God’s Answer to the Pain of Adolescence...
“I wouldn’t go through that again for anything,” said a friend a few stools down at our local place. She and the bartender had been discussing their teenage years. They’d grown up in the same town about 10 years apart, one in a difficult situation, the other a star athlete, but they both had stories. “Yes,” I answered my friend. I hadn’t thought about my teenage years in a long time, but once I did...
What I Discovered When 10 Nuns Came Over for Dinner...
How many new priests are there in Europe?
How many new Catholic priests will be ordained in Europe in 2025? It’s a simple question, but difficult to answer, given the continent consists of more than 40 nations, with varying attitudes to record-keeping. Does the answer matter? Yes, because it would be one way of taking the spiritual temperature of Europe, which remains the geographical center of the Catholic Church, despite long ceasing to be its demographic center.
We Are Improbable, But Here We Are...
Quiet high schooler paints portraits of entire class to reconnect before graduating...
Next year is the 250th birthday of the US — and “We, the People” need to get our act together...
In the twelve months leading up to next year’s American semiquincentennial, the tale will frequently be told of Benjamin Franklin’s encounter with Philadelphia matron Elizabeth Willing Powel, who asked, as Franklin left the Constitutional Convention: “Well, Doctor, what have we got — a republic or a monarchy?” To which the 81-year-old sage replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” That caveat remains as true today as when Franklin engraved it in the national memory on September 17, 1787.
St. Otto, Whose Feast Day Is July 2, United the Fractured Faith of a Fractured Europe...
St. Otto of Bamberg, whose feast is observed July 2 in the United States, is also honored in a special way on two local calendars in Europe: June 30 in Germany and July 1 in some dioceses of northwestern Poland. Historically, Germany and Poland have not been the best of friends, so how is it that St. Otto features on both their calendars? Two big reasons: the investiture controversy in what is now Germany and conversions in today’s Poland.
Pope Accepts Resignation of Archbishop Rodi, Names St. Louis Auxiliary as Successor...
Jeopardy! contestant wins thanks to wildest Final Jeopardy coincidence...
Solidarity: The Path Between Nationalism and Globalism...
We are one human family, yet we are born as members of a particular nation. Christians are reborn as members of Christ’s Mystical Body that unites believers worldwide. Given these bonds, we might wonder if it’s always better for nations to cooperate more closely to reflect global unity. At first glance, the answer could come back, “Of course, why not?” Indeed, the Church’s mission does promote greater unity...
What we learned about Pope Leo through the Knights of Malta...
Pope Leo offered a striking message to the Knights of Malta on the Solemnity of Saint John the Baptist, who is the Order’s patron. The Pope expressed what is already becoming a hallmark of his pontificate, that is, an emphasis on the central and foundational duty of the followers of Christ to proclaim the Gospel. Thus Pope Leo continued to stress the primary obligation of the Christian, which is the obedience of faith to Jesus Christ.
Harvest Time: A Reflection on the Upcoming 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time...
Jesus has a vision in this week’s Gospel: Satan falling like lightning from the sky, the enemy vanquished by the missionary preaching of His Church. Sent out by Jesus to begin gathering the nations into the harvest of divine judgment (see Isaiah 27:12–13; Joel 4:13), the seventy are a sign of the continuing mission of the Church. Carrying out the work of the seventy, the Church proclaims the coming of God’s kingdom. She offers His blessings of peace and mercy to every household on earth...
The Nazis who wouldn't tell the truth about themselves...
Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus for Sts. Peter and Paul: ‘May Unity Be Forged in Witness and Forgiveness’...
Homily on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul (June 29, 2025)...
The Immaculate Heart of Mary Treasures the Mysteries of Christ...
Real Men, Public Education, and Choice Words...
Mahmoud v. Taylor: Supreme Court Rules 6-3 in Favor of Parents in LGBT Curriculum ...
Detroit Lions’ Sam LaPorta, Wife Callahan Blessed By Pope Leo XIV at Vatican...
Pope Leo XIV Urges Law Enforcement to Target Drug Traffickers, Not Addicts...
How One American Parish Put the Catechism Online — and Caught the Vatican’s Eye...
Sharks freeze when you turn them upside down — and scientists have found no good reason why...
San Diego bishops and clergy showed up in immigration court — and made an impact...
Justice Department Sues Washington State Over Law Forcing Priests to Break Confession Seal...
Really? Screen addictions matter, not screen time...
Euthanasia Facility Quietly Opens at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver...
