Catholic News
- Pope confirms 30 members of Dicastery for Bishops (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV confirmed 30 members of the Dicastery for Bishops on February 14 and appointed a 31st: Sister Simona Brambilla, M.C., the prefect of the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life. - Pope Leo: 'Minimal righteousness is not enough; great love is needed' (CWN)
Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Sunday Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV emphasized today that “the Gospel offers us this valuable teaching: minimal righteousness is not enough; great love is needed” (video). - Frequent the sacraments and be active in charity, Pope tells Misericordie movement (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV encouraged members of the Misericordie movement to be rooted in Catholic spirituality and sacramental practice and to be active in charity. - Humanitarian catastrophe looms in South Sudan; Cardinal Mulla, UN plead for reconciliation (CWN)
The Vatican newspaper warned that over 825,000 children are at risk of malnutrition in South Sudan amid escalating violence, as a peace agreement that ended the South Sudanese Civil War unravels. - Cabo Verde PM discusses climate change with Pope, presses for resident nuncio (CWN)
During a February 14 papal audience, Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva of Cabo Verde discussed the “political and humanitarian situation in West Africa and climate change,” Expresso das Ilhas, a newspaper based in the ten-island nation, reported. The Pontiff, in turn, “expressed solidarity with the small island state.” - Philippine bishops call for 'digital media fasting' during Lent (Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines)
In their Lenten statement, the bishops of the Philippines called for “digital media fasting” during the holy season. “By limiting digital consumption, we create time for prayer, reading Scriptures, Eucharistic devotion, works of mercy, and meaningful encounters with others,” said Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, the president of the bishops’ conference. “Fasting redirects attention from self-centered habits to the loving service of others. It is not deprivation but transformation.” - Vatican bank launches stock investment indexes (Institute for the Works of Religion)
The Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR), colloquially known as the Vatican bank, has launched two equity investment indexes in collaboration with the American financial firm Morningstar. The Morningstar IOR Eurozone Catholic Principles and the Morningstar IOR US Catholic Principles indexes are “built following market best practices and in accordance with Catholic ethical criteria, and are designed to serve as a reference for Catholic investments worldwide,” the IOR announced. - 9 abducted Catholic children released in Nigeria (AFP)
Nine children abducted from a Nigerian parish on February 8 have been freed. The abduction took place at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ojije, in Nigeria’s Benue State, during a prayer vigil. Benue’s governor announced the children’s release on February 14. - Retired cardinal named administrator of Texas diocese (USCCB)
Pope Leo XIV on February 14 accepted the resignation of Bishop Patrick Zurek, 77, from the office of bishop of Amarillo, for reasons of age. Rather than naming a successor, Pope Leo appointed Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, 76, as apostolic administrator of the Texas diocese until a successor is named. Cardinal DiNardo led the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston from 2006 to 2025. - Embody the essence of Christianity and the 'style of the early Church,' Pope tells Rome's military police (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV encouraged members of Rome’s Carabinieri (military police) to “rediscover the essence of the Christian message and the style of the early Church, in order to embody them in our very different, and much more complex world.” “I think of the dawn of Christianity in this city, when the Good News of Jesus began to circulate in various circles, including the army: a new way of living and thinking, a God who is love, mercy, forgiveness; a fraternity among all men and women that transcends every social and ethnic difference,” Pope Leo said during the audience, which took place on February 13 in Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace The Pope added: Dear friends, you are military personnel and you know well what hierarchy, command and obedience mean. We also use these words in the Church, transformed by the newness of the Gospel. And, similarly, the Gospel, throughout the centuries, has permeated the structures, criteria, and ways of acting and thinking of the civilizations where it penetrated; it did so not with a violent revolution, but with a peaceful transformation, from within, through consciences, the conversion of hearts. In this way the Gospel has brought the meaning of God and of humanity everywhere: absolute respect for life and for the human person, along with the worship of God, and Him alone. - Pontifical academy devotes annual assembly to universal health care; speakers differ on abortion 'rights' (CWN)
The Pontifical Academy for Life is devoting its 2026 assembly to the theme of “Healthcare for all: Sustainability and Equity.” - 4 leading European prelates call on continent to 'rediscover its soul' (Chiesa Cattolica Italiana)
