OSV Newscast

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 Sept. 11, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Healing, peace, justice and unity do not "just happen. We have to work for it," Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York said in his homily at his first Sept. 11 memorial Mass since becoming New York's archbishop. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has urged the Trump administration to end mass deportations to Haiti.Pope Leo XIV will put Europe and peace at the center of his Sept. 28 visit to Metz, France, during his Sept. 25-28 trip. The northeastern city is closely linked to Robert Schuman, the French statesman and devout Catholic whose sainthood cause is underway.Catholic bishops in Mozambique say they remain perplexed and deeply grieved over the lack of answers three months after the assassination of Bishop Osório Citora Afonso.On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, friends of Father Mychal Judge are remembering the Franciscan friar and New York City Fire Department chaplain for his ministry to first responders, the poor, the sick and others who were often forgotten. 

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for Sept. 10, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:U.S. Catholic bishops are offering Masses and pastoral reflections marking 25 years since the September 11th attacks, with Archbishop Paul Coakley urging Catholics to renew their commitment to being instruments of peace in a fractured world.Archbishop Charles Thompson of Indianapolis granted a temporary dispensation from the Sunday Mass obligation for Catholics who reasonably fear immigration detention, citing a surge in enforcement activity and the sudden separation of families.The Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments in a case testing whether a Catholic school can decline to renew the contract of an employee who identified as transgender, with a decision expected in early 2027.Pope Leo XIV told 147 newly ordained bishops from five continents to make room in their hearts for everyone, pointing to his encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" as a guide for safeguarding humanity in the age of artificial intelligence.American Catholics are already preparing for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul — the first ever held in mainland Asia and Pope Leo XIV's first as pope — drawn by Korean culture and the chance to see the first American pontiff.

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 Sept. 9, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:The U.S. Supreme Court on Sept. 8 declined a case from a New York Catholic woman seeking to send her son to kindergarten without receiving the vaccines the state requires to attend public school.Christians can help overcome the many distortions and lies about the true dignity of every human person and, in doing so, promote and defend human life, Pope Leo XIV said.Pope Leo XIV urged Church leaders linked to the Focolare movement to make "giving witness to unity" a priority in a world increasingly marked by polarization and fragmentation. Andrzej Poczobut, a Belarusian Catholic dissident and journalist, returned to Belarus Sept. 8 after five months in exile in Poland, saying he was prepared to risk arrest and urging Western Catholics to remember Christians imprisoned by the Alexander Lukashenka regime.Pope Leo XIV’s Sept. 25-28 visit to France will bring him from Paris to Lourdes and Metz, with major public events, meetings with abuse survivors and a call to protect human dignity, French bishops said. 

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for Sept. 8, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Cardinal Robert McElroy warned at a Labor Day Mass in Washington that artificial intelligence will radically reshape the labor market within twenty years, urging that workers have a genuine voice in decisions about automation.Archbishop Stefan Hesse of Hamburg compared the U.S.-Mexico border fortifications to the Berlin Wall after a weeklong solidarity visit, warning that treating migration purely as a security threat erodes human dignity.Pope Leo XIV returned to the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano, a place of lifelong personal devotion, asking Mary's help to bring God's word to light through "courageous and wise decisions."The Peruvian port city of Callao is building a nearly 46-foot statue of Pope Leo XIV — the world's largest monument to the pontiff — ahead of his November visit to the country where he holds citizenship.The John Paul II Vatican Foundation will mark its 45th anniversary in Rome this October with a papal audience, highlighting scholarship work that has supported more than 1,100 students in Poland.

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 Sept. 4, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV urged scholars from Oxford University's Oriel College to "seek the truth courageously" during a Sept. 4 audience at the Vatican, pointing to St. John Henry Newman as a model of faith and scholarship.Caritas Nepal's leader is urging global action on climate justice after catastrophic flooding in Nepal claimed more than 1,100 lives and left thousands missing.Women must be able to "exercise their leadership" and become "artisans of peace and guardians of life," as the global community fractures and conflicts increase, the Vatican told the United Nations. A network of Catholic priests with more than 2,200 members worldwide has joined growing calls to describe the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as genocide, citing widespread civilian deaths, displacement and destruction in the Palestinian enclave. Catholics in the Diocese of Rochester will soon have a physical link to Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. A first-class relic of the famed cleric, who led the Rochester Diocese as its sixth bishop (1966-69), is being given to the diocese by Archbishop Sheen's native Diocese of Peoria. 

