Tennessee diocese clarifies Mass obligations as immigration crackdown empties pews May 15, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, World News Amid an immigration enforcement operation in Nashville, Tenn., that has emptied the pews at several Spanish-speaking parishes, the Diocese of Nashville is reminding faithful that they are not required to attend Sunday Mass if they fear for their well-being according to the church’s own teaching and canon law.
U.S. bishops release updated pastoral letter on pornography amid rise in sexual exploitation May 14, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, Child & Youth Protection, News, social media, World News The U.S. bishops recently released an updated version of their 2015 pastoral letter on the dangers of pornography, a document they said is “still needed today” amid increased social acceptance of — and addiction to — such material.
New pope’s Black, Creole roots illuminate rich multiracial history of U.S. May 14, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, News, Vatican, World News A New Orleans genealogist has found that the first U.S.-born pope has Black and Creole roots — and the discovery illuminates the nation’s rich multiracial history, the experience of Black Catholics and the importance of the church’s sacramental records.
‘He’s always been a brother to us’: Villanova Augustinian prior reflects on future Pope Leo XIV May 13, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Colleges, News, Vatican, Vocations, World News Augustinian Father Robert Hagan said that fellow order member Pope Leo XIV has “always been a brother to us” — one who encouraged him from his early days to his own leadership role in the order.
Catholic Charities tasked with Afrikaner travel fees as Trump keeps other refugees in limbo May 13, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Catholic Charities, Immigration and Migration, News, World News Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington has confirmed to OSV News that its offices are assisting with some travel expenses, at the request of the state of Virginia, for dozens of white South Africans known as Afrikaners, whose refugee applications were expedited by the Trump administration due to what the White House called “racial discrimination.”
‘I felt heard’: Catholic school teacher recalls life-changing talk with future pope May 13, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Days before he was elected, Pope Leo XIV (then Cardinal Robert F. Prevost) received a ringing endorsement from a Catholic school teacher in New Jersey — one the pope-to-be apparently read just hours before entering the conclave at which he would be chosen.
‘A missionary at heart’: Catholic groups welcome Pope Leo XIV, first U.S.-born pope May 8, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Uncategorized Catholic groups are welcoming Pope Leo XIV — the second pope from the Americas, and the first U.S.-born pontiff — who was elected May 8, the second day of the papal conclave.
Vatican security for conclave ‘sets a gold standard’ for organizations, says expert May 7, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: 2025 Conclave, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Vatican’s approach to security protocols for the papal conclave “sets a gold standard for organizations handling sensitive decisions,” security expert and author Theresa Payton told OSV News.
Judge: New Orleans Archdiocese must show why bankruptcy remains unresolved 5 years in May 7, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, News, World News The Archdiocese of New Orleans is facing an expedited bankruptcy court appearance, with the judge asking why the five-year-old case should not be dismissed for failure to reach a reorganization plan.
Trump administration seeks to have states’ mifepristone lawsuit dismissed May 6, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Respect Life, World News The Trump administration has asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought by three states seeking to restrict access to mifepristone, a pill used both for early abortions and for miscarriage care — a position that mirrors the Biden administration’s approach to the issue.
Ukraine’s religious leaders urge U.S. faithful to ‘be on the side of truth’ amid war May 5, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, War in Ukraine, World News Ukrainian religious leaders met with the head of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ conference, asking the church in the U.S. to “be on the side of the truth” regarding Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.
Holy Spirit, humanity on hand for conclave, says Maryland priest who served at papal election May 2, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: 2025 Conclave, Feature, News, World News With the conclave just a few days away, the pastor of a Maryland parish told OSV News he has “an enormous degree of confidence” in the papal selection process, having seen it from the inside in 2005 when Pope Benedict XVI was chosen.
