As the Church marks the 12th World Day of Prayer and Awareness against Human Trafficking, Pope Leo XIV renewed what he called the Church’s “urgent call” to end a crime that “gravely wounds human dignity” and undermines authentic peace. The annual day of prayer is observed on Feb. 8, the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, … Read more
St. Thorlak of Iceland Feast date: Dec 23 The Scandinavian island nation of Iceland celebrates its national patron, St. Thorlak Thorhallsson, on Dec. 23. Although Iceland’s national assembly declared him a saint in 1198, only five years after his death, this “unofficial” canonization did not become an official part of the Church’s liturgical calendar until … Read more
Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Feast date: Nov 21 The Feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated annually on November 21st, commemorates the presentation of the Blessed Virgin as a child by her parents in the Temple in Jerusalem. Before Mary’s birth, her parents received a heavenly message … Read more
Today is the Memorial of St. Paul Miki, a Japanese Jesuit, and his twenty-five companions (d. 1597), who were martyred in Nagasaki, Japan. They were the first martyrs of East Asia to be canonized. They were killed simultaneously by being raised on crosses and then stabbed with spears. Their executioners were astounded upon seeing their … Read more
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday called on Christians to remove prejudices and “disarm” their hearts in order to strengthen bonds of unity in Christ and advance the cause of Christian communion. The pope made the appeal while receiving priests and monks from the Oriental Orthodox Churches who are participating in a study visit to Rome … Read more
Community empowerment through sustainable farming drives Sr. Josephine Kwenga’s work to help farmers in Kenyan villages develop viable farming practices in order to bring new life to families and the Church’s mission of care for creation. Read all
St. Chaeromon Feast date: Dec 22 Not much is known about the life of St. Chaeromon except that he was a bishop of Nilopolis in Egypt who was already advanced in age when Emperor Trajanus Decius began the intense persecution of Christians. Chaeromon and his companions fled to Arabia, and are believed to have been … Read more
A Haitian Catholic chaplain serving in the U.S. said he and fellow Haitian Catholics are welcoming a last-minute reprieve from threats of deportation — but its members are still weighing options as the Trump administration cracks down on immigration, while Haiti continues to spiral into chaos.
The Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Agatha (d. 250), who died in defense of her purity, in Catania, Sicily. After Quintanus, the governor of Sicily, tried in vain to force her to consent to sin, she was imprisoned for a month with an evil woman. He then turned from sensuality to cruelty and had … Read more