogor came as a surprise to Catholics in the country and abroad. The 63-year old had no health issues and was leaving office without any indication of what he would do next. And, with Rome announcing the appointment of an apostolic administrator to act as caretaker, rather than a successor to Syukur, it seemed likely...

Ancient and New Wisdom on AI, One Year After ‘Antiqua et Nova’

Ancient%20and%20New%20Wisdom%20on%20AI%2C%20One%20Year%20After%20%u2018Antiqua%20et%20Nova%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: Last year, the Vatican issued Antiqua et Nova, examining the relationship of artificial and human intelligence. The document offers timely insights that can help us appreciate the contributions AI can make to society, as well as the moral dangers presented by this new phenomenon. The idea that technology can imitate and surpass the power of the human mind...

Protestant magazine asks: ‘Why are so many young Protestants in America’s power centers converting to Catholicism?’

Rome's lure for young Protestant belivers | WORLD: When Anika Smith moved to Washington, D.C., more than a decade ago, her first order of business was to find a church. She didn’t have a car, so she used the metro. Even with transportation challenges, she managed to visit about three services each weekend. Her fourth Sunday, on a recommendation from a co-worker, she went to Church of the Advent, an Anglican congregation. Smith grew up Presbyterian in the Pacific Northwest, and Anglicanism was new to her.

‘Against All Medical Expectation’: New Miracles Linked to St. Charbel Reported in U.S. and Lebanon

St. Charbel: Two new miracles reported in 2026: Two new miracles attributed to St. Charbel Makhlouf have been reported since the beginning of 2026 — one in the United States and one in Lebanon — each involving the healing of a woman against all medical expectation. Revered by the faithful as the “doctor of the sky,” St. Charbel, a Lebanese Maronite monk and priest, is now associated with more than 30,000 reported miracles...

Pope Leo Warns of ‘Overly Affectionate’ AI Chatbots

Pope%20Leo%20warns%20of%20%u2018overly%20affectionate%u2019%20AI%20chatbots%20%7C%20CNNLAMB: Beware of the AI chatbot that becomes more than just a friend, or worse, an emotional crutch. Pope Leo XIV has warned about overly “affectionate” chatbots, urging regulation to prevent humans from forming serious emotional bonds with their AI companions...

Catholic and Orthodox Leaders in the Holy Land Sound the Alarm Against Evangelical-Style ‘Christian Zionism’

Condemnation of Christian Zionism by Heads of Churches in Jerusalem stirs controversyELHABBAL: The condemnation of Christian Zionism by the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem is prompting varied reactions by Catholics in the U.S., Israel, and Rome. In a statement last week, the council — comprised of the leaders of the historic Christian churches in the Holy City, including the Latin patriarch; the Maronite, Melkite, Syriac, and Armenian Catholic patriarchs...

What Are We Working For?

What Are We Working For? - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Given how much of life is taken up with work, I think we give too little reflection to a key question: what really is, or should be, the point of our working? We often undertake our work simply as something that must be done. But the intention and so also the spirit with which we do it makes a significant and even essential difference...

Sacerdotal Storytellers

Sacerdotal Storytellers - The Catholic ThingDESOUZA: The patron saint of journalists is St. Francis de Sales – whose feast is today, 24 January. The Holy Father’s annual message for the World Day of Social Communications is dated for the feast in his honor. St. Francis (1567-1622) was certainly a writer, but not every writer is a journalist. He was assigned the patronage because, barred from entering his own city of Geneva...

Pope Leo XIV Warns Against Media Banality and ‘Fake News’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20warns%20against%20banality%20and%20%u2018fake%20news%u2019%20in%20the%20digital%20age: Pope Leo XIV warned of the risks that go hand in hand with information in the digital age and urged journalists never to succumb “to the temptation of the trivial” or to fake news that creates confusion about what’s true or false. The pope made his comments in a message sent on the occasion of the 30th anniversary...

To Be Loved, a Seat at the Table, and the Elephant in the Room

To be loved, a seat at the table, and the elephant in the roomCONDON: Before we get on to the news, I would like to pause for a moment and ask you to please offer a prayer for the repose of the soul of John Allen Jr., who died yesterday at the age of 61. John, for any readers who do not know, and I doubt there can be many, was — for decades — an inescapable presence in the world of Catholic media, and especially in the arena of Vatican reporting.

Live Updates: March for Life 2026 in Washington, DC

LIVE UPDATES: March for Life 2026: The first attendees have arrived at the March for Life. Despite the cold temperatures, these students from John Paul the Great University are looking forward to marching in support of the unborn. This is the school’s first time attending the annual march.

John L. Allen Jr.: A Life Remembered in Gratitude

John L. Allen Jr.: A life remembered in gratitude | Crux: Friends, colleagues, and regular Crux readers will know that my husband, John L. Allen Jr., has been battling cancer for some time, and has largely been absent from the site this year as he underwent treatment and fought for recovery. It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I convey, nearly four years after his diagnosis, that John lost his battle with cancer on Thursday, January 22, 2026, and is now resting in the arms of God, free from the pain and discomfort that he lived with for so long.

Veteran Vatican Journalist John Allen Dies at 61

John L. Allen Jr, 1965-2026 | Crux: John L. Allen Jr. died on January 22, 2026, after a lengthy battle with cancer. The legendary Vatican beat reporter and Church affairs analyst was 61 years old. He is survived by his wife, Elise Ann Allen, who is Crux’s senior Rome correspondent. Allen was a force of nature, certainly as a journalist who was not only our principal but also a model for us, whose counsel and whose company we already and forever shall sorely miss.

6 Political Lessons From the Steelers’ Sad Season

David Mills: Six political lessons from the Steelers season | Pittsburgh Post-GazetteMILLS: My friend arrived at our local place about half an hour after the Texans-Steelers game ended. People had already run through the five stages of grief, I told her, and gotten to the final stage, acceptance. “I got to acceptance on week one,” she said. Everyone who’d actually watched the game there began it feeling hopeful. But eventually we all saw the Steelers’ reality, and what I suspect most people secretly thought would happen happened.

Christians, Stop Saying This About Jesus

New Advent: Christians, Stop Saying This About JesusHORN: In this episode Trent shows how one claim about Jesus' historical status backfires on Christians...

