EWTN News
Trusted global Catholic news, analysis, and multimedia coverage of the Church, Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican, and issues impacting Catholics worldwide.
10 things to know about San Marino ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s visit
Mon, 17 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT
The pontiff will visit one of the world’s smallest countries on Aug. 22. Here’s what to know about San Marino’s deep Catholic roots.
Christians across the Middle East and North Africa celebrate the Assumption despite challenges
Sun, 16 Aug 2026 15:17:11 GMT
Across the region, communities gathered in churches, streets, and homes, blending their shared devotion to the Virgin Mary with local traditions passed down through generations.
EWTN News explains: How is Catholic Communion bread made?
Sun, 16 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT
The rules governing the production of bread for Communion hosts date back to the Last Supper and the custom of unleavened bread.
Nigerian court bars Islamic police from arresting Christian convert over faith, marriage refusal
Sun, 16 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT
The federal high court described the actions taken against the woman as a “flagrant violation” of her fundamental rights to human dignity and freedom of religion.
Pope Leo XIV: Violence against Palestinians in West Bank must stop
Sun, 16 Aug 2026 11:32:05 GMT
During his Aug. 16 Angelus address at Castel Gandolfo, the pontiff urged a 2-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
‘It’s always the Holy Spirit’: Meet 3 dioceses seeing large numbers of priestly ordinations
Sun, 16 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT
Multiple dioceses throughout the U.S. are bucking national trends and seeing large numbers of men discern into the priesthood.
45 years after its first broadcast, EWTN has become the largest Catholic media network in the world
Sat, 15 Aug 2026 14:00:00 GMT
With $200 and 12 nuns with no television experience, Mother Angelica turned a monastery garage into a television studio launching what would become the largest Catholic media network.
Socialist government and opposition agree to overhaul the justice system in Venezuela
Sat, 15 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT
Leaders of the ruling socialist government and the opposition agreed to reform the justice system, try to recover frozen assets and address the needs of those affected by the double earthquake.
Nicaraguan government releases video of bishop who has been missing for more than 40 days
Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT
In the video released by pro-governemnt media outlets, the bishop appears relaxed and in good health. However, critics maintain this is staged propaganda ignoring that he is under house arrest.
Pope Leo XIV: Mary shows that ‘true beauty’ is found in ‘the light of the Risen Lord’
Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:30:00 GMT
In a homily on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the pope urged the faithful to reject “consumerist” standards in favor of love.
Spanish priest helps over 1,200 people find a spouse using WhatsApp
Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT
Using a questionnaire and a few important criteria, Father Fernando Cuevas has helped singles who want Christ at the center of their lives to find each other.
Marian dogmas: What every Catholic should know
Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT
Over the centuries the Catholic Church has formally proclaimed four Marian dogmas: her immaculate conception, divine motherhood, perpetual virginity, and assumption into heaven.
Massachusetts abortion law ‘horrendous,’ top Catholic bishop says
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 20:20:00 GMT
Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.
Vatican says 2 parishes in Buffalo will not have to close amid diocesan merger plan
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 19:50:00 GMT
Multiple parishes in the diocese have been fighting Bishop Michael Fisher’s proposed merger plan for several years.
Peruvian government declares Pope Leo XIV’s visit a matter of national interest
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 19:20:00 GMT
Making Pope Leo XIV’s visit a matter of national interest allows the Peruvian government to marshall its resources to ensure the visit is a complete success.
Is the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary a holy day of obligation this year?
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 18:50:00 GMT
The obligation to attend Mass on the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary depends on what day it falls on.
Catholic leaders urge protection for Christian village attacked in Bangladesh
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:59:00 GMT
Several homes were looted and vandalized in a mainly Catholic village after the body of a Muslim man was found nearby, and 19 Indigenous villagers were arrested.
Pope Leo: Child migrants are too easily ignored by society
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:09:00 GMT
The pontiff’s message was published ahead of the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, observed on Sept. 27.
Pope Leo XIV on liturgy: Priests must remain faithful to Mass rubrics
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:39:56 GMT
Pope Leo sent a letter to Cardinal Arthur Roche for a conference on liturgical formation at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon Aug. 14–19.
Archbishop Coakley says loss of federal funds ended resettlement services but not core mission
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT
Coakley discussed immigration on EWTN’s “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo.”
Heroic doctor saves 2 newborns during earthquake in Colombia
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMT
As the medical clinic began to shake with the force of the earthquake, the selfless actions of a doctor ensured the safety of two newborn babies and two mothers.
Surrogate mother who refused to abort baby gives birth amid ongoing legal dispute
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT
A baby born to surrogate mother McKenna West is receiving medical care in a Dallas children’s hospital.
Thousands gather for fifth National March for Life in southeast India
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT
Southeast India’s March for Life draws thousands of participants, a UK bishop is calling on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to push for Jimmy Lai’s release, and more in this week’s roundup of world news.
What happened to St. Maximilian Kolbe’s beard? The answer may surprise you
Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:00:00 GMT
The last image taken of the saint before his final arrest was notable for what it didn’t show — his signature long beard.
Fact check: Has Finland’s first Catholic school opened?
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 23:10:00 GMT
Bishop Raimo Goyarrola of Helsinki told EWTN News that the school will not open this August as planned and that the project has been pushed back to 2027.
Pew report finds most American Catholics favor death penalty for those convicted of murder
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 22:40:00 GMT
The research showed that support for the death penalty among U.S. adults is 6 percentage points higher than it was in April 2021.
