Marking the feast of the Baptism of the Lord as he always does by celebrating Mass in the Sistine Chapel, Pope Francis baptized 16 infants Sunday, telling their parents that the children are examples of how to receive faith.
International News
Vatican Insists Decree on Same-Sex Blessings Not ‘Heretical, Blasphemous’
Less than a month after issuing an instruction outlining the reasoning and method for giving non-liturgical blessings to same-sex couples and those in irregular unions, the Vatican has published a clarification amid a flurry of backlash and confusion.
Pope Sends Condolences to Victims of Two Suicide Bombings in Iran
Pope Francis expressed his condolences and prayers after two bombings in Kerman, Iran, claimed the lives of 84 people and wounded scores more at a memorial for an assassinated Iranian military officer.
Miami Prelate: Nicaragua’s Dictatorship Has Gone ‘Off the Rails’
Following the latest round of arrests of Catholic leaders in Nicaragua and the continued imprisonment of Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa, Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami has said the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega has gone “off the rails.”
US Demands Release of Imprisoned Nicaraguan Bishop, Other Clergy
The U.S. Department of State has demanded the release of Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa and other imprisoned Nicaraguan religious leaders following a wave of detentions targeting Catholic clergy over the Christmas season.
Church and World Must ‘Respect, Defend, Esteem’ Women, Pope Says
The world and the Catholic Church must respect and defend women and foster a motherly care for others to end dehumanizing cycles of violence, Pope Francis said.
Exiled Nicaraguan Bishop Asks World’s Bishops ‘Not to Abandon Us’ as Wave of Priest Arrests Ends Year in Dictator-Run Country
Since Christmas, Nicaraguan police and paramilitaries have detained more than a dozen priests, including an archdiocesan vicar, as the Sandinista regime escalates a campaign of terror against the Catholic Church — an institution it has struggled to subdue.
Late Pope Benedict Remembered on First Anniversary of His Death
As an expression of ongoing affection and gratitude for the late Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis led tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square in a round of applause for his predecessor on the first anniversary of his death.
An Iconic Cockerel is Once Again Watching Over Notre Dame in Paris on Top of Its Cross
A new version of an iconic cockerel, or rooster, is once again watching over Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, symbolizing resilience amid destruction after a devastating April 2019 fire. It was installed Dec. 16 atop Notre Dame spire’s cross.
Spiritual or Religious? Both? Pew Releases First Study on Topic
A new Pew Research study of spirituality looks at what people mean when they describe themselves as spiritual and how they distinguish it from being religious.