Pope Leo XIV prayed with the sick at the Lourdes grotto in the Vatican Gardens on Feb. 11, asking Our Lady of Lourdes to accompany all those who suffer in the world.
Pope Leo XIV prayed with the sick at the Lourdes grotto in the Vatican Gardens on Feb. 11, asking Our Lady of Lourdes to accompany all those who suffer in the world.
He was perhaps the first Catholic influencer. Long before TikTok or Instagram, there was Archbishop Fulton Sheen.
Now that the Vatican has greenlit Archbishop Sheen’s beatification, there is a renewed hope among clergy and faithful alike that a man who meant so much to so many will officially become “Blessed” in the Church. Here is a timeline of Archbishop Sheen’s canonization cause.
In an era when entertainment dominated the airwaves, Sheen transformed a classroom-style lecture into one of the most successful programs in American media history. His Emmy Award-winning show, “Life Is Worth Living,” resonated with 30 million viewers each week — many of them not Catholic.
The Vatican press office confirmed that Pope Leo XIV has no plans to visit the U.S. this year.
After a years-long postponement, Bishop Louis Tylka of Peoria, Illinois, announced on Feb. 9 that the Vatican has greenlit the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen — a beloved preacher, author, and media pioneer of the 20th century.
Pope Leo XIV has added the feast day of St. John Henry Newman, who is “a radiant light for the Church on pilgrimage through history,” to the General Roman Calendar so that “his Optional Memorial be celebrated by all on 9 October.”
On the eve of the 2026 March for Life in Washington, Pope Leo XIV issued a message to participants, expressing his deep gratitude for their “eloquent public witness” and imparting his apostolic blessing.
Pope Leo XIV sent a patinated bronze sculpture representing peace to Our Lady of the Skies Chapel at JFK Airport.
The Vatican has completed the official mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV, continuing a centuries-old tradition that marks the election of each new pontiff.