Why Pope Leo Won’t Meet the SSPX

%283%29%20Why%20Leo%20won%u2019t%20meet%20the%20SSPX%20-%20by%20Ed.%20Condon%20-%20The%20PillarCONDON: As the Society of St. Pius X continues preparations to consecrate several bishops without a papal mandate, leaders within the group have begun preparing the ground for the seemingly inevitable canonical consequences. For months, the society’s leadership have insisted they will go ahead with the consecrations, currently scheduled for July...

Santa Walks into an Irish Pub

(3) Santa walks into an Irish pub - by Jack Figge - The PillarFIGGE: Tears trickled down a deli owner’s cheeks the day Eddie Cotter Jr. left town. Scratch that — just about the entire town of Black Earth, Wisconsin, cried when the Cotter family left their small town to move back home to central Ohio four years ago. From the dart games in Cotter’s Pub — Eddie’s garage — to the random encounters with Eddie at the grocery store, at church or in passing, everybody knew Eddie, and Eddie knew everybody...

Can Unity Be Built Without Truth? Lessons From Sarah Mullally’s Vatican Visit

Can%20Unity%20Be%20Built%20Without%20Truth%3F%20Lessons%20From%20Sarah%20Mullally%u2019s%20Vatican%20Visit%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterASHENDEN: However compassionate the Church is toward those who suffer from the mental illness of gender dysphoria, we have long recognized that we do people no service if we reinforce them in the illusion — particularly if the illusion is about something that really matters. Reality is the surest route to sanity and a holy reordering. If that is true in the area of sex and identity...

Azerbaijan Demolishes Armenian Cathedral in Nagorno-Karabakh Region

Armenian cathedral demolished in disputed regionBELTRAN: The Azerbaijani government demolished in early April an Armenian cathedral located in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to local media reports, stirring up a long-running conflict in a border region whose territory has been disputed between both countries since the 1990s...

Why Silicon Valley Is Turning to the Catholic Church [The Atlantic - Paywall]

Why Silicon Valley Is Turning to the Catholic Church - The Atlantic: Human life and dignity are not uniquely Catholic concerns. Yet Silicon Valley consults the Catholic Church much more often than other religious institutions. This isn’t a coincidence: Catholicism is the most centralized global religion. A very small group of leaders could influence how the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics use AI...

What to Look For in Pope Leo XIV's First Social Encyclical

What to Look For in Pope Leo XIV's First Social Encyclical | Church Life Journal | University of Notre DameSCHOLZ: Significant portions of the Catholic world eagerly await the first encyclical from Pope Leo XIV. How will Leo define his papacy? What topics will take priority? And what sort of message will he give to the world? An “encyclical” is a letter from a pope to all people of good will that addresses social, moral, or doctrinal teachings...

6 Tiny Countries You Can Walk Across in a Day

6 Tiny Countries You Can Walk Across in a Day: The world is full of so many fascinating places that it would take multiple lifetimes to explore them all. But what if you could visit an entire country in the space of a day? It sounds unbelievable, but there are actually lands small enough that you can traverse them in 24 hours or less.

Was Pope Leo XIV Offering His African Audiences a Preview of His New Encyclical?

Was Pope Leo XIV Offering His African Audiences a Preview of His New Encyclical?| National Catholic RegisterGAGLIARDUCCI: During his trip to Africa, Pope Leo XIV gave us a glimpse into his interpretation of the Church’s social doctrine — with themes ranging from the societal impact of artificial intelligence to the role of the Church and peace. And everything suggests these will be the themes of the Pope’s first, highly anticipated encyclical.

Official Schedule Announced for September Beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen

Official roster of events for Fulton Sheen beatification announced: The official schedule of events for the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen has been announced by the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois. “I am filled with deep gratitude and great joy as we announce the schedule of events surrounding the long-awaited Mass of beatification of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen," Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria said in a press release...

10 Things You Should Know About Mark’s Gospel

10%20Things%20You%20Should%20Know%20About%20Mark%u2019s%20Gospel%20-%20St.%20Paul%20CenterHARROLD: Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels, and he doesn’t waste any words describing the key events of Jesus’s life. Famously, he uses the adverb “immediately” (Greek, euthus) over forty times in the space of just sixteen chapters! This helps create a fast-paced narrative filled with a sense of urgency. Most scholars believe that Mark was the first Gospel to be written...

What I Would Have Said in Wisconsin About AI

(3) What I would have said in Wisconsin - by tmattMATTINGLY: To cut to the chase, I will not be speaking tonight at the Xavier Fine Arts Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, on this topic: “Pope Leo takes on technology … Why it Matters.” Sadly, for this first time in my career, I am going to miss a speaking engagement due to illness. It’s not safe to travel by air when your ears are almost completely swollen shut by my annual spring sinus infection...

The Devil’s Mousetrap

(3) The Devil's Mousetrap - by Deacon Tom - Weird CatholicTOMMCDONALD: The Merode Altarpiece is a beautiful, richly symbolic Flemish triptych probably painted by Robert Campin and assistants in the 1420s on a commission from the Engelbrecht family. The name “Engelbrecht” means “brought by an angel,” which would have naturally suggested the annunciation as subject matter. The work measures about 4’x2’ and was intended for home devotional use...

Pope Leo XIV Meets Sarah Mullally at Vatican, Says Anglican-Catholic Talks Will Continue Despite ‘New Problems’

Pope Leo XI meets Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally amid deepening church divides: Pope Leo XIV met with the archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, at the Vatican on Monday. Mullallyʼs first official visit to Rome as the spiritual leader of the Church of England comes amid strained ecumenical relations and division among Anglicans. Mullally’s delegation for her April 25–28 visit included representatives from the Anglican Communion and the recently appointed Catholic archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth.

