Catholic News
- Christ is close to you, Pope says to families of Swiss fire victims (Holy See Press Office (Italian))
Pope Leo XIV received families of victims of the Crans-Montana bar fire in Switzerland, which took place on January 1 and left 40 dead and 116 injured. Yesterday’s papal audience took place at the family members’ request. “These are moments of great pain and suffering,” Pope Leo said. “Where can you find consolation worthy of what you are experiencing, comfort that is not made up of empty and superficial words, but that touches you deeply and rekindles hope?” The Pope continued: Perhaps there is only one word that is adequate: that of the Son of God on the cross—to whom you are so close today—who, from the depths of his abandonment and pain, cried out to the Father: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46). The Father’s answer to the Son’s plea is delayed for three days, in silence. But then, what an answer! Jesus rises gloriously, “Be assured of His closeness and tenderness: He is not far from what you are experiencing; on the contrary, He shares it and carries it with you,” the Pope continued. “Our Lady of Sorrows is close to you in these days, and it is to her that I entrust you. Turn to her without reservation with your tears and seek in her the maternal comfort that perhaps only Mary can give and certainly will give you.” - Pope Leo calls for a free press marked by fairness, search for truth (CWN)
In a letter to the director of La Repubblica for the Italian newspaper’s 50th anniversary, Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to freedom of the press and said that the press should be “animated by the search for truth.” - Kuwait affirms commitment to peaceful coexistence among religions (Vatican Press Office)
The Holy See and State of Kuwait issued a joint statement yesterday during the visit of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, to the Arab nation, whose official religion is Islam. “The State of Kuwait reaffirms its steadfast principles of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among religions, which are values that are enshrined in its ideals from its inception and were later codified in its Constitution,” according to the statement, which concluded: His Eminence’s visit aims to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation that the Holy See and the State of Kuwait have maintained since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1968, when Kuwait became the first country of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf to establish such relations with the Holy See. The visit also intends to bear witness to the longstanding tradition of religious coexistence that has consistently characterized the State of Kuwait within the Arabian Gulf. - Be humble prophets of peace and unity, Cardinal Parolin tells Kuwait's priests, religious (Vatican News)
Addressing priests and religious during his visit to Kuwait, the Secretary of State of His Holiness said that “the Lord does not look for perfect priests, but for humble hearts.” In an address yesterday in Holy Family Co-Cathedral, Cardinal Pietro Parolin encouraged priests in the officially Muslim nation to be “priests of love, not of perfection; priests who are joyful because we know we are chosen and loved by the Lord.” Cardinal Parolin encouraged priests and religious to be “prophets of peace and unity,” adding, “You have the mission of making visible true fraternity and unity in Christ.” The Holy See and Kuwait also issued a joint statement yesterday in which Kuwait affirmed its commitment to peaceful coexistence among religions. - Leading European prelate issues 'strong common appeal' to pray for peace (CCEE)
The Lithuanian prelate who leads the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) issued a “strong common appeal” to pray for peace during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Amid “serious ongoing threats against peace, shaped by persistent armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions in many regions of the world,” Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius made “a strong common appeal to pray for peace, in whatsoever liturgical form you see fit, especially during the upcoming Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, so that this unity may be achieved not only among Christians but also among all the parties in conflict with each other.” Archbishop Grušas made his appeal in a January 12 letter to presidents of the various European bishops’ conferences. - Welsh bishops urge lawmakers to reject assisted suicide (CBCEW)
The bishops of Wales called upon Welsh lawmakers to vote against assisted suicide when the matter comes before the Senedd, or Welsh parliament, on January 27. “If enacted, this Bill would introduce assisted suicide into law and represent a profound change in how society responds to those who are terminally ill,” Archbishop Mark O’Toole and Bishop Peter Brignall wrote in their statement, issued January 15. “In our view, it would place many vulnerable people at greater risk,” they continued. “International experience shows that where assisted suicide is legalized, eligibility criteria tend to expand over time, the number of deaths increases, and subtle but real pressure is placed on people who are elderly, disabled, or who fear becoming a burden on others.” - DR Congo refugees suffer in a 'hell of the forgotten,' Vatican newspaper emphasizes (CWN)
In the most prominent front-page article in its January 15 edition, L’Osservatore Romano reported on the dire situation of Congolese refugees who have fled the brutal advance of the rebel March 23 Movement. - Bishop deplores possibility of Virginia amendment enshrining abortion to moment of birth (Diocese of Arlington)
In a message for the upcoming Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, the bishop of Arlington, Virginia, warned of the “looming threat of an extreme abortion amendment to our state constitution.” Bishop Michael Burbidge said yesterday that “we face serious legislative proposals that threaten the dignity of human life at its most vulnerable stages. Among these is the resolution to amend the state constitution in a way that will enshrine abortion up to the very moment of birth, along with the potential removal of parental involvement in minors’ decisions regarding abortion and gender-rejecting medical interventions.” “These threats to the Commonwealth of Virginia are serious and would represent a serious moral and social regression,” he continued. “These threats would contribute to a cultural mentality that views human life as disposable when others are dependent, experiencing treatable forms of suffering, or are simply seen as inconvenient.” - Pontiff, UN agency president discuss assistance to poor farmers (@IFADPresident)
