German bishop backs married priests ahead of bishops’ assembly
A German auxiliary bishop has said the Catholic Church “could afford” to ordain married men as priests while firmly rejecting demands for the ordination of women to the priesthood ahead…
Pope Leo XIV: Martyrs are among the Church’s greatest evangelizers
A Vatican conference on modern Christian martyrs concluded with a speech by Pope Leo XIV, who praised their witness and the evangelizing power of their simple, daily holiness. The pontiff…
U.S. religious freedom commission urges Trump to press for release of religious prisoners
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urged President Donald Trump to push for the release of religious prisoners in China and for the end of religious persecution by…
Catholic doctors say both Eastern and Western spirituality are required to heal the whole person
PHOENIX — For the first time in its nearly 100-year history, the Catholic Medical Association is focusing on how the Eastern Catholic Church’s emphasis on mystery, united with the Western…
Daughter of imprisoned Christian Syrian urges Trump to intervene
The family of Suleiman Khalil, a former mayor in Sadad, Syria, is urging U.S. officials to intervene after he spent 19 months in detention without charges under the Syrian transitional…
‘Daniel and the Fiery Furnace’ brings biblical story of faith under pressure to big screen
A new biblical drama is bringing the story of the prophet Daniel to the big screen, depicting his rise in the Babylonian Empire and the faith of three men who…
Study: Doctors don’t screen for abortion coercion — and it hurts women
A recent study found that women who are pressured to undergo unwanted abortions are at highest risk of negative outcomes and harm from abortion. The study, published in the Journal…
Sainthood cause for Virginia farmer who saved his son moves forward
The sainthood cause of Tom Vander Woude is moving forward, according to his home diocese of Arlington, Virginia. Vander Woude, a father of seven sons, died saving the life of…
Report flags weak funding and low completion in natural family planning programs
A report by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) found diocesan natural family planning (NFP) programs across the country are experiencing continued low course completion among couples. In…
Nearly 700 young Christians gather in Iraq for Baghdeda Youth Festival
The sixth Baghdeda Youth Festival concluded Saturday, Sept. 12, with a large faith procession that brought together nearly 700 young men and women, led by Bishop Benedictus Younan Hanno of…
UN asked to recognize surrogate motherhood as a new form of slavery
The Casablanca group of experts and the French nongovernmental organization Juristes Pour l’Enfance (Legal Professionals for Children) have asked the United Nations to officially recognize surrogacy as “a new form…
Vatican Latin Mass permissions steady across papal transition
Thirty-four dioceses received Vatican permission to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass in parish churches in 2025, matching the 2024 total and remaining broadly consistent with previous years despite the election…