The Latest News & Updates

U.S. bishops are set to elect a secretary and committee chairs at their November meeting. Those chosen will serve as chair-elect for one year and take up their positions in fall 2027.

The Archbishop of Dijon called for prayers after a priest in his archdiocese died by suicide. In a letter to the faithful, he asked them to entrust the priest to God’s mercy and pray for parishioners shocked by the news.

Exorcists discussing their work addressed the role of sacred music and the Virgin Mary’s intercession, which they described as essential in exorcisms.

A court order in Illinois has shielded nearly every Catholic health care institution in the state from its new assisted-suicide regime. The order follows a lawsuit brought by religious objectors.

At the U.N. General Assembly, the Holy See called for the abolition of the death penalty, describing it as an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the human person.

The Cornell Catholic Community issued a letter following campus protests over the university’s handling of alleged sexual assaults involving members of the Chi Phi fraternity in 2024. The protests brought renewed attention to the community’s concerns about the university’s response.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett spoke at the dedication of a library at Benedictine College. In other education news, the Archdiocese of Chicago urged Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to opt into an education tax program.

Bishop Emeritus Frank Dewane, who led the Diocese of Venice, Florida, for nearly 20 years, died at 76 in a local hospital, surrounded by family and friends, Bishop Emilio Biosca Agüero, OFM Cap, said.

At the United Nations, the Holy See addressed development, poverty and women’s issues. Archbishop Christophe El-Kassis said a person’s circumstances of birth should not determine respect for their God-given dignity or access to opportunities.

Canada’s government said it would not expand medical assistance in dying to people suffering solely from mental illness. The proposal had been the subject of debate.

Tennessee’s Catholic bishops called for an end to the death penalty, saying accountability for serious wrongdoing does not require taking another life. Their appeal came as President Donald Trump approved an execution by military firing squad.

Bishop Michael Olson of Fort Worth urged FedEx to consider whether shipping mifepristone into states that restrict abortion could violate federal law. He said the request was intended to further a culture of life.

More than 2.7 million people took part in Argentina’s pilgrimage to Our Lady of Luján. This year’s theme called on Mary’s embrace as a place where people recognize one another as brothers and sisters.

Catholic bishops in Denver marked the United States’ 250th anniversary with a message about migrants and refugees, recalling the generations who have helped bring the nation’s ideals to life. In California, a federal bankruptcy judge rejected the Diocese of Oakland’s settlement plan, ruling that it had not met bankruptcy requirements and did not qualify for a special religious dispensation.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis has sued over restrictions on access to Catholic sacraments for people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The archdiocese says the limits discriminate against its efforts to minister to Catholic detainees.

French Bishop Matthieu Rougé condemned violence at protests and called for peaceful dialogue. As head of the French bishops’ conference’s Council for Catholic Education, he urged adults to guide young people in expressing their concerns peacefully.

An auxiliary bishop in Argentina has been removed from office following allegations made by two adults. For five years, he is barred from formal appointments and new offices and from administering the sacrament of penance, while remaining permitted to celebrate Mass and administer other sacraments.

A Red Mass in Washington marked the opening of the Supreme Court term. Cardinal Robert McElroy was the principal celebrant, and Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, preached the homily. Pope Leo, at a Mass honoring St. Michael the Archangel, urged Vatican gendarmes to protect others while exercising authority with humility and compassion.

Pope Leo XIV marked the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death, saying the saint’s charism continues to bear fruit. He also asked for prayers that peoples might be freed from war.

The Villaregia Missionary Community has established a new presence in a Muslim-majority area of Ethiopia, where the Catholic Church has limited reach. The Italian community aims to serve local communities there.

The University of Notre Dame’s ethics center named Dominican sisters as recipients of its 2027 pro-life award. The center said their service offers a countercultural witness and supports a civilization grounded in truth and love.

Noah McKay, a philosopher at Princeton, has converted to Catholicism. He said evidence the Church presents for vindicatory miracles helped lead him to the faith. At the inaugural Sheen Awards, EWTN foundress Mother Angelica received the Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously.