Catholic News
- Extraordinary consistory of College of Cardinals begins today (Vatican News)
The first extraordinary consistory of the College of Cardinals convoked by Pope Leo XIV begins this afternoon at 4:00 and is scheduled to conclude tomorrow evening at 7:00. “The cardinals especially assist the supreme pastor of the Church through collegial action in consistories in which they are gathered by order of the Roman Pontiff who presides,” the Code of Canon Law explains. “For an extraordinary consistory, which is celebrated when particular needs of the Church or the treatment of more grave affairs suggests it, all the cardinals are called together” (Canon 353). The topics on the agenda include Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis’s 2013 apostolic exhortation on the proclamation of the Gospel in today’s world Praedicate Evangelium (Preach the Gospel), Pope Francis’s 2022 apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia, and the role of the Curia and its relationship with the particular Churches (dioceses) synodality the liturgy - Jesus is the Epiphany of God and true humanity, Pope tells pilgrims (CWN)
Jesus is the Epiphany, or manifestation, of God and true humanity, Pope Leo XIV told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his holy day Angelus address (video). - Pope Leo at Epiphany Mass: 'God reveals himself, and nothing remains unchanged' (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (booklet, video) and preached on the disparate reactions of the Magi and Herod to the star of Bethlehem. - Pontiff closes holy door of St. Peter's Basilica, ending jubilee year (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV closed the holy door of St. Peter’s Basilica this morning, ending the ordinary jubilee year of 2025 (booklet, pp. 3-13; video, 7:12-24:17, especially 20:25). - Latin American bishops issue 'message of closeness and hope' to Church, people of Venezuela (CWN)
Neither praising nor condemning the recent US military action in Venezuela, the leaders of the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM) issued a “message of closeness and hope“ to the Church and people of Venezuela. They concluded with the words, “Happy 2026!” - Cardinal Parolin, Secretary of State Rubio discuss Venezuela, religious freedom (US Department of State)
The Secretary of State of His Holiness and the US Secretary of State spoke about Venezuela, global religious freedom, and other topics in a phone call yesterday. Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Secretary of State Marco Rubio “discussed pressing challenges, including efforts to improve the humanitarian situation, particularly in Venezuela, as well as the promotion of peace and religious freedom globally,” the US State Department announced. The two also “reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation between the United States and the Holy See in addressing shared priorities around the world.” - Last jubilee pilgrims: 5,000 volunteers (Vatican News)
Some 5,000 volunteers who had assisted pilgrims during the 2025 jubilee year made the last official pilgrimage through the holy door of St. Peter’s Basilica. The volunteers made their pilgrimage on the evening of January 5. The Pontiff closed the holy door the following morning, ending the jubilee year. - Ukrainian Catholic leader condemns online marriages (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church lamented the legalization of online marriages and divorces in Ukraine. In 2025, “Ukrainians gained the ability to get married and divorced online,” Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said in a recent interview devoted to family life in Ukraine. “You can get married without the person you want to build a family with actually being present, and you can just as easily break it all up.” “This trivializes the institution of the family, and the seriousness of the act and the formation of marital consent, in the canonical sense of the term, are not even considered here,” he added. - Ugandan archbishop calls for peace, hope ahead of election (ACI Africa)
The archbishop of Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city, called for peace and hope ahead of the January 15 general election. “We pray for our nation that it may remain peaceful, especially during times of elections,” Archbishop Paul Ssemogerere said yesterday in a homily. “What we see in the media is disappointing and creates fear and anxiety. Pray for peaceful elections so that justice, freedom, and harmony may prevail.” The East African nation of 51 million (map) is 84% Christian (40% Catholic) and 13% Muslim. - Report: Kyiv's Roman Catholics permitted to use historic church for 50 years (LIGA.net)
The Ukrainian government has permitted Kyiv’s Roman Catholic community to use St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church for the next 50 years, an online Ukrainian news site reported. The historic church, consecrated in 1909, was closed by the Soviet Union in 1938. The church will remain state property, even as it is used by the faithful of the Latin-rite Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr. “St. Nicholas Church is a cultural heritage site of national importance,” said Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko. “It survived a fire during the Second World War, the difficult decades of the Soviet period, and withstood Russian missile strike very close by in 2024 ... Despite all the trials, the church has survived and continues to be a symbol of the spiritual resilience of the capital and the entire country.” - 31 Charlotte priests query Vatican about legitimacy of bishop's liturgical directives (Pillar)
A group of 31 priests in a North Carolina diocese have submitted to the Dicastery for Legislative Texts a series of dubia about liturgical directives enacted or considered by their bishop, The Pillar reported. Two-thirds of the 31 priests of the Diocese of Charlotte who are questioning the legitimacy of directives of Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv, are current pastors, according to the report. The diocese has 75 parishes, 107 priests in active ministry in the diocese, and 141 total diocesan priests, according to the 2025 edition of The Official Catholic Directory. In a pastoral letter released last month, Bishop Martin called for the routine distribution of Holy Communion by extraordinary ministers and banned the use of “altar rails, kneelers, and prie-dieus” during the distribution of Holy Communion. The prelate also wrote that the distribution of Holy Communion by intinction “should not be considered an option in the Diocese of Charlotte,” even though a 2004 Vatican document forbids bishops from restricting intinction (n. 103). - Russell Shaw, US bishops' former spokesman, dies at 90 (OSV News)
