An agnostic who out-Christianed the Christians

Faith-based AI company Gloo faces moment of truth after $438M in losses
Religion News Service: Serial entrepreneur Scott Beck believes he has a mission to help churches and Christian ministries spread God’s work and help others. After years of financial losses, he believes his investment in building a faith-based tech company will soon pay off.

 

Amid ICE killings, more than 100 clergy from across the US stage protest at Delaney Hall
Religion News Service: “I am sick and tired of waking up every morning to see another loved one is dead,” said Charlene Walker, head of Faith in New Jersey.

 

Too weak to advocate for herself, a young woman is saved by a nun
NPR: After Solitaire Miles had a stroke at 18, a strong-willed nun saved her life.

 

20 years after his wife fell to her death in Utah, a youth pastor’s story unravels
CNN: When Bernadette Vander Meer told David Vander Meer she wanted a divorce, the youth pastor told her to consider the optics.

 

An agnostic who out-Christianed the Christians*
The Christian Century: The 19th-century orator Robert Ingersoll denied God. But his answer to the question of human purpose strikes me as a pretty good one.

2 historic churches in Mexico City reopen

U.S. bishops urge Labor Department to reject expanding IVF insurance coverage

U.S. Catholic bishops and other Catholic organizations warned that IVF destroys human embryonic life and encouraged the department to support life-affirming fertility treatments instead.

BBC correspondent David Willey, longtime Vatican and papal chronicler, dies at 93

EWTN News spoke to the journalist in February about his more than 50 years covering the Vatican.

Catholic Relief Services to receive $235 million in food aid for Sudan, Ethiopia

“More than 110,000 metric tons of U.S.-grown agricultural commodities” will be delivered under an agreement in principle between Catholic Relief Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

2 historic churches in Mexico City reopen almost 9 years after earthquake damage

Work was slow and meticulous due to the complexity of the damage, but the two churches in the historic city center of Mexico City are now open to the faithful.

Gay Couple Sues Woman for Not Aborting Their Baby

Following Controversy at the Basilica of Guadalupe, the Cardinal of Mexico City Announced Reforms Inspired by Rome and Appointed a New Rector

ZENIT Staff

Cardinal Aguiar Retes believes that «this renewal will help distinguish the pastoral mission from administrative operations, thereby consolidating — in accordance with new civil and ecclesiastical norms –, a more efficient and orderly system.»

Moroccan judicial authorities confirm that no complaints have been filed against Cardinal López Romero

ZENIT Staff

The outcome of the canonical process will determine whether the case advances to further ecclesiastical proceedings or is ultimately dismissed

Ann Widdecombe, a Catholic convert, pro-life politician, and advocate for religious freedom, was murdered in the United Kingdom. Two people are under investigation

Elizabeth Owens

As detectives continue their investigation, many questions remain unanswered, including whether the suspect had any prior relationship with Widdecombe and what motive may have led to the killing

Report Confirms That Fulani Militias Are Responsible for Most of the Deaths in Nigeria: 36 Per Day

ZENIT Staff

The report shows that terror-related violence killed 79,323 people from 2019 to September 2025. This equates to 36 people a day. More than 42,000 of those killed were civilians. Islamic Fulani accounted for 44% of the deaths — far more than the 12% that Boko Haram and ISWAP killed together

Here Is What the Vatican Summit of Nobel Laureates, World Leaders, and AI Experts Will Look Like

ZENIT Staff

The Summit will take place at «Borgo Laudato Si'» (a Vatican extraterritorial zone) with the aim of producing the “Rome Declaration for a Disarmed and Disarming Peace.” Participants include 30 Nobel laureates, representatives from 30 countries, former Heads of State and Government, 20 leading artificial intelligence experts (including representatives from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, AARU, and Anthropic), and 30 of the world’s top universities and research institutions. The event runs from July 14 to 16, 2026, at Castel Gandolfo and the Campidoglio in Rome.

Becoming a monk and living in a monastery increases life expectancy, according to a scientific study published in Austria

Joachin Meisner Hertz

The German-Austrian Monastery Study began with a modest academic thesis in the late 1990s. Nearly three decades later, it has become one of the most significant contributions to the scientific understanding of aging

Gay Couple Sues Woman for Not Aborting Their Baby: They Hired Her to Have a Child

Elizabeth Owens

Canadian Lawsuit Raises New Questions About Parenthood and Prenatal Life

Christ United Presbyterian San Diego

 What can the PC(USA) teach us about 

TRUTH DECAY?

