Religious Workforce Protection, France Catholic Boom, Pope Francis Surprise Visit

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Gina Christian of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for April 11, 2025. In this episode: The nation's Catholic bishops have told congressional lawmakers they support bipartisan legislation that would ease some immigration restrictions on foreign religious workers, allowing them to stay in the U.S. while they await permanent residency. A Missouri school founded by St. Katharine Drexel, a Tulsa hospice and a Texas prison are all stops on the 2025 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage. The number of new Catholics in France has surged, with close to 18,000 catechumens in France will be baptized at the Easter Vigil -- the highest number since records began in 2002. In Spain, Catholic groups are criticizing the country's bishops for agreeing to government-led changes at the Valley of the Fallen (now renamed Valle de Cuelgamuros) amid fears of deepening secularization. Pope Francis' surprise visit to St. Peter's Basilica yesterday to pray and see ongoing restoration work is a clear sign that his condition is improving, the Vatican press office said. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Foreign Religious Workers BillNEC 25 PilgrimageFrance Catholic BoomValley of the Fallen