Read & Reflect

EWTN News explains: What does it mean that the pope is both head of state and head of the Church?

Unique among world leaders, the pope serves simultaneously as the universal spiritual head of the Catholic Church and as the head of the Holy See, a distinct sovereign entity under international law that serves as the central government of the Catholic Church.So what do these multiple roles mean in...

[Daily Rosary Meditations] Prayer

[Daily Rosary Meditations] St. Edith Stein

[Daily Rosary Meditations] St. Dominic

Pope Leo XIV: Stop vicious cycle of violence in Sudan and Ukraine

During his Sunday Angelus address on Aug. 9, Pope Leo XIV appealed for peace amid a serious humanitarian situation in Sudan, where a prolonged military siege has left more than 500,000 people without access to basic supplies.“I continue to follow with concern the tragic situation in Sudan, especiall...

Why the feast of St. Dominic is not actually the Dominicans’ biggest feast day

Aug. 8 marks the feast day of St. Dominic, the 13th-century priest known for founding the Order of Preachers, commonly called the Dominicans, and for spreading devotion to the rosary.Surprisingly, though, the Dominicans don’t usually do much to celebrate the saint’s Aug. 8 feast day.While the August...

Migrant ‘invasion’ in Ceuta divides Spanish bishops

The Spanish bishops are sharply divided in their responses to the recent influx of undocumented migrants from Morocco into the autonomous Spanish city of Ceuta.The president of the Spanish bishops’ conference called last week’s migrant surge “an invasion,” a striking contrast to the local diocese’s...

Good as gold or paper profits? What to make of APSA’s annual report

The Administration for the Patrimony of the Apostolic See released its annual report last week, hailing strong and stabilizing results for 2025 and what it called a “return to ordinary operating conditions” after a change in investment strategy yielded extraordinary returns the previous year.Credit:...

Learning to fly, catching up, and buying books

Pillar paid subscribers can listen to Ed read this Pillar Post here: The Pillar TL;DRHappy Friday friends,I am back. It was a truly restful vacation and I thank you all for letting me have it.It was the first time I have taken two weeks off — actually not working as opposed to working from somewhere...

Apostolic administrator appointed for Rabat during cardinal’s investigation

The Archdiocese of Rabat, Morocco, announced Aug. 2 the temporary appointment of Msgr. Mario León Dorado, OMI, as apostolic administrator while the Holy See investigates allegations of sexual misconduct against Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, SDB.Monsignor Mario León Dorado, OMI. Credit: Missionary...

Request for 'white bishop' sparks outrage and debate in Angola

Catholics in the African nation of Angola are locked in a controversy centered on a historically significant diocese, which claims to have been the see of the first black Catholic bishop appointed in sub-Saharan Africa.The controversy stems from an anonymous July 2 letter to Pope Leo XIV — seemingly...