How US Christian nationalists are exporting their agenda to Europe

IRS says churches can now endorse political candidates
NPR: In a break with decades of tradition, the Internal Revenue Service says it will allow houses of worship to endorse candidates for political office without losing their tax-exempt status.

The Big Beautiful Bill is the ‘final burial of compassionate conservatism’
Religion News Service: A lot has changed in the GOP over the last quarter century.

Anglicanism’s poisoned chalice 
UnHerd: The problem in finding a suitable person to be the Archbishop of Canterbury is this: it has become an impossible job. Not just difficult, but impossible.

How US Christian nationalists are exporting their agenda to Europe
Religion News Service: A new report follows the money as it moves from reactionary advocacy groups and think tanks to groups waging war on women’s equality and related causes.

Nashville’s Christian music stars join activists in push to save PEPFAR
Religion News Service: During a mid-June event at Otter Creek Church, musicians and activists praised PEPFAR for saving millions of lives and urged evangelicals to call their representatives in Congress and show their support for the program.

Italian priest’s suicide underscores humanity of priests

Faith communities hold memorial services for flood victims in Texas  The church and school communities of the Texas Hill Country flood victims are rallying in support of the families with Masses, rosaries, and memorial services.

Italian priest’s suicide underscores humanity of priests The Catholic Church was profoundly shocked by the news of the death of Father Matteo Balzano, a 35-year-old priest who took his own life on July 5. Oratory priest in London calls Catholic politicians to confession before Communion During a homily at the Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Father Julian Large referred to the recent and widely reported situation of a Catholic member of Parliament.

Judge says government must keep funding Planned Parenthood in spite of Medicaid cutoff The court order partially halts a provision in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that would have cut off Medicaid reimbursements for certain organizations that perform abortions.

Vatican to Release Marian Document Clarifying Supernatural Phenomena Guidelines

Opus Dei Denies Accusation of «Trafficking» and Considers It Necessary to Grant the Accused Individuals the Right to Give Their Version of the Facts

ZENIT Staff

«We reiterate that we categorically deny the accusation of human trafficking and labour exploitation made by her against Prelature,» states the press release from Opus Dei in Argentina.

The Seminary with the Most Seminarians in the World (700) Dedicated to a French Laywoman

ZENIT Staff

No fewer than 63 Bishops and four Cardinals have passed through its Chapel and classrooms.

Vatican to Release Marian Document Clarifying Supernatural Phenomena Guidelines

ZENIT Staff

Speaking to journalists in Rome on July 3, Cardinal Fernández revealed that the document is nearing completion and will offer theological reflections and pastoral criteria regarding Marian devotion, particularly as it relates to alleged apparitions and private revelations

Cardinal Makrickas takes the helm of the Roman basilica of St. Mary Major: the oldest Marian church in the West

Valentina di Giorgio

The change marks more than an administrative adjustment. It symbolizes a broader generational and geographical shift within the leadership of the Roman Curia, as Cardinal Makrickas—born behind the Iron Curtain in Soviet-occupied Lithuania—becomes the first Lithuanian to assume stewardship of the Liberian basilica in modern times.

Iranian Ambassador to the Vatican asks Pope Leo XIV in letter to defend Khamenei against USA and Israel

Valentina di Giorgio

The letter, sent amid rising international tensions, calls on the Pontiff not merely as a head of state, but as a global moral and religious authority, to speak out against what the ambassador termed a “direct assassination threat” against a figure who, in Iran’s view, is both a political leader and a sacred religious authority for Shi’a Muslims.

How do we live our lives while the world burns?

Belonging could remake the world

By Erin Weber-Johnson

A new book of meditations from more than 20 contributors offers a pathway from crisis to hope through the promise of belonging.

How do we live our lives while the world burns?

By Andrea Palpant Dilley

A mother considers the best way to respond to near-endless news stories about conflict. Is it OK to continue with daily life — weeding the garden, washing dishes and caring for children — while the world is on fire?

Is your organization’s base strong enough to answer God’s call?

