What if you funneled Niagara Falls through a straw?
‘Starry Night’ and Van Gogh’s Haunting of Faith...
What Does the Bible Say About Hope in Hard Times?
Sacred Scripture is filled with wisdom and consolation for people going through hard times. Without downplaying the difficulties of life, the Bible offers a resounding message of hope with its “Good News” about a God who enters into our suffering and transforms it from within. Even in our darkest moments, the Scriptures assure us that our present sufferings are only a passing thing, and that God is always close to us.
Spotlight on Catholics: Nearly Half of US Adults Maintain a Connection to the Faith...
Despite declining religious observance across many corners of American life, Catholicism remains a deeply rooted part of the national fabric. Nearly half of all U.S. adults — 47% — maintain some connection to the Catholic faith, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center. The 94-page report, featuring 1,787 self-identified American Catholics, revealed a complex and diverse picture of Catholic identity in the United States.
Exploring the cosmos fills us with wonder, Pope tells Vatican Observatory gathering...
Church Marks 350th Anniversary of St. Margaret Mary’s Great Apparition of the Sacred Heart...
Those devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus have been looking forward to this June 16 for a long time. That’s because it is the 350th anniversary of the most significant of Jesus’ apparitions to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, in which he revealed to her the mysteries of his heart and requested the inauguration of what would become the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Pope Leo XIV: ‘The Gravest Form of Poverty Is Not to Know God’...
This Sunday, the Trinity Reveals the Meaning of Life, the Universe and Everything...
This Sunday, Trinity Sunday (Year C), is an opportunity, after the long slog of Lent and Easter, to arrive at last back at the familiar territory of Ordinary Time and remember who we are by marveling at who God is and what he has made for us. Here are five takeaways from Sunday Readings columns at this site and the Extraordinary Story podcast.
Trio of Priests: Maryland Family to Welcome Third Ordination...
Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati to Be Canonized Together on Sept. 7, Vatican Announces...
The Lessons of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicea...
Pope Leo, Indian Bishops Mourn Crash of London-Bound Air India Flight That Killed More Than 240...
Pope Leo XIV Gives First Indication of How He Might Change ‘Synodality’...
He has only been in office for a month, but every word and action of Pope Leo XIV has been analyzed extensively by the media trying to determine the mentality of the new pontiff, elected on May 8, just a few weeks after Pope Francis died on April 21. Most of what Leo has done was already prepared for his predecessor, including the men he has appointed bishops...
What Dorothy Day and G.K. Chesterton Teach Us About Gratitude...
Her world ended in the 10 days she was in the hospital with her newborn daughter, Tamar, Dorothy Day wrote a little dramatically many years later. “If I had written the greatest book, composed the greatest symphony, painted the most beautiful painting or carved the most exquisite figure, I could not have felt more the exalted creator than I did when they placed my child in my arms,” she wrote in the preface to her book Therese, a biography of St. Thérèse of Lisieux.
How You Can Build a Culture of Prayer in Your Family...
Is It Time to Smash Your TV?
Professor John Senior, my godfather and one of the professors of the famed Integrated Humanities Program at the University of Kansas, was a master of hyperbole. He once hinted to us, his students, that we should just go home and smash our television sets. Perhaps he didn’t mean this literally, but he suggested that this was something we should consider. I know of at least one fellow student who took him at his word and dropped his 19-inch Motorola black and white television set out of the window of his fourth-floor dorm room onto the concrete alley below.
Pope Leo XIV’s Wednesday Audience: ‘There Is No Cry That God Does Not Hear’...
More Young Americans Turning Toward Catholicism: Report...
Pluscarden Abbey’s Hard-Fought Return to the Church...
Seek the Face of ... St. Thomas Aquinas?
The Three V’s of Church Architecture: Vision, Verticality and Volume...
Pope Leo XIV Honors Secret Cardinal Who Risked All to Save Jews During the Holocaust...
AI Reveals Dead Sea Scrolls May Be Older Than Previously Thought...
The Holy Spirit Singles Out Each of Us to Gather Us Together at Pentecost...
Pope Leo XIV on Pentecost: ‘The Holy Spirit Shatters Our Inner Chains and Transforms Us’...
Australia’s Archbishop Fisher: ‘Second Spring’ of Faith Blooming Against a ‘Fragmented World’...
What’s More Powerful — Lasers or Lightning?
Does God Command Child Abuse When He Tells Abraham to Sacrifice Isaac?
Here are 4 major ways that Pope Leo’s election affects Catholics in the U.S...
A Papal Plea, a Legal Legacy, and Men With Mustaches...
It's the Feast of St. Boniface — Have a Beer!...
Pope Leo XIV, Mathematician: Math-Minded Catholics Claim Pope as One of Their Own...
