Leo’s first foreign trip an exercise in learning ‘how to pope’
ROME – In one of his many and extensive trips abroad, who quickly gained a reputation as an avid globetrotter, a local news commentator once said of Pope Saint John Paul II, “that is a…
Christmas celebrations return to Bethlehem after 2 years of war in Gaza
BETHLEHEM, West Bank — For the past two Christmases, John Juka’s family restaurant looked about the same as any business in Bethlehem: Shuttered and eerily empty. But on Saturday evening, it bustled with families and…
Pope marks Marian feast urging believers to embrace God’s plan
ROME – Pope Leo XIV marked the traditional Marian feast of the Immaculate Conception urging faithful to imitate the Virgin Mary in embracing God’s plan for their lives, and to thus collaborate with him in…
What Is ‘Papal Infallibility?’
Daniel IbañezWhen Pope Pius IX declared the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary on Dec. 8, 1854, he had a golden crown added to the mosaic of Mary, Virgin Immaculate, in the…
100 schoolchildren abducted in Nigeria are released but more are still held
MINNA, Nigeria — A total of 100 of the schoolchildren abducted from a Nigerian Catholic school last month have been released, the Christian Association of Nigeria said Monday, adding that more than 100 students remain…
Hidden Catholic histories come alive in new Black and Native American films
A still from “Trailblazers of Faith: The Legacy of African American Catholics,” which tells the inspiring story of how African Americans found a home in Catholicism without abandoning their identity or culture. Those pictured are…
You Heard of the Popemobile, Now Meet the Papal Lawn Mower
SwardmanPope Leo XIV receives an electric lawn mower from Czech manufacturer Swardman during a general audience in mid-November 2025. Pope Leo XIV received the white Electra 2.0 mower during a general audience in mid-November, a…
Hidden Catholic Histories Come Alive in New Black and Native American Films
Black and Indian Mission OfficeA still from “Trailblazers of Faith: The Legacy of African American Catholics,” which tells the inspiring story of how African Americans found a home in Catholicism without abandoning their identity or…
At Vatican Christmas concert, Pope Leo XIV sings praises of music
ROME – Pope Leo XIV on Saturday said music is a both a gift and a message to the world which can serve as a bridge that leads people to God. The pope’s remarks came…
Pope appeals for victims of devastating storms in southeast Asia
Pope Leo XIV appealed on Sunday for victims of natural disasters in southeast Asia, where overlapping tropical storms and monsoon systems have wreaked havoc across the region, especially in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and…