Religion News Service

Modern popes tend to stay out of partisan politics, but when Leo speaks, he certainly sounds like a Democratic Socialist.

As prominent prelates clash over the traditional Latin Mass, Pope Leo XIV's response may reveal his deepest instincts about authority, unity and tradition.

Some see the facilities' construction as a sign of the apocalypse, while others see it as an opportunity to advocate for environmental stewardship. 

The parishes that won Socorro, Texas, running water in the 1980s are now fighting ICE's plan to convert warehouses into a mega detention center. And the town's water system is at issue again.

"The Eucharist opens us to justice and sharing, with a preferential concern for those who are burdened by poverty or marginalization," the pope writes.

Sister Theresa Aletheia and Sister Danielle Lussier are the only community of religious sisters in the Catholic Church fully dedicated to serving abuse victims.

The artistic phenomenon of irony collapsing into sincerity is being interpreted by some as a way for younger generations to grapple with ritual, meaning and authenticity, even as participation in organized religion in the United States has dropped dramatically in recent decades.

The Georgetown University scholar was distinguished for his sensitive and nuanced portrayal of Islam and his desire to build bridges between Westerners and Muslims.

Back in 2009, Burnham recalled that important influences on him were, in order: the Everton FC soccer team, the Labour Party and the Catholic Church.

As Argentina's national team advanced in the World Cup, spiritual beliefs have become increasing visible among many soccer fans in the South American nation.

Technology, detached from ethics and responsibility, will make wartime decisions about life and death more rapid and impersonal, the pope writes in the final chapter of Magnifica Humanitas.

The historic Catholic minor basilica attracts thousands of pilgrims annually — the majority of them Hindu and Muslim — seeking what they call the power of the divine feminine from the Virgin Mary. 

"I am sick and tired of waking up every morning to see another loved one is dead," said Charlene Walker, head of Faith in New Jersey.

On his tour of the U.S., Fr. Mattia Ferrari has heard from many immigrants experiencing fear, family separation and even detention: "They are suffering something that is completely unfair, completely unjust."

"Catholic social teaching has always emphasized the protection of workers, so it is no surprise that Leo gives space in his encyclical to the impact of robots and AI on workers," writes Thomas Reese.

"We Americans must realize that when we punish Cuba, we do not punish only the government," writes Jesuit Fr. Jeffrey von Arx. "We punish the most vulnerable." 

Videos imitating 'church fathers,' bishops and theologians who helped shape early Christianity, have been popping up across social media since late 2025. Several have drawn hundreds of thousands of views.

Fr. Tom Reese continues his analysis of Magnifica Humanitas with Chapter 3, in which Pope Leo XIV applies Catholic social teaching to modern digital technology, arguing that AI should respect human dignity.

"Our churches, our mosques, our synagogues, our places of worship will become democracy hubs," said Minister JaNaé Bates Imari, co-executive director of the interfaith group ISAIAH Minnesota.

Ordinary families are being asked to carry the costs of an energy system that enriches a few while leaving communities everywhere vulnerable to conflict, instability and rising prices.