Pope Leo XIV accepts the resignation of the bishop who refused to become a cardinal

New Advent: Pope Leo XIV accepts the resignation of the bishop who refused to become a cardinal: Pope Francis convened his last consistory on October 6, 2024. Two months later, the Pope announced the list of those who would become cardinals. Among them was this name…

Help Wanted: The Holy See’s Coming Diplomatic Vacancies

Help%20wanted%3A%20The%20Holy%20See%u2019s%20coming%20diplomatic%20vacancies: Archbishop Nikola Eterović celebrated his milestone birthday Jan. 20, days after a private audience with Pope Leo XIV. The Vatican disclosed no information about the Jan. 17 audience, other than that it took place. But it would be surprising if the topic of Eterović’s eventual successor did not come up. The succession in Germany may not be the only diplomatic appointment on Pope Leo’s mind...

Reports of Christian Casualties and Arrests Are Emerging as Mass Protests Continue in Iran

Reports of Christian casualties and arrests are emerging as mass protests continue in Iran: The ongoing protests in Iran are considered the largest in years, both in duration and geographic spread. Since erupting on Dec. 28, 2025, demonstrations have continued without interruption, expanding across the country’s north, south, east, and west. Large numbers of Iranians from diverse social and religious backgrounds have taken part, including Christian citizens.

Did Kant Really Disprove St. Thomas Aquinas’ Five Ways?

Did%20Kant%20Really%20Disprove%20Aquinas%u2019s%20Five%20Ways%3F%20-%20Word%20on%20FireKACZOR: The philosopher Dr. Sebastian Ostritsch was scheduled to give a lecture entitled “Is God’s Existence a Matter of Rational Understanding? Thomas Aquinas vs. Immanuel Kant” at the Jesuits’ Munich School of Philosophy on November 27, 2025. But after protesting students took to social media, university officials canceled his lecture. The students had threatened to disrupt the lecture, reminded everyone about what happened to Charlie Kirk...

History Redeemed: A Reflection on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

History Redeemed: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - St. Paul CenterHAHN: Eight centuries before Christ, that part of the kingdom where the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali lived was attacked by the Assyrians, and the tribes were hauled off into captivity. It marked the beginning of the kingdom’s end. The Davidic empire finally crumbled in the sixth century BC, when Jerusalem was seized by Babylon and the remaining tribes were driven into exile...

Sheets of Ice

Sheets of ice - by JD Flynn - The PillarJDFLYNN: Hans Egede was born in January 1686, and baptized a Lutheran, possibly at a medieval stone church at Trondenes, Norway, or in another nearby local parish church. Don’t hold it against him that Hans was baptized a Lutheran — he was only an infant, you see, plus, his grandfather was a Lutheran cleric and his uncle was too...

St. Francis De Sales and the Purification of the Soul

St. Francis De Sales and the Purification of the Soul | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: In his letter to the Colossians, St. Paul provides a blueprint for assenting to a new life wholly dedicated to Christ. He prefaces his proposal by telling us that if we have been raised by Christ, then we must seek the things from above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. He confirms his position by reminding us to set our minds on things that are above, not in things that are on earth...

Bold Silence vs. Bold Speech: St. Sebastian, a Model for Our Times

Bold%20Silence%20vs.%20Bold%20Speech%3A%20St.%20Sebastian%2C%20a%20Model%20for%20Our%20Times%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: As the nation erupts in civil unrest, the Church gives us St. Sebastian’s feast day on Jan. 20, celebrating the young man who stood up to the wicked emperor Diocletian, and praying that we will each be more like him: “O Lord, grant us the spirit of fortitude, so that guided by the example of the martyr St. Sebastian, we may learn to bear witness to the Christian faith.” We need a model like St. Sebastian to show us the right kind of witness right now...

Archbishop Broglio: ‘Morally Acceptable’ for US Troops to Disobey Orders to Take Greenland

Broglio: US troops could refuse Greenland orders: The archbishop of the U.S. military services said Sunday that he does not believe military action to take control of Greenland could be justified – and that U.S. troops in good conscience could refuse orders to do so. Speaking to the BBC on Jan. 18. Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services said he “cannot see any circumstances” in which an American military operation to take control of Greenland...

The Unity for Which Jesus Prayed

The Unity for Which Jesus Prayed| National Catholic RegisterLANDRY: The Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity, which begins Jan. 18, takes place each year in the days leading up to the celebration of the Conversion of St. Paul on Jan. 25, when the Pope travels to the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome to pray with other Christian leaders for what Jesus prayed during the Last Supper: that we might be truly one.

St. Francis de Sales Didn’t Know How to Quit — and Reclaimed a Calvinist Stronghold for the Catholic Faith

The Priest Who Would Not Quit - Patrick MadridMADRID: The wind howled and the snow began to fall more heavily as nightfall gathered itself around the young priest. Though he had been riding since early afternoon, there were several miles yet to go before he would reach his destination. He kept to the path as best he could, but the drifting snow made it difficult for the horse to go much faster than a walk.

Pope Leo XIV Sends Prayers and Condolences for Victims of Spain Train Accident

Pope sends prayers and condolences for victims of Spain train accident - Vatican News: Pope Leo XIV offered prayers for the victims and his “heartfelt condolences” to the families of those affected by a train collision in southern Spain on Sunday, January 18, 2026, which caused at least 39 deaths and dozens of injuries. In a telegram released on January 19, written in Spanish and signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin...

Kyrie eleison: Lord, anoint the festering wounds we show...

Kyrie eleison: Lord, anoint the festering wounds we show - OSV NewsELIZABETHSCALIA: She has become ubiquitous on social media platforms: the middle class woman who is nearly spitting with unsuppressed rage and seemingly gleeful that she has the means to showcase it. The woman is one of an uncountable number who display septum rings and tattoos as they set their camera phones to “record” and then deliver spit-inflected diatribes, or scream in indignation...

Bigger on the Inside Than the Outside

Bigger%20on%20the%20inside%20than%20the%20outside%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportDEAVEL: Christmas is the season of pondering the paradox of the Incarnation itself. What was found in the stable at Bethlehem was far greater than everything outside. This is no mere poetic exaggeration. The infinite God assumed a finite human nature. What was in this child, no bigger than a breadbox at first but soon to grow in wisdom and stature...

