Manila’s Black Nazarene Feast Draws 9.6 Million Devotees
In a fiery homily at the fiesta Mass for the feast of the Black Nazarene, Bishop Rufino Sescon Jr. of the Diocese of Balanga called on politicians implicated in infrastructure corruption to resign. More than 9.6 million Catholics joined the annual feast of the Black Nazarene, one of Asia’s biggest religious events, seeking miracles and […]
Pope Leo XIV: Make Time Each Day to Speak With God
Pope Leo XIV urged Christians Wednesday to set aside time in their daily lives to speak with God in prayer and warned about the harm to one’s relationship with him when this is ignored. “Time dedicated to prayer, meditation and reflection cannot be lacking in the Christian’s day and week,” the pontiff said during the […]
What Paul VI Really Meant by the ‘Smoke of Satan’
COMMENTARY: The famous phrase from Pope St. Paul VI is widely invoked in discussions about the Catholic Church. But what did he actually have in mind? In recent weeks, as the Church marked the 60th anniversary of the close of the Second Vatican Council, a quotation from Pope St. Paul VI — “from some fissure […]
Charlotte Priests Ask Vatican About Ban on Altar Rails
Reacting to Bishop Michael Martin’s Dec. 17, 2025, pastoral letter announcing the impending abolishment of altar rails and kneelers in the Diocese of Charlotte, North Carolina, 31 of the diocese’s priests have signed a letter to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Legislative Texts containing a set of questions, or “dubia,” related to the matter. According to […]
Pope Leo XIV Charts Early Direction After First Consistory
COMMENTARY: Early signs from Leo’s first consistory suggest continuity with Pope Francis’ original pastoral vision — more in what he said than in how he later governed. 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 […]
Order of Malta Seeks Greater UN Role Amid Bethlehem Crisis
The Order of Malta’s Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem is facing severe operational constraints and its mobile clinics remain unable to reach Bedouin villages in the West Bank due to movement restrictions and violence, the order’s grand master told diplomats Jan. 10. Fra’ John Dunlap said in his annual address to the diplomatic corps that […]
The Story Behind Pope Leo XIV’s New Papal Staff
Last week during the Jan. 6 closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV used a new papal staff, or ferula, which is used by pontiffs in solemn ceremonies and represents their leadership as bishop of Rome and supreme pastor of the entire Church. According to the Office of Liturgical Celebrations […]
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 […]
