CatholicCulture.org - Catholic World News

Pope, in message to climate summit, emphasizes faith, hope, and love (CWN)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 04:06:50 GMT

Pope Leo XIV emphasized faith, hope, and love in a video message to a climate summit that is taking place today.

Nuncio, other Christian leaders lament Russian attack on historic Ukrainian monastery (CWN)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:06:49 GMT

The apostolic nuncio to Ukraine lamented a Russian attack on Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Kyiv Monastery of the Caves), an eleventh-century Orthodox monastery recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site.

Pope issues message for World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly: 'I will never forget you' (Dicastery for Communication)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:06:35 GMT

Pope Leo XIV issued “I will never forget you” (Isaiah 49:15), a message for the upcoming 6th World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly.

“Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord promises that he will never forget any of us. He assures us that he has engraved our faces on the palms of his hands and that his love is greater than a mother’s love for her child,” Pope Leo began. “The prophet gives us a glimpse of an intimate and intense dialogue in which God addresses, in familiar terms, each person individually and the people as a whole. Even today, we can read these words as referring to each of us, and everyone can hear that ‘I will never forget you’ spoken directly to them.”

The World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly takes place each year on the fourth Sunday in July, on or close to the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus. In the United States, the bishops transferred the celebration to the Sunday after Labor Day, to coincide with National Grandparents Day.

On June 15—the day on which the Pope’s message was released—the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life also published pastoral guidelines for the day.

Pope commends NY Jewish organization for its commitment to the poor (CWN)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 04:06:04 GMT

Pope Leo XIV received a delegation from the UJA-Federation of New York this morning and commended the Jewish organization for its commitment to the poor.

South Korea's President Lee has 'warm and affectionate' meeting with Pope Leo (CWN)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 07:06:34 GMT

South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung had a “warm and affectionate” audience with Pope Leo XIV on June 15, a day after he thanked the Holy See for its “unconditional support and constant attention” to the peace process on the Korean Peninsula.

Pope encourages Europe's Syro-Malankara Catholics to treasure their heritage (CWN)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 04:06:30 GMT

Pope Leo XIV encouraged European members of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (CNEWA profile), which is based in India, to treasure their ecclesial heritage.

In Vietnam, airport project threatens 5 churches (UCANews)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:06:56 GMT

Five churches, as well as the homes of 52,000 people, are slated to be destroyed by the construction of Gia Binh International Airport in metropolitan Hanoi, Vietnam.

“The Church always supports the development of the country and appreciates projects that bring long-term benefits to society,” said Bishop Joseph Đỗ Quang Khang of Bắc Ninh. “However, development only has meaning when people remain at its center.”

“The concerns of the people are also the concerns of the Church,” Bishop Khang added. “People are losing not only homes and property but also memories, traditions, and faith communities built over many generations.”

Pope, in response to letter, warns against associating God's name with war (Vatican News (Italian))

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:06:58 GMT

Responding to a letter, Pope Leo denounced “those who dare to associate God’s name with acts of war.”

God’s name is “profaned by the will to dominate, by arrogance, and by discrimination; above all, it must never be invoked to justify choices and actions that bring death,” Pope Leo wrote in the June issue of Piazza San Pietro, the magazine of St. Peter’s Basilica. “Unfortunately, this temptation to profane God’s name affects even those who profess to be Christians.”

The words of faith should not be dragged “into political conflict,” or used “to bless nationalism and religiously justify violence and armed struggle,” the Pope added.

Amid poverty, be missionaries: papal message to Italian pilgrims (Vatican News (Italian))

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:06:47 GMT

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a message in Pope Leo’s name to the Bishop Nazareno Marconi of Macerata, Italy, the starting point of the 48th annual 17-mile walking pilgrimage to Loreto.

“Pope Leo is pleased to send his warm greetings to all those taking part in the walking pilgrimage from Macerata to the Holy House of Loreto, urging them to grow in their journey of following Jesus and to be missionaries of the Gospel, especially in the face of the material and spiritual poverty of our times,” Cardinal Parolin wrote.

The pilgrimage, which attracts thousands each year, is organized by the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation. This year’s pilgrimage, which began on June 13 and concluded the following day, included a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the vicar general of Rome.

USCCB calls on EPA to revise proposed coal-ash rules (USCCB)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:06:59 GMT

The general counsel of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, joined by the conference’s solicitor and assistant general counsel, called upon the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to revise its proposed revisions to coal-ash regulations.

“The USCCB respectfully urges the EPA to ensure that the flexible approach envisioned by the proposed rule does not come at the expense of the most vulnerable or the integrity of the environment,” the attorneys wrote in their public comments, dated June 8 and posted on the bishops’ website on June 15. “Where the EPA’s proposed rule increases the probability of harm to the common good or to the environment, the EPA should at a minimum retain the relevant restrictions until it fashions new rules that will not unjustifiably increase risk.”