How to Meditate on the Fifth Luminous Mystery, the Institution of the Holy Eucharist...
Vatican Spokesman Downplays Leaked Documents on Traditional Latin Mass...
Canonical Trial Advances for Rupnik as Vatican Appoints External Judges...
Message for the 10th World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation (July 2, 2025)...
Dear Brothers and Sisters! The theme of this World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, chosen by our beloved Pope Francis, is “Seeds of Peace and Hope”. On the tenth anniversary of the establishment of this Day of Prayer, which coincided with the publication of the EncyclicalLaudato Si’, we find ourselves celebrating the present Jubilee as“Pilgrims of Hope.”This year’s theme thus appears most timely...
Killed for Being Christian: The Personal Stories of All 22 Catholic Ugandan Martyrs...
The Tomb of St. Peter Explained...
‘Never Despair of God’s Mercy’: A Rule for Families, Not Just Monks...
Home is our workshop of life, and we are artisans. We discover, pattern and forge–for spouses, friends, children and others–the key features of a human life. In an unforgettable line, St. Benedict enunciates a key to the whole project: “Never despair of God’s mercy.” In his Rule, one of the most influential documents ever written, St. Benedict offers in the fourth chapter a lengthy list...
Saints and popes have lauded the benefits of trade. So where do tariffs fit in?
Obergefell Must Go...
Last week marked ten years since the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges—the case that invalidated state laws defining marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife and required states to issue marriage licenses to same-sex partners. The decision had a stunning impact on American public opinion. Same-sex marriage, once rejected by a solid majority of Americans, became acceptable, for a while at least...
The Blood-Curdling Permian Monsters That Ruled the Earth Before Dinosaurs...
Woman Attacks Toddler With Pepper Spray During Mass in Brazil...
What Should a Good Homily Look Like?
In his 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium (EG), Pope Francis bewailed the fact that both priests and laypeople “suffer because of homilies: the laity from having to listen to them and the clergy from having to preach them!” (135). The Holy Father went on to characterize this situation as “sad,” noting that the homily “can actually be an intense and happy experience of the Spirit, a consoling encounter with God’s word, a constant source of renewal and growth” (ibid.). This raises the question of what a good homily ought to look like...
Deacons play a special role in the new evangelization of marriage...
A Handful of Heretics: How Arius and Others Besmirched the Church’s Glory...
Strengthening the Seal: Yet Another Diocese Returns Confirmation to Younger Children, Where It Belongs...
There is a distinctive pause the moment a parent witnesses their child's Baptism. This momentary pause of pure awe and wonder is quite natural because it reveals the intimate love a parent has for their child. It expresses a desire for their child to receive everything necessary to strengthen the awe and wonder that are witnessed by both parents, the child, and the community...
Voyage teams up with the U.S. Army to honor 250 years of chaplains...
When the Continental Congress appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, Washington made it a priority to ensure his troops had access to religious chaplains. The Chaplain Corps was approved by the Continental Congress on July 29, 1775, and this year marks the 250th anniversary of that founding...
God Consecrated Rome’s First Fruits in the Blood of the Martyrs...
5 Ways the 2025 Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul Speaks to US Catholics...
The Solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul — the princes of the apostles and the patrons of the city of Rome — will take on a special character this year, especially for American Catholics.The feast falls on Sunday, so while it is always observed with a papal Mass in Rome, every parish will also keep the feast, as it outranks a Sunday in Ordinary Time. In fact, it caps off four consecutive Sunday “solemnities” this June: Pentecost, Most Holy Trinity, Corpus Christi and Peter and Paul.
Pope to Ukrainian Greek Catholics: 'Your Faith Is Being Put to the Test’...
How Do Clouds Get Their Shapes?
Bringing the Fire of the Sacred Heart Everywhere...
This Sunday, Sts. Peter and Paul Point to Pope Leo and You...
“Never Have I Seen a Case so Heartbreaking”: Canonical Case to Begin for Candy Crush Priest...
7 Catholic Devotions to Change Your Week — and Your Life...
At General Audience, Pope Leo XIV Laments ‘Fatigue of Living’ Afflicting Modern Society...
On Flannery O’Connor’s Centenary...
Pope Leo and Libero Milone: Will anything change in the ‘other’ Vatican financial trial?
Church Leaders React to Deadly Attack on Mar Elias Church in Damascus...
The Gray Lady is puzzled about Amy Coney Barrett...
The Catholic Who Told the Unitarian She Had Nothing to Offer...
National Eucharistic Pilgrimage Concludes With Corpus Christi Mass in Los Angeles...