US Bishops Say Violence ‘Never the Answer’ After Shooting at White House Press Diner

U.S. bishops say violence 'never the answer' after shooting at White House press diner: Attendees heard gunshots shortly after the White House Correspondents' Dinner began at the Washington Hilton hotel. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and several cabinet members were evacuated by federal agents. Trump said in a press conference at the White House following the shooting...

A Massive Kraken-Like Octopus May Have Prowled the Seas During the Age of Dinosaurs, Scientists Say

Kraken-like octopuses may have been top predators during the Cretaceous | AP News: The top predator prowling the seas during the age of the dinosaurs 100 million years ago may have been the octopus. New analyses of fossilized jaws reveal that massive, kraken-like octopuses once hunted alongside other marine predators. They boasted eight arms and long bodies that extended more than 60 feet (18 meters), rivaling other carnivorous marine reptiles.

Pope Leo XIV Tells New Priests: ‘You Are a Channel, Not a Filter’

Pope Leo XIV tells new priests: 'You are a channel, not a filter': Pope Leo XIV ordained 10 new priests in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, urging them to keep the doors of the Church open and to remember that their mission is to welcome, not to exclude. “Today more than ever, especially when statistics seem to indicate a divide between people and the Church, keep the door open! Let people in, and be prepared to go out,” the pope said in his homily...

UK Pro-Life Groups Hail ‘Great Victory’ as Assisted-Suicide Legislation Fails

UK%20Pro-Life%20Groups%20Hail%20%u2018Great%20Victory%u2019%20as%20Assisted-Suicide%20Legislation%20Fails%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: Pro‑life advocates hailed the failure of the proposed legislation to legalize assisted suicide in England and Wales on Friday as a “great victory,” marking the end — at least for now — of one of the most closely watched moral debates in the U.K. Parliament. The bill, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, had initially passed the House of Commons last June...

This Sunday, We the Sheep Wait for the One We Know

This%20Sunday%2C%20We%20the%20Sheep%20Wait%20for%20the%20One%20We%20Know%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: Sheep in Christ’s day were often kept together with those belonging to others in a common pen. Jesus describes how each shepherd would gather his sheep: “The sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” All the shepherd needs to do is stand at the gate and call out the names of his sheep. They know his voice and their names, so they separate themselves from the others and follow him, eager for food.

Motivation, a Question of Time, and Shaking Hands

(3) Friday Pillar Post - by Ed. Condon - The PillarCONDON: I have been thinking a lot about the spirituality of futility this week. As a man of a certain age, with a child a much lesser certain age, I necessarily want two things: to give her the kind of joyful early childhood that will cast a happy shadow the length of her life, and to live to see as much of that life as I can.

Pope Leo XIV Departs Africa, Returns to Rome After 11-Day Papal Trip

PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV departs Africa, returns to Rome after 11-day papal trip: Pope Leo XIV departed Africa and returned to Rome on April 23, concluding an 11-day visit to several countries that marked his first visit as pope to the continent. The Holy Father departed Equatorial Guinea after saying Mass at the coastal nationʼs Malabo Stadium...

Fernando Mendoza’s Catholic Playbook: Pro Tips From Las Vegas Faithful for the Raiders’ New QB

Fernando%20Mendoza%u2019s%20Catholic%20Playbook%3A%20Pro%20Tips%20From%20Las%20Vegas%20Faithful%20for%20the%20Raiders%u2019%20New%20QB%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterDUNCAN: When the Las Vegas Raiders selected former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick, they secured more than a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion. They drafted a player whose rise has been shaped as much by public witness as by on-field excellence.

‘Ecclesiacide,’ Then and Now

'Ecclesiacide,' then and nowWEIGEL: Pardon the Latin-rooted neologism, but if “patricide” works for murdering your father and “regicide” for taking out a king, why not “ecclesiacide” for trying to kill an entire Church? That’s what happened some eighty years ago, on March 8-10, 1946, at St. George’s Cathedral in L’viv, Ukraine. There, what was alleged to be a church council...

Did you know St. George’s Day (which is today) was once celebrated like Christmas?

Did you know St. George's Day was once celebrated like Christmas?: Next to St. Patrick, St. Nicholas, and St. Valentine stands St. George, a saint who has a remarkably universal appeal and has been celebrated for centuries by both East and West. While his feast on April 23 has not broken into American culture in the same way as other saints, St. George's Day is widely celebrated around the world...

Is a Vatican office ‘investigating’ Benedict's resignation? As rumors bounce around, let's separate fact from fiction...

%283%29%20Is%20a%20Vatican%20office%20%u2018investigating%u2019%20Benedict%27s%20resignation%3F: Vatican City prosecutor Alessandro Diddi is the focus this week of some international attention, this time for reasons outside the ordinary scope of his courtroom appearances. While Diddi usually makes headlines over his efforts to prosecute the Vatican financial scandal, he has this month, seemingly unwittingly...

Pope Leo XIV Concludes Visit to Africa with Mass in Equatorial Guinea

LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV visits Africa: Pope Leo XIV on Thursday wraps up his visit to Africa with a final Mass in Equatorial Guinea before boarding the papal plane for a six-hour return flight to Rome.

Arthur Brooks on How to Find Meaning (and Happiness) in an Age of Emptiness

Arthur Brooks on How to Find Meaning (and Happiness) in an Age of Emptiness| National Catholic RegisterCALDWELL: Arthur Brooks, author, popular speaker, podcast host and Harvard professor, who is also a devout Catholic, has built a successful career on what he calls the “science of happiness.” He writes in his latest book, The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness, that in 2019, at the age of 55...