A Baptist Pastor Rethinks Salvation by ‘Faith Alone’

Embracing the Catholic Gospel, Part X - Episode 186 - The Coming Home Network: Matt, Ken, and Kenny continue their discussion about one of the most important questions a Christian can ask: what is the Gospel? Former Baptist pastor Ken Hensley shares seven key realizations that helped him understand that the Reformation doctrine of salvation by “faith alone” wasn’t supported by the testimony of the Scriptures.

‘Non Nobis Domine’: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza on Giving Glory to God

%u2018Non%20Nobis%20Domine%u2019%3A%20Indiana%20QB%20Fernando%20Mendoza%20on%20Giving%20Glory%20to%20God%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: “Give all the glory to God!” Fernando Mendoza, quarterback of the Indiana University football team, begins interviews after victories that way. It’s not that unusual in football, where professions of Christian faith are part of the culture. It’s a bit unusual in Mendoza’s case, as he is Catholic, and it is usually evangelical Protestants who speak about God in their postgame interviews.

Pope Leo’s Sunday Angelus: ‘We Are Precious in God’s Eyes’

Pope at Angelus: We are precious in God's eyes - Vatican NewsLUBOV: Each day, let us make time to pray and reflect, in order to encounter the Lord Who loves us, Pope Leo XIV invited on Sunday during his midday Angelus address. Addressing the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope recalled the day's Gospel reading according to St. John in which John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Lamb of God...

Faith and the top college QBs

Crossroads -- Faith and the top college QBs - by tmattMATTINGLY: A recent New York Times feature noted that quarterback Fernando Mendoza, before helping change Indiana University football history, excelled at Belen Jesuit, an all-boys Catholic school in Miami, and then Miami Columbus High, another all-boys Catholic school. Oh, and his mother was a star athlete at Lourdes Academy, an all-girls Catholic school...

Supreme Court arguments exposed the absurdity of gender ideology

Supreme Court arguments exposed the absurdity of gender ideology | Catholic CultureLAWLER: This week’s oral arguments before the Supreme Court, in cases involving state laws that ban boys from girls’ sports, may prove to be a decisive turning point in the surreal political struggle over gender ideology. The battle is not won, but the momentum has shifted. Credit Justice Samuel Alito with the question that fully exposed the absurdity of the argument before the court...

Mary and the Gift of Motherhood

Mary and the Gift of Motherhood - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: Motherhood is an amazing gift that only women have. Yet so many of our fellow citizens have been programmed to view it instead as a burden, an obstacle to career advancement, or even a disease to be avoided at all costs through sterilization, contraception, and abortion...

The Evangelist in Stanley Prison

The evangelist in Stanley PrisonWEIGEL: In a 1974 address to a group of lay Catholics, Pope Paul VI noted that "Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses" — an acute observation he later reiterated in his spiritual testament, the 1975 Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi (Announcing the Gospel)...

For Him, Roche’s Rorschach Test, and a Pause for Thought

For Him, Roche's Rorschach test, and a pause for thoughtCONDON: I don’t know how it came to happen that I, of all people, ended up with a daughter as biddable and sweet natured as I did. It’s not genetic, that’s for sure. She’s universally doted upon, to be sure, especially since we waited more than a decade — I won’t say always patiently, though usually prayerfully — for her arrival. Being a beloved and indulged only child has to...

This Sunday, We Each Meet the Lamb of God Who Changes Everything

This%20Sunday%2C%20We%20Each%20Meet%20the%20Lamb%20of%20God%20Who%20Changes%20Everything%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: John the Baptist tells us that he has been told that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, and that we can expect the Holy Spirit. In other words, at the Father’s command we become one with the Son with the Spirit, and enter into the life of the Trinity. This changes everything for Christians...

Nigeria Accounts for 72% of Christian Killings Worldwide, New Report Finds

Nigeria accounts for 72% of Christian killings worldwide, new report findsHARTLEY: More Christians were killed in Nigeria last year than anywhere else in the world combined, a new report has found, placing the country at the center of a growing global persecution crisis. Of the 4,849 Christians killed for their faith worldwide, 3,490 were in Nigeria, according to Open Doors’ World Watch List 2026...

Religious Art and Life: Recognizing the Beauty of Goodness

Religious art and life: Recognizing the beauty of goodness | Catholic CultureMIRUS: A fine recent article on the late Renaissance painter Caravaggio* reminded me that artistic brilliance may not always be matched by moral achievement. This is a problem that plagues everyone in every walk in life, but it is particularly annoying when the moral reputation of an artist stands between his work and our ability to appreciate it...

Scientists Create Robots Smaller Than a Grain of Sand

Scientists Create Robots Smaller Than a Grain of Sand - WSJ: In robotics, as in so many things, small is beautiful. The trouble is that making them really small is very nearly impossible. “Building robots that operate independently at sizes below one millimeter is incredibly difficult,” says roboticist Marc Miskin at the University of Pennsylvania. “The field has essentially been stuck on this problem for 40 years.”

Remembering Cardinal John O’Connor, a Saintly Hero

Remembering%20Cardinal%20John%20O%u2019Connor%2C%20a%20Saintly%20Hero%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPEREZ: For generations, the archbishop of New York has held a singular place in the life of the Catholic Church in the United States — standing at the crossroads of culture, conscience and public witness. Few shepherds embodied that national role more clearly than Cardinal John O’Connor, who died in May 2000 after nearly 16 years as archbishop of New York...

Why Are Mosques Burning in Tehran? In the Case of Iran, the Answer Is Complicated...

Why Are Mosques Burning in Tehran?| National Catholic RegisterALBERTOFERNANDEZ: Coming a few days after Christmas 2025, the protests erupting in Iran caught much of the Western world by surprise. Of course, Iran has had major protests before (2009-2010, 2011, 2019-2020, 2022-2023), which have often been brutally suppressed by the Islamic Republic’s security forces. This time, however, the protests appear to have been even larger...

