At the end of the fourth century, a woman named Etheria made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Her journal, discovered in 1887, gives an unprecedented glimpse of liturgical life there. Among the celebrations she describes is the Epiphany (January 6), the observance of Christ’s birth, and the gala procession in honor …

On Feb. 1 Catholics in Ireland and elsewhere will honor Saint Brigid of Kildare, a monastic foundress who is – together with Saint Patrick and Saint Columcille – one of the country’s three patron saints. St. Brigid directly influenced several other future saints of Ireland, and her many religious communities …

by Joe Bukuras Philadelphia, Pa., Jan 30, 2023 / 13:23 pm Pro-life activist Mark Houck was found not guilty Monday on federal assault charges stemming from a shoving incident outside a Philadelphia abortion clinic. Supporters of the Catholic father of seven children cried and hugged one another after the verdict …

by Courtney Mares Rome Newsroom, Jan 30, 2023 / 07:27 am Pope Francis on Monday named an American as the next prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for Bishops to succeed Cardinal Marc Ouellet. Bishop Robert Francis Prevost will lead the Vatican office responsible for evaluating new members of the Catholic …

On Jan. 31, the Roman Catholic Church honors St. John Bosco (or “Don Bosco”), a 19th century Italian priest who reached out to young people to remedy their lack of education, opportunities, and faith. John Bosco was born in August of 1815 into a family of peasant farmers in Castelnuovo …

by Tyler Arnold Washington D.C., Jan 29, 2023 / 06:30 am The Vatican recognized the Miraculous Medal Shrine, located in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, as the city’s second basilica, elevating its status to a minor basilica this week. The shrine, created by the Vincentians in 1927 under the leadership …

by Peter Pinedo, Zelda Caldwell Washington D.C., Jan 28, 2023 / 06:00 am An unusual new 8-foot-tall golden statue standing on top of a New York City courthouse has sparked controversy, with many across the country reacting to its unveiling with shock and disgust. One media outlet even called it a “satanic golden …

by Hannah Brockhaus Rome Newsroom, Jan 28, 2023 / 05:00 am Pope Francis has written a letter to clarify his comments on sin and homosexuality from a recent interview with the Associated Press. “When I said it is a sin, I was simply referring to Catholic moral teaching, which says …

On Jan. 28, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates Saint Thomas Aquinas, the 13th century theologian who showed that the Catholic faith is in harmony with philosophy and all other branches of knowledge. Blessed John Paul II, in his 1998 letter “Fides et Ratio,” said St. Thomas “had the great merit …

by Joe Bukuras Philadelphia, Pa., Jan 26, 2023 / 17:45 pm On the second day of witness testimony in the trial of Mark Houck, a pro-life father of seven charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, defense lawyers argued that the federal case against their …