Pope Leo XIV Proclaims Franciscan Jubilee Year
Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During this time of grace, which will extend until January 2027, the faithful are granted the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence. This Franciscan Jubilee Year, considered a gift for the entire Church and an […]
These are the 4 Women Doctors of the Church
Their lives continue to inspire: The Four Women Doctors of the Church For centuries, theology was shaped by many voices—most of them male. And yet the Church recognized four women whose teaching is so profound they have been named Doctors of the Church: Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Ávila, and Thérèse of […]
St. Teresa of Ávila: Doctor of the Church
In the heart of Spain, within the ancient walls of Ávila, faith and history meet in an event that every year draws pilgrims, devotees, and travelers from around the world. It is October 15th, the day the city celebrates its most illustrious daughter: Saint Teresa the Mystic — reformer, writer, and the first woman ever […]
St. Hildegard of Bingen: A Medieval Woman Ahead of Her Time
Paul VI described her as “a light for her people and her time.” Benedict XVI, who had been familiar with her works since his youth, highlighted her remarkable ability to “read the signs of the times.” She is Saint Hildegard of Bingen—an extraordinary figure of the Middle Ages: mystic, Benedictine nun, philosopher, naturalist, musician, poet, […]
The Small Hand That Moved a Pope: St. Catherine of Siena
In Piazza Pia, just steps from St. Peter’s Square, a statue quietly points the way forward. It is St. Catherine of Siena—a woman of extraordinary spirituality, courage, and civic engagement, and one of the few women proclaimed a Doctor of the Church. Her presence there is no accident. It reflects a life spent guiding the […]
Cardinal Zen Slams Synodality at Vatican Consistory
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun delivered a forceful critique of synodality at the extraordinary consistory of cardinals this week, decrying the process as an “ironclad manipulation” that was an “insult to the dignity of the bishops.” The bishop emeritus of Hong Kong also described the “continual reference to the Holy Spirit” during the 2021-2024 Synod on […]
Pope Leo XIV Baptizes 20 Infants in Sistine Chapel
Pope Leo XIV baptized 20 infants, the children of Vatican employees, during Mass in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In his homily, the pope urged parents to see faith as essential for their children’s lives, comparing it to the basic care no newborn can do without. […]
Madrid, Barcelona Possible Stops for Pope Leo XIV in 2026
Spanish Cardinal José Cobo confirmed Jan. 9 in Rome that Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands are likely destinations in 2026 for an apostolic journey to Spain by Pope Leo XIV. After concluding a meeting with the substitute for general affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Cobo […]
How the Catholic Church Creates Dioceses and Archdioceses
Catholics in the U.S. were witness to a rare Church decision in 2023 when Pope Francis elevated the Diocese of Las Vegas to a metropolitan archdiocese. Las Vegas had previously been a suffragan diocese of San Francisco, having been created by Pope John Paul II in 1995. A suffragan diocese operates within an ecclesiastical province […]
Pope Leo XIV Meets Venezuelan Opposition Leader Machado
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 12:00 p.m. news bulletin. The Vatican has not released any details about […]
