ENDURANCE AND HOPE

 

John the Baptist is out in the wilderness eating “locusts and wild honey”

 

St. Nicholas was a fourth-century Christian bishop

 

The kitchen friar’s book that inspires Pope Leo’s spirituality

Catholics form coalition opposed to the death penalty amid execution surge Catholics and pro-life conservatives formed a coalition of more than 50 organizations seeking to end the death penalty.

Lilly Endowment announces 45 multimillion-dollar grants for theological schools

The Lilly Endowment said it will distribute 45 large-scale grants to theological schools, including directing about $60 million to several Catholic institutions.

Catholic Charities affiliates fear SNAP disruptions amid Trump administration warning The Trump administration intends to cut off federal food assistance for 21 states, which has caused concern for some local Catholic Charities affiliates.

The kitchen friar’s book that inspires Pope Leo’s spirituality

Pope Leo has said that “The Practice of the Presence of God” by a 17th-century Carmelite friar named Brother Lawrence is a book that helps expain his own spirituality.

Bishop Simon Kulli, witness to the faith in post-communist Albania, dies at 52 The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) announced the sudden death of Bishop Simon Kulli of Sapë in northern Albania at the age of 52.

Pentagon preachers proclaim a Lord of War

Catholic universities search for tricky balance on Trump anti-DEI push
Religion News Service: Many Catholic university leaders are trying to thread the needle between staying under the Trump administration’s radar and framing their work with marginalized students as grounded in their Catholic identities.

Christmas giving surges among churchgoers, especially toward local needs 
Religion Unplugged: The average Protestant churchgoer says they typically make financial donations at Christmastime to two types of causes, in addition to any regular giving they do, with 84% saying they make at least one additional donation this time of year.

Pentagon preachers proclaim a Lord of War 
A Public Witness: Hegseth framed his decision to send more troops to the nation’s capital as a mission to save America as a “Christian” nation, claiming “the Christian faith” is “the faith of this country.” The most significant way Hegseth’s establishing his faith is with monthly Christian prayer services held at the Pentagon during work hours.

Vatican commission votes against ordaining female deacons 
National Catholic Reporter: A Vatican commission reported that the current state of historical and theological research “excludes the possibility of proceeding” toward admitting women to the diaconate, slowing momentum on one of the church’s most debated questions while stopping short of a definitive no.

Empathy and reasoning aren’t rivals — new research shows they work together to drive people to help more 
The Conversation: New research suggests the “heart versus head” argument is too simple.

Mission Real Estate: Amani North Park

  

 

The Pope’s ecumenical and interfaith message in Lebanon

The homily with which Pope Leo XIV instilled hope in the Lebanese people

ZENIT Staff

Homily of Pope Leo XIV at the concluding Mass of his pastoral visit to Lebanon

“We cannot forget the most vulnerable”: Pope Leo XIV at a hospital in Lebanon

ZENIT Staff

Words of the Pope during his visit to the workers and patients of the “De La Croix” hospital in Jal ed Dib

How can we persevere in our commitment to peace? The Pope’s message to young people in Lebanon

ZENIT Staff

Words of the Pope during the Meeting with Young People

The Pope’s ecumenical and interfaith message in Lebanon

ZENIT Staff

Words of the Pope during the ecumenical and interreligious meeting

The Pope’s message at Lebanon’s most important Marian shrine

ZENIT Staff

Words of the Pope during the Meeting with Bishops, Priests, Consecrated Men and Women, and Pastoral Workers at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon

What does Saint Charbel teach us today? Leo XIV’s response after visiting the tomb of Lebanon’s most famous saint

ZENIT Staff

Words of the Pope during the visit and prayer at the tomb of Saint Charbel Makhlouf in the monastery of Saint Maroun in Annaya

Pope Leo’s Surprise Revelation at NCYC: He Only Wears 'White Sox'

The Soup Kitchen Pope Leo XIV Founded in Peru | EWTN News In Depth

Jonathan Liedl takes us to Chiclayo, Peru and inside the very soup kitchen Pope Leo XIV founded during his missionary days... Watch

Pope Leo XIV's First U.S. Bishop Appt.: From Child Refugee to Catholic Leader | EWTN News In Depth

San Diego's Bishop Michael Pham, the first U.S. bishop appointed by Pope Leo XIV, shares his experience as a child refugee has shaped his leadership today... Watch

