A new Swiss law requires priests and monks to perform military service based on the premise that, in modern society, the clergy is no longer essential

Jul 17, 2026 15:38

priests, monks and members of religious orders are no longer automatically exempt from Switzerland's compulsory military service Photo: Wikimedia Commons user TheBernFiles. - Own photograph. Shot at the Army Days 2006 (Heerestage 2006) in Thun.

Cardinals and Bishops•Local Church•Vatican Diplomacy

Cardinal Zuppi’s New Visit to Ukraine: The Pope’s Special Envoy Visits Russian Prisoners, Many of Whom Are Catholic

On July 14, Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, began a four-day visit to Ukraine by travelling to Zakhid-1, a detention facility in the Lviv region, accompanied by the Apostolic Nuncio, Visvaldas Kulbokas, and Ukraine’s ambassador to the Holy See, Andrii Yurash

Jul 15, 2026 18:25

ZENIT Staff

Local Church•Priests

A young Kenyan diocese faces a test of authority as its bishop suspends nearly one in six priests

The underlying dispute also touches on a perennial problem in Church governance: reform can be necessary and still generate resistance. A bishop seeking to impose greater transparency may encounter suspicion from those who fear excessive centralization

Jul 15, 2026 18:12

ZENIT Staff

Pro Life

Federal court allows Michigan pro-life orgs to hire, insure employees according to beliefs

Right to Life of Michigan and Pregnancy Resource Center Grand Rapids are suing Michigan after it amended its employment law to redefine “sex” discrimination to include “the termination of a pregnancy,” forcing the pro-life organizations to hire employees who don’t agree with their mission.

Jul 15, 2026 18:03

ZENIT Staff

Gender Ideology

Male athletes dismiss lawsuit against NH women’s sports law, Trump executive orders protecting female athletes

Two male students are suing the state of New Hampshire over its law that protects women’s sports. The ACLU has added two executive orders protecting girls and children from gender ideology, signed by President Donald Trump, to the lawsuit, making it the first legal challenge against the executive orders.

Jul 15, 2026 17:59

ZENIT Staff

Analysis Opinion

Pair of Mediums Desecrate the Basilica of El Pilar, the Cathedral, and Another Church in Zaragoza, Spain

Crude spiritualists engage in offensive behavior by posting videos on Instagram filmed inside Catholic churches, claiming to detect «spirits» and even using a pendulum to, according to them, measure «energies» at the site where the Virgin Mary appeared.

Jul 15, 2026 07:14

ZENIT Staff

Pope Leo XIV to Visit Uruguay: Cardinal Sturla Reveals Details About the Pope’s Upcoming Trip to South America

The tentative trip would also include Argentina and Peru and could take place between November 5 and 15, with the official schedule expected to be confirmed by the Holy See toward the end of July

Leo XIV will visit the Vatican Apostolic Library and open an exhibition for the first time

On Monday, September 14, 2026, the Holy Father will visit the Vatican Apostolic Library and inaugurate the first chapter of the exhibition cycle “Catastrophe and Wonder”, titled “AQVA”. In this exhibition, the works of three contemporary creatives – artist JR, typographer Bill Moran, and chef Fulvio Pierangelini – will engage in dialogue with the collections and spaces of the Pope’s Library, offering a reflection on water as both a threat and a resource.

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A new Swiss law requires priests and monks to perform military service based on the premise that, in modern society, the clergy is no longer essential

France Legalizes Euthanasia: High Alert for Catholic Hospitals That May Be Forced to Kill Patients

Order of Preachers Launches Renewed Official Website

Arkansas Surges to the Top of America’s Religious Liberty Ranking as States Compete to Strengthen Legal Protections

Pakistan: 12 years on and still no justice for young couple burnt alive in a brick kiln

Pope Leo XIV to Visit Uruguay: Cardinal Sturla Reveals Details About the Pope’s Upcoming Trip to South America

New website about new Mass and World Day of Prayer for Creation

Cardinal Zuppi’s New Visit to Ukraine: The Pope’s Special Envoy Visits Russian Prisoners, Many of Whom Are Catholic

A young Kenyan diocese faces a test of authority as its bishop suspends nearly one in six priests

Federal court allows Michigan pro-life orgs to hire, insure employees according to beliefs

Male athletes dismiss lawsuit against NH women’s sports law, Trump executive orders protecting female athletes

Pair of Mediums Desecrate the Basilica of El Pilar, the Cathedral, and Another Church in Zaragoza, Spain