Cardinal Roche Doubles Down on ‘Traditionis Custodes’

Cardinal%20Roche%20Doubles%20Down%20on%20%u2018Traditionis%20Custodes%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: In an undelivered address to cardinals last week, Cardinal Arthur Roche planned to voice opposition to the traditional Roman Rite, which he sees as a concession that needs to be eventually phased out in favor of the post-Vatican II liturgy as the unique expression of the Latin Rite. In a two-page text on Traditionis Custodes...

Trump Administration Restores Title X Funding to Planned Parenthood

Trump administration restores Title X funding to Planned Parenthood: U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied knowledge of reports that his administration has restored millions of taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood. According to Jan. 13 report in Politico, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) last month restored Title X funding to Planned Parenthood. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Monday dropped a lawsuit against the administration related to this funding.

Notre Dame Appoints Abortion Advocate to Lead Asian Studies Institute

Notre Dame Appoints Abortion Advocate to Lead Asian Studies Institute| National Catholic RegisterMATTMCDONALD: The University of Notre Dame plans to install as director of a university-wide institute a scholar who has described laws prohibiting abortion as “violence,” “sexual abuse” and “trauma” and has linked efforts to end abortion to white supremacy. “Abortion access is freedom-enhancing, in the truest sense of the word,” states a column in Salon co-authored by Susan Ostermann...

A Surprising Fallacy about Kindness - LifeCraft

A Surprising Fallacy about Kindness - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: This morning, I read a beautiful and practical insight about a power for good at my fingertips. The effects of kindness are disproportionately far-reaching. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced. And really encouraged. At times the ugliness of how people treat each other can be overwhelming. It doesn’t help that the failings and weaknesses we directly experience...

Vatican Prosecutor Steps Aside as London Property Trial Appeal Moves Forward

Vatican prosecutor steps aside as London property trial appeal moves forward | Catholic News AgencyGAGLIARDUCCI: The Vatican’s Court of Cassation has cleared the way for the appeal phase of the Secretariat of State funds trial — commonly tied in headlines to Cardinal Angelo Becciu — rejecting last-ditch procedural challenges and accepting the recusal of Vatican Promoter of Justice Alessandro Diddi from the case.

Pope Leo XIV's mosaic portrait ready for Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls

Pope Leo's mosaic portrait ready for Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls - Vatican News: The Vatican Mosaic Studio of the Fabric of Saint Peter has completed the mosaic medallion dedicated to Pope Leo XIV, the Holy See Press Office announced on Wednesday. In accordance with the ancient tradition that accompanies the election of every Pope, just over eight months after the election of Pope Leo XIV, the studio has completed the mosaic portrait destined for the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls...

When Money Is Tight, Am I Morally Obligated to Give to the Church?

When Money Is Tight, Am I Morally Obligated to Give to the Church?| National Catholic RegisterBRUGGER: Catholic theology has always maintained a clear hierarchy of obligations. Before contributing financially to the Church, the faithful must ensure they can meet essential personal and family responsibilities. These include providing for one’s own and one’s family’s basic needs and, generally speaking, paying just debts and avoiding deeper indebtedness.

Perfect Offering: A Reflection on the Upcoming Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Perfect Offering: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - St. Paul CenterHAHN: Jesus speaks through the prophet Isaiah in today’s First Reading. He tells us of the mission given to Him by the Father from the womb: “‘You are My servant,’ He said to Me.” Servant and Son, our Lord was sent to lead a new exodus—to raise up the exiled tribes of Israel, to gather and restore them to God. More than that, He was to be a light to the nations, that God’s salvation may reach to the ends of the earth...

Evangelizing Between Heaven and Hell

Evangelizing Between Heaven and Hell | Knowing Is Doing: The book of Revelation describes the Devil as the deceiver of the whole world.[1] What is significant about this description is that the Devil’s disposition is to encourage confusion, distrust, fear, doubt, anxiety, and worse hatred toward God. He is the fallen Angel who would welcome nothing more than to encourage anyone to follow in his path. In his first epistle, St. John reinforces the danger...

Is it Pop, Soda, or Coke? Your State-by-State Guide to the United States of Soft Drinks

Is it Pop, Soda, or Coke? Your State-by-State Guide to the United States of Soft Drinks: When referring to a soft drink, do you say pop, soda, or Coke? Your stance on the centuries-long debate reveals more about your roots than your flavor preference. In some states, ordering a "Coke" could get you a Dr Pepper. And if you grew up saying "soda," hearing someone ask for a "pop" might make you do a double-take.

Here are the space launches and landings we’re most excited about in 2026

Here%20are%20the%20launches%20and%20landings%20we%u2019re%20most%20excited%20about%20in%202026%20-%20Ars%20Technica: Last year delivered doses of drama and excitement in the space business, with a record number of launches, breathtaking vistas of other worlds, and a multitude of breakthroughs and setbacks. 2026 is shaping up to be another thrilling year in the cosmos. For the first time in more than 54 years, astronauts are training to travel to the vicinity of the Moon, perhaps within the next couple of months...

10 Frugal Living Tips From the 1950s

10 Frugal Living Tips From the 1950s Era | GOBankingRates: Have you ever wished to go back to another decade for what may have been simpler times? With the Nuclear Savings Rule, you can — at least where your budget is concerned. The Nuclear Savings Rule looks at 1950s spending habits. Many people of that era had lived through the Great Depression and maintained their frugal lifestyles...

Looking for Lost Heads

Looking for Lost Heads - The Catholic ThingGRESS: In P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves & Wooster, Lady Glossip, mother of an eligible daughter, asks Bertie Wooster how he would support a wife. His answer: “Well, I suppose it depends on whose wife it was. A little gentle pressure beneath the elbow while crossing a busy street usually fits the bill.” Misguided youth is nothing new, as Wodehouse knew well in 1923. His Aunt Agatha’s reproach rings true about many men today...

How They Died: The Martyrdom of the Twelve Apostles

How They Died: Martyrdom of the Apostles - The Catholic ThingMINER: In The Cost of Discipleship (1937), Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes that Christ invited St. Peter “to the supreme followship of martyrdom for the Lord he had denied ... thereby forgiving him all his sins. In the life of Peter, grace and discipleship are inseparable.” In Bonhoeffer’s famous reckoning, this was a case of costly, as opposed to cheap, grace. Bonhoeffer, of course, would come to embody the former...