Michael Iskander Speaks Out: Catholicism, faith, and 'House of David' Season 2 | EWTN News

Michael Iskander, who portrays King David in Prime Video's "House of David," is a recent convert to Catholicism... Watch

FREE JIMMY LAI: Sebastian Lai with Raymond Arroyo

Sebastien Lai, son of  the incarcerated Hong Kong businessman and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai discusses the latest efforts... Watch

Vatican Clarifies Marian Titles in New Doctrinal Note 'Mater Populi Fidelis' | EWTN News Nightly

The Vatican released a new doctrinal note offering clarifications on titles attributed to the Blessed Virgin Mary that have been debated...Watch

AI Chatbot Groomed My Son: Heartbroken Mother Shares His Story | EWTN News

A grieving mother is speaking out after the tragic death of her teenage son, who became emotionally entangled with an AI... Watch

Pope Leo’s Surprise Revelation at NCYC: He Only Wears 'White Sox' - And Has a Wordle Strategy!

On Friday, November 21, 2025, Pope Leo XIV sat down for a historic digital encounter with over 16,000 young people from across the United States at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana... Read more

Watch Party in the USA: Students Tune In for Pope Leo's Digital Address

All around the country, students at Catholic elementary and high schools attended watch parties to participate in Pope Leo XIV’s historic Nov. 21 “digital visit” to... Read more

Pope Leo to Lebanese youth: Love, not retaliation, is the real answer to evil 

Pope Leo XIV told thousands of young people in Lebanon on Monday that love, not retaliation, is the real force capable of transforming their country as it continues to...Read more

Pope Leo XIV, at Mass in Turkey, calls for Catholic, ecumenical, and interreligious unity 

Pope Leo XIV marked the start of Advent on Saturday with an appeal for unity and peace, telling thousands gathered for Mass...Read more

National Catholic Register, In Turkey and Lebanon, Pope Leo Will Find Ruins and Roots of Catholic Faith

Pope Leo XIV’s first overseas trip will take him to two ancient, historic lands, both lands of the Bible and of the early Church... Read more

U.S. Catholic bishops award over $7.8 million for mission dioceses

Canadian government set to remove religious exemptions from hate-speech laws Lawmakers with the Liberal Party of Canada have reportedly struck a deal with the Bloc Québécois party to remove the religious exemptions from the national code.

Powerful moments from Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Turkey and Lebanon Here are some of the most powerful moments from Pope Leo XIV’s first international trip.

U.S. Supreme Court hears dispute over faith-based pregnancy centers

The U.S. Supreme Court considered whether a New Jersey faith-based pregnancy center may challenge a state subpoena demanding donor information.

Bishops in Puerto Rico warn of ‘possible escalations’ in a US-Venezuela war

The Puerto Rican Bishops’ Conference is opposing the militarization being carried out by the U.S. on the island, an unincorporated U.S. territory.

U.S. Catholic bishops award over $7.8 million for mission dioceses

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops allocated more than $7.8 million for American mission dioceses.

African Christian leaders and health nonprofits seek to fill gaps after USAID cuts

College essay on gender puts focus on religious freedom. Here's why
USA Today: A student at University of Oklahoma cited the Bible in an essay about societal gender norms. When her paper received a zero for not answering the assignment, she alleged religious discrimination.

MacKenzie Scott’s billion-dollar bet on vibes* 
Vox: Scott, it seems, believes that we are all fundamentally overthinking charity. If we could trust in one another enough to just hand over the money, we could help a lot more people a lot more quickly, writes Sara Herschander.

The only promise refugee advocates are making amid Trump’s re-vetting* 
Sojourners: A Nov. 21 USCIS memo said the agency will terminate the refugee status of people already in the U.S. if they are found not to meet refugee criteria, announcing it would re-interview all refugees admitted under President Joe Biden and beyond — an estimated 233,000 people. 

African Christian leaders and health nonprofits seek to fill gaps after USAID cuts
Religion News Service: The leaders from 10 countries on the continent called for more local funding to restore essential resources to fight malaria, HIV and tuberculosis. 

Pope Leo XIV doubles down on insistence for 2-state solution to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Associated Press: In his first airborne news conference, Leo said that it was the “only solution” that could guarantee justice for both sides.