Can Catholics Be Cremated? Rules for Ashes, Burial, and Funerals
Cremation is permitted, but the Church has guidance on how remains are treated. Understand the ordinary rules, limited exceptions, and practical funeral choices.
What Is Purgatory? Catholic Teaching and the Biblical Evidence
Purgatory is often misunderstood. Explore what the Church teaches, how Scripture informs that belief, and which popular claims go beyond Catholic doctrine.
Why Do Catholics Pray for the Dead? All Souls’ Day and Prayers Explained
Catholic prayer offers a way to love beyond death. Learn the biblical roots, the meaning of All Souls’ Day, and practical ways to remember someone in prayer.
Pope leads pilgrims in prayer one day after leaving hospital
Pope Leo XIV appeared at the window of his private study in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Sunday, just one day after being discharged early from the hospital following surgery…
International rosary in Rome held in advance of 100th World Mission Sunday
An international rosary in Rome united clergy, religious, and lay faithful to mark the 100th anniversary of World Mission Sunday. The rosary was held on the grounds of the Pontifical…
Pope’s surgeon green lights Nov. 6–17 apostolic trip to Latin America
Pope Leo XIV has received the green light from his surgeon to proceed with his planned Nov. 6–17 apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. In an interview with Vatican…
Pope Leo XIV leaves Gemelli Hospital, returns to Vatican
Pope Leo XIV left the Agostino Gemelli University Hospital shortly after 3:30 p.m. local time on Saturday to return to the Vatican. Tweet The 71-year-old pope had been admitted last…
For the first time in 5 years, the number of priests worldwide rose
The number of Catholic priests worldwide has risen again after five years of no growth, according to statistics published by the Vatican agency Fides ahead of the 100th World Mission…
Pope Leo XIV cleared to leave hospital SSaturday aturday after successful surgery
Doctors have cleared Pope Leo XIV to leave the hospital; he will return to the Vatican on Saturday afternoon, according to the Vatican. The pope’s personal physician Dr. Luigi Carbone…
Pope Leo speaks with Russian President Putin by phone
Pope Leo XIV and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone Oct. 16 while the pope remains hospitalized. According to a Holy See statement, the pope expressed concern about Oleshky…
Pope Leo XIV calls world hunger a ‘terrible offense’ against human dignity
Pope Leo XIV on Friday called world hunger a “terrible offense” against human dignity and emphasized that adequate food is a basic human right. “It is a terrible offense against…
‘Do we understand truth anymore?’: Conference in Rome discusses distrust in age of AI
A dinner conference in Rome on Wednesday brought together clergy, business leaders, journalists, and scholars to discuss how to communicate the truth amid distrust in the age of artificial intelligence…