Catholic News
- Holy See declines invitation to join President Trump's Gaza Board of Peace (CWN)
As expected, the Holy See has declined President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his Board of Peace for Gaza. - New president of Pontifical Academy for Life defends focus on universal health care (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro, appointed president of the Pontifical Academy for Life last May, defended the academy’s focus on universal health care at its 2026 plenary assembly. “The theme chosen for this year, Healthcare for All: Sustainability and Equity,” is consistent with “the work undertaken in recent years: the defense of life cannot be limited to the fundamental responsibilities that arise at its beginning and end, but requires an active and proactive presence, from prevention to treatment,” Msgr. Pegoraro said yesterday, in a text published by the Vatican newspaper. “We live in a challenging historical moment, characterized by inequalities that are not diminished but are instead exacerbated by wars, environmental crises, and the growing difficulty of maintaining the level of essential services even in the most fortunate countries,” he added. “Sustainability and equity are not just two slogans. They are realities that must be carefully and precisely understood if we truly want no one to be excluded.” - Major Archbishop says Ukraine is converting to God, praises Pope Leo's approach (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church said that Ukraine is “currently experiencing a moment of true conversion,” a “moment of finding God and drawing closer to Him.” Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, who has led the church since 2011, made his remarks in a lengthy recent interview with Ukrinform, the Ukrainian National News Agency. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church has published an English translation of the interview. Major Archbishop Shevchuk also praised Pope Leo’s approach to the war there, in comparison with Pope Francis’s, and added that many Ukrainians believe that the war will end if Pope Leo visits the nation. - Holy Land's Franciscan superior says young people are filling Syria's churches (Vatican News (Italian))
Father Francesco Ielpo, OFM, the custos (Franciscan provincial) of the Holy Land, hailed the rebirth of faith in Syria, and especially in the nation’s Idlib Governorate. Father Ielpo, who visited Syria from February 9-13, told Vatican News that “the greatest tragedy [Idlib families] say they have experienced is the forced expulsion of young people after the arrival of the jihadists. The elderly who remained confided in me: we were convinced we would die without seeing our children again. Instead, the fact that they returned was an indescribable joy for them.” In Syria, churches “are filling up especially with young people,” he continued. “There are also children in catechism who want to start over. In short, on the one hand, there is a crisis that is also economic, with the cost of basic necessities having increased significantly, and on the other, there is the sense that a rebirth is underway.” - US bishops, in religious liberty report, find 6 areas of 'critical concern' (USCCB)
The US bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty issued its 2026 annual report, “The State of Religious Liberty in the United States.” The report, released on February 17, identified “six areas of critical concern—threats and opportunities—for religious liberty in 2026”: Political and anti-religious violence Unjust terms and conditions on federal grants, and unreliability of government Access to sacraments for ICE detainees and immigration enforcement at houses of worship School choice and the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Repeal of provisions that prevent religious organizations from participating in government programs Further repudiation of gender ideology - European bishops announce 'Eucharistic chain' for peace (CCEE)
The Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) announced a Eucharistic chain of prayer for peace in the Holy Land, Ukraine, and around the world. Bishops of each nation are assigned a different day during Lent to celebrate Masses for this intention, beginning on February 18 in Albania and concluding on April 2 in Hungary. - 'Still without peace': Vatican newspaper publishes impassioned plea for Gaza (CWN)
L’Osservatore Romano published an impassioned plea for peace in Gaza as the most prominent article in its February 17 edition. - Remains of St. Francis to be visible for veneration in Assisi (Vatican News)
From February 22 to March 22, the remains of St. Francis will be exposed for veneration in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi. Pope Leo has proclaimed a Year of Saint Francis in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, reported that the saint’s relics have not previously been exposed. - UK abortions at record level (First Things)
Almost one in three pregnancies in the United Kingdom now ends in abortion, according to recently released statistics. “Last month, after a mysterious eighteen-month delay, the U.K. government finally published the 2023 abortion figures for England and Wales,” Philippa Stroud, a member of the House of Lords, wrote in an article. “When adding in the numbers for the rest of the U.K., the figures revealed over 299,000 abortions took place across Britain in a single year, a new record.” - Jerusalem cardinal, in Lenten letter, calls for conversion and reconciliation (Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem)
In his Lenten letter to his diocese, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said that “with the beginning of Lent, the Church invites us to set out on a shared journey of prayer, penance, and conversion, a journey that will lead us to the beating heart of our faith: the solemnity of Easter.” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa’s brief Lenten letter has five sections: “The Passion of Christ: Path of Conversion and Mercy,” “Prayer: Breath of the Soul,” “Fasting and Charity: Two Wings of the Same Offering,” “The Holy Land: Vocation to Peace and Reconciliation,” and “With our gaze fixed on the Resurrection.” - Cardinal Parolin praises financial giving, organ donation (Vatican News)
