Stories for week of March 29, 2026

Ordered from most to least recent.

Released Saturday, Apr. 4

 ‘Bring everyone the good news that Jesus is risen,’ Pope Leo preaches at Easter Vigil Mass
 ‘The Resurrection does not tell us to overlook evil,’ Jerusalem cardinal preaches at Easter Vigil
 Church desecrated in French small town
 Cardinal Woelki warns against Communion services, calls on priests to celebrate Mass daily
 Conversions surge in France
 Bishop Barron, Cardinal Dolan to speak at presidential event rededicating US to God
 Vittorio Messori, who interviewed St. John Paul and Cardinal Ratzinger, dies at 84
 Cuba pardons 2,010 prisoners for Holy Week
 Syro-Malabar apostolic visitor discusses mandate, challenges

Released Friday, Apr. 3

 Pope presides at Good Friday liturgy in St. Peter’s, Via Crucis at Colosseum
 On Good Friday, only 10 Franciscan friars traverse Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem
 Israeli president, Pope Leo discuss Iran war
 Pope Leo speaks with President Zelensky, expresses closeness to Ukrainian people
 Catholic pro-life prayer group attacked in Vermont
 Churches in Dubai closed until further notice
 Archbishop Broglio: It’s hard to believe Iran war is ‘sponsored by the Lord’
 Citing security concerns, Nigerian bishops reschedule Easter Vigil Masses
 French President Macron to meet with Pontiff
 Choose God’s ways, not the world’s, Holy Land custos writes in Easter message
 Archbishop Coakley calls for ardent prayer for end of Iran war
 USCCB backs Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act
 Nicaraguan regime again restricts Holy Week processions
 Pope, in video, prays for priests in crisis
 Cardinal Parolin welcomes formation of Italian Catholic healthcare consortium amid opposition
 Vatican issues Holy Thursday message to priests, deacons, and seminarians
 Cardinal Pizzaballa celebrates Holy Thursday Mass in Church of Holy Sepulchre, days after he was denied entry

Released Thursday, Apr. 2

 As Jesus washed our feet, let us serve others, Pope preaches at Holy Thursday evening Mass
 Syria’s churches scale back Easter celebrations after attack on Christian town
 Pope Leo, at Holy Thursday Chrism Mass, preaches on the Christian mission in ‘this dark hour of history’
 Hate crime reported at Queens parish
 Jerusalem bishop laments suffering in Gaza, plight of Christians in West Bank
 Cardinal Parolin: St. Francis offers a message of hope amid ‘worrying’ geopolitical situation
 Father Patton discusses his Via Crucis meditations, laments religious, secularist zealotry
 Easter a time of hope: messages from Canadian bishops
 Pope to wash feet of 12 priests
 Internal divisions within SNAP lead to formation of Abuse Survivors Coalition
 Pope taps outsider as Holy See’s new HR director
 Family members of Austrian school shooting victim meet with Pope

Released Wednesday, Apr. 1

 Pope, in audience on Vatican II, speaks about the dignity and mission of the laity
 Supreme Court strikes down Colorado conversion therapy ban
 White House responds to Pope Leo’s words on the prayers of those who wage war
 Prelate hails India’s new climate targets
 Islamist terrorists threaten religious freedom in DR Congo, commission warns
 Pope appeals to President Trump and world leaders: Find solutions to end war
 Vatican diplomat praises EU for response to Ukrainian refugees
 Vice President Vance writes book on his Christian faith, conversion to Catholicism
 Ukrainian Catholic leader marks 15th anniversary of enthronement
 Cardinal Reina expresses solidarity with the Iranian people, laments loss of innocent life
 Cardinal Sarah: The liturgy is not a place of battle
 Vatican cancels 2026 World Children’s Day
 Vatican official: Vocation ministry should focus on the interior life
 Pope Leo to carry cross during Good Friday Via Crucis; Holy Land friar writes meditations
 Pope’s April prayer intention: for priests in crisis

Released Tuesday, Mar. 31

 Cardinal Parolin, Israeli ambassador discuss incident at Church of the Holy Sepulchre
 Vatican newspaper laments massacre in Haiti
 USCCB publishes ‘The Two Feet of Love in Action’
 Archbishop Caccia criticizes UN declaration on slavery, defends papal record
 Pope encourages Illinois municipal leaders to serve others, listen to the poor
 Pope pays tribute to the Benedictine charism
 Young people are more than ‘cogs in the wheel of commercial success,’ Pope tells Italian foundation
 French bishops discuss traditional Latin Mass
 11 new members named to Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development
 Bishop Wilmer, Pope Leo discuss evangelization, Church in Germany
 Angelicum rector meets with Pontiff, renews commitment to Thomist tradition
 Church in the Holy Land confirms agreement with Israeli police permitting access to Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Released Monday, Mar. 30

 Pope Leo appoints new Sostituto and new Prefect of the Papal Household
 USCCB urges faithful to oppose Trump administration’s proposed regulations for federal funding recipients
 Archbishop Caccia condemns racism, warns against AI stereotypes
 Bishops ‘alarmed’ by EU’s approval of new deportation policies
 French bishops announce program for abuse victims
 Israel denies Cardinal Pizzaballa access to Church of the Holy Sepulchre, then backtracks
 Catholic population remains stable at 17.8% of world population; baptisms decline, number of priests rises
 13-year decline in worldwide priestly vocations accelerates

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Mon13 April
Easter

Monday of the Second Week of Easter; Opt Mem of St. Martin I, Pope and Martyr

Image for Monday of the Second Week of Easter; Opt Mem of St. Martin I, Pope and Martyr

Today is the Optional Memorial of St. Martin I (d. 655), who was pope from 649 to 654. He was a courageous defender of the faith against heresy. He held a council at Rome which condemned the Monothelite heresy which taught that Christ had no human but only a divine will and defended that Christ was true God…

Learn more about this day.

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