The Parish That Prefers Death to New Life

The parish that prefers death to new life | Catholic CultureSWOGGER: Alex Begin is a veteran of the liturgy wars. For the better part of four decades in Michigan and Canada, he has been behind the most successful traditional Catholic movement the world over. Prior to last summer’s crackdown, the Archdiocese of Detroit was home to twenty-eight Latin Masses, and had so thoroughly impressed previous Archbishop Allen Vigneron...

Eager (Not Too Eager) for Friendship

Eager (Not Too Eager) for Friendship - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: It is a hard reality that in the very things most important to us we make missteps, sometimes precisely because they are so important to us. Friendship is a standout example. An insight from a master of friendship can help us make our eagerness for friendship an asset rather than a liability.

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA’s wide-field successor to Hubble, is finally complete

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA's next great observatory, is finally complete | Space: On Tuesday (April 21) here at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, I watched as scientists stood proudly around a metal contraption with towering orange solar panels and a sparkling silver base. Gleaming right before me in a sterile white clean room stood the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope — at last, complete.

What’s so amazing about retractable pens? Let’s get into it...

Mechanical Pencil: Click! Click! Retractable pens feature a very clever mechanism called a "push-push" mechanism. This type of mechanism exists in many forms: old push light switches, cabinet latches, sim card readers, and more. But this is probably the most recognizable implementation.

Pope Leo XIV Visits Equatorial Guinea as African Trip Draws to a Close

PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV visits Equatorial Guinea as African trip draws to a close: Pope Leo XIV met with civic leaders and cultural stewards in Equatorial Guinea on April 21, coming to the coastal African nation after traveling across much of the continent during his first papal visit there. The Holy Fatherʼs two-day stay in Equatorial Guinea will cap his visit to Africa...

Gen Z Catholics and the Growing Divide Over Israel

Gen Z Catholics and the Growing Divide Over Israel| National Catholic RegisterDUNCAN: When Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Catholic Church’s top authority in the Holy Land, was blocked by Israeli police from entering Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher this past Palm Sunday, the incident set off a wave of criticism in the U.S. — including from many Generation Z Catholics...

What the World Missed When the Pope Returned to St. Augustine’s Homeland Last Week

What%20the%20World%20Missed%20When%20the%20Pope%20Returned%20to%20St.%20Augustine%u2019s%20Homeland%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterTOWELL: On April 14, Pope Leo XIV stood in Annaba, in the shadow of the Basilica of St. Augustine, on ground that has carried the memory of one of the Church’s greatest voices for more than 15 centuries. And for a moment, the noise of the week fell away. It should have been one of the defining images of these days: an Augustinian Pope returning to Hippo...

Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Catholic-Majority Equatorial Guinea — Day 9 of His Visit to Africa

LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV visits Africa: Leaving Angola on Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV began the last leg of his Africa trip, landing in Catholic-majority Equatorial Guinea, an oil-rich country where many live in poverty.

Vatican Diary: Reflections on ‘America Week’ at the Vatican

Vatican%20Diary%3A%20Reflections%20on%20%u2018America%20Week%u2019%20at%20the%20Vatican%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterROCCA: Last week was “America Week” at the Vatican. That’s the unofficial name for the second week after Easter, when bishops and laity from the U.S. flock to Rome for a series of events culminating in the Rector’s Dinner, a fundraiser at the Pontifical North American College (PNAC), the U.S. bishops’ seminary on the Janiculum Hill.

IDF Confirms Viral Photo of Israeli Soldier Smashing Crucifix in Lebanon Is Genuine, Vows Action

IDF confirms photo of soldier smashing Jesus statue in Lebanon is genuine, vows action | The Times of Israel: The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the authenticity of a photo showing a soldier in southern Lebanon smashing a statue of Jesus with a sledgehammer, and said it would take action against those involved. The statement, issued shortly after midnight on Sunday-Monday...

Christ Is Not ‘a Guru or a Good Luck Charm,’ Pope Says at Mass in Angola

Christ%20is%20not%20%u2018a%20guru%20or%20a%20good%20luck%20charm%2C%u2019%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20says%20at%20Mass%20in%20Angola: Pope Leo XIV warned at Mass in Saurimo, Angola, on Monday of making God into an idol that is sought only when advantageous — “when genuine faith is replaced with superstitious practices. There are erroneous motives for seeking Christ, particularly when he is considered to be a guru or a good luck charm,” the pope said on April 20...

Pope Leo XIV in Angola: ‘Build the Hope of the Future’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20in%20Angola%3A%20%u2018Build%20the%20hope%20of%20the%20future%u2019: Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass in Angola on Sunday in Kilamba, a fast-growing city about 20 miles from the capital, Luanda, telling the faithful that Angola must “look to the future with hope” and “build the hope of the future.” Kilamba, inaugurated in 2011, has grown into a city of about 130,000 inhabitants...

This Sunday, Jesus, the ‘Undercover Boss,’ Is Seeking You Out, Too

This%20Sunday%2C%20Jesus%2C%20the%20%u2018Undercover%20Boss%2C%u2019%20Is%20Seeking%20You%20Out%2C%20Too%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: The Gospel reading at Mass takes us back to the very first Easter Sunday, where two disciples are joined by Jesus “in disguise”as they are headed out of town as soon as they can after the crucifixion. We are on the same journey, and Jesus is talking to us, too — whether or not we notice...

