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Browsing News Entries

Browsing News Entries

Algerian Christians ‘Encouraged’ by Pope Leo’s Visit After Church Closures

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Pope Leo XIV in Africa: 8 Things to Know About the Catholic Church in Cameroon

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Church leaders, including Cardinal Müller, unite behind Pope following President Trump's criticism (National Catholic Register)

Following President Donald Trump’s social media post blasting Pope Leo, prelates around the world have come to the Pontiff’s defense.

Cardinal Gerhard Müller, the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 2012 to 2017, said that “in this specific case, it must be clearly stated that no one has the right to criticize the Pope when he faithfully follows the mission he received from Christ to bear witness to the Gospel of peace.”

“Christ’s message transcends political interests, and God is our judge,” he added. “And no mortal may presume to exploit the name of God for his own interests. Even a good end does not justify bad means. We can only work and pray for peace, but not at any price; rather, for a just peace—including for the Iranian people, that they may be freed from a reign of terror.”

Pope bids farewell to Algeria, departs for Cameroon (CWN)

Following a farewell ceremony in Algiers (video), Pope Leo XIV departed this morning on a five-hour flight to Cameroon (map).

VP Vance says Pope should be more careful when talking about theology (New York Times)

Vice President JD Vance said that “in the same way that it’s important for the vice president of the United States to be careful when I talk about matters of public policy, I think it’s very, very important for the Pope to be careful when he talks about matters of theology.”

Addressing a gathering organized by Turning Point USA at the University of Georgia, Vice President Vance took issue with a papal tweet that “anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”

The vice president said, “Was God on the side of the Americans who liberated France from the Nazis? I certainly think the answer is yes.”

“I have a lot of respect for the pope. I like him. I admire him. I’ve gotten to know him a little bit,” Vance added. “It doesn’t bother me when he speaks on issues of the day—frankly, even when I disagree with how he’s applying a particular principle.”

Indian bishops back papal call for peace in the Middle East (CCBI)

In a statement of prayerful solidarity with Pope Leo, India’s Latin-rite bishops called for peace in the Middle East.

“Differences must be resolved through dialogue and mutual respect, not through aggression or inflammatory rhetoric,” the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) said in its statement.

The CCBI summarized the statement in a press release, but did not provide the full text.

Hate-crimes bill threatens religious freedom, Canadian bishops warn (Catholic Register)

Echoing an earlier statement by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Frank Leo of Toronto expressed concern about legislation that could lead to hate-crimes convictions for religious speech.

“There is a way, and I pray the Senate will endeavor to discover it, whereby legislative mechanisms are introduced to eliminate the dreadful expressions of hatred all while assuring that violation of acquired and recognized freedoms, especially of people and communities of faith, are preserved and enshrined, honored and protected,” Cardinal Leo wrote in a letter to Canadian senators.

Amid consolidation, Iowa archdiocese halts Sunday Mass at 84 parishes (National Catholic Register)

The Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, is halting Sunday Mass at 84 of its parishes as it consolidates parishes into 24 pastorates.

“The number of faithful attending Mass has declined by 46% in 20 years, and the number of priests available for ministry has been decreasing,” said Archbishop Thomas Zinkula. “Demographic realities, the decline in the number of priests and religious, and the need for priests to serve more than one parish aren’t signs of failure. They are signs of change.”

According to The Official Catholic Directory (2025 edition), the archdiocese has 163 parishes, 69 diocesan priests in active ministry, and 23 religious-order priests.

Vatican announces contemporary art exhibit inspired by St. Hildegard of Bingen (Dicastery for Culture and Education (Italian))

The Dicastery for Culture and Education announced that the Holy See’s pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale will feature works of art inspired by St. Hildegard of Bingen.

The Biennale, a major contemporary art exhibition that takes place every two years, will begin on May 9 and conclude on November 22. The curators of the Holy See’s exhibit, entitled “The ear is the eye of the soul,” are Hans Ulrich Obrist and Ben Vickers.

Phoenix diocese brings Vatican model of synodality to local level (National Catholic Reporter)

In the wake of the synod on synodality, the Diocese of Phoenix—the nation’s second largest in Catholic population—has established an Office of Synodality and Planning.

The diocese is also using the “methodology of the conversation in the Spirit” to make decisions, said Bishop John Dolan. “We were trying to not go conservative or liberal on this. We were just trying to open up the doors for a conversation.”