Religious, civic leaders join Pope Leo for Liberty Medal award ceremony June 22, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: America's 250th anniversary, Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, a number of faith and civic leaders will be on hand as Pope Leo XIV accepts — via livestream from the Vatican — a major honor for his efforts to promote religious liberty, along with freedom of expression and conscience.
Pew: More governments cracking down on religion, with spikes in religious hostility in 2023 June 16, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News A new report shows more countries saw spikes in religious hostility by individuals and groups in 2023, the last year for which data is available — with the rise attributable in part to harassment of religious minorities and the ongoing impact of the Israel-Hamas war.
Catholic, Orthodox leaders condemn Russian attack on Kyiv cathedral June 15, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, War in Ukraine, World News Catholic and Orthodox leaders are expressing shock and outrage after a Russian drone strike heavily damaged a historic monastery complex in Kyiv, Ukraine, with a cathedral set ablaze.
US bishops approve updates to landmark child protection policies June 12, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, World News The U.S. Catholic bishops approved several updates to their landmark document on protection policies for children and minors, seeking to define key terms while balancing care for victim-survivors with accused clergy’s right to a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.
Report: 2 former University of Notre Dame rectors sexually abused students June 5, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News An independent report shows that two priests who oversaw University of Notre Dame residence halls sexually abused several students during their tenure in the 1980s and 1990s, with both continuing their abuse in parish settings after leaving the school.
Cardinal McElroy removes priest from exorcism ministry over UFO, demon comments on social media June 5, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News Cardinal Robert W. McElroy has removed a priest from his exorcism ministry in the Archdiocese of Washington, citing concerns over the cleric’s recent social media statements “linking UFOs to demonic presence.”
Pope Leo encyclical on AI shows need for humanity in healthcare, says expert June 3, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: AI, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Shortly after the May 25 release of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas,” which calls for artificial intelligence ethics to be grounded in Catholic social teaching on God-given human dignity, OSV News spoke with clinical medical ethicist Daniel J. Daly, the founding executive director of the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health.
US bishops release prayer service commemorating immigrants, enslaved with call to action June 3, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: America's 250th anniversary, Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, World News As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, the nation’s Catholic bishops have released a prayer service text commemorating its immigrants and refugees, as well as those trafficked under historic and modern forms of slavery in the U.S.
Pope’s slavery apology ‘proper and just,’ says bishop who heads National Black Catholic Congress June 2, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV’s acknowledgment of the Church’s role in slavery is “only proper and just,” said Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr., who is president of the National Black Catholic Congress.
Pope Leo’s new encyclical offers hope, call to shared moral discernment, say experts June 2, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: AI, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical on artificial intelligence is now a core document on AI ethics — one that offers hope amid grave warnings, while serving as a call to a shared moral discernment, Catholic experts told OSV News.
Knights of Peter Claver express ‘full support’ for Pope Leo slavery apology May 29, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Knights of Peter Claver, one of the Catholic Church’s largest historically Black Catholic lay fraternal organizations, said it “offers its full support” for Pope Leo XIV’s acknowledgment of the Church’s role in slavery.
Pope Leo’s encyclical on AI a ‘powerful reminder’ of human dignity, says Archbishop Coakley May 25, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: AI, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, which addresses artificial intelligence, is “a powerful reminder that no technology can replace a child of God, and all technology should be placed at the service of helping humanity thrive,” said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City.