By Mycal X. Brickhouse

A painting must be created on canvas sturdy enough to support it. Likewise, congregations and organizations need a solid foundation if their ministries are to flourish, writes a director of programs and grants for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity

Pope Leo is ‘Latino at heart’

Q&A with Vicente Del Real

The new pope’s roots in Chicago and his experience as a missionary in Peru are inspiring to young Latino Catholics, says the founder of Iskali, a Chicago-area nonprofit serving second-generation young adults.

An organization working with immigrants cultivates joy and hope while offering support services

By Marissa Martinez

Casa Chirilagua serves as a hub for programming, outreach and connection in northern Virginia.

An organization working with immigrants cultivates joy and hope while offering support services

By Marissa Martinez

Casa Chirilagua serves as a hub for programming, outreach and connection in northern Virginia. ‘White Poverty: How Exposing Myths About Race and Class Can Reconstruct American Democracy’ BY WILLIAM J. BARBER II Ensuring access to the polls is a sacred cause BY ADAM RUSSELL TAYLOR Christians threaten democracy — and can help save it Q&A WITH DAVID P. GUSHEE Faith-based advocacy and understanding the separation of church and state BY HOLLY HOLLMAN

Why do so many people think that Trump is good?

Amnesty International says Israel and aid system use starvation to commit Gaza genocide
The Associated Press: Amnesty International issued a report Thursday claiming a controversial Israeli- and U.S.-backed system to distribute aid in Gaza uses starvation tactics against Palestinians to continue to commit genocide in the Gaza Strip during Israel’s war with Hamas.

Grieving church brings comfort in Texas floods
United Methodist News Service: Shortly after midnight July 4, leaders of First United Methodist Church in Kerrville got word that the Guadalupe River was rising rapidly and people needed shelter.

How Christianity conquered the Hot 100*
Vox: From Alex Warren to Jelly Roll, a new wave of faith-adjacent pop is finding God in laundromats and dive bars.

Why do so many people think that Trump is good?*
The Atlantic: The work of the moral philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre helps illuminate some central questions of our time.

Parishioners battle diocese over closure of historic Brooklyn church
National Catholic Reporter: The ad hoc committee, made up largely of longtime Brooklyn residents within this Caribbean-American community, is determined to fight for a church many members have called home for decades.

How a teenage boy became a ‘ninja fighting hunger'

How a teenage boy became a ‘ninja fighting hunger’

Austin Baron, a Notre Dame student and the founder of Knot Perfect, is using his participation on NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” to help expand his outreach.

Report details killings, discrimination against religious minorities in post-Assad Syria

Allies of the new Syrian government and other non-state actors have continued violence and discrimination against Christians and others, according to a new report.

Catholic leaders, government officials offer condolences and support to Texas flood victims

Catholic leaders and government officials continued to issue statements of solidarity and support to victims of the catastrophic flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country.

Pope Leo XIV given 2 electric, eco-friendly ‘popemobiles’ for travel Pope Leo XIV has been given two electric vehicles that can be transported by air and will accompany him on his international travels.

2 sisters, Catholic school students, lost in Texas flood remembered for faith and kindness Two sisters who attended St. Rita Catholic School in Dallas were among the victims of the Texas Hill Country flash floods that have devastated parts of the state.

Vice President JD Vance was met with boos and jeers in University Heights

 Jesus was political and so are we ~ how Christians vote matters

 

Vice President JD Vance was met with boos and jeers as his motorcade departed a University Heights sushi restaurant over the Fourth of July weekend.

A crowd of protesters gathered outside Soichi Sushi on Adams Avenue Sunday to show contempt for the vice president and criticize recent policy decisions.

Pope Leo XIV arrives in Castel Gandolfo for summer vacation

Pope Leo XIV arrives in Castel Gandolfo for summer vacation Pope Leo XIV was welcomed by wellwishers upon his arrival to his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, on Sunday.

Pope Leo XIV prays for victims, families of Texas flood disaster

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday prayed for the victims and families affected by the recent flood disaster in Texas.