Old Lines, New Thoughts: Writing Out a Gospel by Hand

Old lines, new thoughts: Writing out a Gospel by hand - OSV NewsELIZABETHSCALIA: Because my Lent took a nosedive about two-thirds of the way through, I am still immersed in a project I undertook in order to get my spiritual groove back: Writing out the Gospel of Mark, in longhand. It has been a very interesting, instructive and spiritual enlivening experience and I recommend the practice to anyone...

Danish Courtesy, Agreeing to Disagree, and the Soccer Super Bowl

(3) Danish courtesy, agreeing to disagree, and the soccer super bowlCONDON: I have some long thoughts I’d like to think out loud with you today, so I am going to keep the preambles short this week. In fact, I just wanted to bring to your attention the story of St. Donan, whose feast it is today. He was a seventh century Irish monk who lived in a monastery on the Scottish island of Eigg...

10 Important Mountains in the Bible

10 Important Mountains in the Bible - St. Paul CenterHARROLD: The Scriptures depict mountains as one of God’s favorite places for meeting with His children. Jesus Himself frequently retreated into the mountains when He needed time alone with the Father. And He delivered His most famous sermon on a mountain. With that in mind, here are ten of the most significant mountains that appear in the Bible.

King Arthur in the Lives of the Saints

(3) King Arthur in the Lives of the Saints - by Deacon TomTOMMCDONALD: The literature of King Arthur exerts a powerful gravitational pull, drawing in history, lore, legend, fiction, poetry, folktale, art, and even faith. The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, a catalog of all things Arthur, is roughly the size of a phonebook, and until you’ve dug past the first layer...

The Dilemma of Teaching Religion

The Dilemma of Teaching Religion | Knowing Is DoingTORRE: G.K. Chesterton once remarked that “One of the chief uses of religion is that it makes us remember our coming from darkness, the simple fact that we are created.” Chesterton’s description of religion reflects the frustration I received from a parent some time ago, who asked me what the purpose of teaching religion is. The context of the question was about his son’s religion classes at school...

Pope Leo XIV Lands in Angola for Third Leg of His Apostolic Journey

Pope Leo XIV lands in Angola for third leg of his Journey - Vatican News: Pope Leo has arrived in Angola, landing in Luanda International Airport just before 3pm local time, after having spent four days in Cameroon. He will spend the next three days in the Angola, before then travelling to his fourth and final destination of the journey: Equitorial Guinea. At Luanda International Airport, the Pope was welcomed by the President...

Amid Quarrel with Pope, Trump Strips Miami Catholic Charities of $11 Million to House Migrant Kids

Trump cuts Catholic Church funding for migrant children | Miami Herald: The Trump administration has abruptly canceled an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities to shelter and care for migrant children who enter the U.S. alone, ending a relationship between the Catholic Church and the U.S. government dating back to the first arrivals of Cuban exiles in South Florida.

A Dispatch from Inside the Vatican Bubble During a Remarkable Exchange Between Pope and President

Media access to pope on trips abroad offers unique access | AP NewsWINFIELD: There is an odd sense of isolation when you are covering Pope Leo XIV from inside the Vatican’s traveling press pool: Escorted from venue to venue with police motorcades that clear even the most congested of traffic jams, it’s a membership that has many privileges...

Pope Leo in Bamenda, Cameroon: ‘Woe to Those Who Manipulate Religion for Military or Political Gain’

Pope%20in%20Bamenda%3A%20%u2018Woe%20to%20those%20who%20manipulate%20religion%20for%20military%20or%20political%20gain%u2019%20-%20Vatican%20News: Speaking at a meeting dedicated to peace in Bamenda, Cameroon, Pope Leo XIV warns against the "masters of war" who pretend not to acknowledge that "it only takes a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild" and who spend billions on weapons but dedicate nothing to helping people heal.

Your Tribe Is Not Your Magisterium

Your Tribe Is Not Your Magisterium - Catholic Missionary Disciples - College Station, TXLEJEUNE: We are all biased in some ways. I am biased toward the state of Texas but against Communism. I will argue for the merits of bourbon, books, and Jesus. I dislike beets, cheap yard equipment, and fire ants. It is natural to have preferences, instincts, and convictions — these are part of being a particular person in a particular place.

How to Avoid Another Blowup at Notre Dame

How to Avoid Another Blowup at Notre Dame - Irish RoverPHILPOTT: Another blowup. The recent eruption at Notre Dame over the appointment of an abortion rights advocate to the directorship of the Liu Institute is the latest in a succession of public controversies that span my twenty-five years on the faculty. They arrive as often as the fall football season...

Blessed Peter, Paul III, and Everything Else

(3) Blessed Peter, Paul III, and ... everthing elseJDFLYNN: Last week, you’ll recall, a whole fracas emerged in the media about whether Cardinal Christophe Pierre had received some penumbra of a threat from U.S. Pentagon officials who were said to have made reference in the nuncio’s presence to the “Avignon papacy.” If such reference occurred, reporting suggested, it could have been taken as a veiled suggestion that the U.S. would act coercively against the Holy See or the Roman Pontiff.

A Pause, a Peace, and a ‘Cup of Poison’: How Wars End in Iran

A%20Pause%2C%20a%20Peace%2C%20and%20a%20%u2018Cup%20of%20Poison%u2019%3A%20How%20Wars%20End%20in%20Iran%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterALBERTOFERNANDEZ: The senior Iranian officials met late at night in an emergency session, speaking their minds freely for eight hours. A chronicler noted that “it was now clear that Iran would be headed for disaster if it obsessively pursued a war that had turned to its disadvantage.” The Iranian leadership decided to end the war, and the president would present the decision to the Supreme Leader for confirmation.

