What happened to St. Maximilian Kolbe’s beard?

UN finds increase in migrant deaths on 2 routes in early 2026 amid Vatican concerns

The U.N. found an increase in migrant deaths from drowning incidents in the Mediterranean Sea, an issue about which Pope Leo XIV has expressed serious concerns.

Pew report finds most American Catholics favor death penalty for those convicted of murder

The research showed that support for the death penalty among U.S. adults is 6 percentage points higher than it was in April 2021.

Fact check: Has Finland’s first Catholic school opened?

Bishop Raimo Goyarrola of Helsinki told EWTN News that the school will not open this August as planned and that the project has been pushed back to 2027.

What happened to St. Maximilian Kolbe’s beard? The answer may surprise you

The last image taken of the saint before his final arrest was notable for what it didn’t show — his signature long beard.

Medicaid formally ends funds for ‘sex-rejecting procedures’ for minors with final rule

The development formalizes a policy of the Trump administration. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged government action in this area.

Texas court orders hospitals to provide lifesaving care to baby at center of surrogacy dispute

A Texas district court ruled that UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Medical Center of Dallas were obligated to care for Gabriel, a baby due to be born to surrogate mother McKenna West.

Haiti bishop says gangs target Church as violence shuts parishes, schools

The Church is “the last remaining bulkhead — moral, ethical, spiritual, and prophetic,” Bishop Joseph Gontrand Décoste said. “That is why they want to eliminate us.”

Peru seeks to turn Pope Leo’s legacy into an international pilgrimage destination

Pope Leo’s XIV’s upcoming visit to Peru can serve as a launchpad for turning the country into a regular destination for pilgrims, benefiting the local economy.