This Sunday, We the Sheep Wait for the One We Know...
Sheep in Christ’s day were often kept together with those belonging to others in a common pen. Jesus describes how each shepherd would gather his sheep: “The sheep hear his voice, as the shepherd calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” All the shepherd needs to do is stand at the gate and call out the names of his sheep. They know his voice and their names, so they separate themselves from the others and follow him, eager for food.
Pope Leo XIV Departs Africa, Returns to Rome After 11-Day Papal Trip...
‘Ecclesiacide,’ Then and Now...
Pardon the Latin-rooted neologism, but if “patricide” works for murdering your father and “regicide” for taking out a king, why not “ecclesiacide” for trying to kill an entire Church? That’s what happened some eighty years ago, on March 8-10, 1946, at St. George’s Cathedral in L’viv, Ukraine. There, what was alleged to be a church council...
The Parish That Prefers Death to New Life...
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA’s wide-field successor to Hubble, is finally complete...
Pope Leo XIV Visits Equatorial Guinea as African Trip Draws to a Close...
What the World Missed When the Pope Returned to St. Augustine’s Homeland Last Week...
On April 14, Pope Leo XIV stood in Annaba, in the shadow of the Basilica of St. Augustine, on ground that has carried the memory of one of the Church’s greatest voices for more than 15 centuries. And for a moment, the noise of the week fell away. It should have been one of the defining images of these days: an Augustinian Pope returning to Hippo...
Vatican Diary: Reflections on ‘America Week’ at the Vatican...
Last week was “America Week” at the Vatican. That’s the unofficial name for the second week after Easter, when bishops and laity from the U.S. flock to Rome for a series of events culminating in the Rector’s Dinner, a fundraiser at the Pontifical North American College (PNAC), the U.S. bishops’ seminary on the Janiculum Hill.
Christ Is Not ‘a Guru or a Good Luck Charm,’ Pope Says at Mass in Angola...
This Sunday, Jesus, the ‘Undercover Boss,’ Is Seeking You Out, Too...
Danish Courtesy, Agreeing to Disagree, and the Soccer Super Bowl...
King Arthur in the Lives of the Saints...
The literature of King Arthur exerts a powerful gravitational pull, drawing in history, lore, legend, fiction, poetry, folktale, art, and even faith. The New Arthurian Encyclopedia, a catalog of all things Arthur, is roughly the size of a phonebook, and until you’ve dug past the first layer...
Pope Leo XIV Lands in Angola for Third Leg of His Apostolic Journey...
A Dispatch from Inside the Vatican Bubble During a Remarkable Exchange Between Pope and President...
Your Tribe Is Not Your Magisterium...
We are all biased in some ways. I am biased toward the state of Texas but against Communism. I will argue for the merits of bourbon, books, and Jesus. I dislike beets, cheap yard equipment, and fire ants. It is natural to have preferences, instincts, and convictions — these are part of being a particular person in a particular place.
Blessed Peter, Paul III, and Everything Else...
Last week, you’ll recall, a whole fracas emerged in the media about whether Cardinal Christophe Pierre had received some penumbra of a threat from U.S. Pentagon officials who were said to have made reference in the nuncio’s presence to the “Avignon papacy.” If such reference occurred, reporting suggested, it could have been taken as a veiled suggestion that the U.S. would act coercively against the Holy See or the Roman Pontiff.
New genetic study suggests Christopher Columbus came from Spanish nobility...
Apostolic Journey to Africa, Day 3: Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Cameroon ...
Pope Leo XIV in Algeria: ‘I Am Here Among You As a Pilgrim of Peace’...
Here’s a Ranking of the World’s 21 Deadliest Animals...
Pope Leo XIV Aboard Papal Flight to Algeria: ‘I Have No Fear of the Trump Administration’...
US-Iran Talks Collapse as Vance Cites Nuclear Impasse and Pope Leo XIV Calls for Peace...
Harvard Social Scientist Arthur Brooks: ‘The World Needs American Catholicism’...
Living Well, Listening to Leo, and Living with the Dead...
His Mercy Endures: A Reflection on Divine Mercy Sunday...
Entertaining Angels in Transit...
Pope Leo XIV Welcomes Ceasefire in Iran as ‘Sign of Living Hope’...
