The Catholic Thing — Deo volente, and if air traffic disruptions spare me, I’ll be home this morning following a late pilgrimage in America after an over-committed summer. I planned to follow El Camino Real (“The Royal Road”) in California starting from San Diego and heading up north, stopping at several missions mostly founded by…
For more than 50 years, in every-increasing numbers, young adults and youth have consistently braved travel and winter weather challenges to show up and walk in support of human life in the biggest pro-life walks—in Washington, D.C. and also for the past more than 20 years, in San Francisco, and in other pro-life walks across…
Detroit Catholic/CNA—At the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit, the band is getting back together. The band of Christ’s 12 apostles, that is. On Feb. 8, Detroit’s mother church will publicly unveil its long-awaited “Journey with the Saints” project, a permanent installation of 14 “larger than life” statues accompanied by first-class relics of…
CNA—The last three popes — Benedict XVI, Francis, and Leo XIV — have on more than one occasion recommended reading Lord of the World, the dystopian science fiction novel written by Robert Hugh Benson in 1907. This apocalyptic novel depicts the consequences of a society that turned its back on God and presents a social critique…
CNA—The Vatican has recognized two miracles attributed to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati’s intercession that make possible his canonization on Sept. 7. The most recent miracle involved the healing of an American seminarian. Frassati, who died at the age of 24 in 1925, is beloved by many Catholic young people today for his enthusiastic witness to…
VNS—Pope Leo XIV presides at an Ordinary Public Consistory for the Vote on Causes for Canonization, which gave formal approval for the canonizations of eight Blesseds, and set the date for their canonizations. Pope Leo XIV held the first Ordinary Public Consistory of his pontificate on Friday morning, with Cardinals giving their formal approval for…
CNA—Organizers of the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage shared details today about the planned 3,340-mile trek that will see Jesus in the Eucharist carried across 10 U.S. states by a cadre of young Catholics, with members of the public invited to join in walking and special events along the way, beginning May 18. The Route… The…
Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Willie Soon marvels at evidence that mathematics itself proves God’s existence, citing the work of physicist Paul Dirac, Dr. Soon explains how the universe operates on precise mathematical laws that are too perfect to be random. “The deeper we go into physics and math, the more it proves this world was designed,”…
ACPrensa/CNA—Following the Feb. 25 decriminalization of abortion for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy in the Mexican state of Campeche, Bishop José Francisco González of the Diocese of Campeche warned that those who promote and facilitate the practice — including women, doctors and legislators — will be excommunicated from the Catholic Church. The abortion decriminalization…
CNA—After the tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, a local priest made his way to the scene “to be present” with the grieving families. Father Frederick Edlefsen, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Arlington, Virginia, shared about how he was able to be present to the families that night in an…
Here’s a short list of a few, off-the-mainstream, insider stories from the horrific — truly horrific — fires that even now continue to burn in Los Angeles and southern California. Singing in the Ashes Peter and Jackie Halpin, a Catholic couple who lost their Altadena home of more than 30 years to the Eaton Fire,…
CNA—After the Archdiocese of Philadelphia found that 83% of baptized Catholics are missing from the pews in the archdiocese, Archbishop Nelson Pérez decided to launch a missionary outreach program in his archdiocese to “invite people home.” The number of “missing Catholics” is based on Mass count attendance data compiled each year by the archdiocese. (The…
VM/CNA—Pope Francis kicked off the first Saturday jubilee audience of 2025 by urging pilgrims to embrace hope as a divine strength that enables new beginnings, drawing inspiration from St. John the Baptist. Speaking to pilgrims gathered in the Vatican’s audience hall on Jan. 11, the pontiff emphasized that hope is not merely a character trait…
CNA, London, England—The lord mayor of Westminster in London said he is “blown over” after being chosen to become a papal knight — the highest honor a lay Catholic can receive from the Vatican. Councillor Robert Rigby will become a knight of St. Gregory sometime in 2025. Living his Catholic Faith as lord mayor The…
CNA—Bethelehem, West Bank—Being an artisan in Bethlehem isn’t just a job. It’s an art, almost a calling, a treasure handed down from father to son, but one that is now at risk of being lost. After two years of war… Younger generations are choosing other career paths, and after two years of war, fathers don’t…
CNA—Cross Catholic Outreach’s Box of Joy ministry has officially reached its 10th anniversary and marked the occasion with a trip by Catholic actor David Henrie and his family to Guatemala to deliver boxes to children there. Henrie, who serves as brand ambassador for the nonprofit, flew to Guatemala with his wife, Maria, to hand-deliver the…
CNA—EWTN Global Catholic Network presented the 2024 Mother Angelica Award to Curtis and Michaelann Martin, co-founders of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), an organization recognized as one of the most influential forces for Catholic evangelization in the United States today. EWTN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Warsaw presented the award to the…
Crisis—Our Lady of Guadalupe was there at Lepanto, hearkening to the Rosary recited by the soldiers processing round the decks, her quiet, pregnant power blazing at that apocalyptic battle with all the splendor of the star-crowned Woman of Revelation. Most Catholics wouldn’t consider the motherly image of Our Lady of Guadalupe a martial image. The…
CBJ, & CNA—As calendars get filled up and preparations are made, here are SIX resources to help you get ready to enter into the deeper meaning of Christmas. Advent Wreath at home Simple. Easy. Powerful because it helps keeps the focus on the somewhat penitential season of ADVENT. “Advent” comes from the Latin Ad Venire…
Sadly, the US Bishops exemplified what NOT to do in running a nonprofit, let alone a business. It makes one wonder how the dioceses are run! Kudos to those Catholic CPAs and financial experts who ensure dioceses and nonprofits do stay solvent and financially prudent, and to the bishops and nonprofit leaders who heed this…
