German bishop defies the Vatican’s ban on the homily, without claiming the right to violate it

Aug 17, 2026 18:22

Joachin Meisner Hertz

Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Holy Land•Justice and Peace•Pope Leo XIV

Leo XIV Speaks Out in Support of Palestinians Attacked by Jewish Settlers in Tierra Sana: Here’s What’s Happening

The episode has become more than another isolated clash in the West Bank. It has exposed, in a matter of days, the convergence of three increasingly serious problems: settler violence, the difficulty of protecting Palestinian civilians under occupation, and the weakening of the institutions that provide basic services to them.

Aug 16, 2026 11:43

ZENIT Staff

Pope Leo XIV•Virgin Mary

The Assumption of the Virgin (and What It Has to Do with Us), Explained by Pope Leo XIV

Homily by Pope Leo XIV on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Aug 15, 2026 22:43

ZENIT Staff

Local Church

Church Denies Funerals to Masons: What Happened in Italy and the Explanation

The details that came to light led Monsignor Antonio Staglianò, Rector of Santa Maria di Montesanto, to consult Cardinal Baldassare Reina. Subsequently, the church’s Rector stated: «We verified the facts, including by speaking with the daughter, who unfortunately told us she knew nothing about this matter, but her father, as revealed by the Grand Orient of Italy, was a high-ranking Mason.»

Aug 15, 2026 17:05

Rafael Llanes

Woman

For the first time, a Jewish woman will serve as president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this story is that many of those celebrating Levine’s election insist that it is not primarily about her being Jewish. Colleagues point instead to decades of collaboration, friendship, committee service, editorial work, and intellectual leadership within the association

Aug 15, 2026 13:24

ZENIT Staff

Liturgy and Divine Worship•Pope Leo XIV

Leo XIV presents the Mass as the primary school of liturgical formation and calls on priests to remain faithful to approved texts

Letter of the Holy Father to H.E. Card. Arthur Roche on the occasion of the Liturgical Conference at Mount Angel Abbey, Oregon, USA

Aug 14, 2026 22:33

ZENIT Staff

What Should Good AI Legislation Look Like? Leo XIV Offers Guidance to Catholic Legislators

Address to the Participants in the Meeting of the “International Catholic Legislators Network”

Lebanon Turns to the Pope: Lebanese President Visits Leo XIV Amid the Israeli Siege

On Thursday, August 20, Pope Leo XIV received Aoun at the Apostolic Palace for a private meeting lasting around half an hour. The Lebanese president then held talks with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations

German bishop defies the Vatican’s ban on the homily, without claiming the right to violate it

Alleged victims of abuse are seeking compensation from Church parishes, including churches and their assets

In videos and photos: Here’s a look at Europe’s tallest new Marian monument

Rome, A City Pilgrimaged Also with the Voice: Pilgrims Arrive in the Eternal City to Pray, Sing, and Place Their Talents at the Service of the Church

A Man’s Brain Changes (For the Better) When He Becomes a Father: Findings Revealed by the Nature Review

Questions about liturgy: Is the water still blessed when unblessed water is added to it?

German Bishop Promotes Gender Ideology in Schools; Parents Speak Out to Rome; Vatican Remains Silent

Leo XIV Speaks Out in Support of Palestinians Attacked by Jewish Settlers in Tierra Sana: Here’s What’s Happening

The Assumption of the Virgin (and What It Has to Do with Us), Explained by Pope Leo XIV

Church Denies Funerals to Masons: What Happened in Italy and the Explanation

For the first time, a Jewish woman will serve as president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America

Leo XIV presents the Mass as the primary school of liturgical formation and calls on priests to remain faithful to approved texts