Charlotte Bishop Delays Traditional Latin Mass Restrictions After Backlash...
Petrocentrism — the focus on the pope as the index of all things Catholic — has its downsides...
This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of June...
Can Pope Leo Afford to Wait on ‘Traditionis Custodes’?
The new norms, which include the restriction of the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass to four designated regional sites and a personal parish, as well as prohibiting the celebration of Mass ad orientem in the ordinary form, are to implement fully the provisions of Pope Francis’ 2021 motu proprio Traditionis custodes. The Detroit norms follow similar measures which were announced in the Diocese of Charlotte earlier this month, but subsequently delayed until October by Bishop Michael Martin.
The under-the-radar growth of Catholic commitment...
“It’s happening again this year. It happens every year.”That’s how I opened a post that appeared in this space two years ago. Sure enough, it’s happening this year too. It begins right after Ash Wednesday, when we begin to notice some new faces in the congregation at the little chapel where we attend the early-morning Mass on weekdays. Many of the same faces show up throughout Lent, and when Easter arrives, more than a few continue to come to daily Mass. So bit by bit, the congregation grows.
Dads Matter: Study Proves What Common Sense Already Knew...
One possible reaction to Good Fathers, Flourishing Kids: The Importance of Fatherhood in Virginia, the brand-new study put together by a diverse group of scholars for the National Marriage Project and the National Center for Black Family Life, might be to ask: “Do we really need a study to tell us dads are important?” It would be wonderful if studies showing obvious truths were unneeded...
AP-NORC poll: What Americans think about Pope Leo XIV...
Mary Is Our Mother — and Our Little Sister, ‘Younger Than Sin’...
If asked to identify a principle central to the practice of the Christian faith, where would you begin? Is there something out there that leaps right off the page, a statement of belief, of behavior, without which Christianity becomes, at best, indistinguishable from the usual bromides of secular uplift? What about the principle of strength made perfect through weakness...
Pope Leo XIV Encourages Young People to Be ‘Beacons of Hope’ at Chicago Event...
Pope Leo XIV delivered a video message June 14 to thousands of Catholics gathered in his hometown of Chicago, making a special appeal to young people to be “beacons” of Christ’s hope for others. “You are the promise of hope for so many of us,” the pope told young people attending the “Chicago Celebrates Pope Leo XIV” event at Rate Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox baseball team.
How the Vatican’s Embassies Work...
4 Reasons We Need the Eastern Churches, In Pope Leo XIV’s Own Words...
“The Church needs you.” In the first week of his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV spoke these words to members of the Eastern Catholic Churches gathered in Rome to celebrate the Jubilee. On June 2nd, he also honored an Eastern Catholic martyr, Blessed Iuliu Hossu, the Greek-Catholic Bishop of Cluj-Gherla. These providential encounters with the Christian East remind us of John Paul II’s insistent cry in Ut Unum Sint...
You Guys, Cat and Mouse, and Dressing for Mass...
Zoom into a Young Star Cluster in a Galaxy 200,000 Light-Years From Earth...
Modern Martyrs of Poland, Pray for Us...
Two reasons Pope St. John Paul II accelerated the canonization process were to highlight two truths: that sanctity is “always in season” and not just something from times long ago, and that there are martyrs for the faith today, not just in the Colosseum and Roman Empire. The choice to live according to God’s will — or not — is one in every time and season.
When It Comes to Comparisons With Father Rupnik, Think Cosby, not Caravaggio...
6 Uncomfortable Facts About Divorce...
Doing Dishes and Great Music...
Mapping the Surprising Geographic History of the Film Industry...
Gases for Life, Bishop Healy, and Why I Need the Law...
Glorious Processions: A Reflection on the Upcoming Trinity Sunday...
Is There Movement (Finally) on Marko Rupnik?
In Apparent Gesture to Pope Leo, Nicaragua Allows Diaconal Ordinations...
In Sharp Policy U-Turn, Vatican News Removes Father Marko Rupnik Art From Website...
Breakthrough Is One Prayer Away: A Message for Pentecost...
The Hidden Science and Engineering of Modern Gas Stations...
Pope Leo XIV: ‘What Unites Christians Is Far Greater Than What Divides’...
Jordan Peterson Is Sinking Into Crisis by Denying His Faith...
Bring It On: Let All That is Hidden Come to Light...
3 Stigmatists Who Became Miracle Factories...
The ‘Norm Effect’: Why George Wendt’s ‘Cheers’ Character Still Resonates in a Lonely World...
Conclave 2025 was short. Is that a cause for concern?
Pope Leo XIV at Third Wednesday General Audience: ‘Your Life Is Worthy’...
‘Closely conformed to his own cross’ — and is 2027 the new 2026?
Watch 150 Amish Carry an Entire Building Down the Road...
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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—)
