What Leo’s Lenten Retreat Reveals About His Pontificate
COMMENTARY: The Holy Father’s bold choice of Bishop Erik Varden as retreat leader speaks volumes. Pope Leo XIV will spend the first full week of Lent on retreat — often termed “spiritual exercises” — with senior officials of the Roman Curia. This retreat is noteworthy in terms of the practice itself, the preacher and the […]
Pope Leo XIV to Visit 4 African Nations in April
The Holy Father will undertake his first pastoral visit to the continent of Africa as pontiff April 13–23, beginning with a stop in Algeria. The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will undertake his first pastoral visit to Africa as pontiff April 13–23. In a statement released on Wednesday, Feb. 25, the Holy See […]
Pope Leo XIV to Visit Monaco in March, Spain in June
The pontiff’s visit will be the first papal trip to Spain since 2011. Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, confirmed on Wednesday that Pope Leo XIV would visit several foreign countries over the next few months, including Monaco and Spain. Bruni said the pope would travel to the Principality of Monaco on […]
Vatican Retreat: Varden on St. Bernard ‘the Idealist’
As the Roman Curia’s Lenten retreat continued, Cistercian abbot-bishop Erik Varden reflected on St. Bernard of Clairvaux and on the biblical conviction that God comes to our aid. The Roman Curia’s Lenten spiritual exercises moved on to the second and third meditations Monday, Feb. 23, following the program schedule with sessions at 9 a.m. and […]
Cardinals Rebuke SSPX Over Planned Bishop Consecrations
Canon law prescribes the penalty of automatic excommunication for those who participate in episcopal consecrations unauthorized by Rome. Cardinal Gerhard Müller and Cardinal Robert Sarah, two prominent supporters of the Traditional Latin Mass, have spoken out against the decision of the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) to defy the Vatican and ordain new […]
Varden: Don’t Weaponize the Gospel in Culture Wars
Opening the Vatican’s Lenten spiritual exercises, the Norwegian Cistercian bishop warned against weaponizing the Gospel in culture wars. Norwegian Cistercian Bishop Erik Varden opened the Vatican’s annual Lenten spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia by urging Christians to resist using the Gospel as a political weapon and to measure authentic faith by fidelity to Christ […]
Pope Leo: Switch Off Smartphones to Make Space for Silence
At the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV also urged an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine as the war approaches its fourth year, insisting peace “cannot be postponed.” Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics to switch off their cellphones during Lent to create room for silence and prayer, while also calling Sunday for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine as […]
Pope Leo Begins Lenten Retreat Led by Bishop Erik Varden
Bishop Erik Varden, a Cistercian from Trondheim, Norway, is leading the Lenten spiritual exercises for the Roman Curia, which are taking place Feb. 22–27 at the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV began a Lenten retreat with the Roman Curia at the Vatican on Sunday. Cistercian Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, Norway, is leading the spiritual exercises […]
Pope Leo: Don’t Use AI to Write Homilies, Use Your Brain
Here’s what Leo said in a private Q-and-A with priests this week. In a private exchange with priests of the Diocese of Rome on Thursday, Pope Leo XIV responded to four questions, advising them on prayer, study, and priestly fraternity. The off-camera moment took place after Leo gave a public speech to the priests, inviting […]
Assisi: Thousands Venerate St. Francis’ Relics in Historic Viewing
Nearly 400,000 people are expected to venerate the saint’s relics while on public display through March 22. Hundreds of pilgrims lined up before dawn on Sunday to be among the first to pray before the exposed relics of St. Francis in his basilica in Assisi, Italy. The saint’s bones will lie in a glass box […]