Brian Fraga

Some teenagers and young adults jumped at the chance to attend World Youth Day in Portugal for the excitement and experience of being abroad. Others described an interior restlessness that drew them to Lisbon. Here are some vignettes from the world's Catholic youth festival.

Like millions of other Catholic pilgrims do every year, Pope Francis will make a stop at Fátima during his trip to Portugal this week. But don't expect him to mention any conspiracy theories or controversial prophecies.

Xavière Missionary Sr. Nathalie Becquart, an undersecretary of the Vatican's Synod of Bishops office, said at World Youth Day that she has learned how to be synodal "from and with young people."

While the primary aim of World Youth Day is to energize a new generation of young Catholics for the future, Pope Francis will likely be unable to do so without a serious reckoning with the church's past. 

Catherine Clifford is one of 10 non-bishop delegates from North America who will participate as members at the Oct. 4-29 Synod of Bishops on synodality in Rome. She told NCR she sees the synod as "a real moment of grace."

The Vatican has launched a formal investigation of the east Texas diocese led by Bishop Joseph Strickland, who has accused Pope Francis of undermining the Catholic faith, the diocese confirmed.

At their spring meeting, the U.S. bishops unanimously voted to revise the ethical and religious directives that govern Catholic health care institutions to align with a recent doctrinal document that bans transgender care.

The Vatican's ambassador to the U.S. praised the synodal process at the opening of the U.S. bishops' spring assembly. And the bishops delayed for a day a vote to begin a process that could ban gender-affirming care at Catholic hospitals.

A controversial Texas bishop will lead a procession this Friday in Los Angeles sponsored by a collection of right-wing Catholic media outlets and activist groups in protest of the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the pro-LGBT group Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during Pride Night at Dodger Stadium.

The U.S. Catholic bishops will vote on whether to amend their official directives for Catholic health care institutions to mandate that they cannot provide gender-affirming medical treatment.

On the U.S. bishops' agenda: National Eucharistic Revival and discussion of the ethical guidelines for Catholic health care institutions. Not on the agenda: pope's ongoing process for the 2021-24 Synod of Bishops.

Right-wing outlet Church Militant, known for its firebrand attitude towards the church and Pope Francis, is announcing layoffs. The downsizing follows years of growth, including the construction of a new TV studio and the opening of an office in Rome.

Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, a vocal critic of Pope Francis who in recent years has invited the pope to "fire" him, said on Twitter May 12 that he believes the pontiff is "undermining the Deposit of Faith."

Bishop Richard Stika of Knoxville, Tennessee, is being investigated by the Vatican over his leadership style and possible mishandling of abuse cases. As the investigation has lingered for months, lay Catholics tell NCR the diocese is a "hot mess." Stika says he has helped the diocese grow and points to his fundraising success.

Responding to comments by Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the Walter Reed military hospital said it can still offer Catholic services despite recently not renewing its contract with Franciscan friars who served there.

Some canon lawyers, sacramental theologians and priests say that the pope cannot amend canon law to require that priests report sexual abuse that they hear about in confession.

At least 13 U.S. archdioceses and 21 dioceses could have new leaders by February 2025. That gives Pope Francis the chance to reshape the U.S. hierarchy by appointing bishops who better reflect his priorities.

The predominant view throughout the conference was that the secular news media, in tandem with "Big Tech" and cultural elites, rejects objective truth and obfuscates language to intimidate those "who dare to express religious beliefs in the public square."

Bishop Thomas Paprocki says that he and Cardinal Robert McElroy have exchanged some emails after the publication of Paprocki's essay in which he appears to accuse the cardinal of heresy.

Under the "Chatham House Rule" obscuring speakers' identities, conversations among bishops and theologians about the local consultative process noted challenges and some resistance to the synod.