Illinois diocese, pregnancy center ask appeals court to protect right to hire consistent with faith (Alliance Defending Freedom)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:06:45 GMT

The Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, and the Pregnancy Care Center of Rockford appealed a federal district court’s dismissal of their challenge to an Illinois law that bans “discrimination on the basis of reproductive health decisions in employment.”

The law thus compels Catholic and pro-life organizations to retain employees who have abortions.

“Our employees represent the diocese and are expected to uphold our standards of conduct to ensure they align with the doctrine and moral teaching of the Catholic Church,” said Bishop Thomas Paprocki. “However, under the state law, we cannot hire or retain employees based on our deeply held religious beliefs on pro-life teachings without being subject to disciplinary action.”

'We should not be here today,' nuncio preaches at funeral of murdered Mozambique bishop (CWN)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:06:58 GMT

The apostolic nuncio to Mozambique celebrated the funeral Mass of Bishop Osório Cîtora Afonso, I.M.C., on June 12, six days after he was murdered.

Bishops, superintendents among signatories of Front Royal Statement on Catholic education (Christendom College)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:06:05 GMT

Five bishops and five diocesan school superintendents were among the signatories of the Front Royal Statement: Seven Cardinal Principles of Catholic Primary and Secondary Education.

Scholars from the Catholic University of America, Benedictine College, Belmont Abbey College, the Augustine Institute, the University of Dallas, Christendom College, and other educational institutions joined Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, Bishop James Conley, Bishop Thomas Daly, Bishop Earl Fernandes, and Bishop Thomas Paprocki in signing the statement.

“The fruit of the Front Royal Education Summit, this statement emerged from two days of intense discussions at Christendom College among bishops, superintendents, scholars from numerous colleges and universities, educational leaders, and strategic partners,” wrote Bishop Conley of Lincoln, Nebraska. “We pray that these seven principles will provide a shared foundation to unify the various streams of educational renewal now underway in Catholic schools and to inspire a supernatural vision that guides the true integral formation of the whole child.”

Pope expresses gratitude for visit to Spain, closeness to Philippine earthquake victims (CWN)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 07:06:58 GMT

At the conclusion of his June 14 Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV expressed gratitude for his apostolic journey to Spain and closeness to victims of the Mindanao earthquake.

Vatican conference addresses formation of Eastern clergy, monks (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 09:06:47 GMT

The Reunion of Aid Agencies for the Eastern Churches (ROACO), under the auspices of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, is hosting a three-day conference at the Vatican.

The primary theme of the conference, which began on June 15, is the formation of Eastern clergy and monks. In addition, Archbishop Paolo Borgia, the apostolic nuncio to Lebanon, and Father Francesco Ielpo, O.F.M., the custos (Franciscan superior) of the Holy Land, are scheduled to speak about the current situation in the Middle East.

Jesus looks upon us with compassion, Pope tells pilgrims (CWN)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:06:37 GMT

During his June 14 Angelus address (video), Pope Leo XIV emphasized that Jesus looks upon the world with compassion.

9 Polish Salesians who died at Auschwitz beatified as martyrs (Agenzia Info Salesiana)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 06:06:06 GMT

Father Jan Świerc and his eight companions, all of them Salesian priests who died at Auschwitz, were beatified at the Shrine of St. John Paul II the Great in Kraków, Poland.

One of the martyrs, Father Karol Golda, S.D.B., was killed because he heard the confessions of German soldiers.

Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, was the principal celebrant at the beatification Mass, which took place on June 6.

Pope issues message for World Day of the Poor: 'The Lord is the refuge of the poor' (Dicastery for Communication)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 07:06:18 GMT

Pope Leo XIV issued “The Lord is the refuge of the poor” (cf. Ps 14:6), a message for the upcoming 10th World Day of the Poor.

“The words of the Psalmist point the way forward as we prepare for the 10th World Day of the Poor,” Pope Leo began. “Once again, we must return to the Word of God to reaffirm the importance of the poor in the life of the Church. The words of the Psalm serve as a standard for Christian living because they reveal the face of God and acknowledge human poverty.”

The papal message for the day is customarily released on June 13, the memorial of St. Anthony of Padua, patron saint of the poor. The World Day of the Poor is commemorated in November (this year November 15), on the Sunday before the Solemnity of Christ the King.

New statutes clarify relation between DDF, Pontifical Commission for Protection of Minors (CWN)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 05:06:21 GMT

Pope Leo XIV approved new statutes that will provide direction to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors for a three-year trial period.

South Korean president thanks Holy See for supporting peace process (Fides)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 08:06:56 GMT

South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung thanked the Holy See for its “unconditional support and constant attention” to the peace process on the Korean Peninsula.

President Lee made his remarks at the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome on June 14, at the conclusion of a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Lazzaro You Heung-sik, the Korean prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy.

The president, a Protestant, also praised the Catholic Church in Korea. He said that the Church there “has always firmly supported the Korean people, respecting human dignity and promoting peace and solidarity in all the trials our society has faced.”