EWTN News
Trusted global Catholic news, analysis, and multimedia coverage of the Church, Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican, and issues impacting Catholics worldwide.
Pope Leo XIV urges halt to Mideast attacks, return to diplomacy
Sun, 26 Jul 2026 11:48:26 GMT
The pontiff also reflected on the kingdom of God as a treasure that enlarges life and unites people of different backgrounds in Christ.
Major restoration in Minneapolis aims to renew ‘every square inch’ of country’s oldest basilica
Sun, 26 Jul 2026 11:00:00 GMT
The massive church was dedicated in 1915 and became the first basilica in the United States when it was designated as such by Pope Pius XI in 1926.
Hidden for 200 years, vast Baroque murals rediscovered in Vilnius’ St. John’s Church
Sun, 26 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT
Researchers confirmed more than 2,000 square meters — around half an acre — of original 18th-century murals survive beneath later paint in the church at the heart of Vilnius University.
Sedevacantist Scottish monks perform illicit consecration of bishop in spite of warnings of schism
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMT
The Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer in May announced their rejection of the Second Vatican Council and the popes that have come since.
Pope Leo XIV appoints Lebanese-born archbishop as permanent observer to United Nations
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 15:00:00 GMT
Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis previously served as apostolic nuncio to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
New bill would protect mothers with surrogacy contracts from forced abortions
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 15:00:00 GMT
Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.
Catholic professor discusses Pope Leo’s peace efforts after Vatican’s nuclear weapon, AI conference
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 14:00:00 GMT
The pope has continued to advocate for peace-building and has warned against nuclear weapons and AI being integrated into the military.
Catholic parents of Texas flood victims share witness to faith amid grief
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT
Blair Harber, 13, and Brooke Harber, 11, were among the victims of the Texas Hill Country flash floods that devastated parts of the state last year.
Why monks outlive other men: Inside a 30-year study of European monasteries
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT
A long-running study of German and Austrian monasteries suggests that much of the gap between how long men and women live comes down to how men live, not to biology.
‘Historic moment’: Maronite Church prepares for Patriarch Hoyek’s beatification
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:00:00 GMT
The Maronites begin celebrations ahead of beatification, Egypt moves against Christian discrimination, Irish priests press for action on Gaza, and more in this week’s Catholic world news roundup.
From crumbling convent to Catholic art studio: A new light in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT
Atlantic City, New Jersey, Catholics have rescued an abandoned convent, restored to life its chapel, and transformed the building into a Catholic art studio.
UN human rights commissioner presses Nicaragua for answers on missing bishop
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 21:41:03 GMT
The U.N. high commissioner for human rights has urged the Ortega dictatorship to disclose the fate, whereabouts, and condition of 80-year-old Bishop Abelardo Mata and restore the rule of law.
Venezuela earthquakes aftermath: Church focusing on burials, aid, church repairs
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 20:26:52 GMT
At the outset of the catastrophe, the Archdiocese of Caracas established an emergency response commission tasked with managing spiritual, psychological, and material care for those affected.
Facing deportation, Nigerian nun in south Texas speaks out
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:31:00 GMT
“I am not the only one,” Sister Leticia Ugboaja said of others who are also “languishing” in the same situation in which she finds herself but who do not have the attention of the media on them.
Catholic moral theologians concerned by claims U.S., Iran struck civilian infrastructure
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:01:00 GMT
A battle over the Strait of Hormuz rekindled the war in the Middle East after a ceasefire ended. Intent to harm civilians, including attacks on civilian infrastructure, is immoral, theologians said.
Abortion count rises as women turn to chemical abortions, per new data
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:31:28 GMT
The abortion count is rising as women rely more on mail-order chemical abortions, according to the most recent data.
7 Crookston, Minnesota, parishes to lose Sunday Masses in reorganization plan citing priest shortage
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:47:17 GMT
If “your parish is going to cease having Sunday Mass, it feels like a death, because it is,” Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Minnesota, said.
Missouri bishops warn elimination of state income tax could burden lower-income residents
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMT
“Every system of taxation must serve the common good,” the bishops told Catholics ahead of an August vote on the measure.
EU lawmakers push special envoy on Pakistan forced conversions ahead of appeal
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:15:00 GMT
As a Pakistani court prepares to hear Maria Shahbaz’s appeal, European lawmakers are pressing the EU’s religious freedom envoy to make forced conversions a priority.
Vatican weighing papal trip to Ukraine
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:30:00 GMT
The Holy See’s foreign minister said it is evaluating the timing and conditions for a possible visit to the country by Pope Leo XIV.
Priest who fled Nicaragua prays daily for God to free country from ‘cruel regime’
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:45:00 GMT
A Nicaraguan priest shares his trials of persecution and exile, and his hope for a free Nicaragua delivered from the oppression of the Ortega regime.
U.S. bishops tighten funeral policies after growth of ‘irregular practices’
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT
The bishops addressed departures from acceptable Church norms regarding the handling of cremated remains and the time and place of eulogies, among other 'liturgical anomalies' during funerals.
Catholic sisters bring free medical care to Kenya slum, uncover hidden illnesses
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:00:00 GMT
The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Archdiocese of Mombasa set up a medical camp to offer screenings and care to underserved patients.
One-of-a-kind spiritual center in Pittsburgh focuses on ‘miracles saint’ St. Sharbel
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT
The Saint Sharbel Spiritual Life Center is home to the first-class relic associated with the healing of a Phoenix woman in 2016 by the intercession of St. Sharbel, whose feast day is July 24.
U.S. ambassador clarifies view on pope’s role in politics, war after Vatican response
Fri, 24 Jul 2026 03:49:25 GMT
Burch said his recent comments to the New York Times were not meant to imply that Pope Leo’s statements about the Iran war should be seen as simply diplomatic — rather than spiritual — guidance.
