Twenty days before his ordination as bishop, he says no. The reason? “Personal shortcomings,” claims the honest priest

May 06, 2026 10:43

Father Saco, who had been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as the next bishop of Tagbilaran on March 25 Photo: DIOCESE OF TAGBILARAN

Local Church

How many Catholics are there in South Korea? The Church releases its impressive statistics (and challenges)

More revealing than total membership is the age profile of the faithful. Nearly one in three Korean Catholics—28.9 percent—is now aged 65 or older, making the elderly the largest demographic group within the Church

May 05, 2026 20:18

ZENIT Staff

Persecuted Christians

Islamists reduce historic church to rubble in northern Mozambique

The attack on the parish of St Louis de Montfort did not inflict any casualties on the missionaries but generated widespread panic among the Christian population.

May 05, 2026 19:49

ZENIT Staff

Cardinals and Bishops•Dicasteries

What should a bishop be like, and how should doctrinal issues be discussed, according to the Synod? The Vatican releases the findings of the synodal reports

The document introduces the “principle of pastorality”: there is no proclamation of the Gospel without taking responsibility for the interlocutor, in whom the Spirit is already at work. In addressing emerging questions concretely, the Group proposes three methodological steps

May 05, 2026 19:40

ZENIT Staff

Dicasteries•Homosexuality•Local Church

Full Text in English of the Vatican’s Letter Saying NO to the German Bishops’ Proposal for Gay Blessings

Full letter in English from Cardinal Victor Fernández to the German Episcopate regarding the rejection of ritualized gay blessings that give the impression of legitimizing such unions

May 04, 2026 19:32

ZENIT Staff

Analysis Opinion•Good News•Local Church•Young People

The exact number of new baptisms in France in 2026, as officially reported by the Church and illustrated with charts

What is particularly notable is the profile of these new Catholics. Far from being a marginal or aging demographic, 42 percent of adult catechumens are between 18 and 25 years old

May 04, 2026 19:10

Covadonga Asturias

L	M	X	J	V	S	D
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30	31

Twenty days before his ordination as bishop, he says no. The reason? “Personal shortcomings,” claims the honest priest

She was baptized at age 98, with her 77-year-old son serving as her godfather: the touching story of a long-awaited baptism

A Catholic priest goes to the doctor and is prescribed euthanasia twice: here’s how that unpleasant experience unfolded

This Is the Catholic Church’s Podcast in the USA on the Occasion of the 250th Anniversary of Independence

Trump attacks the Pope again, and Leo XIV responds once more: “If anyone wishes to criticize me, let them do so with the truth”

Progressive? Colombian government led by socialist Gustavo Petro approves euthanasia for children

Data on the generous participation of Chinese Catholic Communities in the 2026 national Collection

How many Catholics are there in South Korea? The Church releases its impressive statistics (and challenges)

Islamists reduce historic church to rubble in northern Mozambique

What should a bishop be like, and how should doctrinal issues be discussed, according to the Synod? The Vatican releases the findings of the synodal reports

Full Text in English of the Vatican’s Letter Saying NO to the German Bishops’ Proposal for Gay Blessings

The exact number of new baptisms in France in 2026, as officially reported by the Church and illustrated with charts