Catholic News
- Pope Leo praises DDF's work over past 2 years (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV received participants in the plenary assembly of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and praised the dicastery for its work over the past two years. - Papal message: Inculturation does not mean adapting the Gospel to the world (Dicastery for Communication)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a message in the Holy Father’s name to the bishops of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of the Central Africa Region, who are meeting in N’Djaména, Chad. “An important question is the inculturation of faith,” Cardinal Parolin wrote in his letter, published on January 29. “It is not a question of adapting the Gospel to the world, but of finding in each culture the appropriate ways to proclaim the Word that does not fade away, enriching and serving human existence.” “Faced with the evils that undermine society, such as tribalism, interethnic conflicts, wars, family divisions and so on, the Gospel calls for reconciliation and the pacification of hearts,” he added. After discussing synodality and encouraging the bishops to listen to young people, Cardinal Parolin spoke of the importance of ministry to refugees: Your communities are also shaken by the crisis of refugees and displaced persons. Be for them the Christ who bows down to their painful situations in order to heal them and give them the bread of consolation. - Cardinal Parolin rues Minneapolis violence, hints Holy See will reject President Trump's Gaza Board of Peace invitation (Vatican News)
Fielding questions from journalists, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, described violence in Minneapolis is “unacceptable” and said that “difficulties, problems, and contradictions must be resolved in other ways.” Cardinal Parolin also hinted that the Holy See will reject President Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace for Gaza. “Faced with this proposal, there were indeed problematic points that needed to be taken into consideration and that would then be evaluated in view of a response,” Cardinal Parolin said. “The response has not yet been given, but I believe one cannot forget the problematic aspects of this plan.” Cardinal Parolin also expressed optimism about a resolution to the Greenland crisis and declined to comment about the possible presence of ICE agents at the Winter Olympics in Milan. - Pope Leo pays tribute to Mozaribic Rite (Archdiocese of Toledo (Spanish))
In a message marking the 800th anniversary of Toledo Cathedral in Spain, Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to the Mozaribic Rite of the sacred liturgy. “Throughout this year, the cathedral will show, through important liturgical celebrations and cultural events, the rich spiritual heritage of that particular Church,” Pope Leo wrote in his message, dated December 19 and released today by the archdiocese. “In this regard, I would like to emphasize the value of the Hispano-Mozarabic liturgy that is celebrated daily.” Pope Leo noted that the cathedral, in its eight centuries, has witnessed “the recovery of the Kingdom of Granada and the evangelization of the New World, events that have been recorded for history in the art of that cathedral.” - USCCB president laments 'climate of fear and polarization,' calls for holy hour for peace (USCCB)
The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops invited bishops and priests to hold a Holy Hour for Peace in the coming days. “Let us pray for reconciliation where there is division, for justice where there are violations of fundamental rights, and for consolation for all who feel overwhelmed by fear or loss,” Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City wrote on January 28. Archbishop Coakley added: While proper laws must be respected, works of mercy, peacefully assembling, and caring for those in your community are signs of hope, and they build peace more surely than anger or despair ever could ... The recent killing of two people by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis and that of a detained man in Texas, are just a few of the tragic examples of the violence that represent failures in our society to respect the dignity of every human life. We mourn this loss of life and deplore the indifference and injustice it represents. The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel. - Warning democracy's foundations are at risk, Cardinal McElroy condemns killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti (Archdiocese of Washington)
Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington, DC, joined other local religious leaders in condemning the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. “The murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti—two U.S. citizens devoted to civic engagement and to caring for their immigrant neighbors—have left communities in Minneapolis and across the nation grieving, shaken, and rightly outraged,” the signatories wrote in their January 29 statement. “Their deaths are a profound moral failure, and they demand our collective attention and response.” The signatories added: We affirm the sacred worth of every human life. That commitment includes—and compels us to stand with—immigrants and others who are especially vulnerable in this moment. We condemn without reservation the use of indiscriminate and lethal force against civilians. The actions we have witnessed in recent days represent a grave departure from our nation’s deepest moral commitments and from the values of human dignity, restraint, and accountability that our faith traditions uphold. When the power of the state is exercised without regard for life, justice, or the common good, the foundations of democracy itself are put at risk. - Typical newly-professed US religious: 35-year-old cradle Catholic devoted to Rosary, Eucharistic adoration (CWN)
