Catholic News
- 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. - 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. - 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.” - 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. - USCCB welcomes Trump administration's policy change on religious worker visas (USCCB)
The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Migration welcomed a Trump administration policy change on the renewal of visas for religious workers. “Catholic priests, religious, and others who hold religious worker (R-1) visas are generally required to depart the United States upon reaching the maximum period of stay for that visa (five years) and then can possibly return to the country on a subsequent R-1 visa,” the USCCB explained. “Previously, they were required to spend at least one full year outside of the United States between R-1 visas,” but the policy change “amends federal regulations to require no minimum time outside of the country ... provided they meet all other requirements.” “We are tremendously grateful for the Administration’s work to address certain challenges facing foreign-born religious workers, their employers, and the American communities they serve,” said Archbishop Paul Coakley and Bishop Brendan Cahill. “This targeted change is a truly significant step that will help facilitate essential religious services for Catholics and other people of faith throughout the United States by minimizing disruptions to cherished ministries.” - Jerusalem's Christian schools suspend classes to protest new Israeli restrictions (AsiaNews)
Christian schools in Jerusalem suspended classes to protest new Israeli restrictions on Palestinian teachers from the West Bank. The General Secretariat of Christian Educational Institutions in Jerusalem called for the suspension of classes after Israeli authorities decided not to renew the work permits of 171 teachers from the West Bank. - Russian airstrikes damage Ukrainian Catholic chapel (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Recent Russian airstrikes caused significant damage to a Ukrainian Greek Catholic chapel in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium. “Ten guided bombs fell near our chapel,” said Father Petro Maika. “In fact, there were strikes from all sides.” Father Maika said that “although the shelling caused damage, prayer continues. People need the presence of a priest and his support.” - Cardinal Parolin begins trip to Kuwait (CWN)
The Vatican’s Secretariat of State announced that Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, has begun a journey to Kuwait. - Archbishop Weisenburger appoints former Buffalo seminary rector to lead Detroit's seminary (CWN)
Archbishop Edward Weisenburger of Detroit has appointed Father Kevin Creagh, CM, the new rector and president of St. John’s Major Seminary. - Holy doors being sealed until next jubilee (Vatican News)
The jubilee holy doors at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Peter’s Basilica are being sealed in private ceremonies this week. They will remain sealed until the next jubilee year, scheduled for 2033, to mark the 2,000th anniversary of the Redemption. - God calls humanity to friendship through His Word, Pope Leo says in audience on Vatican II (CWN)
At the beginning of his new series of Wednesday general audiences on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, Pope Leo XIV spoke this morning about Dei Verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (1965). - Vatican newspaper highlights Iranian regime's repression (CWN)
L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent article in its January 14 edition to government repression in Iran. - Malawi bishop warns young people against gambling (Fides)
A bishop in Malawi warned young people of the dangers of gambling. “Many young people turn to betting in the hope of earning a living, especially at a time when unemployment is high, and some have no reliable source of income beyond support from their parents,” Bishop Peter Adrian Chifukwa said at the closing Mass of the National Annual General Meeting of Young Christian Workers. The prelate warned that gambling “can lead to behaviors such as stealing, because one becomes obsessed with always having money available for betting, driven by the hope of winning more.” Malawi, a southeastern African nation of 22.2 million (map), is 79% Christian (40% Catholic), 15% Muslim, and 5% ethnic religionist. - US Supreme Court appears likely to uphold transgender athlete bans (SCOTUSblog)
The United States Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday in two cases that will determine the constitutionality of Idaho’s Fairness in Women’s Sports Act and West Virginia’s Save Women’s Sports Act. “The laws prohibit males—including males who ‘identify’ as females—from participating on female-only teams,” the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops noted in its brief in support of the state laws. “These cases ask whether the Equal Protection Clause or Title IX forbids the States to create female-only athletic competitions,” the brief continued. “Neither does, and any other answer could prove catastrophic to Catholic institutions.” SCOTUSblog reported that “a majority of the justices appeared to agree with the states that the laws can remain in place, even if it was not clear how broadly their ruling might sweep.” - Vatican Mosaic Studio completes mosaic of Leo XIV (Vatican News)
The Vatican Mosaic Studio completed a mosaic roundel of Pope Leo XIV for display at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Staff of the studio presented the mosaic to the Pope before his general audience yesterday. - Central African Republic's bishops denounce corruption, nepotism, abuse of power (Vatican News)
The bishops of the Central African Republic condemned corruption, nepotism, abuse of power following a presidential election that was marked by allegations of fraud. Stating that “a political opponent is not an enemy,” the bishops said that “no true progress can be achieved” without credible, transparent institutions. The nation of 5.8 million (map) is 75% Christian (45% Catholic), 14% Muslim, and 10% ethnic religionist. - Responding to letter, Pope says 'hours dedicated to catechesis are never wasted' (Vatican News)
Responding to a letter from a Swiss catechist, Pope Leo XIV wrote that “hours dedicated to catechesis are never wasted, even if there are very few participants.” “The problem is not the numbers—which, of course, make one reflect—but the increasingly evident lack of awareness in feeling part of the Church, that is, of being living members of the Body of Christ, all with unique gifts and roles, and not merely users of the sacred, of the sacraments, perhaps out of mere habit,” Pope Leo continued. The exchange was published in Piazza San Pietro, a magazine published under the Vatican basilica’s auspices. Pope Leo has continued his predecessor’s custom of answering one letter in each issue. - Venezuelan bishops: foster Christian humanism, peace, and democracy in nation's schools (Conferencia Episcopal Venezolana)
The Venezuelan bishops’ Commission for Education published a “heartfelt letter of hope to each teacher, each student, [and] each family” associated with the nation’s education system. In the message, dated January 9 and released January 12, Bishop Carlos Curiel Herrera of Carora, the president of the commission, called on schools to be an “oasis of life, where the Gospel values that inspire Christian humanism are the starting point.” The prelate said that now is the time “to discern the will of God, to plead for harmony and peace in Venezuela, and to renew our commitment to maintaining our schools as secure spaces for the construction of citizenship, democracy, justice and of peace.” - More...