Cuba responds to the Pope by releasing half a thousand prisoners in the context of Jubilee 2025

Jan 17, 2025 21:14

The Cuban government announced the gradual release of 553 prisoners in response to a direct appeal from Pope Francis. Photo: Líder Web

This document will be tested for three years and applies only to Italian Seminaries.

Good News•Local Church

Pilgrimage Boom: Camino de Santiago Hits Record-Breaking Numbers in 2024

The surge in pilgrim numbers is a testament to the Camino’s enduring allure. In 2024, over 38,000 Americans made the journey, solidifying their place as the second-largest group of pilgrims after Spaniards, who accounted for over 200,000 walkers. Italy and Germany also contributed significantly, with 28,599 and 23,462 pilgrims, respectively.

Jan 09, 2025 18:19

ZENIT Staff

Justice and Peace•Local Church

Lebanon elects Catholic General Joseph Aoun as president amid political turmoil

The election did not occur in isolation. Foreign mediators, including France’s Jean-Yves Le Drian, U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein, and Saudi Arabia’s Yazid bin Farhan, played a pivotal role in breaking the deadlock. Their involvement reflects Lebanon’s status as a geopolitical chessboard, where rival powers wield significant influence over domestic factions.

Jan 09, 2025 18:10

ZENIT Staff

Local Church•Vatican Diplomacy

Trump names CatholicVote leader as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican

Burch, a devout Catholic and father of nine, is known for his vocal critiques of certain initiatives by Pope Francis, reflecting the ideological shift Trump aims to solidify in U.S.–Vatican relations during his second term in office.

Jan 09, 2025 18:06

Tim Daniels

Cardinals and Bishops•Local Church

Pope’s “Gift” to Trump? Holy Father Appoints a New Archbishop for Washington, DC

Pope Francis prolonged Cardinal Gregory’s mandate for two years (a resignation is usually tendered at 75 but the Archbishop of Washington is already 77).

Jan 08, 2025 18:14

Tim Daniels

Local Church

U.S. Catholics Express Unity with Latin American Catholics with Annual Collection

Last year the collection provided $6.2 million for more than 250 ministries in places where the Church cannot support itself without outside assistance. More than half the money supported pastoral needs, nearly 28% provided disaster relief and about 20% subsidized vocations and the formation of clergy and religious.

Jan 08, 2025 17:46

ZENIT Staff

Pope Francis has implemented a financial bonus for Vatican employees with three or more children

Pope Francis introduces monthly bonus for large families amid mixed reactions from Vatican employees

The new measure, announced by the Holy See’s Press Office on January 15, reflects Pope Francis’ ongoing advocacy for family welfare. The bonus will continue until children reach the age of 18 or 24 if they remain in education, aligning Vatican policies with those of several European countries that provide substantial benefits for large families.

Pope’s baptism of 21 children in the Sistine Chapel

The annual tradition of baptizing the children of Vatican staff began in 1981 under Pope John Paul II. While the first ceremonies were held in the Pauline Chapel, the Sistine Chapel has hosted this sacred event since 1983. Pope Francis has carried forward this legacy, adding his own touch of pastoral care and accessibility.

Cuba responds to the Pope by releasing half a thousand prisoners in the context of Jubilee 2025

No Sin is Beyond God’s Unfathomable Mercy, says Bishop Thomas on the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

Pope’s Secretary of State gathers Pontifical Nuncios in Jordanian capital in view of situation in Middle East

Vatican Approved Gays in Seminaries? Dismantling a Lie

USA: “9 Days for Life” Unites Hundreds of Thousands in Prayer for the Protection of Life

Cardinal Timothy Dolan to Open President Trump’s Inauguration with Prayer

Sodalitium of Christian Life Begins Its General Assembly: To Press On with Its Process of Renewal with the Intervention of the Holy See

Pilgrimage Boom: Camino de Santiago Hits Record-Breaking Numbers in 2024

Lebanon elects Catholic General Joseph Aoun as president amid political turmoil

Trump names CatholicVote leader as U.S. ambassador to the Vatican

Pope’s “Gift” to Trump? Holy Father Appoints a New Archbishop for Washington, DC

U.S. Catholics Express Unity with Latin American Catholics with Annual Collection