Pope Leo XIV will maintain an active presence on X and Instagram via the official @Pontifex accounts, continuing the legacy of digital evangelisation. His first post: a message of peace from his Urbi et Orbi address.

In a festive St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV led his first Regina Coeli, urging prayers for vocations, peace in Ukraine and Gaza, and honoring Mother’s Day with warm wishes to all mothers. Entrusting it all to Mary, Queen of Peace, he renewed the plea: “Never again war.”

In his first address to the College of Cardinals, Pope Leo XIV called the Catholic Church alive, beautiful, and strong, urging renewed commitment to Evangelii Gaudium and modern Catholic social teaching — especially in the face of AI and today’s evolving world.

Pope Leo XIV has urged journalists to be peacemakers, rejecting prejudice and anger in their reporting. On 12 May, he also called for the release of imprisoned journalists, reminding the world: “The suffering of these journalists challenges the conscience of nations… we must safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press.

Moviegoers may want to take a break from their cell phones after seeing the intriguing thriller Drop (Universal). That’s because the technology involved in send-ing the titular type of message – as well as the ubiquity of the devices themselves – has the film’s protagonist in a quandary.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople said he hopes Pope Leo XIV will “be a dear brother and collaborator … for the rapprochement of our churches, for the unity of the whole Christian family, and for the benefit of all of humankind.”

Bunbury local and ACU doctoral candidate Lachlan Green reflects on his recent experience in Rome, where he joined a SACRU workshop exploring vulnerability and trust in healthcare. Held during the Jubilee of the Sick, the event offered powerful insights into compassionate care and human dignity.

Though it has the relationship between a teen girl and a cuddly creature at its core, The Legend of Ochi (A24) is not a sunny children’s movie. In fact, this fantasy tale is a sort of infernal machine of confounding dark imagery, threats of violence and a mixed moral about honouring your parents while respecting nature.

St Teresa of Kolkata is pictured in 1992. Photo: CNS/Michael Collopy Entries are now open for Australia’s richest prize for a single poem, where Australia’s top and emerging poets compete for the $10,000 first prize. Now in its 13th year, the ACU Prize for Poetry is open to new works on the theme of Belonging, inspired by a quotation from St Teresa of Kolkata: “If we have no peace, we ha...

By Justin McLellan , Catholic News Service The College of Cardinals has 252 members, but only 135 of them - those who were under 80 when Pope Francis died April 21 -- are eligible to enter the conclave May 7, 2025, to elect a new pope. The country count may differ based on whether one considers where the cardinal was born or where he exercises his ministry. Graphic: CNS/Jerome Podojil, USCC...