Pope Leo Walks the ‘Early Francis’ Path — With a New Approach

Pope%20Leo%20Walks%20the%20%u2018Early%20Francis%u2019%20Path%20%u2014%20With%20a%20New%20Approach%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDESOUZA: The direction of the Leonine pontificate is still not yet clear, but the consistory of cardinals last week gave some further indications. Pope Leo XIV intends to continue in the direction of his immediate predecessor, but he prefers to do as Pope Francis said, rather than what Pope Francis did. In announcing the topics for the consistory last month, Leo chose four that were central to the Francis pontificate...

‘Back on the Air’: Vatican Expected to Announce Fulton Sheen Beatification in 2026, Sources Say

%u2018Back%20on%20the%20air%u2019%20-%20Fulton%20Sheen%20beatification%20to%20be%20announced: The Holy See is expected to announce in coming weeks a date for the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, the Emmy-winning American prelate known for catechetical television programs in the 1950s and 1960s. Sheen, who came within three weeks of a scheduled beatification in 2019, is expected to be formally beatified in September, according to sources close to the process...

Pope Leo XIV Meets Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado at Vatican

Pope Leo XIV meets Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado | Catholic News Agency: Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican on Monday in an audience that was not initially included in the official schedule for the day. The meeting was added to the pontiff’s agenda in the Holy See’s noon news bulletin. The Vatican has not released any details about the audience.

Baptism Transforms Your Soul the Way Christmas Transformed the World

This%20Sunday%2C%20Baptism%20Transforms%20Your%20Soul%20the%20Way%20Christmas%20Transformed%20the%20World%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: The Christmas season is officially over this Sunday on the The Baptism of the Lord (Year A). In our house, that means the decorations come down (see this special prayer). The house goes from glistening with beauty and mystery to an ordinary-looking home again. The good news is that Christmas, with its the grace and wonder, won’t go away; it will just move deeper inside, down in the basement of the house, and into the hearts of the family. That’s what baptism does...

Theophany Night at the Museum: A Church Comes to Life

Theophany Night at the Museum: A Church Comes to Life| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: “Christ is baptized ... in the Jordan!” So rang out the liturgy on Jan. 6 ... at the Canadian Museum of History. Both the place and the time would have surprised most (Latin-rite) Catholics in Canada. But not Ukrainian Catholics, who have their own distinctive calendar. And local Ukrainian Catholics in Ottawa know that once a year for “Theophany” (“Epiphany”), their Divine Liturgy is celebrated at the museum...

On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Pope Leo XIV Baptizes 20 Children of Vatican Employees in the Sistine Chapel

Pope baptizes 20 children: Now they have the meaning of life - Vatican NewsGUSSIE: Carrying on a 45-year-old tradition, Pope Leo XIV baptized 20 children of Vatican employees in the Sistine Chapel. Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, the administration of the Sacrament took place during a Mass on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Looking to the East for Liturgical Peace

Looking to the East for Liturgical Peace| National Catholic Register: Many Catholics who have been personally impacted, or deeply unsettled, by the “liturgy wars” dividing our Church are understandably disappointed that liturgical matters were not, in the end, discussed during Pope Leo XIV’s now-concluded meeting with the College of Cardinals in Rome.

5 Takeaways From Pope Leo’s First ‘State of the World’ Address

Five%20takeaways%20from%20Pope%20Leo%u2019s%20first%20%u2018state%20of%20the%20world%u2019%20addressBELTRAN: Pope Leo XIV delivered his first annual address to the Vatican diplomatic corps on Jan. 9, setting out his diplomatic priorities for the year. The address, traditionally given at the start of the year, is often described as a papal “state of the world” speech. This year’s speech carried particular weight...

You’re Not Abandoned in the Hardest Moments

New%20Advent%3A%20You%u2019re%20Not%20Abandoned%20in%20the%20Hardest%20MomentsSTEFANICK: When most people think about where God is, they look to the sky or point to a mountaintop. God is ON HIGH. But the reality of the incarnation flips that vision upside down. Christ dwelt among us. God came to the lowest of places to meet us in our brokenness and heal our sin. Did you know the spot where Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River is literally one of the lowest places on earth? That can't be an accident...

Break’s Over, Leo’s Law, and the Freedom of Red Trousers

Break%u2019s%20over%2C%20Leo%u2019s%20law%2C%20and%20the%20freedom%20of%20red%20trousersCONDON: As much as I enjoy and look forward to the annual Christmas break, by the end I am genuinely eager to get back into the ordinary swing of things. Indeed, this Sunday closes the liturgical season with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, after which we find ourselves once again in Ordinary Time, an easily misunderstood season and one which I try to give its proper due every January.

Pope decries abuse of political power in ‘State of the World’ address

Pope%20decries%20abuse%20of%20political%20power%20in%20%u2018State%20of%20the%20World%u2019%20address%20%5BNews%20Analysis%5D%20%7C%20News%20Headlines%20%7C%20Catholic%20CultureLAWLER: “War is back in vogue and the zeal for war is spreading,” Pope Leo XIV said in a January 9 speech to the Vatican diplomatic corps. Basing his address on the thought of St. Augustine, the Pontiff made an appeal for a new approach to international collaboration, which “cannot depend on mere circumstances and military or strategic interests.” The annual audience at which the Roman Pontiff speaks to the diplomats...

How James Garfield’s 1881 Assassination Gave Birth to the American News Cycle

How%20James%20Garfield%u2019s%20Assassination%20Gave%20Birth%20to%20the%20American%20News%20Cycle%20%7C%20The%20MIT%20Press%20Reader: Only a few minutes separated President James A. Garfield from the beginning of his summer break from the business of the White House. Starting from the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Station on the morning of Saturday, July 2, 1881, he planned to retreat to his farm in Mentor, Ohio. But first, the president needed to attend his 25th-year reunion at Williams College...