Survey assesses impact of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain
Thu, 23 Jul 2026 22:08:00 GMT
Pope Leo XIV’s recent visit to Spain was well received by attendees and volunteers, with 97% reporting a positive or very positive view.
Man who killed Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman receives consecutive life sentences
Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:38:00 GMT
Vance Boelter was sentenced for the murder of Rep. Melissa Hortman, a Catholic lawmaker who once taught Sunday school and volunteered in her parish’s children’s faith formation program.
Post-World Cup insults fly between Spaniards and Argentinans: ‘It’s idolatry,’ priest says
Thu, 23 Jul 2026 21:08:00 GMT
The priest said “the human heart is made to worship” and warned that if it “does not worship God, it will worship something else: success, the body, money, or a soccer team.”
Ann Teresa O’Neill, healed in Seton miracle, dies at 78
Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:38:34 GMT
As a young girl, Ann Teresa O’Neill’s miraculous cure from leukemia was accepted as a miracle to advance St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s path to sainthood.
Federal guidance on religious liberty reflects church autonomy, parental rights rulings
Thu, 23 Jul 2026 16:10:35 GMT
The update is the first revision to the guidance since 2017.
Young Catholics at Eastern African assembly welcome opportunity to engage directly with bishops
Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT
At the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa plenary assembly this week, young delegates are sharing their concerns and offering recommendations to Church leaders.
5 things to know about St. Bridget of Sweden, mystic and mother
Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:00:00 GMT
On July 23, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden, a mystic of the Middle Ages who was a wife and mother of eight children.
House panel clashes over Delaney Hall conditions amid accounts of detainee mistreatment
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 22:42:20 GMT
Republicans insisted reports of medical neglect, spoiled food, and blocked oversight were “false narratives,” while Democrats pointed to deaths in ICE custody and allegations of substandard care.
Vatican publishes biography of founder of Cuban nationhood, Father Félix Varela
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 21:27:00 GMT
The Vatican’s publication of a book on the life of Father Félix Varela (1788–1853) once again draws attention to Cuban priest’s virtues and accomplishments.
Summer advice from Pope Leo XIV: Don’t forget the less fortunate
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:57:00 GMT
“Let us think of the privilege we have when we support the poor,” Pope Leo said.
France becomes first European country to ban social media for minors under 15
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 20:27:38 GMT
“France is leading the way in Europe by becoming the first country to establish a ‘digital age of majority,’” said the country’s minister delegate for digital sovereignty.
Nearly 60 lawmakers urge investigation of ‘D.C. Five’ aborted babies
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:52:00 GMT
In 2022, police found the remains of at least five aborted fetuses at the Washington, D.C., home of an activist affiliated with the group Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising.
Brazil’s Catholic youth want more doctrine, a reverent liturgy, and less politics, survey finds
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 19:22:14 GMT
A lack of reverence for the liturgy and an excessive emphasis on sociopolitical issues emerged as the primary factors hindering survey respondents’ participation in the life of faith.
Jury orders New Jersey Marianist retreat center to pay $3 million to victim of 1970s abuse
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:17:00 GMT
The Marianist Family Retreat Center in Cape May Point is facing several other lawsuits over allegations of decades-old abuse.
Maryland parish pays off public school lunch debt for entire county
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:32:00 GMT
A Maryland Catholic parish paid off $11,800 in school lunch debt in Frederick County, expanding a ministry that has provided weekend meals to children since 2014.
Dicastery for Bishops prefect discusses selection of new bishops, challenges they face
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:47:53 GMT
The prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops explained how it performs its functions, what qualities the pope encourages in bishops, and the nature of their role in governing the local Church.
As pope warns of ‘pandemic of loneliness,’ Caritas Lithuania offers a Catholic answer
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:01:00 GMT
One year after its launch, the “Caritas Listens” hotline has logged more than 67,000 minutes of conversations with older adults seeking comfort, connection, and a listening ear.
Vatican denies Marko Rupnik has been acquitted
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:16:50 GMT
The Holy See said the canonical criminal trial remains open and judges are continuing to review evidence in the case involving the former Jesuit accused of sexual and psychological abuse.
Pope Leo XIV names another Chinese bishop under Vatican-Beijing agreement
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:41:00 GMT
Bishop Joseph Chang Yanfeng was ordained July 22 to lead the Diocese of Chifeng in Inner Mongolia, continuing episcopal appointments made under the provisional accord.
Pope Leo XIV visits major Italian pilgrimage sites while on vacation
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:11:45 GMT
The pontiff left Castel Gandolfo on July 22 to visit holy sites in Vallepietra and Subiaco.
Pope Leo XIV to U.S. religious superiors: Prioritize community life
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:33:59 GMT
The Vatican issued the pontiff’s letter on July 22 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men in the United States.
Franciscan sisters end 112 years of service in Aleppo, Syria
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT
After more than a century, Aleppo bids farewell to the sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, who have long been associated with education, social service, and humanitarian work in the city.
St. Mary Magdalene: The first witness to the Resurrection
Wed, 22 Jul 2026 08:00:00 GMT
Once known as a sinful woman, Mary Magdalene became the Apostle to the Apostles and the first witness to the Resurrection.
U.S., Catholic Relief Services send first Cuba aid flight under Rubio plan
Tue, 21 Jul 2026 21:26:00 GMT
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) will deliver kits of prepackaged food and hygiene kits for up to 700 Cuban families.
Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel sees a resurgence with new shrine in Mexico City
Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:56:59 GMT
Formerly served by the Discalced Carmelites, the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel has been elevated to an archdiocesan shrine and has seen an increase in the number of pilgrims.