Religion Still Shapes Europe’s Economy, Education and Social Values

Controversy in the U.S. Over a Video of Trump Praying with American Bishops at the White House

ZENIT Staff

Prayer for public officials is firmly rooted in Christian tradition, and the Denver archdiocese was careful to distinguish the spiritual act from political endorsement. Respect for the presidency, it said, did not imply support for any particular candidate or party. Golka subsequently expressed hope that the encounter would encourage further dialogue on the sanctity of human life and the God-given dignity of every person

Pope Leo XIV will not participate in the anniversary of St. John Paul II’s historic World Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi

ZENIT Staff

The Vatican’s decision does not suggest a setback in his recovery: reflects the prudence required after major surgery, even when clinical results are encouraging. The Pope had been expected to attend the gathering entitled “Disarmed and Disarming Peace,” which will bring together Christian leaders, representatives of other religious traditions and invited guests in the Umbrian town.

This is what the Vatican’s new document on the transmission of the faith is like (and this is what it says)

ZENIT Staff

The document was commissioned under Pope Francis and approved for publication by Pope Leo XIV on August 21. Signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the dicastery, and Archbishop Armando Matteo, its doctrinal secretary, it draws on contributions from bishops’ conferences around the world, with the participation of approximately 70% of them, according to one account. Its concluding chapter includes 13 anonymous testimonies of conversion gathered across five continents.

Mexico and Brazil: Surge in Attendance at Shrines of Our Lady of Aparecida and Our Lady of Zapopan

ZENIT Staff

The image of Our Lady of Zapopan in Guadalajara, Mexico, drew one million people, during the traditional Romería (pilgrimage) in honor of the Blessed Virgin on October 12. This date marked the conclusion of what is popularly known as the «Bringing of the Virgin» (Llevada de la Virgen) to the Basilica, with a Mass celebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico, Monsignor Joseph Spiteri.

The Nuns Who Were Kidnapped… and Evangelized Their Captors

Alma Recinas

On the centenary of DOMUND (World Mission Sunday), the story of these missionaries serves as a reminder that a century of missionary zeal translates into thousands of lives dedicated to the service of the Gospel. «One in Christ, United in Mission» is not merely a motto, but an invitation to discover that evangelization begins when the love of Christ becomes visible in our actions, even toward those who cause us harm.

The King of England bestows an honor that Leo XIV accepts: a title associated with Windsor Castle

ZENIT Staff

The appointment came exactly one year after Charles III and Queen Camilla’s historic state visit to the Vatican on October 23, 2025, when the royal couple met Leo XIV and visited several important religious sites, including the Sistine Chapel and the Pauline Chapel

New scientific study reveals that the happiest people are those who pray and attend Mass

Jorge Enrique Mújica

The study, titled “Influence of Catholic Religious Practices on Spiritual Well-Being,” was conducted by Cecilia Salgado Lévano of Marcelino Champagnat University and Eduardo Manzanares Medina of the Peruvian University of Applied Sciences, both based in Lima. Their research examined four practices central to Catholic life: personal prayer, the recitation of prayers, attendance at Mass and participation in Eucharistic adoration.

The Archdiocese of Chicago and Cardinal Cupich are facing new controversy over an award given to a donor who funded access to abortion

Tim Daniels

Sacks, chairman and chief executive of investment firm GCM Grosvenor, was identified in a September 29 report by Crain’s Chicago Business as a donor to efforts to strengthen Illinois’ abortion-access infrastructure and offset federal funding cuts affecting reproductive health services. Initiatives associated with this effort have supported organizations including Planned Parenthood of Illinois and the Chicago Abortion Fund

The crisis of meaning: a key factor in conversion among men, according to a Finnish study

Joachin Meisner Hertz

The digital world also played a part. Forty percent of participants said public discussions of Christianity or religious content on social media had contributed to their interest. Podcasts, online sermons and videos offered accessible ways to explore questions that might not arise in their immediate social circles

Race for UN Sec Gen Stymied

Stefano Gennarini

In the latest poll of the UN Security Council, the Permanent Members indicated their displeasure with the leading candidates for UN Secretary General. The three leading candidates, Rebeca Grynspan, Rafael Grossi, and Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, each received at least two “discourage” votes

The number of priests killed in Russia’s war against Ukraine is rising

Joachin Meisner Hertz

The human cost of the conflict was also at the center of a meeting at the Vatican on October 23, when Pope Leo XIV received Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The encounter brought together two urgent concerns: the fate of Ukrainians held captive by Russia and the worsening humanitarian pressures facing a country preparing for another harsh winter

Religion Still Shapes Europe’s Economy, Education and Social Values Despite Secularisation, according to a study

Elizabeth Owens

The study, “Religion and Economic Growth: What We Know and Why It Matters”, brings together evidence from different periods and regions to examine how faith influences prosperity. Its authors include Sascha Becker, an economics professor at the University of Warwick, Jared Rubin of Chapman University and Ludger Woessmann of the University of Munich

Fidelity to the Magisterium: The Words of Leo XIV to the Jesuits and Students at His Roman School of Canon Law

ZENIT Staff

The Pope’s Address to Participants in the International Congress Marking the 150th Anniversary of the Faculty of Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University

Questions about liturgy: Which Way the Celebrant Should Face

Fr. Edward McNamara

Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.

The UN & Abortion for Kids

ZENIT Staff

The General Comment was circulated in draft form last year and immediately faced pushback from the government of Argentina and the Holy See for including a right to “effective access to safe abortion services for adolescent girls.”

Trump Signs Law Giving Catholic Priests and Other Clergy a Second Chance at Social Security

ZENIT Staff

The measure, H.R. 227, creates a two-year window during which eligible clergy can elect to resume paying Social Security and Medicare taxes on their ministerial earnings. The opportunity applies to tax years 2029 and 2030. Rejoining the system will not automatically guarantee benefits: priests, pastors and other religious workers must still satisfy the ordinary contribution requirements