EWTN News
Trusted global Catholic news, analysis, and multimedia coverage of the Church, Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican, and issues impacting Catholics worldwide.
At Easter Vigil, Pope Leo XIV calls for peace to 'grow and flourish' throughout the world
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 21:14:38 GMT
The ancient vigil "stretches across the centuries as a path of reconciliation and grace," the pope said at the Vatican.
Government of Cuba announces release of more than 2,000 prisoners for Easter
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT
The government said it was making the release "in the context of the religious celebrations of Holy Week."
Archbishop Broglio: War should always be 'a last resort'
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:09:18 GMT
The archbishop for the Military Services, USA said it was "hard" to see how the ongoing war with Iran could be justified.
Protests, criticism from Church leaders force Indian government to delay bill on foreign donations
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT
The government’s backing-off from the amendment to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act was promptly welcomed by the Catholic Bishops Conference of India.
Archbishop shares 10 characteristics of his thriving seminary
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT
Archbishop Francisco Cerro of Toledo, Spain, shared in a letter 10 qualities he considers to be the reason why the diocesan seminary is blessed with vocations.
Czech bishop’s Easter stout wins medals at international competition
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT
A microbrewery owned by the Catholic Diocese of Litoměřice took home gold and diamond medals at the Czech Brew Star 2026 competition in Brno before its Easter stout received a bishop’s blessing.
Supreme Court to rule on how IQ scores are weighed in death penalty disability claims
Sat, 04 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT
The high court ruled in 2002 that executing people with intellectual disabilities violated the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment, which prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment.”
PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV carries the cross at the Via Crucis in the Colosseum
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:45:00 GMT
The pope personally carried the cross through every station of the Good Friday Way of the Cross at the Colosseum.
At the Colosseum, Pope Leo XIV urges the faithful to 'live our lives as a journey' in Christ's love
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 21:09:03 GMT
The Holy Father carried the cross at the Roman amphitheater on Good Friday, the first time a pope has done so in several years.
Pope Leo XIV celebrates Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion in St. Peter’s Basilica
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:30:00 GMT
After the proclamation of the Gospel of John’s account of Christ’s passion, the papal preacher, Father Roberto Pasolini, OFMCap, delivered a homily.
Catholic garment workers in Bangladesh stage Good Friday Passion play near Dhaka
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:40:00 GMT
Far from their home villages, about 200 migrant Catholic workers near Dhaka gathered on Good Friday to reenact the Passion at a church center that serves 1,700 faithful in the industrial zone.
Hundreds of adults to be baptized in Paris at Easter as part of national surge
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:10:54 GMT
Across France, more than 13,000 adults will be baptized this Easter, according to data released by the French Bishops’ Conference — an increase of 28% compared with 2025.
Release date for Season 6 of ‘The Chosen’ announced
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT
The highly anticipated sixth season will portray the 24 hours of Good Friday — culminating in Christ’s crucifixion.
Ukraine bishop: War could spread to countries that ‘never imagined it reaching them’
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:00 GMT
A Ukrainian bishops issues warning about war, a Christian town in Lebanon mourns a father and son, Cameroon prepares for Pope Leo XIV’s visit, and more in this week’s Catholic world news roundup.
PHOTOS: Pilgrims keep watch with Eucharist at altars of repose in Rome
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:30:00 GMT
On Holy Thursday night, the Eternal City was alight with candlelit altars housing the blessed sacrament.
DNA research sheds new light on the Shroud of Turin’s complex history
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT
A new genetic study shows that the reputed burial cloth of Jesus contains DNA from a mix of people.
Pope speaks with Israeli and Ukrainian presidents amid conflicts in Holy Land, Ukraine
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:30:00 GMT
The pontiff discussed the ongoing wars and exchanged Easter greetings with the two presidents.
Built to mirror Jerusalem, this Lithuanian Calvary has 35 stations of the cross
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT
Built in 17th-century Lithuania to mirror Jerusalem’s topography, the Vilnius Calvary leads pilgrims through 35 stations over four miles of hills, valleys, and chapels.
Philippines Church mobilizes support for migrant workers hit by war, oil crisis
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT
Filipino bishops have urged the Catholic dioceses in the Philippines to support overseas workers, migrants, and their families back home amid the economic crisis following war with Iran.
EWTN News explains: What are the Good Friday Reproaches?
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT
The Good Friday Reproaches are a series of antiphons, known also as “Popule Meus” (“My People”), and come from the opening lines of the Latin text of the recitation.
5 ways to solemnly celebrate Good Friday
Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT
As the Church mourns, Catholics are also called to solemnly observe this holy day.
PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV celebrates the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at the Vatican
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:30:00 GMT
Departing from Pope Francis’ custom of celebrating the liturgy in prisons or migrant centers, Leo celebrated the rite in the cathedral of Rome and washed the feet of 12 priests of the Diocese of Rome.
Bishop Barron, Jonathan Roumie to speak at Trump event rededicating U.S. to God
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT
Catholic speakers for the May 17 event on the National Mall include Bishop Robert Barron and actor Jonathan Roumie. Cardinal Timothy Dolan is set to offer a video address.
Teens sidestep parental notification through telehealth abortion, study shows
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:30:00 GMT
Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.
California to pay $4.5 million to Catholic law firm after losing lawsuit over gender secrecy rules
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:00:00 GMT
The state committed “litigation intransigence” in fighting a lawsuit over policies that blocked parents from learning about their children’s transgender identities, a federal judge ruled.
