Read & Reflect

Pope calls for ‘unmasking’ the contradictions of the world, such as seeing war as a solution

VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday called for “unmasking the contradictions” of the contemporary world and said that believers are called to take on “the burdens of their brothers and sisters, especially those who are crushed by injustice, discrimination, and violence.”The pontiff made this ap...

[Daily Rosary Meditations] The Two Ways Episode

Mothers’ day, war and peace, and I remember

Pillar paid subscribers can listen to Ed read this Pillar Post here: The Pillar TL;DRHappy Friday friends,It is the feast of St. Augustine. If I am being totally, brutally, self-defeatingly honest I cannot stand the great saint’s writing. I’m not disputing the sweep of his work, the depth of his tho...

How might Leo regulate AI use within the Church?

Pope Leo last Friday urged Catholic lawmakers to develop policy that would provide transparency on the use of AI, and protect families from the economic, moral, and social harms that might be caused by the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence.Pope Leo XIV addresses the Vatican diplomatic...

Bishops lament ‘growing aggression between Ukrainians and Poles’

Polish bishops appealed this week for reconciliation amid what they described as “cases of growing aggression between Ukrainians and Poles.”The flags of Poland and Ukraine near the POLIN Museum in Warsaw, Poland. Credit: Cybularny/wikimedia CC0 1.0.The Polish bishops’ permanent council urged the aut...

How are dioceses handling AI policies?

Three months after Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica humanitas called for vigilance and transparency in governing the use of artificial intelligence, individual dioceses in the United States take varied approaches to the use of AI by employees.Few dioceses have publicly available AI policies publi...

The Friday Pillar Post - August 28, 2026

Written by Ed Condon and published August 28, 2026.ShareAre you a paying subscriber?Visit pillarcatholic.com/listen on your phoneCheck the top right corner of the webpage to ensure you are logged into your Substack account.Tap ‘set up podcast’ next to The Pillar TL;DRHaving issues? Email our produce...

Inaugural meeting of German Synodal Conference postponed indefinitely

The first meeting of the German Synodal Conference, originally planned for November, has been postponed indefinitely, because the Vatican has yet to approve the statutes establishing the new body.German bishops’ conference chairman Bishop Heiner Wilmer attends a press conference on Feb. 24, 2026, in...

Agreement eases 4-year liturgical standoff at Syro-Malabar cathedral

An Indian cathedral at the heart of the Syro-Malabar liturgy dispute celebrated a Holy Qurbana entirely facing the people Sunday, after parishioners agreed to allow it alongside the Eastern Church’s new uniform Eucharistic liturgy.The interior of St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica in Ernakulam, southern...

Haitian priest pleads for international help after massacre kills 47

Haitians are reeling a week after an armed gang attacked a village near the capital, killing at least 47 people and kidnapping some 50 more, said a local priest.Mourners grieve at a funeral ceremony for victims of an August 2026 gang attack in Kenscoff Haiti. Credit: AP /Odelyn Joseph.Subscribe nowI...

Shaleta to face criminal trial

After a two-day preliminary hearing, a spokesperson for the San Diego County District Attorney’s office told media Friday that Bishop Emmanuel Shaleta will face a full trial on 16 counts of money laundering and embezzlement.Bishop Emanuel Shaleta. Credit: Chaldean Eparchy of Saint Peter the Apostle...