The 5 Tallest Skyscrapers in the World, and the Kilometer-High Colossus Still Rising

The Tallest Skyscrapers in the World, and the Colossus Still Rising | Moss and Fog: Human ambition has always had a vertical component. From ancient monuments to modern megastructures, the desire to reach higher seems inseparable from our idea of progress. Here is our look at the tallest skyscrapers standing today, followed by a closer look at the tower that is poised to redefine what “tall” even means.

Why your early 2000s photos are probably lost forever — and how to protect what you have

Why your early 2000s photos are probably lost forever: If you used a digital camera in the early 2000s, there's a good chance whole chapters of your life have been erased. A generation of photos has vanished on broken hard drives and defunct websites. For my 40th birthday, I asked my friends and family members for one gift: pictures of me in my early 20s...

‘State of the World’: Address to Members of the Diplomatic Corps Accredited to the Holy See

Full%20Text%3A%20Pope%20Leo%u2019s%20%u2018State%20of%20the%20World%u2019%20Speech%202026%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterCOATOFARMS: I would like to thank His Excellency Ambassador George Poulides, dean of the Diplomatic Corps, for his kind and respectful words on your behalf. I welcome all of you to this meeting for the exchange of greetings at the beginning of the new year. This is a traditional occasion in the life of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See; but it is a new experience for me...

5 Reasons Why the Past Success Of Your Parish May Be Your Biggest Problem

The Past Success Of Your Parish May Be Your Biggest Problem! - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: A parish built on the successes of past generations may actually be in trouble today because of those successes. That may sound strange—even ungrateful. After all, many of our parishes were built by faithful Catholics who sacrificed, prayed, and served generously. We inherited schools, buildings, programs, and traditions that once bore tremendous fruit...

The Solemnity of the Epiphany and What We Know About the Three Wise Men

The Solemnity of the Epiphany and What We Know About the Three Wise Men - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: Epiphany means “manifestation.” Traditionally this feast is observed twelve days after Christmas on January 6, although in the United States it is typically moved to the nearest Sunday. The Epiphany is a very ancient part of the Church’s liturgical calendar—even older than the celebration of Christmas...

Blessed Pauline-Marie Jaricot, the Young Laywoman Who Reignited the Church’s Missionary Zeal

The%20Young%20Laywoman%20Who%20Reignited%20the%20Church%u2019s%20Missionary%20Zeal%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterLANDRY: Last weekend, spread across three locations, 26,000 young adults gathered for SEEK, the annual conference sponsored by FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students), to learn and celebrate the faith, to adore the Eucharistic Jesus, and to be inspired to live as missionary disciples. They showed what several popes and scores of youth ministers...

Pope Leo XIV Announces Plan to Hold Annual Consistories Beginning in June

Pope Leo to hold annual consistories - by Edgar BeltranBELTRAN: Pope Leo has announced that he will hold an annual consistory for discussion and consultation with the world’s cardinals, beginning this year in June. The announcement was made Jan. 8, at the conclusion of Leo’s first extraordinary consistory. The pope plans to hold a second consistory this year, followed by annual, slightly longer meetings of the College of Cardinals starting next year...

Take 5 Minutes to Pray St. Elizabeth of the Trinity’s ‘Oblation to the Blessed Trinity’

New%20Advent%3A%20Take%205%20minutes%20to%20pray%20St.%20Elizabeth%20of%20the%20Trinity%u2019s%20%u2018Oblation%20to%20the%20Blessed%20Trinity%u2019: Dr. Anthony Lilles, Julie Enzler, and Dominican Father Ignatius Schweitzer pray the ‘Oblation to the Trinity,’ written by St. Elizabeth of the Trinity on Nov. 21, 1904.

Liturgy Sidestepped at Pope Leo XIV’s First Consistory

Liturgy%20Sidestepped%20at%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%u2019s%20First%20Consistory%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: Some cardinals and faithful who have a devotion to the traditional Roman rite have expressed concern that the liturgy appears to be sidelined in the extraordinary consistory currently underway at the Vatican after the cardinals voted to give priority to other issues on the agenda. In his opening address to the consistory yesterday...

After ICE Shooting of U.S. Citizen, Minneapolis Archbishop Pleads for Prayers, Calm

After ICE shooting of U.S. citizen, Minneapolis archbishop pleads for prayers, calm | Catholic News Agency: Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda on Jan. 7 pleaded for prayers and calm after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis. Officials said the ICE officer shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good after what was reported as an altercation in the street in south Minneapolis...

Leo’s Consistory, Francis’ Legacy

Leo%u2019s%20consistory%2C%20Francis%u2019%20legacy%20-%20by%20Ed.%20CondonCONDON: The world’s cardinals are gathered in Rome this week for the extraordinary consistory of the college, convened by Pope Leo XIV to mark the beginning of his first full year as Bishop of Rome. Cardinals, bishops, and curial staffers across the Vatican have, in the months since the conclave which elected Leo, reported that the new pope consciously decided to close 2025 before embarking on any major tone-setting or shifting projects.

First Things First: What the Consistory Reveals About Pope Leo’s Priorities

First%20Things%20First%3A%20What%20the%20Consistory%20Reveals%20About%20Pope%20Leo%u2019s%20Priorities%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterTOWELL: When Pope Leo XIV announced this week’s consistory in Rome — somewhat earlier and more unexpectedly than most Vatican watchers predicted — it sent ripples of surprise and speculation through the Church. Yet perhaps the consistory shouldn’t surprise us at all. In fact, it may well offer a window into the inner logic of a pontificate that is only beginning to reveal its shape.

When Movie Stars Face Mortality

When Movie Stars Face Mortality| National Catholic RegisterDAY: “I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work,” Woody Allen, who turned 90 this year, once quipped. “I want to achieve immortality through not dying.” Allen’s frequent co-star, one-time partner, and staunch supporter, Diane Keaton, died Oct. 11 from bacterial pneumonia. She was 79. Robert Redford died Sept. 16 at 89. Another screen legend, Gene Hackman, died last February from advanced Alzheimer’s...

Facing Impending Death, Dilbert Cartoonist Scott Adams Announces Conversion to Christianity

Renowned Dilbert cartoonist announces intent to convert | Catholic News Agency: Scott Adams, the 68-year-old cartoonist who created the decades-long “Dilbert” comic strip, announced he is converting to Christianity amid his deteriorating health caused by terminal cancer. Adams, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in May 2025, had previously been critical of organized religion and expressed skepticism about traditional faiths in blog posts and two fiction books

Reject Sameness. It’s the Key to Preserving Marriage...

