More than 230 pilgrimages across the U.S. mark 10 years of ‘Laudato Si’ October 12, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Environment, Jubilee 2025, News, World News To celebrate three occasions — the worldwide Jubilee 2025; the 10th anniversary of the 2015 release of Pope Francis’ landmark environmental encyclical “Laudato Si'”; and the annual ecumenical Season of Creation Sept. 1-Oct. 4 — Catholics across America have committed themselves to spiritual expeditions not on the well-worn pilgrimage routes of Europe, but in their own communities.
Experts: ‘Dilexi Te’ reinforces Catholic teaching that care for the poor is essential to holiness October 10, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Catholic Social Teaching, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The words of “Dilexi Te” (“I Have Loved You”) — the apostolic exhortation on love for the poor released by the Vatican Oct. 9 — come from the pen of two pontiffs, Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV.
Many Catholics, not just Pope Leo, are praying the rosary every day in October: Here’s why October 7, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Marian Devotion, News, World News On the Catholic Church’s Roman calendar, October is designated as the Month of the Holy Rosary, with the liturgical Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary falling on Oct. 7 — and indeed, it’s a traditional practice to pray the rosary all 31 days.
Analysis: U.S. strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats raise just war concerns October 2, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Catholic Social Teaching, News, World News Since a new front in America’s ongoing battle against drug smuggling has apparently opened — there have been two additional U.S. attacks on Venezuelan boats, the latest on Sept. 19, and a total of at least 17 related deaths — Catholics may be wondering: Are we at war? And if so, where do such enforcement actions fall on the spectrum of the church’s “just war” criteria?
Hostile legislative climate over confessional seal nothing new, says priest-canon lawyer September 27, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Child & Youth Protection, Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News, Worship & Sacraments If it seems like batches of states are suddenly legislating mandatory clergy reporting laws — legal decrees that require clergy to report child abuse or neglect revealed in the confessional — Father John Paul Kimes, a canon lawyer, has some current and historical context to offer.
‘Brave New World’ babies: Is there a ‘pregnancy robot’ in our future? September 27, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Respect Life, World News As the boundaries of reproductive medicine are continually pushed, is such a development really that far off? Is it even possible? And if so, what are the moral implications — or consequences?
Pronatalism: Beyond the buzz, some proponents just think it would be nice to have more babies September 19, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Catholic Social Teaching, Marriage & Family Life, News, World News Depending on the context, the concept of pronatalism — encouraging people to have children, or the promotion of childbearing — can either be cause to celebrate the critical role of the family in society; a techno-elitist vision of a future populated by humans engineered for specific traits; or a cringe-worthy expression of anti-immigrant nativism.
Catholic University launches new AI institute led by Microsoft’s Taylor Black September 19, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: AI, Colleges, News, World News The Catholic University of America, the national university founded by the U.S. bishops, announced that Taylor Black, director of AI & Venture Ecosystems in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft, has been named founding director of a new interdisciplinary institute on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
Celebrating an American Saint: St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s canonization at 50 September 17, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Saints Sept. 14 marks the 50th anniversary since the canonization of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821), the first American-born saint.
Will Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ impact charitable giving? Experts weigh in September 12, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Giving, News, World News It’s a source of perpetual anxiety for anyone in the Catholic Church concerned or tasked with the sources of support that enable its mission: Will the faithful keep giving what they give?
Analysis: With school choice tax credit, Catholic schools could rise, but challenges remain September 4, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Schools, World News Effective school choice programs require — at a minimum — a combination of access, availability, leadership and communication.
‘Rerum Novarum’ 2.0? Catholic labor advocates heartened by Pope Leo’s direction August 10, 2025By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, Vatican, World News He believes the church should be a primary witness of workplace fairness; more than a million American workers are employed by Catholic hospitals, schools and other institutions — but unions are not universal.