In a visit to the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital, the Secretary of State of His Holiness praised financial and organ donation. Financial giving is “a silent yet immensely powerful language through which men and women express the best of themselves,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin said on February 17, as he recalled the widow’s mite. In praising organ donation, Cardinal Parolin said that “human life is relationship and communion; in a donated body there beats a love that does not surrender to death.” - Ohio diocese reports largest number of converts since 2014 (WKBN-TV)
The Diocese of Youngstown, Ohio, is preparing to receive 282 converts into the Church at Easter, up 47% from last year, and the highest number since 2014. In 2021, 138 converts were received into the Church in the eastern Ohio diocese. - Pope Leo: God's commandments are not oppression, but liberation (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Sunday evening Mass at a Roman parish (video) and emphasized that God’s commandments are not a source of oppression, but rather a condition of liberation and flourishing. - Pope calls for global, preventive approach to health care; decries bombing of hospitals (Dicastery for Communication)
In an address to members of the Pontifical Academy for Life, Pope Leo XIV spoke about the importance of a global, preventive approach to health care. The academy’s 2026 plenary assembly is devoted to “Healthcare for all: Sustainability and Equity.” In his address, the Pope emphasized “the connection between the health of all and that of each individual,” as well as “the theme of prevention, which also involves a broad perspective, for the situations in which communities find themselves are the result of social and environmental policies, and have an impact on the health and life of the person.” “Sadly, today we are also faced with wars that impact civilian structures, including hospitals, which constitute the most grave attacks that human hands can make against life and public health,” he continued, adding: We need to rediscover the fundamental attitude of care as support and closeness to others, not only because someone is in need or is sick, but because they experience vulnerability, the vulnerability that is common to all human beings. Only in this way will we be able to develop more effective and sustainable healthcare systems, capable of satisfying every health need in a world of limited resources as well as restoring trust in medicine and healthcare professionals, notwithstanding any misinformation or skepticism regarding science. - Promote public order and act with integrity, Pope tells Italy's prefects (Dicastery for Communication)
In a February 16 audience, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Italy’s prefects to promote public order and act with integrity. “By overseeing social harmony, the Prefect contributes to safeguarding the indispensable prerequisite of the freedom and rights of citizens,” Pope Leo said during the audience, which took place in Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace. Public order, he added, “does not concern only the necessary fight against crime or the prevention of harmful riots; it also requires a tenacious commitment against those forms of violence, falsehood and vulgarity that hurt the social body.” The Pontiff also recalled the historic relations between the offices of prefect and bishop, including St. Ambrose’s service as a prefect before his episcopal consecration. Today, prefects serve as representatives of the national government in each Italian province. - Pope visits Roman parish, meets with young, elderly, parish council (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV conducted his first visit to a parish in the Diocese of Rome on the afternoon of February 15 and addressed young people, the elderly and persons with disabilities, and members of the parish’s pastoral council (video). - Some laity may have charism of authority, Cardinal Ouellet writes in reflection on Roman Curia (CWN)
In an article published by Vatican News, a former prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops offered a theological reflection on lay authority in the Roman Curia. - Vatican unveils initiatives to mark 400th anniversary of St. Peter's Basilica (Vatican News)
The archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica unveiled several initiatives to mark the 400th anniversary of the dedication of St. Peter’s Basilica. Speaking at a February 16 press conference (video), Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, O.F.M. Conv., discussed an AI translation system, the opening of previously inaccessible areas of the basilica, and a music and lecture series. The anniversary year will culminate on November 18, when Pope Leo is scheduled to celebrate Mass for the anniversary of the basilica’s dedication. - Opus Dei leader meets with Pontiff; revised statutes being studied (Opus Dei)
Pope Leo XIV received Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz Braña, moderator of the Prelature of Opus Dei, on February 16. The prelature submitted revised statutes to the Holy See last year, following Pope Francis’s earlier transfer of the prelature to the purview of the Dicastery for the Clergy. Pope Leo “said that the process of updating Opus Dei’s Statutes continues in its study phase and that no publication date can yet be foreseen,” according to Opus Dei. In addition, Msgr. Ocáriz discussed Opus Dei’s perspective on “some specific controversies in Argentina”—a likely reference to human-trafficking allegations. - Fresno bishop celebrates Mass in ICE detention center (KERO-TV )
Bishop Joseph Brennan of Fresno, California, celebrated Mass on February 16 in the state’s largest US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility. Seventy detainees attended the Mass. “These are my people,” Bishop Brennan said. “I need to be there, they need that presence and I want to accompany them.” “They’re hurting, they’re looking for someone to listen to them, they’re looking for someone to literally bare their soul to,” he added. The bishop added, - More...