After reciting the Angelus prayer Jan. 26 with visitors in St. Peter’s Square, the pope drew their attention to the following day’s commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Peruvian Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani, the first cardinal of Opus Dei, said Jan. 25 that abuse accusations made against him in a Spanish daily El País are “completely false,” while acknowledging he was sanctioned by the Vatican in the past and saying that the sanctions were lifted by Pope Francis.

Vice President JD Vance questioned the motives of the U.S. bishops’ criticism of President Donald Trump’s new immigration policies in a Jan. 26 interview — including raids on churches and schools — asking if they are actually concerned about receiving federal resettlement funding and “their bottom line.”

President Donald Trump on Jan. 24 used executive authority to block taxpayer funds from paying for elective abortion procedures both in the U.S. and abroad.

Perhaps the largest U.S. assembly of those dedicated to carrying out the social ministry and teaching of the church, the biennial Catholic Social Ministry Gathering takes place Jan. 25-28 in Washington, a day after the national March for Life.

Celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Francis reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s willingness to accept a proposal for a common date for celebrating Easter in the West and the East.

Because of the quiet and heroic intervention of a Polish priest, Andrew Jampoler’s life was saved just as it began. Jampoler, 83, feels a strong debt of gratitude to Father Jozef Czapran who protected him as an infant in Eastern Poland by providing lifesaving papers for him and his family.

Ahead of national Catholic Schools Week 2025 (Jan. 26-Feb. 1), OSV News spoke with Mary Pat Donoghue, executive director of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Catholic Education, for her thoughts on the state of Catholic education in the nation.

Poland’s Catholic primate has accused Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government of pandering to anti-church feeling, after it unveiled new plans to downgrade religious teaching in the traditionally Catholic country.

Before the millions of pilgrims expected to come to Rome during the Holy Year 2025 cross through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, they will be met by smiling faces and lime green jackets.