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 Sept. 3, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 3 encouraged Catholic bishops serving in the Middle East to remain faithful to the Gospel despite the challenges of leading often small Christian communities, praising their "precious presence" across the region.The International Theological Commission has released a new document calling for ecological conversion and proposing the term "sin against creation and the Creator" as a more precise way of describing environmental wrongdoing.Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami described the apparent suicide of a Haitian student in Ohio as “a death of despair,” coming amid the loss of deportation protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians in the United States.Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, two orders of Catholic nuns and a pharmacist sued Illinois Sept. 3 over the state's physician-assisted suicide law, which permits physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide. British supporters of the traditional Latin Mass are pointing to growing youth participation as a sign of renewed interest in the Catholic faith.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for September 2, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV opened the Season of Creation with Mass at Castel Gandolfo, urging the faithful to "hear the melodious voice of creation" and insisting "it is not yet too late" to repair humanity's relationship with the environment.A Montreal Superior Court judge ruled sexual misconduct allegations against Cardinal Marc Ouellet were false and ordered his accuser to pay $100,000 in damages, which the cardinal has pledged to donate to organizations fighting abuse of Indigenous Canadians.American Catholic teacher Sarah Morse reached an out-of-court settlement with a Scottish school that fired her after she told students she opposed abortion because of her faith.Archbishop Shelton Fabre marked Labor Day by urging Catholics to be "builders of communion" and to safeguard human dignity as artificial intelligence reshapes the economy and deepens anxieties among low-wage workers and young people.Voters in multiple states will decide November ballot measures on abortion, gender policy and housing, including Missouri's Amendment 3, which the state's Catholic conference views with cautious optimism.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for September 1, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV dedicated his September prayer intention to the care of water as the Season of Creation begins, calling access to safe drinking water a fundamental human right amid a global crisis affecting 2.1 billion people.The school at Holy Family Parish in Gaza reopened for roughly 1,000 students for the first time since the war began, with Bishop William Shomali calling it a sign that Christian families "are not forgotten and will not be abandoned."Senator Bill Cassidy released a report calling on the FDA to reinstate in-person dispensing requirements for mifepristone and accusing abortion drug manufacturers of failing to meet their legal safety obligations.In his full World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation message, Pope Leo XIV argued that war and environmental destruction share a common root in the human heart, requiring conversion rather than structural reform alone.Nashville seminarians in the propaedeutic stage of formation spent their summer living in tents and working at a Middle Tennessee farm, blending manual labor with morning prayer, silent meals, Eucharistic adoration and daily Mass.

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 Aug. 31, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.comRead the stories in this episode:Bishop Joseph C. Bambera, head of the U.S. bishop's committee on ecumenical and interreligious affairs, has expressed his robust support for biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine, as she faces antisemitic backlash for her recent appointment as the first Jewish president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America.Pope Leo XIV has issued a new document that gives the synod of bishops of the Eastern Catholic Church the power to remove a patriarch from office, if their relationship be, as Vatican News reports, "irreparably compromised for serious reasons." Whatever the injustice or injury, do not revert to hatred or violence, since only love, hope, forgiveness and respect will protect and promote human dignity, Pope Leo XIV told the faithful in an Aug. 29 homily. Pope Leo XIV ordered the Holy See's communications office to stop using artwork by Father Marko Rupnik, according to a French Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Tarbes and Lourdes. Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore dedicated and blessed retreat house in Washington, D.C., adjacent to St. John Paul II National Shrine, with both projects initiatives of the Knights of Columbus.

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 Aug. 28, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:The Department of Justice said today the FBI "took minimal corrective action" after a controversial leaked memo discussed "radical traditionalist" Catholics."We are stronger when we do this work together," biblical scholar Amy-Jill Levine, the first Jewish president of the Catholic Biblical Association, told OSV News amid antisemitic backlash to her appointment.A Catholic legal scholar told OSV News that Meta's major $18 billion settlement to resolve claims about its platforms' impact on kids and teens could mark an important step toward greater accountability for social media companies -- but a federal law would be even more effective.  Maronite Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chair of the U.S. Catholic Bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace, is calling on the international community to step up aid after devastating torrents of water and mud raged along the Nepal-China border Aug. 26, killing close to 400 with almost  2,000 still missing. Pope Leo XIV met with a U.S. delegation of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul on Friday, urging members to live out their faith through direct service to the poor.

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 Aug. 27, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV has expressed deep sorrow following a catastrophic glacial collapse along the Nepal-China border that triggered massive flash floods and mudslides, killing almost 400 people so far, with more than 1,400 reported missing.Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda is encouraging the faithful of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and all community members to be "beacons of light" at the one-year mark of a fatal shooting during an all-school Mass at Annunciation School and Church in Minneapolis.The Thomas More Society announced U.S. District Court Judge Franklin Valderrama on Aug. 21 placed the temporary restraining order on Illinois' End of Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act for specific individuals.Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, Vatican secretary for relations with states, used a visit to Moscow to press for an end to Russia's war in Ukraine, urging negotiations backed by the international community. The Diocese of Knoxville, Tennessee, is remembering the late Dolly Parton -- whose career as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist spanned decades -- as "one of our own."

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 Aug. 26, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV on Aug. 25 appointed Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly as a member of the Vatican Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, adding the leader of the world's largest Catholic fraternal organization to a body that helps guide the Church's outreach to laypeople, families and young people.Hundreds of faith leaders and organizations urged the Trump administration to extend Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador before it expires in September.Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago has reinstated Father Michael Pfleger, known for his longtime social justice ministry, as pastor of St. Sabina Parish after an inquiry cleared the cleric of abuse allegations.Spanish Catholics are marking twin anniversaries tied to St. John of the Cross, with renewed public interest in the 16th-century mystic, poet and reformer drawing pilgrims, scholars and visitors to sites across Spain.Through the tragedy of losing a loved one, a Washington state family found themselves in a dark place -- but it was there the Sacred Heart shone. 

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 25, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV told members of Spain's Marsodeto Federation that recognizing Christ in the faces of people with disabilities helps society grow, praising their 45 years of service to more than 2,600 people.Archbishop Paul Gallagher arrived in Moscow for a four-day diplomatic visit as European leaders gathered in Kyiv for Ukraine's independence anniversary, reflecting the Vatican's commitment to keeping dialogue open.Father Thomas Esposito of Our Lady of Dallas Cistercian Abbey published "Blue Miles," a debut novel following an elderly monk through a single day and exploring both the joys and struggles of monastic life.Jesuit Father Robert Spitzer's new "Science, Reason, and Faith: Catholic Study Bible" aims to show that science and faith are complementary, addressing a leading reason young Catholics leave the Church.A new Iona Institute report found Catholic baptisms in Ireland fell nearly 30 percent over the past decade, driven by declining birth rates and accelerating secularization.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 24, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV called for a culture of love and mercy to overcome hatred, suspicion and the “culture of power,” urging people to challenge unjust structures and become courageous pioneers of change.A year after the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and Church in Minneapolis, Molly and Matt Stommes reflect on the tragedy and the meaningful, practical support their family and community have received.Hundreds of Catholics gathered in Houston for a Mass, prayer procession and candlelight vigil honoring Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, with Church leaders and his family calling for compassion, accountability and justice.Two months after devastating earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, the Catholic Church continues its spiritual and humanitarian response as Archbishop Jesús González de Zárate emphasizes hope, mercy and solidarity with survivors.Young Catholics in the Washington Archdiocese say invitations, authentic relationships, belonging, clear teaching and keeping Christ at the center can help draw their peers to the Church and give them reasons to stay.

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 Aug. 21, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis presided Aug. 19 at Mass ahead of a panel discussion with members of Minneapolis' Annunciation Catholic School community recounting their experiences following a fatal shooting during an all-school Mass Aug. 27, 2025. All mosaics created by disgraced former Jesuit artist Father Marko Rupnik on the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Lourdes will be covered ahead of Pope Leo XIV's September visit and remain hidden indefinitely.Pope Leo XIV is urging lawmakers worldwide to establish strong guardrails for artificial intelligence, warning that unchecked technological progress risks eroding human dignity.Pope Leo XIV met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the Vatican on Aug. 20 as church officials voiced deep concern over stalled efforts to secure peace along the Lebanon-Israel border.Catholic education is "an act of hope" that demands a holistic commitment from parents, clergy and teachers to form children in the truth of Christ's love, said Bishop Earl K. Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio. 

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 20, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV called war and environmental destruction symptoms of a deeper moral crisis in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Creation, urging a spiritual conversion that redirects resources from destruction to caring for the poor.Arizona's Supreme Court issued a second ruling on clergy-penitent privilege, prompting canon law experts to clarify that while conversations outside the confessional may lose legal protection, the sacramental seal of confession itself remains absolutely inviolable.Eighty clergy from the Archdiocese of Bogotá departed on a five-day "Spiritual First Aid" mission to earthquake-devastated Colombian cities, offering prayer, pastoral support and reconciliation to survivors as the death toll reached 319.Papal nuncio Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas told OSV News that prayer remains Ukraine's "number one weapon" against Russian aggression, warning that spiritual despair would be a more tragic defeat than the war itself.Thousands gathered along Louisiana's Bayou Teche for the Fête-Dieu du Teche, a 40-mile Eucharistic boat procession retracing the path of exiled Acadian Catholics and celebrating both the Assumption and Cajun heritage.

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 Aug. 19, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:A shooting in a Jesuit-run school in the Philippines, which saw a student kill a fellow student before killing himself, sparked shock and reignited alarm over juvenile delinquency and campus security. Pope Leo XIV and church leaders in Poland and Hungary are mourning 12 Polish pilgrims killed in a bus crash in eastern Hungary while returning from the Marian shrine of Medjugorje.Singing and playing music during the liturgy is an integral and necessary part of the celebration, which means it is much more than something "decorative," Pope Leo XIV said. Technology use is commonplace in U.S. Catholic schools, but as more studies show the harms of heavy tech use in the classroom and beyond, some schools are starting to pull back. Pope Leo XIV has appointed three U.S.-based consultors, all with ties to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. 

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 18, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV offered prayers and consolation for Zimbabwe after an overloaded ferry capsized on Lake Kariba, killing at least 92 people, with local bishops coordinating pastoral care for grieving families.Residents of Taybeh, the West Bank's last fully Christian village, face escalating settler harassment and threats to their olive harvest, prompting Pope Leo XIV to renew his call for a two-state solution.USCCB education director John DeJak highlighted the nation's nearly 5,800 Catholic schools serving 1.7 million students as a new school year begins, emphasizing parents' obligation to form children in the faith.Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller announced the laicization and excommunication of Father John Mary Foster, found guilty of schism for calling Popes Francis and Leo XIV "usurpers" and defying archdiocesan authority.Ahead of Archbishop Fulton Sheen's September beatification, OSV News highlighted the largely forgotten women who sustained his missionary fundraising operation for sixteen years as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 17, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV said true beauty is found in enduring love rather than worldly aesthetics during his Feast of the Assumption homily, pointing to weary parents and devoted grandparents as modern reflections of Mary's love.Pope Leo XIV expressed deep sadness and offered spiritual solidarity to Indonesia after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake killed at least 53 people and displaced nearly 5,500, prompting the Archdiocese of Ende to move Masses outdoors.Pope Leo XIV renewed his call to end escalating West Bank violence and pursue a two-state solution after Israeli settler attacks surged against Taybeh, one of the region's last Christian villages.LCWR president Sister Vicky Larson urged Catholic sisters to "lead by listening" as their annual Orlando assembly closed, with Sister Debra Sciano beginning her term as the new president representing two-thirds of US women religious.More than 2,000 Catholic Scouts gathered for an outdoor Mass at Scouting America's National Jamboree in West Virginia, with Bishop Evelio Menjívar calling the joyful liturgy "always a sign of hope."

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 14, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Florida's Catholic bishops urged Governor Ron DeSantis to commute William Silvia's August 18th execution to life without parole, citing Church teaching that "every human life, given by God, is sacred."Iowa's four Catholic dioceses formed the Iowa Catholic Scholarship Granting Organization to help families access a new federal education tax credit offering up to $1,700 for K-12 scholarship donations starting in 2027.An Australian court convicted former Bishop Christopher Saunders of 13 counts of sexually abusing three young Aboriginal men, prompting the Vatican to resume its paused canonical investigation.Pope Leo XIV called on the world to prioritize the dignity of vulnerable migrant children in his World Day of Migrants and Refugees message, warning of trafficking, conflict recruitment and sexual violence along transit routes.The Vatican released its first euro coin set featuring Pope Leo XIV's portrait, marking his pontificate's start and the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi's death.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 13, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:The Supreme Court set November 3rd for oral arguments in St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, a case over whether Colorado's universal preschool program can exclude Catholic preschools based on their religious beliefs.Arizona's Supreme Court unanimously ruled that courts must defer to church doctrine in defining what qualifies as a "confession," a decision Catholic dioceses say bolsters protection for the seal of confession.Jordan is investing $120 million to prepare Al-Maghtas, the site of Christ's Baptism, for millions of pilgrims expected for the 2,000th anniversary of the event in 2030.Pope Leo XIV sent an initial 100,000 euros in emergency Vatican aid to Colombia as the earthquake death toll climbed to at least 265, with additional resources being prepared for long-term recovery.The Dominican friar band Hillbilly Thomists released their sixth album, "Strange Land," while touring ten cities, wrapping up in Nashville on the feast of St. Dominic.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 12, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Bishop Thomas Paprocki, four Catholic doctors and a Lutheran nursing home sued Illinois to block a new physician-assisted suicide law from taking effect September 12th, arguing it violates religious and free-speech protections.Pope Leo XIV urged sisters gathered at the Leadership Conference of Women Religious to actively foster vocations, pointing to "a growing hunger for God" among young people despite widespread secularization.A Spanish Christian legal group filed a formal complaint after intruders desecrated tabernacles and a relic of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque at a Madrid parish, demanding the incident be investigated as a religious hate crime.Bishops' conferences across Latin America pledged prayers and humanitarian aid for Colombia as the death toll from Sunday's magnitude 7.4 earthquake surpassed 250, with CELAM coordinating relief for displaced and indigenous communities.Pope Leo XIV called Sunday "the foundation and kernel" of the liturgical year, urging Catholics and employers alike to prioritize conditions that allow everyone to attend Sunday Mass.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 11, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV offered prayers and condolences after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake killed at least 132 people in Colombia, as bishops called on citizens to respond as "one family" through prayer and support for rescue efforts.Massachusetts bishops condemned Governor Maura Healey's signing of a new law removing legal restrictions on abortion after 24 weeks as "a radical measure which is gravely immoral."Catholic experts told OSV News that recent AI security disclosures from Anthropic and OpenAI reinforce the Church's warning that human responsibility cannot be transferred onto technology.Pro-life organizations led by Advancing American Freedom pressed newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche to follow through on his promise to review a Biden-era policy permitting mifepristone by mail.The Vatican announced Pope Leo XIV's 2027 World Day of Peace message will focus on "disarming technology," building on his encyclical to warn against AI's role in military decisions.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 10, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:As preparations accelerate for World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, organizers are preparing to welcome young Catholics from around the world for a gathering centered on hope, hospitality, solidarity and Korea’s rich Catholic heritage. The Diocese of Wichita is opening St. Philip Neri Seminary after more than 20 years of planning, with Church leaders describing the new institution as a major investment in forming holy, joyful and faithful priests. A bankruptcy judge has allowed abuse survivors to pursue legal action seeking to include Vermont Catholic parishes and schools in claims against the Diocese of Burlington, while stressing that the ruling does not make those entities automatically liable. Thirty-five years after Fathers Michal Tomaszek and Zbigniew Strzalkowski were murdered by Peru’s Shining Path guerrillas, their fellow Franciscan says their decision to remain with vulnerable communities continues to witness to missionary courage, prayer and service. Thousands of Catholics gathered in Denver to venerate relics of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, whose devotion to the Sacred Heart was symbolically joined with the legacy of Julia Greeley, a Denver Catholic known for charity and devotion to the Sacred Heart.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 7, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signaled on a private call that the Trump administration is preparing policies to stop mifepristone distribution by mail, though the Justice Department later said his comments had been "mischaracterized."The Archdiocese of Chicago dedicated "At Peace," believed to be the first suicide loss memorial garden created by a U.S. Catholic archdiocese, offering grieving families a place to encounter God's love and peace.Catholic Scouting America launched a year-long "Novena Prayer for America" honoring the nation's 250th anniversary, with intentions mirroring the priorities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.OSV News learned that 22 previously undisclosed letters from Slovenian women allegedly abused by Father Marko Rupnik add new documentation to his ongoing Vatican canonical trial.The Vatican released the full itinerary for Pope Leo XIV's September visit to France, including a private meeting with abuse victims alongside stops in Paris, Lourdes and Metz.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 6, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV challenged 2,500 young people gathered in Assisi for the Jubilee Year of St. Francis to become the "new saints" the world needs, urging them to embrace the Gospel with the freedom of Christ.Renewed Israeli strikes in Gaza are casting doubt on the White House's peace plan, with a Notre Dame scholar disputing claims of real progress even as Catholic bishops call for intense prayer for the negotiations' success.Bishop Daniel Garcia marked the 61st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act by calling for reflection on full democratic participation, echoing Pope Leo XIV's affirmation that democracy reflects citizens' God-given dignity.A week after a massive migrant surge overwhelmed Ceuta, Spanish Catholic groups continued providing aid while local Catholics processed Our Lady of Africa through the enclave's streets as a sign of hope amid ongoing humanitarian concerns.Acutis AI co-founder Peter Cooney unpacked Pope Leo XIV's encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" at a Washington conference, explaining the pope's call to engage AI's dangers with hope rather than fear.

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 Aug. 5, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Pope Leo XIV will make the first apostolic journey of his pontificate to South America Nov. 6-17, visiting 10 cities across Uruguay, Argentina and Peru.Returning to his weekly general audiences after a monthlong summer break, Pope Leo XIV urged Catholics to embrace the Liturgy of the Hours more fully in their daily lives, saying the church's public prayer is an antidote to a world shaped by technology, consumerism and an efficiency-driven mindset.Pope Leo XIV mourned the death of Cardinal Júlio Duarte Langa, bishop emeritus of Xai-Xai, Mozambique, who died Aug. 3 at age 98 while receiving treatment in a Maputo hospital.At "an unprecedented moment" in U.S. immigration policy, Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio is assuring migrants in a new pastoral letter, released Aug. 3, that the Church "will come to you."Jason Adkins, executive director and general counsel of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, has been elected president of the National Association of State Catholic Conference Directors, or NASCCD, and will serve a two-year term through August 2028. 

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for August 4, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Bishop Thomas Daly of Spokane called for prayer as wildfires displaced more than 65,000 people across Washington state, with at least one of the three Spokane Complex fires believed to be human-caused.Notre Dame law professor Rick Garnett called Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier's letter demanding Catholic schools adopt vaccine religious exemptions or lose voucher funding "a glaring and dangerous government overreach" that violates First Amendment protections.Catholic groups nationwide, including a Kentucky parish ministry aiming for 1,000 rosaries, are crafting World Mission Rosaries to distribute to pilgrims at Archbishop Fulton Sheen's September 24th beatification in St. Louis.A new University of Notre Dame report offers 12 recommendations for improving seminarian formation, emphasizing psychological services, special needs support, and fostering healthy chastity and celibacy among future priests.Scholars identified two previously unknown sermons by St. Augustine in a 12th-century manuscript in Pelplin, Poland, revealing his openness to multiple interpretations of difficult biblical passages and his emphasis on God's mercy.

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 Aug. 3, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:The Diocese of El Paso, Texas, has shut down its long-running legal aid ministry to unaccompanied child migrants, as the Trump administration withholds almost $1 million in funding for work already performed. Police in northern Nigeria are investigating the murder of a Catholic priest killed in an apparent roadside ambush in Kogi state.A Spanish missionary priest has been appointed to lead the Archdiocese of Rabat following abuse allegations against its leader, Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero.Cardinal Ernest Simoni, 97, returned to Albania’s former Spaç prison camp, where he secretly celebrated Mass during 18 years of forced labor, to publicly celebrate Mass July 31 and honor those who suffered and died there.Pope Leo XIV is inviting Catholics to pray "for evangelization in the city" as his August prayer intention, asking the Lord to accompany millions searching for meaning amid the noise and haste of urban life. 

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 July 31, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:A federal judge temporarily shielded on July 30 four orders of women religious and Catholic healthcare ministries from enforcement of a New York state law allowing physicians to aid terminally ill adults in dying by suicide.A Catholic-supported hospital in Gaza City sustained damage after an Israeli airstrike hit a nearby residential apartment late July 29, according to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association's Pontifical Mission in Lebanon and Syria.The Hillbilly Thomists are in the midst of a 10-city U.S. tour, scheduled to end Aug. 8 -- the feast of St. Dominic -- in Nashville for Dominican Fest at the Dominican Campus, home to three schools run by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. The Diocese of Cádiz and Ceuta is offering emergency assistance to civil authorities after more than 60,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, creating the largest migration crisis in the territory's history.As an estimated 350,000 Haitian immigrants in the United States face losing Temporary Protected Status, church leaders are calling for prayer and action.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 30, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Bishop Daniel Flores expressed relief that Sister Leticia Ugbaoja, a Nigerian-born nurse and religious sister detained by ICE en route to Mass, can remain in the US while her immigration case proceeds, though the ultimate outcome remains uncertain.Jennie Bradley Lichter announced she is stepping down as president of the March for Life effective July 31st to become a full-time mother, leaving the organization to seek new leadership amid key pro-life policy battles.Catholic immigration advocates including CLINIC condemned a new Trump administration rule, issued without public comment, that could push nearly 445,000 asylum seekers directly into deportation proceedings.UK Catholic leaders praised Prime Minister Andy Burnham's commitment to strengthening palliative care ahead of a September vote on assisted dying legislation, while urging him to also act on overseas aid, homelessness and child poverty.Pope Leo XIV reflected on music's power to draw people toward God after Andrea Bocelli led 164 young singers in a Jubilee concert at Castel Gandolfo marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi's death.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 29, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Police detained a Polish suspect in the Medjugorje vandalism attack as workers restored the damaged statue and altar, while a Catholic filmmaker who knew the man urged restraint over online condemnation ahead of the shrine's annual youth festival.President Trump marked the 45th anniversary of Blessed Stanley Rother's martyrdom, honoring the Oklahoma-born priest as the first American-born martyr beatified by the Catholic Church for his sacrificial service in Guatemala.Florida executed two death row inmates in a single day for the first time since 1964, just one day after the state's Catholic bishops issued a pastoral letter condemning capital punishment as part of "a culture of death."Bishop Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez told attendees at a Palm Beach event that clergy sexual abuse threatens "faith itself" by destroying the credibility of those entrusted to preach the Gospel, drawing on his own doctoral research into canon law protections for victims.Oslo's Bishop Fredrik Hansen described Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset's post-conversion life as reflecting the heroic virtues required for sainthood, noting strong interest from American Catholics helped prompt his diocese to formally begin exploring her canonization cause.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 28, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Vandals defaced statues of the Virgin Mary and set fire to the altar at Medjugorje's Church of St. James early Tuesday, prompting condemnation from Bosnia-Herzegovina's Interreligious Council and calls for prayer for the perpetrator's conversion.Representative Veronica Escobar introduced the "Mount Cristo Rey Protection Act" to block the Trump administration's eminent domain seizure of a century-old New Mexico pilgrimage site for border wall construction, as the Diocese of Las Cruces continues its court battle.Pope Leo XIV named Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco and Bishop Edward Lohse of Kalamazoo to the Vatican's highest court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, among seven new members appointed July 25th.Pope Leo XIV urged young Catholics in Peru, Brazil and Portugal to reject complacency and live their faith with "holy rebelliousness," pointing to St. Carlo Acutis as a model of digital-age holiness.French Church and political leaders marked the 10th anniversary of Father Jacques Hamel's murder by Islamist terrorists, with his sister Roseline Hamel reflecting on forgiveness and her unlikely friendship with an attacker's mother.

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 July 27, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:During his Angelus address in Castel Gandolfo July 26,  Pope Leo XIV renewed his urgent appeals for peace in the Holy Land and across the Middle East during his Angelus address in Castel Gandolfo, expressing deep concern over the escalating violence and calling for an immediate return to dialogue.Religious persecution predominantly affecting Christian communities in Nigeria remains a key concern for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, the commission's new chair told OSV News in a July 24 interview. Pope Leo XIV called for prayers July 26 as massive wildfires rage across Spain and France, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia el-Kassis, apostolic nuncio to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, as the Holy See's new permanent observer to the United Nations in New York.About 300 Catholics gathered July 25 at St. Augustine Church in Philadelphia's Old City for a rare celebration that brought the sights, sounds and prayers of early American Catholic life back to life.

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 July 24, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:A recent OpenAI security incident that saw a test model go rogue may be a sign of more to come, and a call to double down on preventing future attacks, a Catholic expert on artificial intelligence ethics told OSV News.Give those targeted in immigration enforcement operations "the chance to be heard," said a religious sister detained by U.S. Customs and Enforcement agents for several hours en route to Mass June 28, amid an intended third-country deportation effort. Four Catholic journalists have launched an initiative to deliver the personal prayers and reflections of Venezuelan earthquake survivors directly to Pope Leo XIV. Several young adults who spent the summer as "perpetual pilgrims" in the 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage said the journey transformed their faith and strengthened their sense of national unity. Andrea Bocelli will sing for Pope Leo XIV July 29 alongside a more than 160-member children’s choir drawn from the Holy Land, Uganda, and Italy, in a performance organized by his charitable foundation at the Vatican's Borgo Laudato Si' gardens in Castel Gandolfo. 

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 July 23, 2026. Tue in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Venezuelan Catholic bishops are urging the faithful to reject claims that the country’s devastating June earthquakes were a form of divine punishment.Ten years after the killing of Father Jacques Hamel shocked France and the world, the Catholic Church in France is preparing to honor his memory with prayer.A Kansas priest and former pastor at several parishes has been arrested on several charges of child sexual abuse.Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche issued updated guidance July 23 on federal protections for religious liberty. Ann Teresa O'Neill, whose confirmed miraculous recovery from acute lymphatic leukemia as a child helped pave the way for the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, has died at the age of 78.

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 forJuly 22, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:The Vatican has pushed back against reports that former Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik has been acquitted in his Vatican criminal trial.Catholic leaders in Peru are rallying emergency aid to those affected by the two earthquakes that struck the mountainous region of Junín, while they work to safeguard national heritage sites damaged as a result.The recent sentencing of a convicted online child predator in San Antonio to a 40-year prison term and renewed safety warnings from federal officials mark a call for parents to double down on protecting their kids in the digital sphere, a Catholic legal scholar told OSV News.Estrella del Paso, a legal aid ministry of the Diocese of El Paso, has exhausted its financial reserves after going seven months without federal reimbursement for its work representing unaccompanied immigrant children.Pope Leo XIV took a road trip pilgrimage with his older brother to the scenic mountainside Sanctuary of the Most Holy Trinity in Vallepietra July 22 before stopping to pray in the Holy Cave in Subiaco, where a young St. Benedict sought refuge from the corruption of Rome in the early sixth century.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 21, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Cardinal Bechara Rai called Lebanese Catholics to prayer as President Joseph Aoun met with President Trump at the White House to discuss disarming Hezbollah and securing Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory.Ukraine's ambassador to the Vatican said a papal visit remains possible following a Kyiv meeting between President Zelenskyy and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who survived a Russian missile strike near the apostolic nunciature during his five-day trip.Pope Leo XIV made a surprise, nearly four-hour pilgrimage to the Benedictine Abbey of Montecassino, praying at the tomb of St. Benedict for peace in the world's conflict-torn regions.Colorado Catholics led by Denver Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez prayed the rosary outside the Hudson Correctional Facility, soon to reopen as a 1,200-bed ICE detention center, calling it a symbolic act of concern for human dignity.Organizers moved the October 31st beatification Mass for the Georgia martyrs to a venue six times larger after surging interest in the 16th-century Franciscan friars who died defending the sanctity of marriage.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 20, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Four orders of Catholic sisters and healthcare ministries sued New York on July 17th, arguing a new physician-assisted suicide law would force them to violate their faith by facilitating deaths they believe are morally unacceptable.Switzerland's Catholic Church joined other Christian denominations in condemning the government's elimination of a longstanding military service exemption for priests and monks, calling the process "arbitrary" and lacking meaningful consultation with faith communities.The U.S. bishops launched National NFP Awareness Week on July 19th, timed to the anniversary of "Humanae Vitae," with USCCB's Theresa Notare calling natural family planning "an ethical means to live out the Gospel."A Vatican-supported delegation from the World Meeting of Popular Movements completed the first leg of a U.S. tour visiting grassroots communities affected by immigration enforcement and poverty, with Father Mattia Ferrari calling the experience "a strong witness of love."Christians in Gaza found a rare moment of joy watching Spain defeat Argentina in the World Cup Final, with Father Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish urging continued prayers for peace amid ongoing war and displacement.

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 July 17, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:As Spain and Argentina prepare for the July 19 World Cup final, the match also highlights the Catholic faith shared by both footballing nations.Anticipation is building across South America for Pope Leo XIV's expected visit this November. Promotions of sainthood causes take many directions. For Blessed Solanus Casey, the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph decided on a scholarly path with an essay prize for graduate students. Nobel laureates gathered in Rome July 16 praised Pope Leo XIV's encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas" as they signed the Rome Declaration on an Unarmed and Disarming Peace in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Weapons.A "theology of migration" moves us toward "communion with God and with one another," said Holy Cross Father Daniel G. Groody of the University of Notre Dame, a member of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 16, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:France's National Assembly voted 291 to 241 to legalize assisted dying, prompting Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline to call it a "serious turning point" that abandons the nation's tradition of caring for people until natural death.The death toll from Venezuela's twin June 24th earthquakes has climbed to 4,829, as Caritas Venezuela and Catholic Relief Services distribute over 13,000 metric tons of food, water and hygiene supplies amid continuing aftershocks.Catholic leaders in Maine and Texas are calling for prayer and accountability after two fatal ICE shootings within a week claimed the lives of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, sparking protests and federal investigations.The USCCB submitted formal comments opposing a proposed federal rule expanding insurance coverage for IVF, urging the Trump administration to promote "restorative reproductive medicine" instead and to include conscience protections for employers.Senators pressed Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on his handling of state mifepristone lawsuits during his July 15th confirmation hearing, with Senator John Cornyn demanding a formal response on the administration's intentions as the nomination now hangs on razor-thin margins following Senator Lindsey Graham's death.

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 July 15, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Franciscan leaders in the United States are taking their plea public, urging U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take decisive diplomatic action against rising Israeli settler violence targeting West Bank Christians. The Diocese of Las Cruces is asking for a jury trial as it challenges the Trump administration's effort to seize land at Mount Cristo Rey, a historic Catholic pilgrimage site in southern New Mexico, for construction of a border wall.Pope Leo XIV's recent lunch with people experiencing homelessness and poverty at Castel Gandolfo has highlighted a model one Catholic organization hopes parishes around the world will adopt. Friar Pedro de Corpa and four fellow Franciscan missionaries, known as the Georgia Martyrs, continue to inspire Catholics more than four centuries after their deaths, as devotion grows ahead of their Oct. 31 beatification in Savannah. 

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 14, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:The Society of St. Pius X in Kenya is rejecting the Vatican's schism declaration, with Father Pierre Champroux insisting the group remains fully Catholic while Archbishop Philip Anyolo of Nairobi bars diocesan clergy from ministering alongside SSPX priests and urges the faithful to remain in full communion with Pope Leo XIV.Catholic Relief Services worker Robyn Fieser described devastation "a lot worse than expected" after arriving in Venezuela this week following back-to-back earthquakes that killed at least 4,500 people, as CRS and Caritas Venezuela distribute emergency food, hygiene kits and shelter materials to a traumatized population.South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly Friday at age 71, with his sister Darline Graham Nordone set to complete his term — a loss that leaves a Republican vacancy on the Judiciary Committee just as it prepares to consider Todd Blanche's nomination for attorney general.Cardinal Blase Cupich placed longtime Chicago social justice priest Father Michael Pfleger on leave following a decades-old sexual abuse allegation he strongly denies, with Pfleger suggesting the claim is retaliation for his outspoken advocacy on gun violence, racism and Trump administration policies.Guatemala Brillando, a Catholic-led eye care initiative founded by Pennsylvania optometrist Dr. Doug Villella and now led by the Yee brothers' Visualiza network, opened its fourth eye hospital this week on its path toward eliminating preventable blindness across Guatemala by 2032.

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 July 13, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Ann Widdecombe, a prominent British Catholic politician, author and broadcaster, has died after being fatally attacked in the kitchen of her home in Devon.Much has been done to mitigate rates of HIV and AIDS, but more work remains as children are still vulnerable to the virus and the disease it causes, said the Holy See's diplomatic representative to the United Nations in a July 10 address.Pope Leo XIV drew large crowds to Castel Gandolfo for his first summer Angelus at the papal residence July 12, with pilgrims packing trains and buses from Rome to join the gathering.By bringing together its five current novitiates spread throughout the continent into two new novitiates starting in 2028, the Society of Jesus will be able "to maintain robust cohorts of novices and provide them with the best formators we could." The archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis and students from St. Catherine University in St. Paul donned hard hats and work gloves July 8 to help raise a wall of the first duplex being built in the Twin Cities as part of a national Habitat for Humanity initiative called the Pope Leo Village.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 10, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Catholic Extension Society announced 46 nominees on June 24th for its 2026-2027 Lumen Christi Award, honoring individuals and groups across the country whose spiritual care and self-sacrifice reflect the light of Christ, with finalists to be named this summer and a $100,000 national honoree selected in the fall.Cardinal Robert McElroy ordained Bishop Gary Studniewski and Bishop Robert Boxie III as new auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Washington on Monday, telling roughly 2,500 people gathered at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception that "the face of God smiles upon this archdiocese with intense love."A new mosaic of Our Lady of Gietrzwałd was unveiled in the Vatican Gardens on June 30th, with Polish Church leaders framing it as both a symbol of deepening Poland-Holy See ties and a renewed invitation for Pope Leo XIV to visit the shrine ahead of the 150th anniversary of its 1877 apparitions in 2027.Through Seton Hall Preparatory School's Spectrum Big Brothers program, students build weekly friendships with autistic peers at Academy360 Upper School, embodying what one program director called Pope Francis' vision of a "culture of encounter" from the encyclical "Fratelli Tutti."A Chicago White Sox-themed rosary handcrafted by Indiana hobbyist Kevin Workman reached Pope Leo XIV — an avid White Sox fan — on June 24th through former catcher A.J. Pierzynski, leaving Workman "in tears" over what he called "the biggest thing that's ever happened in my little world."

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 9, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Andy Burnham is poised to become the United Kingdom's first publicly Catholic prime minister later this month, drawing cautious hope from Church leaders who praise his appreciation for Catholic social teaching while questioning whether his liberal positions on abortion, assisted suicide and marriage reflect his stated faith.Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali has chosen to remain in the besieged Sudanese city of El-Obeid — despite daily shelling, drone strikes, and a previous near-fatal assault by paramilitary forces — as a courageous witness to the small Christian community still sheltering there.Women who say they were harmed by the abortion pill sent a July 8th letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche urging him to side with states challenging the Biden-era policy permitting mifepristone to be dispensed by mail, as frustration grows over the Trump DOJ's repeated moves to pause those state lawsuits.Norway's Bishop Fredrik Hansen announced Tuesday that a sainthood cause will open this fall for Nobel Prize-winning author Sigrid Undset — a convert who found Catholicism through medieval research, became a Third Order Dominican, and publicly championed Norwegian resistance to Nazism during World War II.Netflix's new eight-episode adaptation of "Little House on the Prairie," premiering today, embraces the faith, family and community themes of the original while also exploring the Catholic-influenced spiritual life of the Osage people and referencing a real-life Jesuit missionary who served them in the 19th century.

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 July 8, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:Catholic leaders and organizations in the U.S. continue to aid Venezuela as that nation recovers from two deadly earthquakes that struck 39 seconds apart June 24.Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington said his decision to remove a high-profile priest as an archdiocesan exorcist was driven by the public way he exercised his ministry, not by his specific beliefs about UFOs.As the United States marked its 250th anniversary, Ukrainian Catholic bishops urged Americans to reflect on the true meaning of freedom through Ukraine's ongoing fight against Russia's full-scale invasion.Father Mike Schmitz, one of the most popular priest-influencers on social media, brought his signature warmth and energy to Fort Lauderdale on his "Parables" tour, inviting audiences to rediscover the timeless message of Christ's Gospel through the parables.Pope Leo XIV marked the 250th anniversary of the United States with a relaxed July 4 dinner at the Rome residence of the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch, offering a rare glimpse of the first American pope in an informal setting. 

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 7, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:French traditionalist Catholics in communion with Rome are expressing grief over the SSPX schism while rallying behind Pope Leo XIV's September France visit, with the Association Notre-Dame de Chrétienté already providing volunteers and logistical support for events expected to draw nearly 500,000 people in Paris.Father Crepin Martial Monga, a Catholic priest who sheltered thousands of refugees and mediated among armed groups in the Central African Republic, was shot and killed June 29th near his residence in Zémio — a death Church leaders believe was directly linked to his courageous peacebuilding work.The U.S. State Department condemned the June 29th detention of 80-year-old Bishop Juan Abelardo Mata in Nicaragua, as Church observers and exiled advocates say the government's claim that he has returned home safely cannot be verified by anyone close to him.A one-year provision blocking Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding expired July 4th, allowing the nation's largest abortion provider to regain access to hundreds of millions of federal dollars as pro-life groups push for a similar measure in an upcoming Republican reconciliation bill.The National Shrine of Our Lady of Champion in Wisconsin — the only church-approved Marian apparition site in the United States — hosted a Fourth of July celebration honoring 76 Catholic Saints of America, with shrine chaplain Father Nathan Mudd reminding the faithful that their Catholic identity always takes precedence over their American one.

Thanks for listening! Let us know what you think. God bless!Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for July 6, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage concluded in Philadelphia with Pope Leo XIV and Archbishop Nelson Pérez urging Catholics to carry Christ's Eucharistic presence forward as a source of renewal, unity and transformation. In a prerecorded message, Pope Leo XIV encouraged pilgrims to see the Eucharist as an indispensable gift that can strengthen the nation's faith as the United States marks its 250th anniversary. Pope Leo XIV arrived at the papal summer residence for nearly three weeks of rest and prayer, reviving a longstanding papal tradition while remembering earthquake victims and the people of Venezuela. Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, an imprisoned leader of an underground Christian church in China, has been released and reunited with his family in the United States, while Hong Kong Catholic publisher Jimmy Lai remains imprisoned. Mexico's World Cup run brought faith and soccer together as Catholics prayed for the national team while Church leaders urged the country's renewed sense of unity to extend beyond the tournament.

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 July 2, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.Read the stories in this episode:The Vatican has declared the Society of St. Pius X to be "in schism" after the traditionalist group consecrated four bishops without papal approval, marking the most serious rupture since Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre's unauthorized episcopal consecrations in 1988.The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has established a procedure for both priests and lay faithful connected to the Society of St. Pius X  to return to Catholic communion, following the society's schismatic act July 1. Conservative Catholics are urging Church leaders to provide stronger pastoral support for traditionalists who remain loyal to the pope after six leaders of the Society of St. Pius X were excommunicated July 2 for consecrating four bishops without papal approval.The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage ends July 5 with a closing Mass, procession and celebration in Philadelphia, which will begin with a special video message from Pope Leo XIV.For Noah Hajdu, carrying a 130-pound wooden cross up 2,006-foot-high Mount Wachusett in central Massachusetts was more than a physical feat -- it was to honor Jesus Christ.