New genetic study suggests Christopher Columbus came from Spanish nobility

Galician genes: New study suggests Christopher Columbus was from Spanish nobility | Euronews: The official version reflected in the history books is that Columbus was born in Genoa, the seafarer of humble origins who convinced the Catholic Monarchs to finance what no one thought possible. This origin story has been questioned for decades by historians, linguists and, more recently, geneticists...

Would You Pass the Royals’ Cleaning Test? Check Out What They Make Prospective Hires Do...

Would You Pass the Royal Family's Quirky Cleaning Test?: It’s no secret that the royals have high standards. When it comes to royal etiquette and dress codes, everything is precise and to the letter—every curtsy, every place setting, every hem length. So it should come as no surprise that the same is true for cleaning the palace and the other royal residences...

Apostolic Journey to Africa, Day 3: Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Cameroon

LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV visits Africa: The 11-day visit marks Pope Leo’s first trip to the African continent since his election in May 2025.

The One Regret I Didn’t Know I Had

The%20One%20Regret%20I%20Didn%u2019t%20Know%20I%20HadBRUNO: Experience teaches you a lot over time. What works. What doesn’t. What matters, and what doesn’t matter nearly as much as you once thought it did. It also reshapes memory. The sharp edges of regret begin to soften. What once felt like mistakes slowly reveal themselves as part of a larger path...

Pope Convokes June Consistory of Cardinals to Discuss ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ and Mission of the Church

Pope convokes Consistory to reflect on Church's mission to communicate God's love - Vatican News: In a letter to the Cardinals ahead of a late-June Consistory, Pope Leo XIV calls for a deeper reflection on the themes of “Evangelii gaudium," particularly the reform of the processes of Christian initiation, warning against the temptation of proselytism or a logic of “mere preservation or institutional expansion.”

Defusing the F-Bomb

Defusing the F-Bomb Neal Obstat Theological OpiningNEAL: I was at a car repair shop recently, and the owner was telling me about how he and his father founded the business decades ago. As we spoke about his father’s character and work ethic, he mentioned almost in passing that his dad was adamant there would be no vulgar language used by employees in the shop...

Pope Leo XIV in Algeria: ‘I Am Here Among You As a Pilgrim of Peace’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20in%20Algeria%3A%20%u2018I%20Am%20Here%20Among%20You%20As%20a%20Pilgrim%20of%20Peace%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterGAGLIARDUCCI: Pope Leo XIV on Monday presented himself to Algeria’s diplomatic corps and civil society as “a pilgrim of peace,” urging a more just international order, warning against exclusion and inequality, and praising those who refuse to be “blinded by power or wealth.” Peace remained the central theme of the Pope’s first day in Algeria, following his earlier stop at the Martyrs’ Memorial...

What Was the Avignon Papacy?

(3) What was the Avignon Papacy? - by Luke Coppen - The PillarCOPPEN: As the mighty Rhône River flows down from Switzerland, through France, and out into the Mediterranean Sea, it passes through an urban area nicknamed the “City of the Popes.” On a rocky outcrop on the river’s left bank stands a Gothic building that is one of the most important papal edifices outside of Rome. It is the Palace of the Popes...

Here’s a Ranking of the World’s 21 Deadliest Animals

What%20are%20the%20world%u2019s%20deadliest%20animals%2C%20and%20can%20we%20protect%20ourselves%20against%20them%3F%20-%20Our%20World%20in%20Data: One and a half million people are killed by animals every year. Almost one million by other animals, and more than half a million from direct conflict among ourselves. Almost all of these deaths from other animals are caused by just two types: mosquitoes and snakes. In the chart below, we’ve brought together estimates of the number of people killed by different animals.

Global Sound Map Lets You Hear the World in 8,000 Places

Sound map of the world and field recordings by Cities and Memory: The Cities and Memory project centers on a global sound map that pairs documentary recordings with artist reinterpretations, offering more than 8,000 sounds from 140 countries and inviting listeners to move between reality and imagination.

Pope Leo XIV Aboard Papal Flight to Algeria: ‘I Have No Fear of the Trump Administration’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%3A%20%u2018I%20Have%20No%20Fear%20of%20the%20Trump%20Administration%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: Pope Leo XIV said Monday that he will continue to speak out “loudly” against war, stressing that his role is to preach the Gospel, not to enter into political disputes. Speaking to journalists aboard the papal flight to Algiers on April 13, the Pope responded to a question about a post by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Trump Post of Himself as ‘Jesus’ Includes Strange Horned Creature Not in Original

Trump%20Post%20of%20Himself%20as%20%u2018Jesus%u2019%20Includes%20Strange%20Horned%20Creature%20Not%20in%20Original: President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image depictimg himself late Sunday as a Jesus-like character healing a sick man, but the image included one not-so-subtle change from the original posted months ago by a MAGA fan – swapping out a U.S. soldier for a horned creature with wings.

Trump Blasts Holy Father for Criticizing Iran War, Calls Pope ‘Weak on Crime’ and ‘Terrible for Foreign Policy’

Trump%20Blasts%20Pope%20Leo%20as%20%u2018Weak%u2019%20and%20%u2018Terrible%20for%20Foreign%20Policy%u2019%7C%20National%20Catholic%20Register: President Donald Trump publicly attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media Sunday evening, calling the Pontiff “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for Foreign Policy” in a lengthy post that appeared to be reacting to the Holy Father’s recent appeals for peace and an end to war.

