A Catholic church in Washington D.C. is seeing a significant influx of young professionals, with nearly 500 under-35s attending mass regularly. The church has also seen a record number of baptisms this year.
The article contrasts Madrid's financial skyline with Barcelona's spiritual one, dominated by the Sagrado Corazón de Jesús and Sagrada Família. It explores historical influences, including the Franco-Prussian War and Spanish political turmoil, linking them to the rise of expiatory temples and Catholic influence in Barcelona's social and business spheres.
Prime Minister Kim Min-seok requested cooperation from the Catholic Church on suicide prevention, stating that "the government alone cannot solve this issue, and we must work with religious circles." He noted that the number of suicides in South Korea has recently begun to decline for the first time in months.
Pope Leo has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, president of EWTN News, as the first lay woman to lead the Vatican's communications department, a significant move continuing Pope Francis's efforts to increase female leadership within the church.
Young people in traditionally Catholic but secular Spain and France are showing renewed interest in Catholicism, driven by youth movements and a desire for meaning. Pope Leo XIV's upcoming visits highlight this trend, with increased adult baptisms and active participation in faith groups.
As Donald Trump approaches 80, concerns are growing about his physical and mental health impacting his ability to serve. Despite assurances of "excellent health," his frequent medical visits, erratic behavior, and public statements raise questions about his fitness for office, with a majority now believing he is not healthy enough to serve effectively.
Pope Leo issued a strong warning about AI, calling it a major threat and urging ethical constraints. Readers echoed concerns about unregulated AI, surveillance, job displacement, and its potential for manipulation and harm.
The Philippine Catholic Church has established an independent EJK Truth Commission to investigate drug-related extrajudicial killings during Rodrigo Duterte's presidency, coinciding with the ICC's announcement to start Duterte's trial for crimes against humanity in late November.
Ghana welcomes Pope Leo XIV's apology for the Catholic Church's role in slavery, calling it an 'act of moral courage' towards truth, dignity, and justice, as the nation seeks compensation and apologies for the transatlantic slave trade.
Director Lucrecia Martel’s documentary Landmarks highlights Argentina’s historical disregard for Indigenous rights through the 2009 killing of Diaguita leader Javier Chocobar in a land dispute.
Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas," addresses human dignity in the age of AI, continuing the Church's tradition of using formal letters to guide Catholics on modern moral challenges.
Pope Leo issued an encyclical denouncing the "culture of power" driving AI, urging "rigorous" ethical constraints, especially in warfare. He also apologized for the Catholic Church's historical stance on slavery and warned of new digital-era enslavements.
Douliu's Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Yunlin County preserves calligraphy by Yu Youren and Jia Jingde, two prominent figures in modern Chinese calligraphy and former heads of government institutions. These artworks, a couplet by Yu Youren and a regular script inscription by Jia Jingde, are cherished by parishioners, especially in light of Taiwan Power Company's recent replacement of Yu Youren's calligraphy for its logo.
A 35-year-old suspect has admitted to stealing a revered skull relic from a church in Jablonne v Podjestedi, Czech Republic. He hid it in a concrete block, intending to dispose of it in a river.
The US State Department offers aid to Cuba via the Catholic Church and other NGOs, accusing Cuba's communist government of previously refusing US help, including satellite internet support.
Father Tom McCarthy says Leo had trouble convincing his bank of his identity after being elected to lead the Catholic Church.
Marco Rubio is expected at the Vatican on May 7 for an audience with the head of the Roman Catholic Church
Pope Leo, the first American leader of the Catholic Church, met with Archbishop Sarah Mullally, the first woman to lead the Anglican Communion, at the Vatican on Monday. The historic encounter brought together the leaders of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics and 85 million Anglicans for the first time, nearly 500 years after the churches split in acrimony in 1534. The two exchanged gifts, prayed together in a 17th-century chapel, and discussed the need for unity despite new problems that have arisen in recent decades.
Sarah Mullally hails pontiff for addressing the ‘many injustices in our world’ after private meeting at VaticanThe archbishop of Canterbury has praised Pope Leo for speaking “powerfully about the many injustices” in the world, in an apparent reference to the pontiff becoming more outspoken in recent weeks, particularly in his criticism of the US-Israeli war on Iran.Sarah Mullally, who in March became the first woman to lead the Anglican church, arrived in Rome on Saturday for a visit aimed at reinforcing relations with the Vatican. Mullally had a private meeting on Monday with Leo, the first US-born leader of the Catholic church, at the Apostolic Palace, the pope’s official residence. Continue reading...
Pope Leo has urged for the global abolition of the death penalty, asserting that human life is sacred from conception to natural death and that dignity is not lost even after the commission of serious crimes.
The Trump administration has authorized firing squads and re-introduced pentobarbital for federal executions, drawing immediate condemnation from Pope Leo XIV, who reaffirmed the Catholic Church's opposition to the death penalty.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday, condemning the colonisation of Africa's oil and mineral resources and calling the global economy that prioritises profit 'a killer.' The pontiff met with President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled since 1979 and been accused of widespread corruption. Despite oil wealth accounting for nearly half of GDP, over half of the country's two million people live in poverty, with revenues enriching the ruling family rather than the population.
El Pais newspaper's eight-year investigation has documented 3,084 victims of sexual abuse as minors within the Spanish Catholic Church, with 1,613 accused clerics representing 1.46% of all priests and laypeople who served in Spain over 80 years. The investigation, which began in 2018 with only 34 known cases, reveals a pattern of transferring accused priests between parishes or abroad, often to Latin America, without canonical or civil consequences. The Spanish Episcopal Conference has been accused of prioritizing "opacity and denial" while the Vatican has delegated responsibility to Spanish bishops.
El Pais investigation identifies over 3,000 people who suffered sexual abuse as minors in the Catholic environment in Spain, with about 1,600 priests and parishioners suspected. A 2023 survey by Spain's rights commissioner suggests around 440,000 adults may have been abused in Catholic settings.
