CatholicCulture.org - Catholic World News

Pope Leo's first encyclical, on AI and the human person, to be released on May 25 (Vatican News)

Mon, 18 May 2026 09:05:55 GMT

Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, devoted to preserving the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, will be released on May 25.

The Pope signed the encyclical, entitled Magnifica Humanitas (Magnificent Humanity), on May 15, the 135th anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s landmark social encyclical Rerum Novarum.

In a departure from precedent, the Pontiff himself will attend the encyclical’s presentation and deliver an address. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Anna Rowlands (professor at Durham University), Christopher Olah (co-founder of Anthropic), and Leocadie Lushombo (Jesuit School of Theology / Santa Clara University) are also scheduled to speak at the presentation.

St. Nerses the Gracious, Armenian Apostolic saint, added to Roman Martyrology (CWN)

Tue, 19 May 2026 07:05:36 GMT

Pope Leo XIV announced the inclusion of St. Nerses the Gracious, a saint of the Armenian Apostolic Church, in the Martyrologium Romanum (Roman Martyrology), the Church’s compilation of saints and blesseds.

Pope Leo praises Armenian Apostolic Church leader for his ecumenical zeal (CWN)

Mon, 18 May 2026 08:05:38 GMT

Pope Leo XIV today received Aram I, head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, and thanked him for his zeal for promoting Christian unity.

Ecumenism is crucial in the face of secularism, Armenian Apostolic Church leader tells Pope Leo (CWN)

Tue, 19 May 2026 07:05:51 GMT

Ecumenism is of “crucial urgency” in the face of secularism, Aram I, head of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, said on May 18 in an address to Pope Leo XIV.

Pope thanks Catholic Extension Society for supporting poor Catholic communities (CWN)

Mon, 18 May 2026 09:05:48 GMT

Pope Leo XIV today received board members of the Catholic Extension Society and their families and thanked them for their support of poor Catholic communities in the continental United States, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

Iraqi Kurdish leader assures Pope Leo of commitment to protecting Christians' rights (CWN)

Tue, 19 May 2026 08:05:30 GMT

The president of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region met with Pope Leo XIV on May 18 and assured the Pontiff of his commitment to protecting Christians’ rights.

Italian president hails Pope Leo's commitment to peace (CWN)

Tue, 19 May 2026 07:05:09 GMT

Italian President Sergio Mattarella hailed Pope Leo’s commitment to peace in a message to the Pontiff marking the first anniversary of his inauguration Mass.

Pakistan's bishops invite Pope Leo to visit nation (Radio Veritas Asia)

Tue, 19 May 2026 08:05:31 GMT

During a May 15 papal audience with the bishops of Pakistan, the president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan invited Pope Leo to visit the nation.

“In response, Pope Leo XIV expressed openness to the invitation and assured the bishops of his desire to visit Pakistan in the future,” Radio Veritas Asia reported.

Islam is the official religion of the South Asian nation of 257 million (map), the fifth most populous in the world. 95% of Pakistan’s people are Muslim, 2% are Christian, and 1% are Hindu.

Leading Mexican bishop pleads with government to protect people from organized crime (EWTN News)

Tue, 19 May 2026 09:05:41 GMT

At a walk for peace that included Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the president of the Mexican Bishops’ Conference pleaded with government officials to provide the security needed to protect people from organized crime.

Bishop Ramón Castro of Cuernavaca said on May 16 that “governing means not refusing to take up the responsibility of guaranteeing the security and well-being of every person within the territory entrusted to them.”

Referring to a crime-ridden town, Bishop Castro added:

Our heartfelt plea without mincing words is that Huautla not be left all alone; that the government do its job to help the mothers searching [for their disappeared children] an effort which they rightly deserve; that transport workers be afforded security; that thousands upon thousands of merchants—micro, small, and medium-sized alike—be able to work without having to pay protection money; and that our young people be provided with real alternatives: quality education, decent jobs, and personal safety, so that organized crime is not the only door open to them.

In India, Catholics who confronted Hindu mob are charged with attempted murder (EWTN News)

Tue, 19 May 2026 09:05:27 GMT

Two weeks after a Hindu mob disrupted a Mass in a remote Indian village—and police arrested Catholics who confronted the mob—the Catholics remain behind bars, with bail twice denied.

“When the hooligans disrupted the Mass on May 1 shouting ‘conversion,’ our people forced them out,” said Bishop Devprasad John Ganawa of Udaipur. “Instead of registering a criminal case against the intruders, the police have charged our people with ‘conversion and attempt to murder’ and arrested nine Catholics of Bandaria Parish.”

Archbishop Hicks emphasizes importance of dialogue, speaks of disagreements with Mayor Mamdani (National Catholic Reporter)

Tue, 19 May 2026 08:05:53 GMT

In an interview with the National Catholic Reporter, Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York said that “under the Catholic umbrella, there are going to be different visions and different points of view.”

“We have to be a Church of dialogue and realize that just my point of view might not be your point of view,” he continued. “It doesn’t mean that everything’s just relevant and open to debate, but there’s something truly that we believe in, and that’s our core, that’s our belief.”