The key to preserving marriage: Rejecting samenessGRESS: The idea that marriage is simply a kind of equal partnership between a man and woman is a model that Western culture purchased a long time ago and at a high price. Such a pattern isn’t a model for integrating a family together into an organic unit but is a road map for divorce with divisions from the start. Separate responsibilities, career goals, and bank accounts make it a challenge to truly weave a couple together...

Do the Stars Really Stand in Attendance?

Do the Stars Really Stand in Attendance? - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Yesterday I experienced once again the astounding Byzantine liturgy of Epiphany. Among other things, there was the special blessing of water, wherein the entire natural world is invoked as a chorus of witnesses to its Creator. This gives occasion to ask whether we really see the natural world for what it is, or has our perception been dulled by a pervasive bad science, or our lack of attention, or some other cause.

Grok’s Not Sorry, The News, and 20-Year Advice

Grok's not sorry, the news, and 20-year adviceJDFLYNN: You might have read in recent days that the flu is surging across the U.S., thanks to a new flu strain that’s causing a lot of problems. Well, our family loves jumping into a good trend, so we spent most of the Christmas octave down with that very flu ourselves, including spending most of Christmas day in the ER with an acutely sick kid.

“Christmas Is Over!” Scowled the Stranger Who Taught Me That It Never Really Is

%u201CChristmas%20Is%20Over%21%u201D%20Scowled%20the%20Stranger%20Who%20Taught%20Me%20That%20It%20Never%20Really%20Is%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: “Christmas is o-vah!” he shouted, in his thick New England accent, two days after Christmas. Of course, Christmas was very much not over. In the Catholic Church, the Christmas season lasts until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord — and that was weeks away. Those words, in that accent, and the whole story that followed, have become a yearly Christmas tale in my house...

God Desires Constant, Loving Communication With You — So Listen...

The Necessity to Listen to the Word of God | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: There is an important point St. Paul makes about the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, where he states that no one has the right to claim it for himself.[1] His entire discourse emphasizes the important relationship between hearing the Word of God and believing in it. St. Paul expresses an urgency about confirming the relationship between the Word of God and faith in God through His Son, Jesus Christ...

How to Deal With the ‘Sundown Scaries,’ When Your Problems Seem Bigger at Night

Sundown Scaries: An Expert on New Parent Anxiety at Night | PS Parenting: If you're a parent, you may already be familiar with the emotional shift that can happen when the sun goes down. During the day, you might feel OK, but at night, the waves of anxiety can roll in: "Am I a bad parent?" "Am I doing this right?" "Is there something I could be doing better?"

Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication Launches New ‘Pray With the Pope’ Project

%u201CPray%20with%20the%20Pope%u201D%3A%20a%20real%20network%20of%20communion%20in%20a%20divided%20world%20-%20Vatican%20News: “Pray with the Pope” is a new initiative of the Dicastery for Communication and the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network that invites people around the world to share in a real communion of prayer with Pope Leo XIV, offering prayer as a path to unity in a divided world.

Why wait a week for disappointment when you can lose the lottery every second?

Lottery Every Second - Watch the Odds Fail in Real-Time: The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338. Such numbers are so large they become meaningless to our brains. This website chooses to express these ridiculously large numbers in time. Watch the numbers roll. Watch them never match. Imagine all the money it would cost per ticket. This is statistics working exactly as expected...

Cardinals Gather in Rome for First Extraordinary Consistory of Pope Leo XIV

What%u2019s%20a%20consistory%20%u2013%20and%20what%20makes%20this%20one%20%27extraordinary%27%3F: Pope Leo XIV will hold the first consistory of his pontificate on Jan. 7-8, in what is expected to be the first major programmatic event of his pontificate. The extraordinary consistory follows a papacy in which Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, mostly refrained from holding large meetings with cardinals, something that many reportedly complained about during the pre-conclave meetings last year...

Arthur Brooks at SEEK 2026: ‘Your Job Isn’t to Win Arguments, It’s to Win a Soul’

Arthur%20Brooks%20at%20SEEK%202026%3A%20%u2018Your%20Job%20Isn%u2019t%20to%20Win%20Arguments%2C%20It%u2019s%20to%20Win%20a%20Soul%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterELHABBAL: New York Times bestselling author and Harvard professor Arthur Brooks encouraged attendees at SEEK 2026 to resist the temptation as missionaries to “fight fire with fire.” In his Jan. 4 keynote speech in Columbus, Ohio, Brooks said the world “is not just a cold world,” but “a world that attacks you.” In this context, he said, it can be challenging not to fight back.

Russell Shaw, Veteran Catholic Journalist and Author, Dies at 90

New Advent: Russell Shaw, Veteran Catholic Journalist and Author, Dies at 90AQUILINA: The great Russell Shaw has left us. Pundit, journalist, novelist, virtuoso of friendship, he was mentor to my generation in Catholic media. In almost seventy years in the business, he wrote thousands of articles and dozens of books. Kathryn Lopez remarked on the fittingness of such a wise man passing on the Feast of Epiphany. You'll find an entertaining bio here...

Anointed Ones: A Reflection on the Baptism of the Lord

Anointed Ones: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Baptism of the Lord - St. Paul CenterHAHN: Jesus presents himself for baptism in today’s Gospel not because He is a sinner, but to fulfill the word of God proclaimed by His prophets. He must be baptized to reveal that He is the Christ (“anointed one”)—the Spirit-endowed Servant promised by Isaiah in today’s First Reading. His baptism marks the start of a new world, a new creation...

Cutting Off Contact With Your Parents Is Identity Politics, Not ‘Boundaries’

Cutting Off Your Parents Is Identity Politics, Not 'Boundaries'MERING: Family estrangement has moved from the margins to the mainstream and this shift is now visible across popular culture and media alike. Oprah recently gave airtime to the “rising trend” of adult children who have severed ties with their parents. The New York Times offered suggestions for how to cope with family estrangement, especially around the holidays...

