Most Popular News Within Last 30 Days

Conclave schedule, day 2 (May 8)

Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, has announced the following schedule for the conclave on Thursday, May 8, the conclave’s second day: 7:45 AM (Rome time):...

Cardinal Reina to replace Archbishop Paglia as John Paul II Institute chancellor

Pope Leo XIV has named Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the vicar general of the Rome diocese, to serve as grand chancellor of the Pontifical “John Paul II” Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences.

In that role, Cardinal Rein replaces Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, who at the age of 80 is retiring from the post. Archbishop Paglia had been among the most controversial prelates at the Vatican during the pontificate of Pope Francis, presiding over a radical restructuring of the Pontifical Council for Life, which turned its attention to broad social questions rather than the controversial issues of human life and human dignity for which it had been established.

Pope Leo XIV: the first American Pontiff!

Cardinal Robert Prevost, the American-born missionary who had served for years in Peru before being named prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, has been elected as Roman Pontiff, choosing the name...

Addressing cardinals, Pope Leo discusses choice of name, ‘fundamental points’ of Church’s path

In a May 10 address to the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV described the cardinals as his closest collaborators and invited them to offer “advice, suggestions, proposals” in the...

Wall Street Journal examines Vatican’s financial crisis

Noting that the Vatican’s budget deficit tripled under Pope Francis, The Wall Street Journal has published a lengthy article entitled “The Vatican Financial Mess Pope Francis Couldn’t Fix.”

“To understand the combination of deficit spending and mismanagement that is driving the Vatican into unsustainable debt, Wall Street Journal reporters met officials from the Vatican’s bank, pension fund and regulatory institutions and with cardinals attending this week’s conclave,” the newspaper reported. “Several met in secret, in locations arranged over Signal, citing an atmosphere of suspicion as the Vatican’s balance sheet deteriorates and blame circulates.”

Cardinals hear reports on Vatican’s financial situation, discuss polarization, synodality

On April 30, members of the College of Cardinals met in their seventh general congregation since Pope Francis’s death. 181 of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals—including 124 of...

The words of Pope Leo’s 1st Urbi et Orbi blessing

The Holy See Press Office has published an English translation of the words of Pope Leo XIV’s first blessing Urbi et Orbi (to the city and the world), delivered in Italian and Spanish (video).

“Peace be with you all! Dear brothers and sisters, this is the first greeting of the Risen Christ, the good shepherd who gave his life for God’s flock,” he began. “I too would like this greeting of peace to enter into your heart, to reach your families, all people, wherever they may be, all peoples, all the earth. Peace be with you!”

He concluded:

To all of you, brothers and sisters of Rome, of Italy, of all the world, we want to be a synodal Church, a Church on the move, a Church that always strives for peace, that always strives for charity, that always strives to be close, especially to those who suffer.

Today is the day of the Supplica to Our Lady of Pompeii. Our Mother Mary always wants to walk with us, to stay close, to help us with her intercession and her love.

So, I would like to pray with you. Let us pray together for this new mission, for all the Church, for peace in the world, and let us ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace. Hail Mary ...

Cardinals discuss continuance of Pope Francis’s initiatives

On May 3, members of the College of Cardinals met in their ninth general congregation since Pope Francis’s death. 177 of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals—including 127 of the...

Pope names personal secretary

Pope Leo has named a Peruvian priest, Father Rimaycuna Inga, to be his private secretary.

Father Inga is a native of Chiclayo, the diocese where Pope Leo served until 2023, when he was named prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. He studied under the future Pontiff at the seminary of St. Toribio de Mogrovejo, an institution named after the 16th-century Spanish priest who became Archbishop of Lima. Father Inga later continued his education in Rome and the Pontifical Biblical Institute.

In 2023, shortly after beginning his work at the Congregation for Bishops, then-Archbishop Prevost asked Father Lima to join him in Rome as his secretary—a role that he will now continue under Pope Leo.

Cardinals discuss evangelization, interfaith relations, abuse; new cardinal assistants chosen

On April 28, members of the College of Cardinals met in their fifth general congregation since Pope Francis’s death. Over 180 of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals were in attendance,...