“I’m looking forward to listening, to dialogue, to grounding ourselves also in the truth,” he added. “Sometimes I think no matter what issue we’re talking about, we might not agree on everything that we’ve said, but at least somehow we can sit at the same table and be open to those conversations”

Asked about New York City’s mayor, Archbishop Hicks said that “Mayor Mamdani and I have already met,” and “we agree that there’s many things we disagree on.”

“The things that we do agree on, and if it can help the common good, let’s look for ways of collaboration,” added Archbishop Hicks, who was installed as archbishop in February.

Church in Malaysia is vibrant and attracting adult converts, cardinal says (Vatican News)

Tue, 19 May 2026 09:05:28 GMT

In a brief interview with Vatican News, Cardinal Sebastian Francis of Penang, Malaysia, emphasized that the Church there is vibrant.

“The politics are quite stable and the Church is quite vibrant, quite alive, and we have many people inquiring about the Catholic faith as adults,” said Cardinal Francis, who was in Rome for an ad limina visit. “Many of them are requesting baptism as adults. That keeps us on our toes.”

“Even if other parts of Asia may still be experiencing some kind of persecution, we should not fall into a trap of having a ‘minority complex,’ a persecution complex,” he added. “Of course, there are real issues, but we will continue to tell the story of Jesus in Asia.”

Islam is the official religion of the Southeast Asian nation (map). 55% of Malaysia’s 34.9 million people are Muslim, 9% are Christian, 7% are Hindu, and 5% are Buddhist, with 19% adhering to Chinese folk religions and 4% to ethnic religions.

Canadian university establishes Pope Francis Institute (Vatican News)

Tue, 19 May 2026 09:05:04 GMT

A Catholic university in Ontario, Canada, announced the establishment of the Pope Francis Institute.

“One year after Pope Francis’s death, St. Jerome’s University is announcing the launch of the world’s first initiative of its kind dedicated to advancing his substantial pastoral legacy,” the university said in establishing the institute, which “will be guided by the core themes of Francis’ pontificate. These include amplifying voices on the peripheries, advocating for migrants and refugees, caring for our common home, and healing the social fragmentation of our digital age.”

Peter Meehan, the university’s president, discussed the institute in an interview with Vatican News.

In Philippines, man accused of posing as priest seeks reconciliation with Church (CWN)

Tue, 19 May 2026 07:05:59 GMT

A Philippine layman accused of posing as a priest met with his local archbishop and sought forgiveness for his actions, less than a week after the prelate issued a public warning about his activities.

Cardinal Czerny warns against confrontation with Cuba, calls for humanitarian aid (CWN)

Mon, 18 May 2026 08:05:25 GMT

Without mentioning President Donald Trump by name, Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., criticized the president’s policies toward Cuba, which have included a fuel blockade and discussion of a takeover of the nation.

Cardinal Dolan, Bishop Barron address Rededicate 250 (CWN)

Mon, 18 May 2026 07:05:11 GMT

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop emeritus of New York, and Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, joined civil and other religious leaders in addressing Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving.

Zambian prelate, reported excommunicated, dies at 78 (ACI Africa)

Mon, 18 May 2026 10:05:33 GMT

Archbishop Telesphore Mpundu, who led Zambia’s most prominent see from 2006 until 2018, died on May 15 at the age of 78.

ACI Africa, citing a Catholic Herald article, reported that “in March 2024, Archbishop Mpundu incurred excommunication after performing an illicit episcopal consecration without papal approval.”

Archbishop Mpundu “was widely respected for his strong advocacy on governance, social justice, and national affairs, courageously speaking out on matters of truth and justice while shepherding the faithful with compassion and wisdom,” said Archbishop Alick Banda, his successor as archbishop of Lusaka.

L’Osservatore Romano made no mention of an excommunication in its brief obituary of the late prelate.

Irish episcopal conference recalls Laudato Si' Week, calls for transition from fossil fuels (CWN)

Mon, 18 May 2026 08:05:21 GMT

Bishop Martin Hayes of Kilmore, the episcopal coordinator of Laudato Si’ for the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, issued a statement yesterday for Laudato Si’ Week, named after Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical letter on care for our common home.

Lagos archbishop calls for caution in integrating former terrorists into military, society (The Sun)

Mon, 18 May 2026 09:05:12 GMT

Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins of Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, called for caution in integrating former terrorists into the military and society.

Speaking with journalists on World Communications Day, Archbishop Martins said that “whereas it is true that anybody can repent and change, it is also important to recognize the fact that these persons are coming into a society that has been hurt very badly by their actions.”

“To just simply say that they have repented and can go back into society can be a dangerous thing because the intent of the human heart is hidden and we can only see their faces,” he added. “Perhaps when all the violence is gone and all the terrorism is gone, they can be reintegrated in a way that will create confidence in the people.”

Dedication of new church among signs of hope for Church in Myanmar (CWN)

Mon, 18 May 2026 07:05:31 GMT

In a prominent front-page article in its May 16 edition, L’Osservatore Romano drew attention to signs of hope for the Church in Myanmar, where a military coup in 2021 precipitated a civil war.