Pope Leo XIV: ‘Kneel down as brothers and sisters alongside the oppressed’
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:30:00 GMT
On Holy Thursday, the pontiff urged Catholics to imitate Christ’s service in a world marked by brutality.
Quebec secularism law is ‘anti-religious ideology,’ bishops tell Canada Supreme Court
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:00:00 GMT
The Catholic bishops were among more than 50 intervenors presenting arguments at a landmark Supreme Court of Canada hearing into the constitutionality of Quebec’s 2019 secularism law.
Indian court reaffirms Dalit Christians have no right to lower-caste protections
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:30:00 GMT
India’s Catholic bishops are pushing back on a Supreme Court ruling that reaffirmed Christians are excluded from constitutional protections for lower-caste communities.
German cardinal tells priests: Communion services cannot replace Sunday Mass
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT
The archbishop of Cologne in Germany used his chrism Mass homily to call priests back to offering the daily Eucharist and warn against replacing Sunday Mass with word services.
PHOTOS: Holy Thursday chrism Mass at the Vatican
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:30:00 GMT
Chrism Mass includes the blessing of the holy oils that will be used throughout the year in the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, anointing of the sick, and holy orders.
Miami archbishop, top U.S. diplomat decry persecution of Church in Nicaragua during Holy Week
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT
Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau lamented the severe persecution of the Catholic Church in Nicaragua.
NASA’s Artemis II begins Easter week mission around the moon
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:30:00 GMT
More than half a century after humans last traveled beyond Earth’s orbit, a new NASA project for lunar exploration has begun, marking a historic day in the United States.
Irish soccer legend Roy Keane pays tribute to late mother and upbringing at funeral Mass
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:45:00 GMT
Speaking lovingly of his parents and his Catholic upbringing in Ireland, Keane paid tribute to his mother and the virtues he was raised with in Cork City, Ireland.
New CEO of Catholic AI group hopes members will be Pope Leo’s ‘soldiers’
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT
Builders AI Forum (BAIF) held its first conference at the Vatican in November 2025 and now hopes to be part of advancing Pope Leo XIV’s mission on artificial intelligence.
Catholics allege bias after public Islamic prayer praised, silent Christian prayer punished
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT
Catholic activists have complained of “persecution” and “a clear bias against Christianity” in a controversy over public prayer in the U.K. following an outdoor Islamic prayer service in London.
‘God may clothe my heart with humility’: Monsignor marks 40 years as a priest
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 11:00:00 GMT
Father Gabriel Corraya of Dhaka, newly elevated to the title of monsignor by Pope Leo XIV, reflects on priesthood, humility, and service as the Catholic Church in Bangladesh marks Holy Thursday.
Pope says Christian mission counters ‘imperialist occupation of the world’
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:45:37 GMT
At the Holy Thursday chrism Mass, Leo XIV said the Church must reject domination, power, and “calculated strategy” in favor of humble service, unity, and peace.
Here’s what the Holy Thursday Seven Churches Visitation devotion is all about
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT
The devotion involves traveling to seven local churches after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on the evening of Holy Thursday.
Trump vows to hit Iran ‘extremely hard’ amid Catholic calls for peace
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:13:35 GMT
President Trump’s first address on the Iran war signaled continued military action, as Catholic leaders called for dialogue and a ceasefire.
Artemis II moon mission ‘a great development,’ Vatican Observatory director says
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 22:43:00 GMT
EWTN News speaks with Jesuit Father Richard A. D’Souza, director of the Vatican Observatory since September 2025.
Supreme Court grills both sides in ‘birthright citizenship’ oral arguments
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 21:58:44 GMT
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s executive order denying citizenship to children of parents without legal immigration status.
Churches still barred from making political endorsements as federal judge dismisses case
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:37:58 GMT
The National Religious Broadcasters’ general counsel, Michael Farris, said the organization was surprised by the ruling and plans to appeal to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Judge permits access for clergy at Illinois immigration facility for Holy Week
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:57:37 GMT
U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman’s order cited November 2025 comments from Pope Leo XIV calling for detained migrants to have access to spiritual care.
Pope Leo’s personal secretary: ‘He hasn’t changed; he’s still the same’ since his time in Peru
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:23:15 GMT
Father Edgard Iván Rimaycuna described the pope’s unchanged personality and what his role as his personal secretary is like.
Michigan ban on ‘conversion therapy’ could be dismissed amid SCOTUS ruling, Catholic Charities suit
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:40:49 GMT
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on March 31 that Colorado could not forbid therapists from helping young clients with unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria.
Bangladesh Christians form human chain demanding Easter public holiday
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:54:00 GMT
Christian leaders and Catholic clergy in the Muslim-majority South Asian nation are urging Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to add Easter Sunday to the government holiday calendar.
European soccer body says Red Star fine was for profanity, not Orthodox icon
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:09:00 GMT
UEFA told EWTN News its fine on a Serbian soccer club was for offensive language, not a massive Orthodox Christian display — contradicting widespread reports the sanction targeted religious imagery.
How does Pope Leo choose his monthly prayer intentions?
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:39:00 GMT
The head of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network offers a look behind the scenes.
Pope Leo on the dignity and mission of the laity: They are the body of Christ
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:09:20 GMT
The pope’s reflection at the general audience was inspired by the Second Vatican Council’s dogmatic constitution Lumen Gentium.
84-year-old woman speaks out after being offered euthanasia while visiting Canadian ER for back pain
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT
An advocate said “simply having euthanasia offered already kills a person, because it deflates and defeats a person’s sense of self-worth, self-esteem, and of value.”