Divine Mercy Sunday Reminds Us That, Without Jesus, Humans Are Bound for Hell

This%20Sunday%2C%20Divine%20Mercy%20Means%20We%20Are%20Hell-Bound%20Without%20Jesus%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: We would have no salvation without Jesus — in other words, we would be bound for hell. That’s Church teaching, but after years of de-emphasizing salvation, it seems almost scandalous to say it. All the same, if we don’t believe that, then the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus loses all its power.

US-Iran Talks Collapse as Vance Cites Nuclear Impasse and Pope Leo XIV Calls for Peace

U.S.-Iran talks collapse as Vance cites nuclear impasse and Catholic leaders call for peace: U.S.-Iran peace talks collapsed on Sunday after a 21-hour marathon session, with Vice President JD Vance blaming Iranʼs refusal to commit to abandoning its nuclear program, even as Catholic leaders in Rome and Washington condemned the broader conflict as immoral and pleaded “Enough of war!”

Why Not Cover Church-State Wars in Finland?

(3) Crossroads -- Why not cover church-state wars in Finland?MATTINGLY: At the intersection of church and state, few U.S. Supreme Court dramas have received more news coverage than the battles over Colorado cake designer Jack Phillips and his efforts to defend his Masterpiece Cakeshop business. Phillips was approached by two of his regular customers who asked him to create one of his unique, handcrafted cakes for their wedding, including content celebrating their same-sex union.

Harvard Social Scientist Arthur Brooks: ‘The World Needs American Catholicism’

Arthur%20Brooks%3A%20%u2018The%20world%20needs%20American%20Catholicism%u2019GERVASINI: Now is the time to invite people to the faith, as it “is the moment for the American Catholic Church,” says bestselling author, Harvard professor, and renowned social scientist Arthur Brooks.

Artemis II, Carroll Wiseman and the Catholic Connection

Artemis II, Carroll Wiseman and the Catholic Connection| National Catholic RegisterDUNCAN: More than 50 years after humans last traveled to the lunar surface, Artemis II has marked a new chapter in space exploration. The 10-day mission, designed to test systems for future lunar landings, has taken four astronauts farther from Earth than any crew since the Apollo era.

Nuncio’s Pentagon meeting was ‘tense’ but there was ‘no question of anyone threatening anyone,’ officials say

Nuncio%u2019s%20Pentagon%20meeting%20was%20%u2018frank%20exchange%20of%20ideas%2C%u2019%20officials%20say: Pentagon officials have insisted that a January meeting with the Vatican’s apostolic nuncio was a “cordial” and frank conversation, while some Vatican sources have told The Pillar that while no threats were implied or made by U.S. officials, the discussion between defense leaders and Cardinal Christophe Pierre was at times “tense.”

Pope’s Cameroon Visit Puts Archbishop Nkea in the Spotlight

Pope%u2019s%20Cameroon%20Visit%20Puts%20Archbishop%20Nkea%20in%20the%20Spotlight%7C%20National%20Catholic%20RegisterPENTIN: When Pope Leo XIV visits Cameroon April 15-18, he will be greeted in Bamenda by one of the country’s most prominent Churchmen, Archbishop Andrew Fuanya Nkea. The 60-year-old archbishop is widely regarded in Cameroon as a gifted preacher, an energetic pastor and an unusually visible Catholic leader in a country marked by conflict and widespread human suffering.

Living Well, Listening to Leo, and Living with the Dead

(3) Living well, listening to Leo, and living with the deadCONDON: Happy Friday friends, and a very happy Easter to you all. I love the octave, the idea of eight days being a single liturgical moment, so great is the feast of the Resurrection’s power and significance that it cannot be contained. I love, too, the idea of a week — an entire season of 50 days, even — of compulsory feasting.

‘Free Press’ Depiction of Nuncio’s Pentagon Meeting ‘Does Not Correspond to the Truth,’ Vatican Says

Media%20narrative%20about%20nuncio%u2019s%20Pentagon%20meeting%20untrue%2C%20Vatican%20saysBROCKHAUS: The Vatican on Friday said the narrative in some media outlets about a meeting at the Pentagon between senior U.S. defense officials and the pope’s then-representative to the U.S. “does not correspond to the truth.” According to Cardinal Christophe Pierre, his meeting with Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge A. Colby in January was...

His Mercy Endures: A Reflection on Divine Mercy Sunday

His Mercy Endures: Scott Hahn Reflects on Divine Mercy Sunday - St. Paul CenterHAHN: We are children of Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead. Through this wondrous sign of His great mercy, the Father of Jesus has given us new birth, as we hear in today’s Epistle. Today’s First Reading sketches the “family life” of our first ancestors in the household of God (see 1 Peter 4:17). We see them doing what we still do—devoting themselves to the Apostles’ teaching, meeting daily to pray and celebrate...

When will Pope Leo come home to the United States?

When will Leo come home? - by Ed. Condon - The PillarCONDON: Despite the hopes of American Catholics, Pope Leo XIV will not be returning to his home country for its 250th anniversary celebrations. With the diplomatic distance between Rome and Washington widening over the war in Iran, what hopes there might have been for an early papal visit to the United States seem all but extinguished...

Entertaining Angels in Transit

Entertaining Angels in Transit ~ The Imaginative ConservativeDEAVEL: I am probably more likely to entertain strangers when on the road than I am at work or at home. While traveling on a plane, a train, or a bus, one of my favorite positions is the seat behind a baby over six months. At that age, the child can explore his setting and discover rather quickly that he can see someone through the crack between his mother’s seat and the person next to him...

