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Election cycle will influence when pope heads to US, top Vatican diplomat says

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ROME (CNS) -- The first U.S.-born pope is very much looking forward to eventually visiting his native country even as he prepares to head to Latin America -- his seventh papal trip abroad after his election a year and a half ago, the Vatican foreign minister said."Obviously a visit to the United States is very likely, I would say, in the not-too-distant future," said Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, the Vatican's secretary for relations with states and international organizations, at the foreign press club in Rome Oct. 27."Whether it'll be '27 or later, I really don't know," he said, since "one of the things that will influence it is eventually the American elections." Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Vatican foreign minister, is seen speaking during a news conference at the Vatican in this file photo from Jan. 18, 2024. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez) Once the midterm elections are over this fall, then the window of opportunity might open in 2027, he said, addin

Catholics must engage with modern culture, not reject it, pope says

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catholics must not live their faith in opposition or "hostility" toward modern culture, Pope Leo XIV said, emphasizing that integrating faith and culture is essential to living out the Christian vocation and sharing the Gospel with others."The authentic relationship between faith and culture is rooted in the Incarnation," he said in his address to English speakers during his weekly general audience Oct. 28 in St. Peter's Square. "Faith, therefore, enriches and brings to fulfillment every culture it encounters, and is itself called to become a culture that is shaped by Christ."Throughout history, the Catholic Church has played a significant role in creating educational opportunities, the pope said, noting that many medieval universities arose from the Church and contributed to the development of Western civilization.The Church continues to promote access to education and culture, he said, citing the Second Vatican Council's pastoral co

Across the Country, Pregnancy Help Centers Offer Life-Affirming Support To Pregnant and Parenting Women in Need

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WASHINGTON - Across the United States, approximately 2,750 pregnancy help centers offer life-affirming support to pregnant and parenting women in need. In celebrating their witness to life, and in observance of Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week, November 9-13, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued the following statement:“During Pregnancy Help Appreciation Week, we express our sincere gratitude for all those who work to provide necessary resources to women, babies, and families during pregnancy and beyond. “Pregnancy help organizations, maternity homes, medical and resource help centers, and adoption agencies provide heroic services every day to anyone in need. Many pregnancy care centers offer free medical services, including ultrasounds, prenatal and postnatal care, and referrals for free or low-cost childbirth. They also provide resources such as baby clothes and diapers, c

Archbishop Gomez To Be Recognized for His Leadership in Hispanic/Latino Ministry With 2026 Encuentros Award

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WASHINGTON - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs has named Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles as the recipient of the Encuentros Award. This prestigious distinction recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Hispanic/Latino ministry in the Catholic Church in the United States. The announcement was made by Bishop Oscar Cantú, chairman of the USCCB’s Subcommittee on Hispanic/Latino Affairs during the annual conference for the National Catholic Association of Diocesan Directors for Hispanic Ministry this week. “Archbishop Gomez has advocated for the Hispanic community for decades. He has been a tireless champion for the Catholic Church, and, specifically, for Hispanic Catholics, highlighting the gifts that they bring to the Church in the United States,” said Bishop Cantú. “With the Encuentros Award, we wish recognize his work and express our heartfelt ap

Pope Leo's lung cancer was localized, no further treatment needed, Vatican says

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV will not need further cancer treatment, the Vatican announced Oct. 22.Final examinations of tissue removed during his lung surgery confirmed that the cancer was localized lung adenocarcinoma, and an oncological evaluation determined that no additional therapy was necessary, according to a Vatican communique.Despite the positive medical findings, doctors are still recommending precautions as the pope recovers from surgery.The Vatican announced Oct. 23 that Pope Leo would no longer travel to Assisi Oct. 27 for an interreligious peace gathering marking the 40th anniversary of the World Day of Prayer for Peace convened by St. John Paul II.A follow-up chest X-ray confirmed that his recovery was progressing extremely well, but doctors advised against the planned helicopter journey as a precaution, given the short time since his surgery.The news of his cleared medical tests came just over a week after the pope underwent surgery Oct. 13 at Rome's Gemelli hosp

