Read & Reflect
Articles, reflections, news, and homilies — thoughtful Catholic content for the faithful, published regularly.
Vatican News
Vatican News
Pope’s Lourdes visit to highlight Church’s response to abuse
Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Lourdes this week will be key to his message of respect for human life in all stages and conditions, which is the theme of his Sept. 25–28 pastoral visit to France. Images of the pontiff meeting ailing pilgrims will complement the trip’s official motto: “That the World May Ha...
Vatican News
Pope calls for protection of migrant minors: It is everyone’s responsibility
Pope Leo XIV appealed on Wednesday to “everyone’s sense of responsibility” to protect migrant and refugee minors, stressing that children and teenagers are the most vulnerable and often endure “unspeakable suffering.”“Children and teenagers are the most vulnerable,” he said at the end of his weekly...
Vatican News
Ahead of his beatification, here’s a look back at Fulton Sheen’s time in Rome
Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen is set to become the first U.S.-born bishop to be beatified on Sept. 24 in St. Louis. Known for his innovative Catholic media ministry, Sheen spent several years after his ordination studying philosophy and theology in Europe — first in Leuven, Belgium, then in Paris and R...
Vatican News
12 things to know ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s trip to France
Pope Leo XIV will visit three cities in France from Sept. 25–28, making stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz to meet with young people, government officials, the sick, and migrants, among others. During the trip, the Holy Father will be discussing issues ranging from artificial intelligence to immigrat...
Vatican News
Pope Leo calls for climate action before disaster strikes
Pope Leo XIV called for a shift in how the world confronts climate change during a Sept. 24 address to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.“We cannot respond to these challenges only after disaster has already struck,” he said. “We need to move from emergency response to prevention, from vulnerabilit...
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV appoints Romanian diplomat as his representative to Council of Europe
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Romanian diplomat Monsignor Paul Butnaru as the new permanent observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe.The Vatican announced Butnaru’s appointment on Sept. 24. The Council of Europe, distinct from the European Union, is Europe’s leading human rights organization....
Vatican News
Pope Leo, Hungarian prime minister discuss Ukraine, Middle East, and AI
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV and Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar discussed the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, the impact of artificial intelligence, and other challenges facing Europe during a private audience at the Vatican on Thursday.Magyar also formally invited the pope to visit Hunga...
Vatican News
LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV in France
Pope Leo XIV is visiting France from Sept. 25–28. Follow here for live updates of his trip.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV appoints Texas bishop to lead Diocese of Joliet, Illinois
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Brendan Cahill of the Diocese of Victoria, Texas, as the seventh bishop of Joliet, Illinois.Cahill’s appointment, announced by the Vatican on Sept. 17, makes him the successor to then-bishop Ronald Hicks, who led the diocese from 2020 to 2026. The pontiff appointed...
Vatican News
Cardinal Parolin says nations should work together to face the threats of AI
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said nations should work together to face the challenges of artificial intelligence (AI).Parolin expressed his concerns about AI on the sidelines of the conference “Faith and Reason in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” held Sept. 16 in Rome...
Vatican News
St. Peter’s Basilica completes mosaic restoration of ornate chapel dome
St. Peter’s Basilica, which is marking 400 years since its consecration, has completed a mosaic restoration in the dome of one of its most ornate chapels.The Fabbrica di San Pietro — the Vatican institution responsible for maintaining St. Peter’s — announced the project’s completion on Sept. 17. The...
Vatican News
Vatican tells UN: Hate speech is poison that leads to violence and persecution
The Vatican has condemned hate speech to the United Nations (U.N.) as a threat to human dignity and a dangerous source of violence and division among peoples.Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, the new permanent observer of the Holy See to the U.N., made these remarks on Sept. 17, delivering his...