Catholic schools in spotlight as French abuse report fuels state oversight debate The report, resulting from a five-month inquiry into violence within the school system, proposes a series of measures aimed at better protecting minors.

Auxiliary vicar of Opus Dei charged with human trafficking and labor exploitation  The Argentine justice system has added the auxiliary vicar of Opus Dei as a defendant in a case involving the alleged human trafficking of 43 women in Argentina.

Vatican Assembles to Try Former Jesuit Marko Rupnik

 

In a move that underscores the Vatican’s stated commitment to transparency and justice in the face of clerical abuse allegations, the Holy See has formally constituted a canonical tribunal to adjudicate the case of Marko Rupnik, the former Jesuit priest and internationally known artist accused of serial abuse of religious sisters. The announcement was made on July 3 by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. In statements to the press following a press conference at the Vatican during which the new Mass form “for the care of creation” was presented, Fernández confirmed that the tribunal will be composed entirely of judges “independent and external” to the dicastery he oversees.

World’s Highest IQ Holder Publicly Professes Christian Faith

Gaza parish priest: Gaza is a ‘cage’ where bombs kill (also) hope. The need for a truce

ZENIT Staff

Speaking to AsiaNews, the parish priest describes the tragic reality of a population that is getting more desperate by the day. The war continues in the shadow of Israel-Iran confrontation, with a glimmer of hope for fresh ceasefire negotiations. Netanyahu is set to visit the White House next week. Palestinians in Gaza show photos of Israeli children killed by Hamas on 7 October.

World’s Highest IQ Holder Publicly Professes Christian Faith, Citing Quantum Physics and the Mystery of Consciousness

ZENIT Staff

What makes Kim’s statement particularly compelling isn’t merely the boldness of his confession in an increasingly secularized intellectual climate. It’s the reasoning he offers: not in defiance of science, but through it—especially through the lens of quantum physics.

Vatican: A French bishop succeeds Cardinal O’Malley as head of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

ZENIT Staff

Archbishop Verny, 58, brings extensive pastoral and administrative experience to the role. Born in France, he served as Auxiliary Bishop of Paris before joining the Commission in 2022

Towards the Dalai Lama’s succession: Chinese communist government interference to decide a “reincarnation”

ZENIT Staff

On the eve of his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced that the Gaden Phodrang Trust will recognise his next reincarnation. Religious tradition will thus be respected while China will be excluded from any role. However, Beijing immediately responded by claiming control over the process. This heralds a future with two Dalai Lamas and a major legitimacy crisis that could turn into a wider geopolitical confrontation.

Municipal government buys house where Pope Leo XIV grew up: unanimous decision

Tim Daniels

The plan doesn’t end at real estate. Odelson says the village will establish a nonprofit to manage preservation efforts and launch a capital campaign to restore the house and surrounding area. “We’re not just buying a building,” he explained. “We’re creating a space that could become sacred to millions.”

What Science Says About Medjugorje: During the Apparitions There Is Energy Around The Visionaries

ZENIT Staff

Scientists affirm that during the ectasis of Medjugorje’s visionaries “there is enormous energy around them.”

8,583 Women Were Accompanied and Consoled by the Adoratrices, Handmaids of the Blessed Sacrament and Charity

ZENIT Staff

As the Sisters explain, beyond the numbers, there is a face cared for, and each process initiated with a woman is also a story of dignity, justice, and hope. All of this is carried out around their charism of Adoration and Liberation. This is the Adorers’ Social Work, together with the Foundations and Associations that are part of this great international network, has offered spaces of welcome, training, and advocacy to women in contexts of prostitution, trafficking, violence, social exclusion, gender-based violence, homelessness, or addiction.

Pope asks all Catholics to pray for this intention in July with unprecedented prayer

ZENIT Staff

In The Pope Video this month, Leo XIV reads an original prayer, asking the Holy Spirit for the grace to learn how to discern. In a world that is changing constantly, discernment is necessary more than ever to make the right decisions.