Vatican News

The pontiff prayed that the Holy Spirit would save humanity from war, misery, and sin.

Encyclicals, motu proprios, apostolic constitutions, and exhortations — here is a guide to some of the types of documents the pope uses to lead the Catholic Church.

On the solemnity of Pentecost, St. Augustine reminds us to reflect on the the necessity of a globally unified Church, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

On the solemnity of Pentecost, which this year is celebrated on May 24, Catholics have the opportunity to gain a plenary indulgence.

Archbishop José Cobo Cano hopes Pope Leo XIV's visit will help Catholics "look up and take a step forward."

The Holy Father on May 23 met with Church leaders and local residents at Acerra in Italy's "Land of Fires."

The Holy Father said Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' is a framework for addressing the social and environmental crises of the region.

Mel Gibson's "Resurrection of the Christ" will be released in two parts — Part 1 will be released on May 6, 2027, and Part 2 will be released on May 25, 2028.

Catholic leaders protest a new law in Israel expanding capital punishment for Palestinians, Bangladesh bans finding out the sex of babies in the womb, and more in this week’s world news roundup.

The Catholic Church celebrates the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church each year on the Monday after Pentecost. This year, it falls on May 25.

Youth commissions and parishes across this majority Muslim nation are leading hostel- and village-based rosary devotions throughout the traditional Marian month.

While the bishops proposed many possible topics for the meeting, the pontiff emphasized dialogue and peace as priorities. The pope also said migrants must be respected and needed services not denied.

A Washington suit over hospital treatment of employees, a Pennsylvania appeal against abortion funding, and a Maine senator's absence from abortion-related meetings in this week's pro-life roundup.

In addition, the pope will declare four other religious from various countries as venerable.

State officials also agreed to pay $250,000 in attorneys’ fees to the Christian couple who brought the lawsuit.

The 2026 Eucharistic pilgrimage will launch in St. Augustine, Florida, where the first recorded Catholic Mass within the future continental United States was celebrated.

Ahead of the publication of Leo's first encyclical, what do his writings and speeches, both before and after his election, reveal about his thought?

The two priests were imprisoned and executed by the Czechoslovak communist regime because of its hatred of the Catholic faith, according to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

“Current federal investments in housing programs do not meet the great need we see in our country,” said a joint letter by the bishops and leaders of two Catholic charitable groups.

"There's no officially state-sanctioned religion, but that does not mean that religion has no role in public life," Bishop Robert Barron said.

A leading pro-life nongovernmental organization is asking Malta's six political parties to declare publicly — yes or no — whether they would back abortion or euthanasia laws ahead of the May 30 vote.

In a feat of perseverance and strength, Maël Le Lagadec completed the arduous 14 hour climb to replace the cross that had been knocked down.

Acerra and the surrounding territory has higher-than-average cancer rates, linked to the dumping, burning, and burying of toxic waste — the lucrative business of organized crime groups.

Twenty-one diocesan officials lobbied Congress on housing, food insecurities, and other poverty-related issues.

Amid growth in the Catholic Church in Sweden, EWTN Global Catholic Network has opened a new office in Stockholm to expand reach across northern Europe.

The grant will facilitate dialogue between Baltimore communities historically divided by race and income.

Pope Leo XIV surprises Villanova graduates; Benedictine College responds to antisemitic leaflet; Pope Francis is honored by a Canadian university; and more in this week's roundup of education news.

Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly accepted the award given in recognition of the Knights' humanitarian work in nations facing the devastating impacts of war and religious intolerance.

Replying to a letter from a young man about to start college, Pope Leo offers him reassurance, encouragement, and fatherly advice about life and his future hopes and dreams.

The Josephite bishop also led the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee in Florida and served as an auxiliary bishop of Baltimore.

The school argued its report was protected by attorney-client privilege.

The court has previously held that people with intellectual disabilities may not be executed under the U.S. Constitution.

A top Vatican official warned of the dangers of AI at a conference ahead of the pope’s upcoming encyclical.

Bishop Samson Shukardin extended the invitation during a papal audience as Christian activists urged Vatican attention to blasphemy cases and forced conversions.

The pontiff said authority in the Church is a gift of the Holy Spirit that requires listening, free elections, and fidelity to the whole Church.

The provisional agreement bans AI tools used to create nonconsensual intimate imagery and abuse material, drawing immediate welcome from European bishops and ethicists.

As Jordan launches preparations for the 2030 Jubilee of Christ's baptism, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa calls for spiritual renewal.

Though diplomacy and dialogue are essential for positive international relations, they must be accompanied by “a deeper conversion of heart,” the pope said.

A new Vatican document outlines four stages for local Churches, bishops’ conferences, and continental bodies to assess how synodality is taking root after the 2021–2024 Synod on Synodality.

The academy's focus is to have a center of studies to “research about the new challenges” and “the new problems concerning human life,” Archbishop Renzo Pegoraro said.

The millions of people coming to Mexico for the World Cup represent an opportunity for human traffickers, prompting the Church in the country to raise awareness and recommend prevention measures.

Bishop Willy Ngumbi Ngengele had directed that all Catholic communities in the diocese observe strict preventive measures aimed at limiting the spread of the deadly virus.

After students, teachers and young children were abducted in Nigeria's Oyo State on May 15, Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo has urged Catholics to pray for the victims.

Before opening the new facility, Catholic Charities collaborated with neighbors and community leaders to understand what they wanted and needed.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has published a letter of solidarity with the Church in Mali expressing its condolences following several attacks in the area.

Bishops are asking the appellate court to overturn a ruling that would require employers to offer accommodations to employees who seek to obtain an abortion.

The Augustinian community in Spain waits in great anticipation for Pope Leo's visit to the country, though the pope has visited numerous times previously as prior general of the order.

CRS is partnering with Caritas medical centers across seven Catholic dioceses, along with the Democratic Republic of the Congo Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization.

In an interview released by the Augustinians, the pope's personal secretary offers details about the Holy Father's prayer life and insights into his style of governance.

Scott Borba went from building the beauty empire behind e.l.f. Cosmetics to leaving it all to serve God as a Catholic priest.