Read & Reflect

St. Ignatius of Loyola: Madman or Militant Monk?

In times of insanity, only the relatively insane have the courage to be sane. In this paradox lies the paradox of salvation itself: that the seemingly mad are the ones to save the world from madness. St. Ignatius of Loyola was a knight errant for Our Lady who charged the giant windmills of his lifet...

Ukrainian ambassador says papal visit would give major boost to peace

A potential visit by Pope Leo XIV to Ukraine could make a significant contribution to international efforts to end the war and achieve a lasting peace, Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See said.“We are absolutely sure that his possible visit would be a great input into the process of reaching peace...

Pope confirms second Chinese bishop in a week under Vatican-Beijing agreement

Father Francis Xavier Duan Yongkun was ordained Wednesday as coadjutor bishop of Bameng in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region after being appointed by Pope Leo XIV on June 15 under the provisional agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China.Duan’s episcopal ordination was...

Pope issues new constitution for Vatican City State

Pope Leo XIV has promulgated a new constitution for Vatican City State, formally enshrining the possibility for a non-cardinal to serve as president of its governing body. The new laws, making up the Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, were published on July 31. They replace the 2023 constitution...

Pope Leo XIV receives Patti Smith at Vatican

Pope Leo XIV received American singer, poet, and artist Patti Smith in a private audience at the Vatican on Friday, July 31.The meeting lasted about 40 minutes at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, according to Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Edu...

This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of August is for evangelization in the city.“Roughly half of us live in cities. Jesus himself walked city streets, in Cana, in Jericho, in Jerusalem, and just as in those cities Christ is present in ours — teaching, praying, celebrating, but also sufferi...

Vatican increases net worth by $3 billion in 2025

The Vatican’s financial investments and assets rose to a net worth of approximately $3 billion (2.686 billion euros) in 2025.According to the annual report released on July 31 by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See (APSA), the profit increased by $102 million (89 million euros)...

[Daily Rosary Meditations] Plucking Your Eye Out

Organ Donation Is a Gift, Not a Harvest: The Personal Body and the Ethics of Transplantation

Organ donation is often presented as a question of generosity. A person dies, another person needs an organ, and the gift of donation seems to allow life to continue. In many cases, that is true. One thinks, for example, of the moving case of Jeni Stepien, whose father’s donated heart was received b...

The Simple Solution to Complaints About Online Exorcists

In recent months there has been more Catholic writers and social media types in the laity and priesthood complaining about the rise of online exorcists. Some of the complaints are valid. There is a prudence that should be exercised by any member of the clergy—or anyone for that matter—who rises to a...

Celebrating Christmas in July, Compliments of St. Francis of Assisi

By now you’ve probably received your fair share of emails and savings offers on a variety of items—including Christmas decorations! These “Christmas in July” sales are now as common as the Back-to-School push, which seems to occur the moment we settle into summer. We barely get to enjoy that special...