As the Catholic Church prepares to join Christians around the world in commemorating the 2026 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the theme chosen also reflects Pope Leo XIV’s hope of unified humanity in an increasingly individualistic world.

If Christians are to speak about God, then they must dedicate time each day and week to listening to God’s word in prayer and the liturgy, Pope Leo XIV said.

The auditorium — which was used to celebrate Mass for nearly five months after an Aug. 27, 2025, shooting during an all-school Mass took the lives of the Merkels’ 8-year-old son, Fletcher, and 10-year-old Harper Moyski — was filled Jan. 10 with Annunciation parents and community members.

Bishop Thomas shared his thoughts in a Jan. 13 statement released by the USCCB, ahead of a number of national and local pro-life initiatives held throughout the month.

Acknowledging what he described as “a heaviness in our community these days,” Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis assured Catholics and the Twin Cities community of his continued prayers on Jan. 12.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 13 heard oral arguments in two cases concerning state laws requiring student athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond to their biological sex rather than their gender identity.

The historic altar of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchal Monastery of St. Mark in Jerusalem has been unveiled for the first time in nearly 350 years, following an extensive restoration.

Pope Leo has established that from Jan. 10, following the closing of the church’s Jubilee Year, until Jan. 10, 2027, a special Year of St. Francis may be proclaimed, in which every Christian, “following the example of the Saint of Assisi, may himself become a model of holiness of life and a constant witness of peace.”

The ongoing emigration of millions of Venezuelans from their native country is the largest recorded refugee crisis in the Americas. According to The Associated Press, about 8 million people have fled the country since 2014.

As the U.S. marked its annual observance of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day Jan. 11, anti-trafficking advocates told OSV News their work is facing challenges due to funding downturns and fears of reprisal amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns.