Catholic dioceses across the United States are reporting a notable increase in adults entering the church this Easter, with some reporting the largest Christian initiation classes in history.
Is confession dead? Q&A with a Catholic historian on the state of the sacrament
In October 2025, Washington state agreed to withdraw a controversial mandate compelling priests to report allegations of sexual abuse specifically revealed during the sacrament of confession. The bill, supported by Catholic advocates for clergy abuse survivors but contested by the state’s three Catholic dioceses…
Churches deliver Christmas to immigrants detained, deported and in hiding
Earlier this month, the Rev. Pilar Pérez, a United Methodist minister in the denomination’s Western North Carolina Conference, called up a parishioner who hadn’t been to worship in a while. The pastor encouraged the congregant to attend Christmas services, even…
Catholic clergy are speaking out on immigration − more than any other political issue except abortion
Catholic priests across the U.S. discuss immigration with their congregations more than leaders in many other faith traditions, according to our new research published in the journal Sociological Focus.
Where is the Catholic Church on Climate Change?
When Pope Francis’s first encyclical on the environment was released ten years ago this summer, it made headlines beyond Catholic media. The 184-page document, a call to caring for the environment as a religious and moral duty, was published just…
A Tohono O’odham family integrates Catholic and Native beliefs in the Arizona desert
On St. John the Baptist’s feast day in late June, an extended Tohono O’odham family attends Mass out at their desert camp, where they gather to harvest saguaro fruit in a process sacred in their Native spirituality.
Orthodox churches join Catholic bishops in suing Washington over abuse reporting law
Several Orthodox churches filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Washington on Monday (June 16) over a recently passed law mandating clergy to report child abuse and neglect, even if discovered within the confessional.
Catholic Right Support isn’t the Only Reason Trump Believes He Can Get Away with Mockery of Catholicism
Last week, just days after Pope Francis was laid to rest in Rome, Trump was asked by reporters if he had anyone in mind for the next pope. His answer: “I’d like to be pope.
‘Conclave’: Is It Anti-Catholic Propaganda Or An Oscar-Worthy Film?
Quite a lot of Oscar-nominated movies this year seem to be embroiled in controversy — from “The Brutalist” and its use of AI to the “Emilia Pérez” star’s old tweets (leaving aside the fact that almost everyone seems to agree…
Whether Christians should prioritize care for migrants as much as for fellow citizens has been debated for centuries
Vice President JD Vance and several bishops of the U.S. Roman Catholic Church are having a war of words over the Trump administration’s flurry of executive orders and highly publicized immigration raids. The bishops argue that these policies tend to empower gangs and traffickers while…
Rest, reorientation and hope – the pillars of 2025’s Catholic Jubilee year
Pope Francis has proclaimed a Jubilee year in the Catholic Church, which began on Dec. 24, 2024, and will continue through Jan. 6, 2026. But what is a Jubilee, and what is this year’s about?
Luce, a cartoon mascot for Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee, appeals to a younger generation while embracing time-honored traditions
Luce, the anime-inspired official mascot for the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee, whose name means “light” in Italian, has been getting a lot of attention on social media. Some people love the cartoon and find her “cute,” but a few others consider her “unsuitable”…