The presidents of the episcopal conferences of France, Germany, Italy, and Poland called upon Europe to “rediscover its soul in order to be able to offer the whole world its indispensable contribution to the ‘common good.’’” “The founding fathers of [post-World War II] Europe, Robert Schuman, Konrad Adenauer and Alcide De Gasperi, inspired by their Christian faith, were not naïve dreamers, but the architects of a magnificent, albeit fragile, building,” the prelates said. “Europe cannot be reduced to an economic and financial market, on pain of betraying the initial vision of its founding fathers.” The prelates added: The world needs Europe. This is the urgency that Christians must make their own in order to be able to commit themselves decisively, wherever they are, to its future with the same lively awareness as the founding fathers ... In the name of their faith, Christians are called to share with all the inhabitants of the European continent their hope for universal brotherhood. - USCCB invites parishes to 250 hours of adoration, 250 works of mercy for nation's anniversary (USCCB)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) invited parishes and individuals to contribute to a collective 250 hours of Eucharistic adoration and 250 works of mercy for the nation’s 250th anniversary. “Parishes can participate in 250 hours of adoration together by offering a Holy Hour on a weekly or monthly basis leading up to the July 4 anniversary,” the bishops’ conference explained. “While 250 hours seems like a lot, each person present constitutes an hour prayed.” - Archbishop Moth, at Westminster installation Mass, calls for prayer, evangelization (Diocese of Westminster)
Archbishop Richard Moth was installed today as archbishop of Westminster, England’s leading see (video). “It is from the Eucharist and from prayer that our work of evangelization flows, for evangelization is a call to a relationship, the relationship with the person of Jesus Christ,” Archbishop Moth preached. “The seventy-two had walked with Jesus, sat with Him, listened to Him. We must, therefore, walk with Jesus on the journey of prayer, listen to Him in the Scriptures, sit with Him in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, welcome Him in the Eucharist.” Archbishop Moth, 67, was formerly bishop of Arundel and Brighton (2015–25). He succeeds Cardinal Vincent Nichols, 80, who had governed the see since 2009. - Vatican offers 'dialogue' with SSPX, warns against ordinations [News Analysis] (CWN)
At a February 12 meeting with Father Davide Pagliarani, the superior general of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), Cardinal Victor Fernandez proposed a “theological dialogue” with the traditionalist group—but insisted that the SSPX must abandon its plan to proceed with the ordination of new bishops without a papal mandate. - Nigerian priests protest against Fulani violence (Fides)
Priests from two dioceses in Nigeria’s Taraba State (map) protested on February 12 against violence perpetrated by members of the predominantly Muslim Fulani people. “More than 80 people have been killed, many more injured, over 200 communities and churches destroyed, and more than 90,000 Christians have been forced to leave their homes,” said Father James Yaro of the Diocese of Wukari. “They have also committed countless atrocities, including rape, and sometimes they block roads and kill innocent farmers.” - Argentinian archdiocese opens canonical investigation into transgender marriage (Catholic Herald)
The Archdiocese of Corrientes, Argentina, has opened a canonical investigation into a wedding of a transgender couple that took place in one of its parishes. One of the spouses is a man who presents himself as a woman; the other is a woman who presents herself as a man. The parish priest said that he had consulted with Archbishop José Adolfo Larregain, OFM, and that the prelate had found no canonical impediment to wedding because they were of opposite sexes. - Federal court orders access for clergy, nun to ICE facility on Ash Wednesday (Religion Clause)
A federal district court ordered US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to permit members of a liberation theology organization and other plaintiffs to distribute Holy Communion at an Illinois ICE facility on Ash Wednesday. The plaintiffs who sought access to the facility include two priests, a religious sister, and the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership, which describes itself as “merg[ing] liberation theology and community organizing.” - USCCB president joins other bishops in outcry over Notre Dame appointment (OSV News)
At least nine bishops have joined Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne—South Bend, Indiana, in criticizing the University of Notre Dame for its appointment of an abortion advocate as director of the university’s Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies. “I fully support Bishop Kevin Rhoades in his challenge to Notre Dame to rectify its poor judgement in hiring a professor who openly stands against Catholic teaching when it comes to the sanctity of life, in this case protection of the unborn,” Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said on February 13. - Arson attack on German Baroque church (OIDAC Europe)
Two arsonists recently lit fires at the entrance and on the altar of St. Peter’s Church in Huttenheim, a small town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. The fires were extinguished before they could cause extensive damage. The Baroque church was dedicated in 1763. - More...