Artemis II: A Time to Look to the Heavens

A Time to Look to the Heavens| National Catholic Register: There are no mere accidents in this life, so it’s clearly providential that the Artemis II moon mission has taken place at such a fraught moment in human history. Down here on Earth, the war in Iran has commanded our attention. Yet up in the sky, something uplifting and even more commanding has unfolded right before us. The breathtaking images of the moon and the Earth...

Pope Leo XIV Welcomes Ceasefire in Iran as ‘Sign of Living Hope’

Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20welcomes%20ceasefire%20in%20Iran%20as%20%u2018sign%20of%20living%20hope%u2019: Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war and urged negotiation and prayer to end the war in the Middle East. “Following these recent hours of great tension for the Middle East and for the whole world, I welcome with satisfaction and as a sign of living hope the announcement of an immediate two-week truce,” the pope said at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square on April 8.

I can’t read John Chapter 20 without cracking a smile

Waiting%20for%20Peter%3A%20John%u2019s%20Account%20of%20the%20Resurrection%20Needed%20Today%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureMULHOLLAND: Peter and John, informed by Mary Magdalene that Jesus is no longer in the tomb, take off running. John outruns Peter. Tradition tells us that John is writing this as an old man, after the other Gospels were written. He likes to add details the other Gospels don’t have. So the fact that he got there first gets mentioned is understandable. But, in fact, he tells us three times.

The Lesson of Emmaus: Hospitality Is a Duty

Emmaus' Lesson: Hospitality - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Of the various appearances of the Lord after his resurrection, the story of the road to Emmaus is especially beloved. It seems unmatched for accessibility and richness of lessons. One lesson emphasized by two major fathers of the Church might take us by surprise: the duty of hospitality...

Pope Welcomes Middle East Ceasefire, Invites Faithful to Join Prayer Vigil for Peace

Pope welcomes Middle East ceasefire, invites faithful to join prayer vigil for peace - Vatican News: Pope Leo welcomes the news of a ceasefire in the Middle East and asks that all parties engage in prolonged dialogue to reach an end to the conflict. He also invites men and women of goodwill across the world to join him in prayer for peace on Saturday 11 April.

Pope Leo XIV Denounces Trump ‘Whole Civilization Will Die’ Threat Against Iran

Pope: The threat against the entire Iranian people is unacceptable - Vatican News: Addressing journalists in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV asks "all people of goodwill to always search for peace and to reject war," calls for a return to the negotiating table to pursue peaceful solutions, and notes that attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law.

Archdiocese of Atlanta Makes Bid to Host 2030 World Youth Day

(3) Atlanta archdiocese makes WYD bid - The Pillar: The Archdiocese of Atlanta has asked the Vatican to consider it as a prospective host for the 2030 World Youth Day. A successful bid would mean the certainty of a 2030 papal visit to the U.S., and make Atlanta the second U.S. city to host the international World Youth Day gathering.

On Easter Monday Regina Caeli, Pope Leo Remembers Those ‘Tormented’ by War: ‘The Truth Does Not Remain Hidden’

On%20Easter%20Monday%2C%20Pope%20Leo%20XIV%20remembers%20those%20%u2018tormented%u2019%20by%20war%3A%20%u2018The%20truth%20does%20not%20remain%20hidden%u2019: On his first Easter Monday as pope, Leo XIV appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace under bright sunshine and clear skies to lead the Regina Caeli with thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square. “Dear brothers and sisters, Christ is risen! Happy Easter!“ he exclaimed...

How Catholic Underground’s Eucharistic Adoration Draws Hundreds to Manhattan Church

How Catholic Underground's Eucharistic Adoration Draws Hundreds to Manhattan Church - The Good Newsroom: On Saturday night, while much of the city rushed past on East 90th Street, another kind of gathering was taking place at Our Lady of Good Counsel. Catholic Underground, a monthly event hosted by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, brought hundreds of young adults, families, and neighbors together for an evening centered on Eucharistic adoration, prayer, and music...

Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi: Pope Leo Urges World Leaders to Lay Down Weapons

Urbi et Orbi: Pope urges world leaders to lay down weapons - Vatican News: Pope Leo warned that the world is “growing accustomed to violence”. We are “becoming indifferent”, he said, not only to the deaths of thousands of people, but to the “hatred and division” war causes, as well as its “economic and social consequences”. Borrowing a phrase from the late Pope Francis, Pope Leo warned of...

This Sunday, Christ Rose and Will Convince the World, If We Tell Them

This%20Sunday%2C%20Christ%20Rose%20and%20Will%20Convince%20the%20World%2C%20If%20We%20Tell%20Them%20%u2013%20Benedictine%20College%20Media%20%26%20CultureHOOPES: On Sunday, the day after the Saturday Sabbath, Mary Magdalene set out for Jesus’s tomb before the sun had even risen. When she found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty, the Gospel reading tells us she “ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple,” John. In other words, her first thought was...

Pope Leo XIV Carries Cross for Via Crucis at Colosseum in Rome

Pope Leo XIV carries Cross for Via Crucis at Colosseum in Rome - Vatican News: Pope Leo XIV became the second Pope to carry the Cross for the entire Via Crucis on Good Friday at Rome’s Colosseum. Joined by around 30,000 faithful and countless people across the world on social media, television, and radio, the Pope led the Way of the Cross through the candlelit ruins of the ancient Roman edifice, which witnessed the martyrdom of many early Christians.

Did Jesus have to suffer to save us?

