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National & World News
Surge in adults entering Church in England this Easter prompted by internet, tradition

By Heather Tomlinson London, England, Apr 14, 2025 / 06:00 am This Easter Vigil, the Catholic Church in England is expecting a decade-high surge of new entrants to the faith. There is anecdotal evidence of a particular increase in young men, who say their interest was sparked initially by Catholic apologists …
Pope Francis declares Sagrada Familia basilica architect Antoni Gaudí ‘venerable’

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 14, 2025 / 10:30 am Pope Francis on Monday declared Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí “venerable,” bringing the designer of Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia basilica one step closer to sainthood. The Vatican announced April 14 that Pope Francis has formally recognized Gaudí’s “heroic virtue,” a key …
Vatican updates rules for Mass intentions, permits collective offerings under strict conditions

By AC Wimmer CNA Newsroom, Apr 13, 2025 / 14:50 pm The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy issued a decree updating the Church’s norms governing Mass intentions and stipends, emphasizing both proper spiritual understanding and practical solutions for modern pastoral challenges. Pope Francis approved the document — published so far only in …
Albany Diocese to undertake planning process that could close one-third of its parishes

By Jonah McKeown CNA Staff, Apr 9, 2025 / 15:37 pm The Diocese of Albany, New York, will undertake a planning initiative in response to a diocesan “financial and maintenance crisis” that the bishop says could result in the closure of “perhaps one-third” of the diocese’s 126 parish churches. Bishop Edward …
Bishop Shawn McKnight tapped to follow Naumann as archbishop of Kansas City, Kansas

By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Apr 8, 2025 / 10:10 am The Vatican on Tuesday announced Pope Francis’ choice of Bishop Shawn McKnight of Jefferson City, Missouri, as the next archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas, following the resignation of Archbishop Joseph Naumann. Naumann is retiring after turning 75 in June …
Pope Francis appoints Bishop Lewandowski as new bishop of Providence, Rhode Island

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 8, 2025 / 09:40 am Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Bruce Lewandowski as the new head of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, the Vatican announced Tuesday. Lewandowski, 57, currently serves as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. He will be installed in …
Kentucky program launches $100 million campaign for Catholic school tuition

By Kate Quiñones CNA Staff, Apr 7, 2025 / 07:00 am A Catholic scholarship program in the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky, that has spent decades providing tuition support for families who want to send their children to Catholic schools is now setting its sights on future generations. Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) president …
Catholic bishops end refugee partnership with government amid Trump funding cuts

By Tyler Arnold Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 7, 2025 / 17:29 pm The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has made what it is calling the “difficult decision” to not renew cooperative agreements with the federal government amid policy changes from President Donald Trump’s administration to cut funding from refugee …
The sickbed as a holy place: Pope Francis reflects on his own illness at Jubilee of Sick

By AC Wimmer CNA Newsroom, Apr 6, 2025 / 07:32 am Still recovering from bilateral pneumonia that hospitalized him for nearly 40 days, Pope Francis made a surprise appearance in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday for the Jubilee of the Sick, sharing profound reflections on suffering, care, and the transformative power …
St. Peter’s Basilica to exhibit Veronica’s Veil on April 6

By Victoria Cardiel Vatican City, Apr 5, 2025 / 08:00 am On Sunday, April 6, the fifth Sunday of Lent, St. Peter’s Basilica will display the revered “Veronica’s Veil,” a cloth that, according to tradition, was used to wipe the face of Jesus on his way to Calvary, renewing a very …