As the Israel-Hamas war edges toward the one-year mark, OSV News spoke with Jesuit Father John Paul, rector of the Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem, ahead of his return to Israel following a brief visit to the U.S. in early August.

If there is one place in the world where it’s worth spending the Aug. 15 feast of the Assumption at least once in a lifetime, it’s the Marian shrine of Lourdes. The national pilgrimage to Lourdes is currently underway — Aug. 12 to 16, attracting a record number of pilgrims.

The French government warned this week of a “very high terrorist threat” to religious gatherings and places of worship on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on August 15, one of the holiest days on the Catholic calendar. 

Mary is not a “motionless wax statue,” but a disciple who wants to share the good news of Jesus with everyone and reaches out to help and comfort them, Pope Francis said.

Russian forces have destroyed another Ukrainian Greek Catholic church, while a priest at a separate parish is hastening to remove sacred items ahead of an expected Russian attack.

Growing up in the late 20th century, Joseph Vukov says his parents raised him to appreciate human relationships, human dignity, and loving God, which, taken together, gave him a foundation for understanding what is most important to humanity.

As the world braced for Iran to retaliate for the assassination of a Hamas leader who was staying in the Iranian capital, the Vatican secretary of state pleaded with Iran’s new president not to escalate the Middle East conflict.

This week the Vatican’s Academy for Life issued a new text on a series of bioethical issues, including the provision of food and hydration for patients in a vegetative state, which marks a modest departure from the Vatican’s previously held position on the issue.

Praising the 2.1 million members of the Knights of Columbus for their faith, charity and defense of life, Pope Francis asked them to continue to pray and work for peace.