UN finds increase in migrant deaths on 2 routes in early 2026 amid Vatican concerns
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 22:10:00 GMT
The U.N. found an increase in migrant deaths from drowning incidents in the Mediterranean Sea, an issue about which Pope Leo XIV has expressed serious concerns.
Priest takes Blessed Sacrament and flees church with faithful during earthquake in Colombia
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:40:00 GMT
As the church began to shake right after the consecration, Father Oscar Aguirre uttered a quick prayer, grabbed the Blessed Sacrament, and directed the faithful to exit the church.
UN letter warns Nigeria of violence risk to Christian women, girls
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:10:04 GMT
“We wish to raise serious concern regarding patterns of religiously motivated violence and persecution,” the letter said, “especially Christians, including women and girls.”
Pope Leo XIV sends 100,000 euros to Church in Colombia to aid earthquake victims
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 20:08:00 GMT
The papal donation is an initial response to address the most urgent needs with more to come as new needs are identified.
Archbishop Coakley warns of ‘ominous path’ as Oklahoma, 2 other states execute condemned inmates
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 19:28:12 GMT
The archbishop has regularly urged the state to offer clemency to convicted murderers.
Australian former bishop Christopher Saunders convicted on multiple counts of sexual abuse
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 18:30:00 GMT
The former bishop was convicted of sexually abusing two men. The diocese apologized to the victims and asked Our Lady Queen of Peace to intercede “on this journey of reconciliation, healing and hope.”
HarperCollins Christian Publishing announces launch of Harper Catholic
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 17:50:02 GMT
The new imprint will serve Catholic readers, authors, booksellers, parishes, and organizations.
A sign of peace at the ballpark: White Sox honor Pope Leo XIV with ‘pope night’
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 16:41:31 GMT
To pull off the unique promotion respectfully, the White Sox marketing team collaborated early on with Chicago priest Father Tom Hurley.
Lilly Endowment awards $5 million grant to Notre Dame
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 14:12:21 GMT
A grant for Notre Dame’s New Horizons program, a California Catholic school replaces pride flags, a Kansas formation house to become a seminary, and more in this Catholic education news roundup.
German bishop: Vatican case against lay preaching ‘not entirely consistent’
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:19:53 GMT
Bishop Peter Kohlgraf said the Diocese of Mainz would observe the ban but that he will also not sanction parishes where laypeople preach at Mass.
Catholic bishops urge compassion, access to care be reflected in Medicaid rule
Thu, 13 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT
U.S. bishops are encouraging changes to the rule that enforces work requirements for Medicaid recipients to ensure that people in need do not lose coverage.
Peru seeks to turn Pope Leo’s legacy into an international pilgrimage destination
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 22:10:37 GMT
Pope Leo’s XIV’s upcoming visit to Peru can serve as a launchpad for turning the country into a regular destination for pilgrims, benefiting the local economy.
Haiti bishop says gangs target Church as violence shuts parishes, schools
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 21:22:35 GMT
The Church is “the last remaining bulkhead — moral, ethical, spiritual, and prophetic,” Bishop Joseph Gontrand Décoste said. “That is why they want to eliminate us.”
Texas court orders hospitals to provide lifesaving care to baby at center of surrogacy dispute
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 20:23:00 GMT
A Texas district court ruled that UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Medical Center of Dallas were obligated to care for Gabriel, a baby due to be born to surrogate mother McKenna West.
Medicaid formally ends funds for ‘sex-rejecting procedures’ for minors with final rule
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 19:53:00 GMT
The development formalizes a policy of the Trump administration. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged government action in this area.
Last Chinese Trappist monk to survive Maoist persecution dies at 108
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 19:23:51 GMT
Father Benedict Chau survived the period of communist persecution by Mao Zedong and ended his days at the reestablsihed monastery of Our Lady of Joy on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.
Oklahoma Catholic parish launches medical‑debt relief effort to help families facing crushing bills
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 17:22:29 GMT
St. Eugene Catholic Church’s $25,000 gift erased more than $6.5 million in medical debt.
EWTN News explains: Canon law and how it applies to Catholics
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:51:09 GMT
Canon law has often made headlines in the Catholic Church. But what is canon law, and how does it apply to the everyday Catholic?
Pope Leo XIV: Women and men in religious life ‘are called to become experts in synodality’
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:12:03 GMT
Pope Leo expressed gratitude for “the longstanding contributions” of religious institutions, highlighting their work in “evangelization, education, and caring for the poor and marginalized.”
Pakistani Christians rally for equal rights
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 14:18:00 GMT
Rallies in Karachi and Faisalabad pressed for constitutional amendments allowing non-Muslims to serve as president or prime minister and for curbs on blasphemy law abuse.
Springfield Bishop Thomas Paprocki joins doctors, nursing home in suit against Illinois suicide law
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 13:38:00 GMT
The suit argues that Illinois’ “End-of-Life Options” law requires doctors to participate in helping patients kill themselves even if they conscientiously object to doing so.
Pope Leo XIV: Attendance at Sunday Mass cannot be replaced by virtual participation
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 11:00:00 GMT
The pontiff’s Aug. 12 general audience focused on the importance of the liturgical year.
Colombia‑born U.S. bishop urges prayers after powerful earthquake
Wed, 12 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT
Bishop John J. Gomez of Laredo, Texas, confirmed that his family members are safe but that his friends and neighbors have faced hardship due to the earthquake.
Latin American bishops pray for Colombia, express solidarity, following powerful earthquake
Tue, 11 Aug 2026 21:05:11 GMT
The bishops of several Latin American countries offered prayers and expressed their closeness to the victims of the earthquake that struck Colombia this week.