Do Not Underestimate the Gift of Prayer...
The New York Times Makes a Mess of Alasdair MacIntyre...
A Close Look at Iran Through the Lens of Catholic Just War Theory...
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The Complete List of Popes
- St. Peter (32-67)
- St. Linus (67-76)
- St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)
- St. Clement I (88-97)
- St. Evaristus (97-105)
- St. Alexander I (105-115)
- St. Sixtus I (115-125)
- St. Telesphorus (125-136)
- St. Hyginus (136-140)
- St. Pius I (140-155)
- St. Anicetus (155-166)
- St. Soter (166-175)
- St. Eleutherius (175-189)
- St. Victor I (189-199)
- St. Zephyrinus (199-217)
- St. Callistus I (217-22)
- St. Urban I (222-30)
- St. Pontian (230-35)
- St. Anterus (235-36)
- St. Fabian (236-50)
- St. Cornelius (251-53)
- St. Lucius I (253-54)
- St. Stephen I (254-257)
- St. Sixtus II (257-258)
- St. Dionysius (260-268)
- St. Felix I (269-274)
- St. Eutychian (275-283)
- St. Caius (283-296)
- St. Marcellinus (296-304)
- St. Marcellus I (308-309)
- St. Eusebius (309 or 310)
- St. Miltiades (311-14)
- St. Sylvester I (314-35)
- St. Marcus (336)
- St. Julius I (337-52)
- Liberius (352-66)
- St. Damasus I (366-84)
- St. Siricius (384-99)
- St. Anastasius I (399-401)
- St. Innocent I (401-17)
- St. Zosimus (417-18)
- St. Boniface I (418-22)
- St. Celestine I (422-32)
- St. Sixtus III (432-40)
- St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61)
- St. Hilarius (461-68)
- St. Simplicius (468-83)
- St. Felix III (II) (483-92)
- St. Gelasius I (492-96)
- Anastasius II (496-98)
- St. Symmachus (498-514)
- St. Hormisdas (514-23)
- St. John I (523-26)
- St. Felix IV (III) (526-30)
- Boniface II (530-32)
- John II (533-35)
- St. Agapetus I (535-36)
- St. Silverius (536-37)
- Vigilius (537-55)
- Pelagius I (556-61)
- John III (561-74)
- Benedict I (575-79)
- Pelagius II (579-90)
- St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604)
- Sabinian (604-606)
- Boniface III (607)
- St. Boniface IV (608-15)
- St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18)
- Boniface V (619-25)
- Honorius I (625-38)
- Severinus (640)
- John IV (640-42)
- Theodore I (642-49)
- St. Martin I (649-55)
- St. Eugene I (655-57)
- St. Vitalian (657-72)
- Adeodatus (II) (672-76)
- Donus (676-78)
- St. Agatho (678-81)
- St. Leo II (682-83)
- St. Benedict II (684-85)
- John V (685-86)
- Conon (686-87)
- St. Sergius I (687-701)
- John VI (701-05)
- John VII (705-07)
- Sisinnius (708)
- Constantine (708-15)
- St. Gregory II (715-31)
- St. Gregory III (731-41)
- St. Zachary (741-52)
- Stephen II (III) (752-57)
- St. Paul I (757-67)
- Stephen III (IV) (767-72)
- Adrian I (772-95)
- St. Leo III (795-816)
- Stephen IV (V) (816-17)
- St. Paschal I (817-24)
- Eugene II (824-27)
- Valentine (827)
- Gregory IV (827-44)
- Sergius II (844-47)
- St. Leo IV (847-55)
- Benedict III (855-58)
- St. Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67)
- Adrian II (867-72)
- John VIII (872-82)
- Marinus I (882-84)
- St. Adrian III (884-85)
- Stephen V (VI) (885-91)
- Formosus (891-96)
- Boniface VI (896)
- Stephen VI (VII) (896-97)
- Romanus (897)
- Theodore II (897)
- John IX (898-900)
- Benedict IV (900-03)
- Leo V (903)
- Sergius III (904-11)
- Anastasius III (911-13)
- Lando (913-14)
- John X (914-28)
- Leo VI (928)
- Stephen VIII (929-31)