The Lesson of Emmaus: Hospitality Is a Duty...
Archdiocese of Atlanta Makes Bid to Host 2030 World Youth Day...
How Catholic Underground’s Eucharistic Adoration Draws Hundreds to Manhattan Church...
This Sunday, Christ Rose and Will Convince the World, If We Tell Them...
Motivation, a Question of Time, and Shaking Hands...
I have been thinking a lot about the spirituality of futility this week. As a man of a certain age, with a child a much lesser certain age, I necessarily want two things: to give her the kind of joyful early childhood that will cast a happy shadow the length of her life, and to live to see as much of that life as I can.
Fernando Mendoza’s Catholic Playbook: Pro Tips From Las Vegas Faithful for the Raiders’ New QB...
When the Las Vegas Raiders selected former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the No. 1 overall pick, they secured more than a Heisman Trophy winner and national champion. They drafted a player whose rise has been shaped as much by public witness as by on-field excellence.
Did you know St. George’s Day (which is today) was once celebrated like Christmas?
Arthur Brooks on How to Find Meaning (and Happiness) in an Age of Emptiness...
Arthur Brooks, author, popular speaker, podcast host and Harvard professor, who is also a devout Catholic, has built a successful career on what he calls the “science of happiness.” He writes in his latest book, The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness, that in 2019, at the age of 55...
Eager (Not Too Eager) for Friendship...
It is a hard reality that in the very things most important to us we make missteps, sometimes precisely because they are so important to us. Friendship is a standout example. An insight from a master of friendship can help us make our eagerness for friendship an asset rather than a liability.
What’s so amazing about retractable pens? Let’s get into it...
Gen Z Catholics and the Growing Divide Over Israel...
Pope Leo XIV Arrives in Catholic-Majority Equatorial Guinea — Day 9 of His Visit to Africa...
IDF Confirms Viral Photo of Israeli Soldier Smashing Crucifix in Lebanon Is Genuine, Vows Action...
Pope Leo XIV in Angola: ‘Build the Hope of the Future’...
Old Lines, New Thoughts: Writing Out a Gospel by Hand...
Because my Lent took a nosedive about two-thirds of the way through, I am still immersed in a project I undertook in order to get my spiritual groove back: Writing out the Gospel of Mark, in longhand. It has been a very interesting, instructive and spiritual enlivening experience and I recommend the practice to anyone...
10 Important Mountains in the Bible...
The Scriptures depict mountains as one of God’s favorite places for meeting with His children. Jesus Himself frequently retreated into the mountains when He needed time alone with the Father. And He delivered His most famous sermon on a mountain. With that in mind, here are ten of the most significant mountains that appear in the Bible.
The Dilemma of Teaching Religion...
G.K. Chesterton once remarked that “One of the chief uses of religion is that it makes us remember our coming from darkness, the simple fact that we are created.” Chesterton’s description of religion reflects the frustration I received from a parent some time ago, who asked me what the purpose of teaching religion is. The context of the question was about his son’s religion classes at school...
How to Avoid Another Blowup at Notre Dame...
A Pause, a Peace, and a ‘Cup of Poison’: How Wars End in Iran...
Would You Pass the Royals’ Cleaning Test? Check Out What They Make Prospective Hires Do...
The One Regret I Didn’t Know I Had...
Global Sound Map Lets You Hear the World in 8,000 Places...
Trump Post of Himself as ‘Jesus’ Includes Strange Horned Creature Not in Original...
Divine Mercy Sunday Reminds Us That, Without Jesus, Humans Are Bound for Hell...
Why Not Cover Church-State Wars in Finland?
Artemis II, Carroll Wiseman and the Catholic Connection...
Pope’s Cameroon Visit Puts Archbishop Nkea in the Spotlight...
When will Pope Leo come home to the United States?
Artemis II: A Time to Look to the Heavens...
I can’t read John Chapter 20 without cracking a smile...
Pope Leo XIV Denounces Trump ‘Whole Civilization Will Die’ Threat Against Iran...
Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi: Pope Leo Urges World Leaders to Lay Down Weapons...
Pope Leo XIV Carries Cross for Via Crucis at Colosseum in Rome...
Facing Away, Franciscan Horseshoe Theory, and a Moon, If You Can Keep It...
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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—)