In the Presbyterian Church (USA), or PCUSA, formal "heresy trials" are largely a thing of the past—a shift that took hold after the painful, high-profile conviction of modern scholar Charles Briggs in 1893. Since then, the denomination's constitution has generally protected broad theological diversity, leaving the examination of clergy up to individual local presbyteries. However, "heresy" remains a highly active term of debate. Today, the PCUSA is deeply polarized, with conservative critics accusing the progressive leadership of theological drift, while the denomination itself has labeled certain right-wing political-theological movements as heretical.Recent controversies and accusations of heresy within the PCUSA highlight this divide:

How many Catholics are there in Mexico?

“The most important thing is forgiveness”: Chair of Marriage Care reflects on the ingredients for a strong relationship

ZENIT Staff

Addressing difficulties in a marriage is not easy, and Roger shares that couples experiencing challenges wait an average of seven years before seeking professional support.

Despite the continuing decline in the number of Catholics, the Church’s tax revenue in Germany is on the rise again: here are the numbers

ZENIT Staff

The so-called «church tax miracle» may therefore prove to be less a sign of ecclesial renewal than a temporary consequence of economic and demographic factors

Euthanasia in France: For the third time, the Senate says “no.” Progressives and the French left will pass it in Parliament

ZENIT Staff

Although the Senate has once again rejected the proposal, the legislative momentum now appears to favor its supporters. If the National Assembly grants final approval next week, France would join a growing number of countries that permit some form of medically assisted dying

Questions about liturgy: Gestures and the Tabernacle

Fr. Edward McNamara

Answered by Legionary of Christ Father Edward McNamara, professor of liturgy and sacramental theology at the Pontifical Regina Apostolorum university.

Italy Fights EU on Gestational Surrogacy

Stefano Gennarini

Responding to those who defend surrogacy on altruistic or voluntary grounds, Professor Ursula Basset, an adviser at the National Directorate for International Affairs of Argentina’s Ministry of Justice, said, “I will believe in surrogate motherhood when a rich woman gestates for a poor one.”

Why Are Feminists Angry at the UN Security Council?

ZENIT Staff

Despite the fact that only a fraction of women identify themselves as feminists, it has become a common progressive tactic at the UN to equate women’s groups with feminist groups.

These are the most-visited churches in Spain in 2026, according to new research

ZENIT Staff

According to the study, between 17 and 20 million people travel to Spain every year for religious, spiritual or cultural reasons

Investigation into Russian espionage in Italy points to the Vatican as a target. Two people have been arrested

ZENIT Staff

The judicial process now underway may eventually clarify what Russian intelligence hoped to achieve through the alleged Vatican assignment and whether any meaningful access was ever obtained. Until then, many crucial questions remain unanswered

How many Catholics are there in Mexico? What the statistics show—and the challenge they present

ZENIT Staff

Mexico continues to occupy a pivotal place within world Catholicism. Vatican statistical publications, including the 2026 Pontifical Yearbook and the 2024 Annuarium Statisticum Ecclesiae, project that the country now has approximately 101.3 million baptized Catholics, making it the second-largest Catholic nation in the world after Brazil

Venezuela: The Church Steps In to Fill the Gap Left by the Socialist State in Providing Humanitarian Aid After the Earthquake. Here Are the Facts

ZENIT Staff

According to the report, Caritas Venezuela has received approximately 14,700 tons of humanitarian assistance. Of that amount, 9,000 tons—61 percent of the total—have already reached affected communities, while another 5,700 tons remain available for the next stages of relie

The Parable of the Sower, as Explained by Pope Leo XIV

ZENIT Staff

Address on the Occasion of the Angelus Prayer on Sunday, July 12, 2026

Beyond the End Times: What evangelical support for Israel really reveals

A Bible passage is at the center of a debate over how the U.S. should treat immigrants
NPR: A debate over a Bible verse in Matthew 25 is pitting mainline pastors, Black protestants and the pope against evangelical politicians put on the defensive over President Trump’s policies.

 

After more than a century, formerly enslaved Pittsburgh pastor’s grave finally marked
WESA: A Baptist church from Arlington, Virginia, is celebrating its 160th anniversary in Pittsburgh, of all places. Their founding pastor, Reverend Dr. Robert Simon Laws, was buried here in the Homewood Cemetery in 1903, in an unmarked grave.

 

Muslim advocacy group fights for trust after Texas brands it a terrorist group
Religion News Service: A terrorist designation in Texas is fraying trust inside Muslim communities as mosque and nonprofit leaders decide whether standing by CAIR is worth the risk.

 

How Russia turned to saints in its push for ‘traditional values’ — and more babies
National Catholic Reporter: Events for some saints’ feast days serve a Russian government campaign to present itself as a defender of “traditional values.”

 

‘You come out feeling high’: I sang with strangers in a one-day choir — and it was surprisingly spiritual
The Guardian: As people yearn for connection, these events are popping up around the world and spreading “collective effervescence.”

 

The deep spiritual history of AI
ARC: For hundreds of years, thinkers have hoped to find God in the machine.

