By Courtney Mares Pope Leo XIV opened the second extraordinary consistory of his pontificate on 26 June, urging cardinals to help him discern what the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church today and reminding them they are not "guardians of particular interests," but disciples called to communion in Christ. In his opening speech for the two-day meeting, Pope Leo told the cardinals gathered...

Cardinals attend the presentation of "Magnifica Humanitas" at the Vatican's Synod Hall on 25 May 2026, the first encyclical of Pope Leo XIV's papacy, which focuses on the rise of artificial intelligence. Photo: OSV News/Simone Risoluti, Vatican Media. When Pope Leo XIV walked into the Vatican's Synod Hall on 25 May to present his first encyclical in person, the international press lined up ...

By Junno Arocho Esteves Pope Leo XIV has approved new statutes for the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors that seek to balance its integration with the Roman Curia while preserving its independence. The updated statutes, which were published by the Vatican on 13 June, detail the commission's role within the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was mandated by Po...

With 2026 marking the 100-year anniversary of World Mission Sunday, Pope Leo XIV has welcomed the National Directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies (Catholic Mission) to Rome for the General Assembly. Pope Leo XIV waves after meeting with participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Clementine Hall at the Vatican on 1 June 2026. During the meeting, Pope L...

Pope Leo XIV has expressed interest in the issue of artificial intelligence and the dignity of work since the first week of his pontificate. Photo: Adobe. By Courtney Mares Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, will be published May 25, addressing artificial intelligence and the protection of human dignity, the Vatican has announced. The encyclical, the title of which ...

By Junno Arocho Esteves Although the path to full communion has become "more difficult to discern," Catholics and Anglicans must continue on the path of dialogue and "proclaim Christ to the world," Pope Leo XIV said in his first meeting with Anglican Archbishop Sarah Mullally of Canterbury. In his address to Archbishop Mullally during her visit to the Vatican on 27 April, Pope Leo acknow...

The “Pathways” document, structured into four chapters, aims to provide an interpretive guide for the implementation phase of the synodal process.

On 7–8 May 2025, 133 cardinal electors convened in the Sistine Chapel for a historic conclave to elect the 267th pope. Following sacred rites and solemn prayers, black smoke on the first day signalled no decision, but by the second evening, white smoke and ringing bells announced: Habemus Papam — we have a pope.

Promulgated by the now Saint Pope John XXIII on 21 November 1964, Unitatis Redintegratio – Vatican II’s Decree on Ecumenism – brought the Catholic Church into the ecumenical movement as a key player by signalling unqualified commitment to the search for Christian unity.

Members voted on each of the 155 paragraphs of the document, which made suggestions and requests to Pope Francis that included long-term projects, such as the hope that more lay people would be involved in the selection of bishops.