- John XI (931-35)
- Leo VII (936-39)
- Stephen IX (939-42)
- Marinus II (942-46)
- Agapetus II (946-55)
- John XII (955-63)
- Leo VIII (963-64)
- Benedict V (964)
- John XIII (965-72)
- Benedict VI (973-74)
- Benedict VII (974-83)
- John XIV (983-84)
- John XV (985-96)
- Gregory V (996-99)
- Sylvester II (999-1003)
- John XVII (1003)
- John XVIII (1003-09)
- Sergius IV (1009-12)
- Benedict VIII (1012-24)
- John XIX (1024-32)
- Benedict IX (1032-45)
- Sylvester III (1045)
- Benedict IX (1045)
- Gregory VI (1045-46)
- Clement II (1046-47)
- Benedict IX (1047-48)
- Damasus II (1048)
- St. Leo IX (1049-54)
- Victor II (1055-57)
- Stephen X (1057-58)
- Nicholas II (1058-61)
- Alexander II (1061-73)
- St. Gregory VII (1073-85)
- Blessed Victor III (1086-87)
- Blessed Urban II (1088-99)
- Paschal II (1099-1118)
- Gelasius II (1118-19)
- Callistus II (1119-24)
- Honorius II (1124-30)
- Innocent II (1130-43)
- Celestine II (1143-44)
- Lucius II (1144-45)
- Blessed Eugene III (1145-53)
- Anastasius IV (1153-54)
- Adrian IV (1154-59)
- Alexander III (1159-81)
- Lucius III (1181-85)
- Urban III (1185-87)
- Gregory VIII (1187)
- Clement III (1187-91)
- Celestine III (1191-98)
- Innocent III (1198-1216)
- Honorius III (1216-27)
- Gregory IX (1227-41)
- Celestine IV (1241)
- Innocent IV (1243-54)
- Alexander IV (1254-61)
- Urban IV (1261-64)
- Clement IV (1265-68)
- Blessed Gregory X (1271-76)
- Blessed Innocent V (1276)
- Adrian V (1276)
- John XXI (1276-77)
- Nicholas III (1277-80)
- Martin IV (1281-85)
- Honorius IV (1285-87)
- Nicholas IV (1288-92)
- St. Celestine V (1294)
- Boniface VIII (1294-1303)
- Blessed Benedict XI (1303-04)
- Clement V (1305-14)
- John XXII (1316-34)
- Benedict XII (1334-42)
- Clement VI (1342-52)
- Innocent VI (1352-62)
- Blessed Urban V (1362-70)
- Gregory XI (1370-78)
- Urban VI (1378-89)
- Boniface IX (1389-1404)
- Innocent VII (1404-06)
- Gregory XII (1406-15)
- Martin V (1417-31)
- Eugene IV (1431-47)
- Nicholas V (1447-55)
- Callistus III (1455-58)
- Pius II (1458-64)
- Paul II (1464-71)
- Sixtus IV (1471-84)
- Innocent VIII (1484-92)
- Alexander VI (1492-1503)
- Pius III (1503)
- Julius II (1503-13)
- Leo X (1513-21)
- Adrian VI (1522-23)
- Clement VII (1523-34)
- Paul III (1534-49)
- Julius III (1550-55)
- Marcellus II (1555)
- Paul IV (1555-59)
- Pius IV (1559-65)
- St. Pius V (1566-72)
- Gregory XIII (1572-85)
- Sixtus V (1585-90)
- Urban VII (1590)
- Gregory XIV (1590-91)
- Innocent IX (1591)
- Clement VIII (1592-1605)
- Leo XI (1605)
- Paul V (1605-21)
- Gregory XV (1621-23)
- Urban VIII (1623-44)
- Innocent X (1644-55)
- Alexander VII (1655-67)
- Clement IX (1667-69)
- Clement X (1670-76)
- Blessed Innocent XI (1676-89)
- Alexander VIII (1689-91)
- Innocent XII (1691-1700)
- Clement XI (1700-21)
- Innocent XIII (1721-24)
- Benedict XIII (1724-30)
- Clement XII (1730-40)
- Benedict XIV (1740-58)
- Clement XIII (1758-69)
- Clement XIV (1769-74)
- Pius VI (1775-99)
- Pius VII (1800-23)
- Leo XII (1823-29)
- Pius VIII (1829-30)
- Gregory XVI (1831-46)
- Blessed Pius IX (1846-78)
- Leo XIII (1878-1903)
- St. Pius X (1903-14)
- Benedict XV (1914-22)
- Pius XI (1922-39)
- Pius XII (1939-58)
- St. John XXIII (1958-63)
- St. Paul VI (1963-78)
- John Paul I (1978)
- St. John Paul II (1978-2005)
- Benedict XVI (2005-2013)
- Francis (2013-2025)
- Leo XIV (2025—)