Human Dignity Remains at the Heart of Defending Religious Freedom

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WASHINGTON – On October 27, the United States observes International Religious Freedom Day to commemorate the signing of the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998. “As Catholics, the Spirit of Truth, who dwells in human hearts, compels us to build a digital culture that respects the innate human search for truth and freedom,” said Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty and Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace. The bishop chairmen called attention to the need for human dignity to remain the central criteria for promoting religious freedom in the context of rapid technological change:“Throughout the world, millions of people continue to suffer violations of the basic human right to religious freedom, and rapidly developing technological tools, such as artificial intelligence, have the potential to

Protecting marriage more urgent than ever, pope says after surgery

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Marriage requires more than physical attraction, Pope Leo XIV said in his first weekly general audience since undergoing lung cancer surgery, emphasizing that authentic love involves mutual self-giving, fidelity and a lifelong commitment between spouses.The pope, who returned to the Vatican Oct. 17 after four days in Rome's Gemelli hospital, said the responsibility to protect and promote marriage and family life is "more urgent than ever before."Pope Leo opened his Oct. 21 general audience in St. Peter's Square by thanking God and the faithful for their prayers following surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung.Reflecting on the Second Vatican Council's pastoral constitution "Gaudium et Spes," Pope Leo said the council presented marriage as an "intimate partnership of married life and love," rooted in the mutual self-giving of spouses.He said the council recognized that the well-being of individuals and society is close

U.S. Bishops to Meet November 16-19 in Baltimore; Assembly to Be Livestreamed

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WASHINGTON - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2026 Fall Plenary Assembly in Baltimore, Maryland, November 16-19. The public sessions on November 17 and 18 will be livestreamed on the USCCB website.Throughout the week they are together, the bishops will have multiple opportunities to spend time in prayer and fraternal dialogue with one another. The public portion of the assembly will begin with an address by Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the USCCB. The bishops will also hear from Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Papal Nuncio to the United States. Among the first items of business for the bishops during the plenary will be to vote for a Conference secretary. The position is up for election as Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend was elected last November to complete the term left vacant when Archbishop Coakley was elected Conference president. The bishops will also elect chairmen of six USCCB committees; the

New online courses help Catholics comfort those struggling with mental health

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- A U.S.-based Catholic association dedicated to mental health ministry released two new online resources to help lay Catholics understand the signs of mental health struggles and how to better accompany those seeking help.Sometimes a loved one or acquaintance seems "irritable, emotional or just absent from things they used to love. But you're not sure what's wrong. Most of us don't. We weren't trained to recognize mental illness," a trailer for the free video courses said."We want to help. But we're afraid of saying the wrong thing, making it worse," it said, especially by offering the usual platitudes: "Time heals all wounds"; "God has a plan"; and "God never gives us more than we can handle."Different members of the International Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers presented the trailer for the courses at Vatican News headquarters Oct. 10, World Mental Health Day. The news conference was part of its in

Church must listen to families, young people hesitant to marry, bishops say

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Bishops will go home from a weeklong meeting on marriage and family life, with a renewed commitment to listen to the realities of modern families as well as to reach young people and their hesitancy to marry."In a world increasingly shaped by robots, anonymity and isolation, the family has a prophetic role to play not only in society but in the future of humanity," Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta said at the conclusion of a Vatican gathering on marriage and family life.Speaking at an Oct. 14 briefing marking the end of a weeklong meeting Pope Leo XIV called to discuss what has been done in local churches to implement Pope Francis' 2016 document, "Amoris laetitia," on love in the family, Archbishop Scicluna and other participants said the text remains as relevant today as it was a decade ago, challenging the Church to listen to families before passing judgment and to meet people where they are.The gathering, held Oct. 7-14, brought together

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