In the lead up to the 20th anniversary of the death of Sister Stang, who is considered by many as a “Martyr of the Amazon,” a relic containing blood-soaked soil from the site of her murder was enshrined at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island in Rome on Jan. 10.

A new report calls for the Russian Federation to be designated a state sponsor of terrorism, finding that Russia is weaponizing Orthodox Christianity as part of a genocidal attack on Ukraine — persecuting Catholics, other Christians and other faith communities in the besieged nation.

Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr, 76, from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Robert G. Casey of Chicago as his successor.

The Vatican released a partial schedule of Pope Francis’ liturgical celebrations in March and early April, including a group Lenten retreat for the pope and top members of the Curia for the first time in five years.

Reflecting on the many countries at war, such as Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, North Kivu in Congo and South Sudan, the pope said, “Let’s pray for peace, let’s do our all for peace. Don’t forget that war is always a defeat.”

More than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups filed a lawsuit Feb. 11 in federal court to challenge a Trump administration policy that rescinded long-standing restrictions on Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making arrests at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals.

Nicaragua’s government issued a statement attacking the Vatican as “depraved” following interviews in which exiled Bishop Rolando Álvarez of Matagalpa reaffirmed the pope’s desire for him to continue leading a pair of Nicaraguan dioceses from afar.

Ways must be found to ensure artificial intelligence benefits everyone and protects the environment, given the high amounts of energy consumed by data centers, Pope Francis told leaders at a global meeting on AI.

Even though a pilgrimage peak is some months away, the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes celebrated its wintery feast day Feb. 11 with a number of pilgrims who flocked to the French holy site on the anniversary of the first apparition of the Blessed Virgin to St. Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.

Pope Francis has added the feast day of St. Teresa of Kolkata, a “beacon of hope” and an example of loving service to the poorest of the poor, to the General Roman Calendar so that her “Optional Memorial shall be celebrated by all on 5 September every year.”