The Latest News & Updates

Virginia voters approved a referendum establishing a constitutional right to abortion. Similar measures in three other states remained too close to call.

The U.S. Supreme Court appeared sympathetic to Catholic schools in a Colorado dispute over access to state pre-K funding. The case concerns whether religious schools may set admissions standards consistent with their beliefs while complying with protections related to sexual orientation and gender identity. U.S. bishops also urged the Internal Revenue Service to include religious-liberty protections in a proposed school discrimination rule.

Active-duty military personnel now have a new route to become chaplains. Previously, service members generally had to leave the military to pursue theological training before applying to return as chaplains.

Mexican priest Clemente Morales Topete is recovering after a crime gang held him against his will, beat him, burned him, and threatened to kill him. The assailants sought information he did not have.

Catholic conferences in some U.S. states are guiding voters on ballot initiatives, with bishops urging support for or opposition to specific measures.

Pope Leo XIV is set to return to Chiclayo, Peru, where he served as bishop. His itinerary includes the cathedral, the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Zaña, sites connected with his pastoral ministry.

On Nov. 2, Leo visited Rome’s Verano Cemetery, continuing a practice begun by St. John Paul II in the late 1970s. He said faith assures Catholics that their bond with the faithful departed remains unbroken.

A standing-room-only congregation gathered at the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Savannah on All Saints’ Day to give thanks for the newly beatified Georgia Martyrs. Bishop Stephen D. Parkes offered ways to carry forward the friars’ witness.

Poland’s bishops, the primate and religious superiors called for dialogue, de-escalation and prayer as a dispute over the Constitutional Tribunal’s leadership deepened.

Bishop Jorge Carrión Pavlich, who led the Diocese of Puno for more than 24 years, has died at 76. His death came two days after that of Archbishop Richard Alarcón of Cusco, as Peru prepares for Pope Leo XIV’s visit.

For the Solemnity of All Saints, Pope Leo XIV said that holiness is open to every person, not reserved for a select few. He described the feast as a message of hope, saying God sees goodness that may remain hidden from human view.

Africa’s Catholic population has reached 288.3 million, surpassing Europe’s, according to the latest statistics published by Agenzia Fides. Church leaders have pointed to the continent’s growing Catholic community and its missionary role.

Bishop David Ricken led 50 pilgrims from Wisconsin to Belgium to retrace the footsteps of Adele Brice, the visionary associated with the National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. The pilgrimage aimed to deepen their connection to Brice’s story.

The Georgia Martyrs have been declared blessed, marking the first beatification in the American South. They are also recognized as the first American martyrs for marriage.

The Georgia Martyrs were declared “blessed,” becoming the first American martyrs for marriage and the first people beatified in the U.S. South. Their beatification marks a milestone for the Catholic Church in the United States.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks joined several religious orders of sisters in suing New York over its recently enacted assisted-suicide law. The legal challenge brings together the archbishop and the sisters in opposition to the state’s policy.

Pope Leo XIV met with basketball players, students and fans from Notre Dame and Villanova at the Vatican ahead of Sunday’s Eternal City Tip-Off. The gathering brought members of both universities to Rome before their game.

At 98, Cardinal Simoni spoke about how faith sustained him through a death sentence imposed for celebrating Mass in honor of President Kennedy. He also urged prayers for world leaders, drawing on his experience of severe religious persecution.

U.S. bishops praised pro-life pregnancy centers during Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week. The news came as part of a broader roundup of recent developments related to life issues.

In Guayaquil, Ecuador, the archbishop announced a safety plan after Father Patricio Sánchez died when a cross fell during Mass. The measures are intended to help prevent similar accidents.

EWTN is ending its shortwave radio service after 34 years. The network cited high operating costs and changes in how audiences access media. It also announced expanded coverage of next week’s U.S. midterm elections across multiple platforms.

A visit by Catholic sisters to a Buddhist shrine in Vietnam has drawn controversy. Other developments in the week’s world news included a planned reduction of about one-third in the number of bishops in Ireland and a Holy See appeal at a United Nations meeting for peaceful uses of outer space.

Pro-life advocates in Massachusetts say they have gathered enough signatures to suspend the state’s abortion law. The measure is expected to go before voters in 2028, pending confirmation by the state.