Following a papal audience yesterday, the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) said that he and Pope Leo XIV discussed “our shared conviction that dignity, hope and economic opportunities for the most vulnerable communities is more important than ever.” “2026 is a very important year for dialogue, and multilateralism,” said Álvaro Lario, who leads the UN agency that assists poor rural farmers. “Leaders, such as Pope Leo XIV, give us hope that addressing the economic roots of instability and forced migration is the way forward to support livelihoods despite an ever increasing number of fragile and conflict-affected contexts in the world.” Lario subsequently discussed IFAD’s work in an interview with Vatican News. - Baltimore seminary names new rector (Catholic Review (Baltimore))
The archbishop of Baltimore and the superior general of the Society of St. Sulpice have named Father Shawn Gould, PSS, as the new rector of St. Mary’s Seminary and University. A priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago who became a Sulpician in 2021, Father Gould was previously director of the Blessed Michael J. McGivney Propaedeutic House of Formation in Baltimore. - Catholic News Agency rebranded as EWTN News (EWTN )
EWTN announced yesterday that Catholic News Agency (CNA) and its other news services have been rebranded as EWTN News. “This rebrand is not simply about a new name or a new website—it reflects a deeper alignment of mission, editorial vision, and operations,” said Montse Alvarado, president of EWTN News. CNA, founded in 2004, was acquired by EWTN in 2014. - Archbishop Chaput offers 'thoughts on America, age 250' (Catholic World Report)
In a reflection for America’s 250th anniversary, Archbishop Charles Chaput wrote that “the America emerging today is already much less friendly to the Christian faith than anything in our country’s past.” “It doesn’t need to be this way,” said the retired archbishop of Philadelphia. “And that poses a challenge for all of us as Catholics ... We make the future; nothing in this world is inevitable.” Archbishop Chaput added: The vocation of a Christian disciple is to feed the soul of the world as well as its mind; to offer a vision of men and women made whole by the love of God, the beauty of creation, and the reality of things unseen; to see the world in the light of eternity; to recapture the nobility of the human story and the dignity and destiny of the human person. This is the work that sets fire to the human heart. - 2nd-ranking official of pontifical abuse commission named to new position (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Luís Manuel Alí Herrera, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, as vicar of the cardinal archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major (Santa Maria Maggiore). The 58-year-old Colombian prelate was appointed auxiliary bishop of Bogotá in 2015 and the second-ranking official of the pontifical commission in 2024. Pope Leo named him a member of the Dicastery for the Clergy last May. Bishop Alí Herrera has remained auxiliary bishop of Bogotá while serving as secretary of the pontifical commission, the current (2025) edition of the Annuario Pontificio notes. Yesterday’s announcement of his appointment to Santa Maria Maggiore included no announcement of a resignation from either of these positions. - Background: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2026 (CWN)
The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins on January 18. - Vatican foreign minister denounces surrogacy (Vatican News (Italian))
Echoing comments made by Pope Leo in his address to the diplomatic corps (CWN analysis), the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations denounced surrogacy as a “new form of colonialism” and said that the practice is contrary to human dignity because it commodifies the human person. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher made his remarks in a public conversation with Eugenia Maria Roccella, Italy’s Minister for Family, Birth Rate and Equal Opportunities. The conversation took place on January 13 in the Italian Embassy to the Holy See. - 388 million Christians suffer 'high levels' of persecution and discrimination, report finds (Open Doors )
An organization dedicated to assisting persecuted Christians reported that over 388 million Christians suffer “high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.” In its newly released World Watch List 2026, Open Doors stated that the countries with the highest level of persecution are North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Syria, Nigeria, Pakistan, Libya, and Iran. - Pray and meditate on God's Word daily, Pope emphasizes to pilgrims (CWN)
At the conclusion of his January 14 general audience, Pope Leo XIV repeatedly emphasized the importance of a cultivating a life of prayer and meditation on the Word of God. - Secretary of State Rubio: US is working closely with Church in Cuba on disaster assistance (US Department of State)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced yesterday that the United States is “working in close partnership with the Catholic Church in Cuba” to deliver disaster aid “transparently and effectively.” “Consistent with our longstanding policy, we have taken extraordinary measures to ensure that this assistance reaches the Cuban people directly, without interference or diversion by the illegitimate regime,” Rubio said of the US aid for victims of Hurricane Melissa. - Manila's Feast of the Black Nazarene draws record 9.6 million devotees (CWN)
A record crowd of over 9.6 million people took part in the annual procession in Manila for the Philippine Feast of the Black Nazarene. - India's Christians experienced 'high level of violence and intimidation' in 2025 (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
The spokesman for the All India Catholic Union, a prominent lay organization, told the Vatican newspaper that the nation’s Christians experienced “high level of violence and intimidation” there in 2025. John Dayal said that the United Christian Forum documented 706 incidents between January and November and that “the Evangelical Fellowship of India reported 183 incidents of violence in Uttar Pradesh and 156 in Chhattisgarh during 2025: assaults, disruptions of worship, vandalism, and false accusations of forced conversions.” “We saw posters calling for a boycott of Christmas,” Dayal continued. “We recorded disruptions of at least 60 events across the country, beatings of Christmas carolers in Kerala, and harassment of worshippers during prayer.” Dayal added that “hate speech by various government leaders and Hindu extremist groups like the Sangh Parivar has contributed to creating this climate. Propaganda labeling Christians as ‘outsiders to India’ has encouraged such actions.” - More...