France to see a record 17,800 catechumens baptized at Easter, with requests still ‘pouring in’ April 14, 2025By Caroline de Sury OSV News Filed Under: News, World News, Worship & Sacraments In record-breaking numbers, more than 17,800 catechumens will be baptized during the Easter Vigil on April 19, including 10,384 adults and more than 7,400 young people ages 11 to 17, according to an annual survey by the National Service for Catechumens of the French bishops’ conference.
Question Corner: Why do we need confession if Jesus’ death cleansed us from our sins? April 9, 2025By Jenna Marie Cooper OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Question Corner, Worship & Sacraments We know that God is totally loving and merciful, and is always ready to forgive. And this is why Jesus left the church with the sacrament of penance, to provide a means for reconciliation after post-baptismal sins.
As Kansas Catholics pray, a Satanic group’s ‘black mass’ turns violent, with arrests March 31, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News, Worship & Sacraments A Satanic group’s effort to conduct a “black mass” at the Kansas Statehouse March 28 turned violent, leading to arrests, while across the street the state’s Catholic archbishop led hundreds in peaceful prayer before the Eucharist for those who “seek to mock our merciful God.”
Pope tells priests hearing confessions is a ‘privilege’ March 28, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments Priests must recognize that it is a privilege to administer the sacrament of reconciliation and grant absolution, Pope Francis wrote.
Kansas Satanists forced to admit under oath they don’t possess Eucharist for ‘black mass’ March 21, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Eucharist, News, World News, Worship & Sacraments A Satanic group planning a “black mass” at the Kansas Statehouse March 28 has sworn in court it is not in possession of a consecrated host and wine the group said it aimed to desecrate at the event.
Kansas archbishop sues Satanists over alleged theft of Eucharist for ‘black mass’ March 20, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: News, World News, Worship & Sacraments Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, has filed a motion for the return of the Eucharist, a consecrated host and consecrated wine a Satanic group claims to have stolen, with the archbishop stating that all sacred species are the property of the Catholic Church.
Former Vietnamese communist nurse who once baptized sick child will be baptized at Easter March 15, 2025By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: News, World News, Worship & Sacraments Dau Kieu Giang, who baptized a child when she was an atheist and Communist Party member, is now getting ready to be baptized herself during this Easter Vigil in a parish in Vietnam’s Quang Tri province.
Papal preacher: Neglecting Mass means losing sight of heaven March 14, 2025By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments Failing to attend or celebrate Mass is not just skipping a religious obligation — it is a sign that one’s spiritual hunger is withering, the preacher of the papal household warned members of the Roman Curia.
Mass, Communion are sources of strength, papal preacher says March 13, 2025By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, World News, Worship & Sacraments Going to Mass and receiving Communion are signs of putting one’s trust in God and understanding he is the one who gives the courage and strength to live life to the fullest no matter how little one has, the preacher of the papal household told members of the Roman Curia.
Hundreds prepare to be received into the Catholic Church March 10, 2025By Katie V. Jones Catholic Review Filed Under: Evangelization, Feature, Local News, News, Worship & Sacraments The archdiocese reported that 320 catechumens – those like Jay St. John who have not been baptized – and 458 candidates – those who are baptized but have not received one or more of the sacraments of initiation – participated in the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Rite of Election and the Call to Continuing Conversion liturgy at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Homeland on March 9.
Confirmation now set for 9-year-old children in Archdiocese of Baltimore March 4, 2025By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Worship & Sacraments Archbishop William E. Lori is lowering the standard age for confirmation in the Archdiocese of Baltimore to 9.
Pope urges liturgical experts to avoid ‘unnecessary pomp’ in Mass February 28, 2025By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments Liturgical leaders in the church must serve as humble guides to prayer rather than be strictly focused on the application of rules, Pope Francis said.
