Order of Malta Seeks Greater UN Role Amid Bethlehem Crisis
The Order of Malta’s Holy Family Hospital in Bethlehem is facing severe operational constraints and its mobile clinics remain unable to reach Bedouin villages in the West Bank due to movement restrictions and violence, the order’s grand master told diplomats Jan. 10. Fra’ John Dunlap said in his annual address to the diplomatic corps that […]
The Story Behind Pope Leo XIV’s New Papal Staff
Last week during the Jan. 6 closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV used a new papal staff, or ferula, which is used by pontiffs in solemn ceremonies and represents their leadership as bishop of Rome and supreme pastor of the entire Church. According to the Office of Liturgical Celebrations […]
Pope Leo XIV Proclaims Franciscan Jubilee Year
Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During this time of grace, which will extend until January 2027, the faithful are granted the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence. This Franciscan Jubilee Year, considered a gift for the entire Church and an […]
These are the 4 Women Doctors of the Church
Their lives continue to inspire: The Four Women Doctors of the Church For centuries, theology was shaped by many voices—most of them male. And yet the Church recognized four women whose teaching is so profound they have been named Doctors of the Church: Hildegard of Bingen, Catherine of Siena, Teresa of Ávila, and Thérèse of […]
St. Teresa of Ávila: Doctor of the Church
In the heart of Spain, within the ancient walls of Ávila, faith and history meet in an event that every year draws pilgrims, devotees, and travelers from around the world. It is October 15th, the day the city celebrates its most illustrious daughter: Saint Teresa the Mystic — reformer, writer, and the first woman ever […]
St. Hildegard of Bingen: A Medieval Woman Ahead of Her Time
Paul VI described her as “a light for her people and her time.” Benedict XVI, who had been familiar with her works since his youth, highlighted her remarkable ability to “read the signs of the times.” She is Saint Hildegard of Bingen—an extraordinary figure of the Middle Ages: mystic, Benedictine nun, philosopher, naturalist, musician, poet, […]
The Small Hand That Moved a Pope: St. Catherine of Siena
In Piazza Pia, just steps from St. Peter’s Square, a statue quietly points the way forward. It is St. Catherine of Siena—a woman of extraordinary spirituality, courage, and civic engagement, and one of the few women proclaimed a Doctor of the Church. Her presence there is no accident. It reflects a life spent guiding the […]
Cardinal Zen Slams Synodality at Vatican Consistory
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun delivered a forceful critique of synodality at the extraordinary consistory of cardinals this week, decrying the process as an “ironclad manipulation” that was an “insult to the dignity of the bishops.” The bishop emeritus of Hong Kong also described the “continual reference to the Holy Spirit” during the 2021-2024 Synod on […]
Pope Leo XIV Baptizes 20 Infants in Sistine Chapel
Pope Leo XIV baptized 20 infants, the children of Vatican employees, during Mass in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. In his homily, the pope urged parents to see faith as essential for their children’s lives, comparing it to the basic care no newborn can do without. […]
Madrid, Barcelona Possible Stops for Pope Leo XIV in 2026
Spanish Cardinal José Cobo confirmed Jan. 9 in Rome that Madrid, Barcelona, and the Canary Islands are likely destinations in 2026 for an apostolic journey to Spain by Pope Leo XIV. After concluding a meeting with the substitute for general affairs of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Cobo […]