 

The Lord is my MMA coach*
Mother Jones: How evangelical leaders transformed Jesus Christ into a ripped ultimate fighting machine.

 

The Latina women in Texas reshaping the UMC
Religion News Service: Latina United Methodist Church leaders in Texas are emerging with fresh models for ministry following years of schism, decline and uncertainty within the denomination.

 

Church of England votes against plan to rewild 30% of its land by 2030
The Guardian: Campaigners criticize the Church of England for failing to show moral leadership as one of country’s biggest landowners.

 

Beyond the End Times: What evangelical support for Israel really reveals 
Religion News Service: For many evangelicals, Israel is not just a sign of the End Times. It is also the homeland of a people they believe God has chosen and whom Christians are called to love.

July brings feast days of holy husbands and wives

Chicago Archdiocese investigates sex abuse accusation against activist priest

The Archdiocese of Chicago has withdrawn Father Michael Pfleger from ministry to review an allegation of sexual abuse of a minor in an instance that allegedly occurred more than 30 years ago.

Pilgrimage to Brazil’s Basilica Shrine of the Divine Eternal Father draws 4 million

From June 26 to July 5, the faithful from across the country traveled to the Basilica Shrine of the Divine Eternal Father to give thanks for answered prayers and present their intentions.

Pro-life leaders remember Sen. Lindsey Graham as longtime champion for unborn children

Graham, 71, died on July 11, and pro-life groups pledged to continue legislative efforts he supported.

Society of St. Pius X appeals to Vatican against schism decree

The society filed its appeal with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on July 11, arguing that under canon law the move suspends the recent excommunication decree.

A month of married saints: July brings feast days of holy husbands and wives

Throughout the month of July, the Church celebrates the feast days of several holy married couples whose lives continue to inspire Catholic families today.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after ‘brief and sudden illness’

The office of the long-serving South Carolina senator said he passed away on July 11.

Pope Leo XIV: Make time for prayer and silence in the summer

The pontiff addressed the faithful during the July 12 Angelus at Castel Gandolfo, where he is currently on vacation.

The hidden story behind America's religious revival

 

Jun 15, 2026

The polling firm Gallup found that the share of young men in America — across various faiths — who said religion was ‘very important’ to them had jumped from 28 percent to 42 percent in just two years. But recently, professor and data scientist Ryan Burge found something surprising in those numbers. A large part of the rise in people saying religion is very important came from people who do not attend weekly services. He calls this phenomenon ‘belief without behaviour.’ In this episode, Katty Kay talks with Ryan Burge about what’s going on in the numbers — and why the headlines of a religious revival in America are more complicated than they might seem.

Canon Law or Church History? The SSPX Schism

 

Written by Pete Vere

Concerning the July 1 Society of St Pius X (SSPX) episcopal consecrations and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s (DDF) decree declaring excommunication, many have reached out to me as a retired canonist and Catholic apologist — one who once specialized in the SSPX’s 1988 consecrations and excommunication. Sifting through contradictory and often confusing commentary of clergy, canonists, and Catholic apologists, I sympathize with fellow Catholics struggling to wrap their heads around what has taken place.

Speaking candidly, I too am struggling to understand the sudden breakdown of relations between Rome and Écône. It seems quite sudden following Pope Francis’s death. What I did not imagine was finding clarity through Wayne Gretzky. Yes, Canada’s retired hockey legend.

Appealing to a professional athlete to resolve ecclesiastical schism feels sacrilegious, if not sardonic. Ironic in that the consecrations took place Canada Day (July 1st) and I am the only Canadian I know who does not follow hockey. Yet I retired from canon law and apologetics precisely to devote more time and energy to my family — which now includes coaching my children’s activities.

Gretzky is the source of the first lessons I pass on when teaching young people: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”

At lunch with the poor

Irish bishops condemn burning of mosque replica at holiday festivities

Irish bishops condemn anti-Muslim display, religious sisters set up a field hospital for Venezuela earthquake victims, euthanasia in New Zealand surges, and more in this week's world news roundup.

‘We will rise with him,’ Venezuelan bishop says as Catholic nonprofits mobilize relief efforts

“Though we’ve been hit by nature, we don’t lose our hope because our hope is set on Christ the Lord, and he had victory over death and destruction,” Auxiliary Bishop Carlos Márquez said.

Catholic Church in Colombia calls for respecting presidential election results

With Abelardo de la Espriella's very narrow victory and outgoing President Gustavo Petros' refusal to accept that result, alleging fraud, the Colombian bishops urged citizens to respect the outcome.

At lunch with the poor, Pope Leo XIV calls on society to eliminate the causes of poverty, injustice

The Holy Father on July 11 hosted "Lunch with the Pope," a day of hospitality and fraternity at Borgo Laudato Si' within the papal gardens of Castel Gandolfo.