The 4-Word Trick to Avoiding an Awkward Goodbye

The 4-Word Trick to Saying a Great Goodbye | TIME: Say goodbye to abrupt departures, that awkward am-I-staying-or-going dance, and hovering anxiously (and conspicuously) near the door. There’s an art to bidding your host adieu, even if you’re slipping out earlier than expected—and experts say it’s a skill that can serve you well at any gathering, any time of year. Here’s exactly what to say to deliver a great goodbye.

Roman generals gave kittens and piglets as gifts to their pet monkeys

Roman generals gifted kittens and piglets to their pet monkeys | Popular Science: Elites in Ancient Rome went to great lengths to advertise their status and wealth. Based on recent archaeological excavations in Egypt, at least some high-ranking military officials even showed off with their choice of pets. In the Journal of Roman Archaeology, researchers at Poland’s University of Warsaw described...

A Consistory to Revitalize the College of Cardinals

A Consistory to Revitalize the College of Cardinals - The Catholic ThingGALLAGHER: During a decade of service at the Vatican Secretariat of State, I was constantly perplexed by the Holy See’s unwillingness or inability to utilize already existing ecclesial structures for effective governance. As the Cardinals meet in Rome over the next few days, it’s worth taking a hard look at some recent ways in which the Church has been operating...

From Stars to Stable: Augustine, Astrology, and the True Light of Christmas

From Stars to Stable: Augustine, Astrology and the True Light of Christmas| National Catholic RegisterTOWELL: For as long as human beings have looked up at the night sky, we have tried to make sense of ourselves by reading what we see there. Long before telescopes or algorithms, people named the stars, traced patterns between them, and searched the heavens for meaning that seemed elusive closer to home...

How To Get Along With (Almost) Everybody

How To Get Along With (Almost) Everybody| National Catholic RegisterGUARENDI: A good definition of frustration: The difference between the way we want things to be and the way they are. It is the gap between expectations and reality. Expecting others to act well is understandable. Treat me well, as I treat you. You would agree that I treat you well, wouldn’t you? A plea I hear repeatedly as a psychologist...

How Can Angels and Demons Fight if They Don’t Have Bodies?

How%20Can%20Angels%20and%20Demons%20Fight%20if%20They%20Don%u2019t%20Have%20Bodies%3F%20-%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: At the beginning of creation, all of the angels were united in serving God. But a time came when Lucifer, the most senior of all the angels, grew resentful towards God. Catholic tradition holds that this resentment arose when Lucifer realized God’s plan for humanity and the role which human beings, and in particular Our Lady, were destined to play as the crowning glory of all creation.

Priest who spread holy water in end zone gets credit for Steelers win

Priest who spread holy water in end zone gets credit for Steelers win | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Apparently, God is a Steelers fan. Baltimore rookie kicker Tyler Loop’s 44-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right as time expired in the Steelers’ 26-24 win Sunday night at Acrisure Stadium. That was dramatic enough. To make it even more so, the critical miss came in the same end zone where, two hours before the game, the Steelers enlisted the help of a higher power.

Pope Leo XIV Closes St. Peter’s Holy Door, Concluding Jubilee of Hope

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20closes%20St.%20Peter%u2019s%20Holy%20Door%2C%20concluding%20Jubilee%20of%20Hope%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20AgencyCARDIEL: Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday closed the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, bringing the ordinary Holy Year to an end — a time of grace that invited Catholics to conversion, reconciliation, and hope. The pontiff processed toward the Holy Door as the antiphon O clavis David was sung. Reaching the threshold, he knelt before the door and remained for a few minutes in silent prayer...

Pope Leo XIV Reacts to Capture of Maduro: ‘The Good of the Beloved Venezuelan People Must Prevail’

LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo reacts to capture of Maduro | Catholic News Agency: After U.S. forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Saturday, Pope Leo expressed deep concern over the situation. Global reactions to the developments are split.

Live Updates: US Strikes Venezuela, Captures Maduro

LIVE UPDATES: U.S. strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro | Catholic News Agency: President Donald Trump announced Saturday that U.S. forces have “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro following a “large scale strike” on the South American nation.

Indiana’s Star QB Fernando Mendoza: Meet the Heisman Trophy Winner Who Never Misses Sunday Mass

Indiana%u2019s%20Star%20QB%20Fernando%20Mendoza%3A%20Meet%20the%20Heisman%20Trophy%20Winner%20Who%20Never%20Misses%20Sunday%20Mass%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterJANNY: On Christmas Eve, Dominican Father Patrick Hyde received an offer from a hearty Indiana University student that was tough to turn down. Just about an hour later, that student — Indiana’s star quarterback, Fernando Mendoza — arrived bearing a truly unique gift: the Heisman Trophy. The first Heisman Trophy winner from Indiana University...

Pope Leo XIV Surprises SEEK26 Attendees With Message: ‘What Do You Seek?’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20surprises%20SEEK26%20attendees%20with%20message%3A%20%u2018What%20do%20you%20seek%3F%u2019%20%7C%20Catholic%20News%20Agency: Pope Leo XIV surprised attendees at SEEK 2026 with a videotaped message encouraging young people to seek after fulfillment they are looking for through personal encounter with Christ. “‘What do you seek?’ Jesus asked the disciples this question because he knows their hearts,” the Holy Father said, reflecting on the Gospel of John. Jesus knew the disciples were restless for God and longing for meaning, he said.

From Franz Schubert to Roger Staubach: The Hail Mary Through History

From Schubert to Staubach: The Hail Mary Through History| National Catholic RegisterDESOUZA: How old is the Hail Mary? It depends. If you mean the words addressed to the Virgin Mary in Nazareth by the Archangel Gabriel — which will be referenced in the gospel assigned for Jan. 1, the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God — then the Hail Mary is 2,025 years old, more or less...

The Top 25 National Catholic Register Stories of 2025

The Top 25 Register Stories of 2025| National Catholic Register: In 2025, the tragic death of Charlie Kirk ignites a national conversation about faith and family, spotlighting his wife, Erika. As the Catholic community rallies around her, Erika’s deep-rooted beliefs and her journey as a mother and nonprofit founder resonate with many. Through her podcast and social media, she shares insights on love, prayer and resilience, embodying strength amid sorrow.