Russell Shaw, who served as a spokesman for the US bishops from 1969 to 1987, died yesterday at the age of 90. The author of thousands of articles and over 20 books, Shaw “gave us the words to understand what was going on in the Second Vatican Council, in the events of the late 60s, in the pontificate of Pope John Paul II,” said Mike Aquilina, who hosted the first three seasons of Catholic Culture’s Way of the Fathers podcast. - Nigeria's leading church music composer has 'knack for catchy, soulful tunes' (National Catholic Reporter)
A Nigerian journalist has written a profile of Sir Jude Nnam, the nation’s most influential Catholic composer of church music (YouTube channel). “It is often said that you cannot attend Mass in Nigeria without hearing a Jude Nnam composition, an ubiquity Nnam combines with a knack for catchy, soulful tunes and for blending African musical traditions with Western influences,” writes Michael Aromolaran. The nation of 243 million (map), the most populous in Africa and sixth most populous in the world, is 47% Muslim, 46% Christian (11% Catholic), and 7% ethnic religionist. - Vatican, Italian officials take stock of jubilee year; 33.4 million pilgrims came from 185 nations (CWN)
Archbishop Rino Fisichella, one of the two pro-prefects of the Dicastery for Evangelization, said at a Vatican press conference yesterday that at least 33.4 pilgrims from 185 countries came to Rome for the 2025 jubilee year (video). - Colombian bishop condemns US strikes on Venezuela, describes President Trump as authoritarian (Crux)
A Colombian bishop described US strikes on neighboring Venezuela as “inadmissible,” characterized President Donald Trump as authoritarian, and expressed concern about a possible US attack on Colombia. On January 3, President Trump said that Colombia’s president is “making cocaine” and “does have to watch his a—.” Bishop Juan Carlos Barreto of Soacha told Crux if the US action against Venezuela, which “is totally inadmissible, is expanded to Colombia, a country in which there’s a legitimately elected president, we’d see a much more serious aggression, one with terrible consequence.” Bishop Barreto expressed concern that the president acted “without observing the principles of the United Nations and without consulting the US Congress” and described the action as “evidence of his authoritarianism.” - Lazio's president meets with Pontiff, hails papal commitment to peace and the poor (CWN)
Francesco Rocca, the president of Italy’s Lazio region, met with Pope Leo XIV on January 3 and discussed the meeting in a subsequent Facebook post. - English archdiocese announces apologetics initiative (Archdiocese of Southwark)
The Archdiocese of Southwark, England, announced yesterday that it is launching Ambassadors for Christ, an apologetics initiative for parishes and schools. “As someone who converted to Catholicism as a teenager myself, I know what it is like to search for answers, to thirst for the truth which only the Lord Jesus offers,” said Archbishop John Wilson. “As Catholics, leading people to Christ has to be at the heart of everything we do, because it is the Lord Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life.” “I want the faithful—from converts to cradle Catholics—to feel confident and assured of their faith, so that when they are asked the reason for the hope within them, they can confidently speak of the Lord Jesus and his saving work,” Archbishop Wilson added. The archdiocese stated that the project will “consist of 52 videos, posted every Monday on YouTube in 2026 ... To ensure doctrinal accuracy, each script draws from a foundation of Scripture, primary Church Father documents, the Catechism of the Catholic Church and official papal and Church teachings.” - Vatican officials to present 'Pray with the Pope' campaign (CWN)
The Holy See Press Office announced yesterday that a press conference will be held on January 7 to present the “Pray with the Pope” prayer campaign. - New Orleans archdiocese releases public apology letter to abuse claimants (Archdiocese of New Orleans)
The Archdiocese of New Orleans has released a letter from Archbishop Gregory Aymond to “all child sexual abuse claimants” in the archdiocese. “I express on behalf of the clergy, religious, and laity of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, my predecessors, and myself, profound regret over the tragic and inexcusable harm you have suffered at the hands of your abusers,” Archbishop Aymond wrote in his letter, dated December 26 and released January 3. “I sincerely apologize to you for the trauma caused to you and to those close to you as a survivor of sexual abuse perpetrated by a member of the clergy, a religious sister or brother, or a lay employee or volunteer working within the Catholic Church,” he continued. “Sexual abuse is an inexcusable evil, and I am ashamed that you or anyone should have been sexually abused by someone working within the Catholic Church.” The prelate added, “The Archdiocese of New Orleans takes responsibility for the abuse you have suffered and pledges to keep children and all vulnerable people safe in our ministry.” - Green Bay bishop begins inquiry into life of Servant of God Adele Brice (CNA)
Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wisconsin, has issued an edict announcing a diocesan inquiry into the “life and heroic virtues, as well as on the reputation of holiness and of signs” of the Servant of God Adele Brice (1831-1896), a Belgian-American Third Order Franciscan who received Marian apparitions in 1859. In 2010, Bishop Ricken declared the apparitions at Champion, Wisconsin, “worthy of belief.” In 2016, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops designated the apparition site as a national shrine. Iin his December 28 decree, Bishop Ricken exhorted “all the faithful to provide me with useful information about the Cause.” - More...