Lord we pray "Help me to continually increase parish vitality and reflect the presence of Christ in the world."

Browsing News Entries

Browsing News Entries

Remembering Cardinal Ruini, a Giant of the John Paul II Era

commentary

Catholic Entrepreneur: The More Powerful AI Becomes, the More People Turn to God

news

Pope Leo XIV: Synodality Can Help Us Avoid Being Another Tower of Babel

cna

The Holy Cards That Shaped Saints — and One Family’s Mission to Preserve Them

feature

Fathers Don’t Need Another Tie; They Need the Tie That Binds

commentary

Jesus Reminds Us: Live Faithfully, Not Fearfully

feature

Survey: Majority of new US Catholic converts desire truth, attracted by Church's tradition (Archdiocese of Chicago)

A survey of 2,127 Americans participating in the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults in 20 dioceses in 2026 found that 68% were attracted to the sacred liturgy, 66% were “attracted to the longevity of the Church’s tradition over centuries,” and 65% were “attracted to the wisdom of a 2,000-year-old Church to help me navigate life.”

Even higher numbers were “interested in exploring a deeper spirituality / relationship with God” (84%), “wanted to grow in goodness and virtue” (77%), and “desired a deeper understanding of truth” (76%).

54% of survey participants were women, 55% had earned at least a bachelor’s degree, and 28% had no prior religious affiliation. 34% were from Gen Z, 35% were millennials, 20% from Gen X, and 10% were Boomers. 64% were white, 29% Hispanic, and 3% black.

The survey participants were almost equally divided into non-baptized catechumens, baptized non-Catholic Christians preparing for reception into the Church, and baptized Catholic “reverts” preparing for Confirmation and/or First Communion.

Vatican spokesman recalls Cardinal Ruini as 'astute' prelate who respectfully distanced himself from Pope Francis (Vatican News (Italian))

Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, paid tribute to the late Cardinal Camillo Ruini as an “astute cardinal” who, as president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, sought to implement St. John Paul’s directives.

Tornielli wrote that Cardinal Ruini distanced the conference from its emphasis on support for the Christian Democratic Party, instead expressing support for policies—“the defense of marriage, pro-family policies, and freedom of education”—that could be embraced by politicians of various parties.

“It would be truly reductive to view the Cardinal’s work solely or primarily through a political lens,” Tornielli cautioned. “Ruini revitalized the missionary role of parishes and strove to ensure that new Catholic movements and lay associations—despite their differences and distinctive characteristics—all felt part of this renewed drive to proclaim the Gospel.”

Tornielli also recalled that the cardinal undertook a “substantial and meticulous” examination of Medjugorje and, in retirement, “did not hesitate to distance himself respectfully from certain aspects of Francis’s pontificate, while also highlighting areas of agreement.” Cardinal Ruini, added Tornielli, was “uninterested in the resurgence of traditionalism.”

Bolivian bishops welcome talks between government, protestors (Conferencia Episcopal Boliviana)

The Bolivian Episcopal Conference welcomed the announcement of talks between the government and protestors who have besieged the nation’s seat of government and other cities.

The protests “have caused shortages, economic losses and pain for thousands of families throughout the country,” the bishops noted. “The Church invites the faithful and the entire population to accompany this process with prayer, asking God for the gift of wisdom and concord for those who will participate” in the discussions.

Catholic-Orthodox dialogue considers infallibility (Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity)

The Coordinating Committee of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church today concluded a four-day meeting at Pannonhalma Archabbey in Hungary.

The committee—chaired by Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and Metropolitan Job of Pisidia, of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople—discussed a “revised draft text dealing with the topic of infallibility, considered from both theological and historical perspectives,” according to a statement issued by the dicastery.

The committee will continue discussion of the draft at a meeting planned for June 2027, before submitting it to all the members of the joint international commission.