Religious freedom in Russia continues to decline, say experts June 5, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News As Pope Leo XIV highlights the need for interreligious dialogue and diplomacy, religious liberty in Russia continues to decline, with the U.S. International Religious Freedom Commission citing that nation’s intensified use of blasphemy laws to silence freedom of expression.
FBI memo with ‘anti-Catholic terminology’ said to be distributed to over 1,000 FBI agents June 4, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, Uncategorized, World News Amid an investigation into a controversial and retracted FBI memo that suggested some “radical traditionalist” Catholics pose threats of racial or ethnically motivated violence, a GOP senator alleged the FBI distributed the memo that “used anti-Catholic terminology” more widely than previously known.
As pilgrims flock to Ugandan shrine, authorities narrowly prevent massive terror attack June 4, 2025By Tonny Onyuolo OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News As millions of pilgrims flocked to the famed Ugandan shrine in Namugongo in the days leading to commemoration of the country’s 45 Christian martyrs, local authorities prevented an attempted terror attack in what they said was a swift secret service operation, possibly saving hundreds from imminent death.
Polish nuns beatified for heroic witness amid wartime horror June 2, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Saints, World News In a solemn ceremony in Braniewo, northeastern Poland, 15 nuns from the Congregation of St. Catherine Virgin and Martyr, were beatified — recognized as martyrs who gave their lives during the final, brutal months of World War II.
Bishops speak up after two Catholic priests killed in Kenya May 29, 2025By Fredrick Nzwili OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Religious Freedom, World News Catholic bishops in Kenya are demanding a full investigation into the suspicious deaths of two priests within days of each other, calling the incidents deeply disturbing.
Cardinal Dolan, Becket honoree, is ‘intensely devoted’ to protection of religious freedom May 28, 2025By Armando Machado OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York has been awarded Becket’s 2025 Canterbury Medal for his lifelong commitment to the cause of religious liberty.
Supreme Court rejects Indigenous coalition’s appeal over mine’s threat to sacred site May 27, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Supreme Court, World News The U.S. Supreme Court on May 27 rejected an appeal from a coalition of Western Apache people, along with other Native American and non-Indigenous supporters, that sought to protect their sacred site at Oak Flat, Ariz., from destruction by a copper mining giant.
Polish order appeals for prayers as Catholic priests face draconian sentences in Belarus May 27, 2025By Jonathan Luxmoore OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News A Polish religious order has requested prayers from Christians worldwide for one of its senior priests, Oblate Father Andrzej Juchniewicz, who was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment on unspecified political charges in Belarus.
Story behind beatification of Poland’s Father Stanislaw Streich is one of quiet courage May 22, 2025By Katarzyna Szalajko OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Saints, World News In one of the first beatifications under Pope Leo XIV, the church in Poland is preparing to celebrate the beatification of Father Stanislaw Streich, a humble parish priest murdered at the altar in 1938.
USCIRF praises Pope Leo XIV for continuing Vatican’s international religious freedom work May 19, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent, bipartisan U.S. government commission that monitors religious freedom around the globe, praised Pope Leo XIV May 16 for demonstrating the Vatican would continue its advocacy for international religious freedom during his papacy.
Trump names three U.S. bishops, priest to religious liberty commission advisory board May 19, 2025By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, World News Three U.S. Catholic bishops and a parish priest were among religious leaders President Donald Trump appointed to an advisory board of his recently established Religious Liberty Commission.
French town near city with papal history to mark 100 years since Martyrs of Orange beatification May 11, 2025By Caroline de Sury OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Saints, World News On May 11, Archbishop François Fonlupt and neighboring bishops will mark the 100th anniversary of the beatification of the Martyrs of Orange — 32 religious sisters guillotined during the French Revolution for refusing to renounce their faith.