Did%20Jesus%20have%20to%20suffer%20to%20save%20us%3F%20%u2013%20Catholic%20World%20ReportDEAVEL: Late in his life, St. John Henry Newman declined an offer from a Protestant to explain the Atonement fully. He replied that the Atonement is a theological mystery, far too complicated to be reduced to human reason. He was correct. The reason there are many competing (sometimes only partial) explanations for how Jesus Christ made us sinners at-one again with the Father is that it is complex—both literally and figuratively a thorny topic.

Facing Away, Franciscan Horseshoe Theory, and a Moon, If You Can Keep It

(2) Facing away, Franciscan horseshoe theory, and a moon, if you can keep itCONDON: I intend this to be a short newsletter, since this of all days is better spent in contemplation before the Cross than reading (or writing) my opinions on anything. For myself, the great temptation of the day is to give in to a kind of pious sentimentality, to consider the Cross only as mawkish spectacle and Christ as a figure somehow deserving of, or interested in, my pity.

Good Friday Via Crucis in Rome: ‘Faith, Hope, Love Must Be Incarnated in Real World’

Way%20of%20the%20Cross%20Meditations%3A%20%u2018Faith%2C%20hope%2C%20love%20must%20be%20incarnated%20in%20real%20world%u2019%20-%20Vatican%20News: As Pope Leo XIV leads the Way of the Cross on Good Friday evening, Christians gathered at the Colosseum and spread across the globe will be led in spirit by the reflections of Fr. Francesco Patton, former Custos of the Holy Land, OFM. At each of the fourteen stations of the Via Crucis, Fr. Patton’s words explore different aspects of Christian life...

‘Hamnet’ and the Quiet Triumph of the Christian Patriarchy

(2) Hamnet and the Quiet Triumph of the Christian PatriarchyGRESS: A few weeks ago, Jessie Buckley videos saturated my social media feed. I guess I lingered too long on the video of her receiving an academy award. But who could blame me? It isn’t every day that you see an award-winning actress telling her husband she loves him...

Hallow Crunches the Numbers: Catholic Church Sees Massive Growth in New Members in 2026

Catholic%20Church%20Sees%20Massive%20Growth%20in%20New%20Members%20in%202026%20%u2013%20Hallow: The Catholic Church in the United States is seeing a significant increase in people entering the Church this Easter season. Hallow, the #1 prayer app, today announced the release of new original data showing a significant rise in catechumens and candidates across the United States in 2026. Based on data compiled exclusively by Hallow...

Washington Post: Why Catholicism Is Drawing in Gen Z Men

Why Catholicism is drawing in Gen Z men - The Washington Post: About 100 young adults dressed in business casual were packed into a pizza shop. “Come to church with us!” they shouted in unison. “In New York City!” added Anthony Gross. He flashed a wide, white grin and raised the roof. Gross had helped organize this meetup at the Pizza Box in Greenwich Village. Soon, he would lead these Catholic and Catholic-curious young people to a Mass at St. Joseph’s Church a few blocks away.

NASA’s Artemis II Begins Easter Week Mission Around the Moon

NASA%u2019s%20Artemis%20II%20begins%20Easter%20week%20mission%20around%20the%20moonGERVASINI: More than half a century after humans last traveled beyond Earth’s orbit, a new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) project for lunar exploration has begun, marking a historic day in the United States. “The feeling is really palpable that now America is on its way back to the moon after more than five decades of waiting and planning,” Jonathan Lunine, chief scientist at NASA...

Returning to the Moon, Returning to God

Returning to the Moon, Returning to God| National Catholic Register: NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) thundered into the Florida skies yesterday evening with four crew members aboard. None of them will descend to the lunar surface this time, but they will execute key tests to pave the way for Artemis IV to touch down in 2028. On board the Orion crew module are the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit...

National Catholic Register Editorial: Holy Week in a Time of War

Holy Week in a Time of War| National Catholic Register: This Holy Week began on an intense but blessedly brief note of controversy, when Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Franciscan Father Francesco Ielpo, Custos of the Holy Land, were denied entry to the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday Mass there. Initial concerns that this denial of entry constituted an intentional violation...

Via Crucis, 2026

Via Crucis, 2026WEIGEL: The Way of the Cross — and the third, seventh, and ninth stations in particular — has been an especially appropriate Lenten devotion this year. Every day, it seems, some new craziness erupts in the world, the country, or the Church. Every time we think we see rays of hope and possibility, we take another fall. So it’s good to remember this Holy Week...

The Word That Towers Over Betrayal

The Word That Towers Over Betrayal - LifeCraftCUDDEBACK: Wednesday of Holy Week is a day traditionally focused on the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. One of the great gifts of the story of the Passion, and our commemoration of it in Holy Week, is the various characters with whom we can identify ourselves, and who reveal different aspects of Our Lord. The drama of the betrayal, almost incomprehensible in its horror, brings out as nothing else this week certain features of the heart of Our Lord.

When the Pope (Maybe) Invented April Fool’s Day

(2) When the pope (maybe) invented April Fool's DaySEWELL: Before we get to the invention of April Fool’s Day, we first need to pay homage to the only pontiff to have died on this particular day of the year. Pope John XV served as Bishop of Rome for a decade at the end of the 10th Century, one of the most fraught and, frankly, dark periods of the papacy the Catholic Church has ever seen. Not much of John’s reign was remarkable...

Pope Leo’s Spy Wednesday Audience: ‘Messianic People’ Have ‘Dignity and Freedom of the Children of God’

Pope at Audience: Lay people help Church reach all and promote peace - Vatican News: During his weekly General Audience, Pope Leo XIV highlights the important role that lay people play in the Church’s mission in bearing witness to the Gospel, as he continues his reflection on the conciliar document "Lumen gentium."