The typical religious who professed perpetual vows in 2025 is a 35-year-old cradle Catholic who has three or more siblings and who regularly prayed the Rosary and took part in Eucharistic adoration before entering religious life, according to a survey released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. - Vatican diplomat calls on religions to resist 'weaponization' of words, thoughts (Holy See Mission)
Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, Switzerland, called on religions to resists the “weaponization” of thoughts and words. Addressing an interfaith service on January 28, Archbishop Balestrero said that “one of the most urgent services religions can offer today to a suffering humanity is to resist the rising temptation to weaponize thoughts and words. Our spiritual traditions—and right reason—call us to look beyond blood ties, ethnicity, or unilateral ambitions, beyond the reflex to divide or exclude.” The prelate added: And yet, how often today is the language of faith dragged into political battles, manipulated to bless nationalism and justify violence? We who believe must actively refute these forms of blasphemy and desecration of religions—with clarity and truth, with courage, and above all, with lives that reflect what we profess. Alongside all our efforts, we must nurture the habit of prayer and defend the art of dialogue as authentic, credible, and transformative paths to peace and encounter. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, also spoke at the service, telling participants that “there is no lasting peace without justice—but there is no real justice unless the other is recognized as a person, not a tool or an obstacle.” - Leading African cardinal hails John Paul's vision for Church in Africa, outlines priorities (Fides)
Addressing the bishops of central Africa, the president of the Symposium of Bishops’ Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) offered strong praise for Ecclesia in Africa (The Church in Africa), Pope St. John Paul II’s 1995 post-synodal apostolic exhortation. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of Kinshasa said that “we are called to recognize that this vision is by no means outdated, but on the contrary, more urgent than ever ... Above all, it revives the urgency of the mission entrusted to us: to be artisans of reconciliation, justice, peace, and hope, in fidelity to the Gospel and in dialogue with the concrete realities of our peoples.” The prelate then offered pastoral priorities: the formation of peacemakers, synodal pastoral governance, and prophetic social engagement. “The Church must continue to strengthen commissions for justice and peace, promote civic education, support victims of violence, and create spaces for dialogue that contribute to reconciliation and social cohesion,” he said of the third priority. - Pope prays that Olympics will build bridges (Dicastery for Communication (Italian))
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a telegram in the Holy Father’s name to athletes who are gathering at a basilica in Milan for the arrival of the Olympic Cross. The Pontiff “hopes that this important event will foster sentiments of friendship and fraternity, strengthening awareness of the value of sport in the service of the integral development of the human person,” Cardinal Parolin wrote in his January 29 telegram. The Pope prays “that these days of healthy competition will contribute to building bridges between cultures and peoples, promoting welcome, solidarity, and peace,” the prelate added. - European Parliament's president meets with Pope, praises his 'clarity of purpose' (@EP_President)
Pope Leo XIV received Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, on January 29. “A meaningful morning at the Vatican during an audience with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV,” Metsola wrote on social media following the meeting. “Grateful for his clarity of purpose and for our shared reflections on advancing peace through dialogue across Europe and the world.” - Surprise papal lunch with Peruvian bishops (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV surprised the bishops of Peru by joining them for lunch yesterday. The bishops are in Rome for their ad limina visit. Pope Leo was bishop of Chiclayo, Peru, from 2015 to 2023. - Pope appeals for end of anti-Semitism, vigilance against genocide (Dicastery for Communication)
At the conclusion of his January 28 general audience, Pope Leo XIV issued the following appeal: Yesterday was the International Remembrance Day for all victims of the Holocaust, which brought death to millions of Jews and to many other people. On this yearly occasion of painful remembrance, I ask the Almighty for the gift of a world without antisemitism and without prejudice, oppression, and persecution of any human creature. I renew my appeal to the community of nations to remain ever vigilant. May the horror of genocide never again be inflicted upon any people and that a society founded on mutual respect and the common good may be built. - Pope Leo: St. Thomas Aquinas commented on Scripture with great wisdom (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV praised St. Thomas Aquinas’s commentary on Scripture on January 28, the saint’s liturgical memorial. - Vatican letter to consecrated persons highlights 'prophecy of presence' in difficult situations (Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life)
The Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life has published a brief letter to consecrated men and women, “Prophecy of presence: consecrated life where dignity is wounded and faith is tested.” The dicastery’s letter, published yesterday, referred to the “many consecrated persons called to share complex situations: contexts marked by conflict, social and political instability, poverty, marginalization, forced migration, religious minority status, violence, and tensions that test people’s dignity, freedom, and sometimes even their faith.” “These experiences,” the letter continued, “reveal how strong the prophetic dimension of consecrated life is as a ‘presence that remains’: alongside wounded peoples and individuals, in places where the Gospel is often lived in conditions of fragility and trial.” “Consecrated life, when it remains close to the wounds of humanity without yielding to the logic of conflict, yet without renouncing speaking God’s truth about humanity and history, becomes—often without fanfare—an artisan of peace,” the dicastery added. “Dear consecrated women and men, we thank you for your perseverance when the fruits seem distant, for the peace you sow even when it is not recognized.” - Ukrainian Catholic leader reflects on resilience and Christian perfection in wartime (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Citing a Greek Father (St. Gregory of Nazianzen) and a contemporary author (Eric Greitens), the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church delivered an address to the National Defense University of Ukraine entitled “Spiritual Resilience and Christian Perfection: Being a Christian in Time of War.” In his January 23 address, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk recalled that he once served in the Soviet army as he decried “Soviet-style dehumanization.” He concluded: I am convinced that you will become leaders of global thought in the modern art of victory, in the art of waging a just war—a war whose purpose is to create space for peace. Wherever the Ukrainian soldier stands, there is space for peace and freedom. I often say that our servicemembers are today the foremost and best peacekeepers. I am a witness to this, having lived through these difficult weeks, months, and years here in Kyiv together with your faculty and colleagues during the full-scale invasion—from the very beginning, from the siege of Kyiv, to the future victory. May the Lord God help us all. Glory to Ukraine! Christ is born! - European Christian body voices concern over Greenland, affirms self-determination and international law (CEC)
The Conference of European Churches stated in a recent letter that “Greenland’s future can only be decided by its own people.” “Any change of status without their consent would violate international law, including the UN Charter and the principle of self-determination, and would disregard the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” stated the CEC, a fellowship of over 100 Orthodox and Protestant communities. - Vote for leaders of integrity, Thai bishops' conference urges faithful (Catholic Bishops' Conference of Thailand (Thai))
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand issued a pastoral statement on January 27 describing the Church as a non-partisan “moral force” and “social conscience” in the upcoming general election. Archbishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana of Bangkok, the conference’s president, described voting as a “moral requirement” in which “citizens take a common responsibility for the common good.” The prelate called for “monitoring, verifying, and maintaining moral truth at every stage” of the election. Archbishop Arpondratana added: The foundation of leadership qualities is clearly laid in the Bible. When Moses was instructed by God to choose a ruler, “Choose from among the people a man who is able, God-fearing, faithful, and does not take bribes, and makes him his leader” (Exodus 18:21). Corruption, the prelate warned, “destroys the nation. Political corruption is a betrayal of the people and a serious violation of social justice.” Thailand, a Southeast Asian nation of 70 million (map), is 87% Buddhist, 6% Muslim, and 2% ethnic religionist. - Tanzania's foreign minister holds irenic meeting with Pope, 2 months after bishops denounced government repession (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV received Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Tanzania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, on January 28. - Archdiocese of Paris convenes council in response to historic rise in catechumens (OSV News)
The Archdiocese of Paris has convened a four-month consultation on the rising number of persons seeking baptism. 17,800 catechumens were baptized in France during the Easter Vigil in 2025, including more than 7,400 young people between the ages 11 and 17. “The subject is extremely joyful and motivating,” said Father Maximilien de La Martinière, who is organizing the consultation. “These converts bring a new dynamism and energy to our communities.” The priest added: With the revelation of the abuse crisis, we could have predicted that it was the end of the end,” of vibrant church life in France. But today God is showing us something else. The catechumens have of course heard about the abuse and what followed. But what stands out is that they consider what the Church is doing today in response to this issue as a sign of the seriousness of this institution ... Many of them talk about how important their grandparents were to them. These grandparents went to church, and sometimes still do, but their children have abandoned the faith, or have not passed it on. This phenomenon is occurring at a time when we have not yet progressed too far in de-Christianization, since there is still a generation of grandparents for whom faith is important. - More...