New rule affecting visas seen as ‘positive step’ by foreign-born priests March 16, 2026By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Immigration and Migration, Local News, News The change means that when a priest’s visa runs out, he can travel abroad briefly to renew it and return without a prolonged absence – helping parishes maintain stability in a time of growing priest shortages.
Sister parishes unite congregations March 16, 2026By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Evangelization, Feature, Local News, News According to Julie St. Croix, director of the Office of Parish Renewal within the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Institute for Evangelization, 62 parishes participate in the archdiocese’s sister parish program. The idea is to create “a multi-level active connection between two parishes to see themselves as one,” she said.
‘Catholic Saints of America’ event celebrates America’s 250th birthday March 14, 2026By Katie Yoder Filed Under: America's 250th anniversary, Feature, News, Saints, World News Scheduled for July 1-9, “Catholic Saints of America” will feature a special novena, an exhibit honoring Americans who are saints or on the path to sainthood, and an opportunity to venerate their relics. The relics or remains of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Blessed Solanas Casey and Blessed Stanley Rother will be among those on display.
Father Norvel, first Black superior general for U.S. men’s religious community, dies at 90 March 12, 2026By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries Josephite Father William Norvel, a forceful voice for Black Catholic identity who spent more than six decades challenging the institutional church to live up to its claim of being universal, died March 8. He was 90.
Amid measles uptick, infectious diseases specialist says Church recommends vaccination March 12, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, Health Care, News, World News Amid a spike in measles cases in the U.S., an infectious diseases specialist, who is also a Catholic deacon, told OSV News that the Church “has recommended measles vaccination to safeguard the health of children and families.”
U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is failing the Church’s just war test, bishops warn March 12, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Catholic Social Teaching, Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Since the start of the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran, some U.S. Catholic bishops have highlighted Church teaching on what constitutes a “just war” — with one cardinal flatly declaring the current conflict fails to meet the necessary criteria, and is therefore “morally illegitimate.”
Deacon Stretmater, father of 11 who ministered at Howard County parish, dies at 101 March 12, 2026By Jay Sorgi Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries The word “presence” defined the way Deacon Daniel Stretmater ministered, living a life to evoke Christ’s presence through everything he did in his 101 years of life, including actively serving for a quarter-century at St. Louis in Clarksville.
Pope Leo XIV meets with evacuated Tehran cardinal as U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran continue March 12, 2026By Courtney Mares OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV met privately March 11 with the cardinal archbishop of Tehran after the Belgian-born prelate was evacuated from Iran amid U.S. and Israeli military strikes on the country.
Slain Lebanese priest hailed as a ‘martyr,’ commemorated by Pope Leo XIV March 11, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Lebanese Maronite Catholic priest Father Pierre al-Rahi was commemorated by Pope Leo XIV ahead of the cleric’s funeral attended by scores of faithful as well as Catholic and Lebanese government officials in his southern village of Qlayaa.
Church’s unity comes from faith in Christ and from love, pope says March 11, 2026By Josephine Peterson Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Catholic Church is made up of diverse people who are united by their faith in Christ and are called to welcome all of humanity, Pope Leo XIV said during his weekly general audience.
Maryvale grad Allie Weis running Boston Marathon to benefit cancer research March 11, 2026By Gerry Jackson Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Sports Allie Weis will compete in her first Boston Marathon April 20, running the 130th edition of the iconic event to raise funds for cancer research in honor of her late mother.
Vatican releases synod report on women’s role in Church leadership March 11, 2026By Courtney Mares OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Synodality, Vatican, World News The Vatican has published the final report of the synod study group examining women’s participation in the Church, which calls for expanded roles for women in Church governance and leadership in roles not including ordained ministry.
