I recently learned why zebras have stripes

Baptism, therefore, disposes us toward goodness

 

What does it mean today, to be “the salt of the earth?”

 

U.S. bishops mark 100th anniversary of Black History Month

U.S. bishops mark 100th anniversary of Black History Month February marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month being commemorated in the U.S. Church fresco angel that resembled Italian prime minister painted over to end controversy The restored fresco in an ancient church in Rome sparked controversy after one of the angels depicted in the restoration bore a striking resemblance to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Archbishop Coakley urges U.S., Russia to renew nuclear arms control pact U.S. bishops’ conference president Archbishop Paul Coakley called for keeping limitations of the 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which is set to expire on Feb. 5. Why Slovak bishops are defending 25-year-old agreement with Holy See A Slovak opposition party has questioned aspects of the country’s 25-year-old agreement with the Vatican, prompting Catholic bishops to defend the accord as serving the common good of all citizens.

New York Archdiocese says longtime insurer waged ‘shadow campaign,’ posed as victims’ rights group The archdiocese alleged that Chubb Insurance posed as the “Church Accountability Project.”

Inside one Minneapolis church, a different type of protest

Inside one Minneapolis church, a different type of protest*
The New York Times: In the weeks since ICE agents began conducting operations across the city, Westminster Presbyterian has given its members a place to protest on their own terms.

‘New York is constantly being renewed’: How Muslim creatives are changing the city’s cultural landscape
The Guardian: From the election of Zohran Mamdani to buzzy restaurants and nightlife, Muslim New Yorkers are creating a growing imprint on the city.

From southern India to Canada’s far north: New archbishop serves Indigenous Catholics
The Associated Press: Susai Jesu is now an archbishop for northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. He’ll oversee ministry to about 49,000 Catholics, mostly Indigenous, dispersed across a region larger than Texas.

Bracing for ICE raids, Haitians get temporary reprieve*
Christianity Today: A federal judge on Monday extended deportation protections for Haitian immigrants. While they waited for the ruling, pastors in Springfield, Ohio, gathered and prayed.

Palestinians allowed in to Gaza and patients are evacuated to Egypt as the Rafah crossing reopens
The Associated Press: The reopening of the crossing marked a key step in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire but mostly a symbolic one, with few people allowed to travel and no goods allowed to pass through.

Bruce Springsteen/Streets Of Minneapolis

Vatican Begins Restoration Work on Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel

The schism resumes: Superior General of Lefebvrians announces new episcopal consecrations for July 1

ZENIT Staff

Father Pagliarani, in harmony with the unanimous advice of his Council, judges that the objective state of grave necessity in which souls find themselves requires such a decision

Why the Alberto Ravagnani Case Is a Perfect Communication Case Study

ZENIT Staff

From a communication standpoint, if you know you want to leave, but you publish content that vehemently defends the identity you’re about to abandon, you’re not providing a statement. You’re generating engagement. You’re polarizing the audience to maximize visibility for an imminent rebranding.

After one month of Nicolás Maduro’s imprisonment, the Venezuelan government restores Cardinal Porras’ passport

ZENIT Staff

The document was returned on Friday, January 30, bringing to an end a month-and-a-half ordeal that began on December 10, when authorities abruptly prevented the 80-year-old prelate from leaving the country

Young Hebrew-speaking Catholics aim to build a culture of respect and dialogue between communities

ZENIT Staff

The St James Vicariate serves seven communities of Hebrew-speaking Catholics across Israel, as well as a small community of Russian-speaking Catholics.

Taiwan’s president writes to Pope Leo XIV: ‘Taipei wants peace, human rights, and democracy’

ZENIT Staff

The president of Taiwan wrote to the pontiff in response to the latter’s call for a «disarmed and disarming peace” in his message of 1 January. A century ago, Chiang Wei-shui promoted nonviolence in Taiwan. The island, the world’s largest semiconductor producer, shares the pontiff’s concern for growing use of artificial intelligence in armed conflicts.

Vatican Begins Restoration Work on Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel

ZENIT Staff

The Sistine Chapel will remain open at all times, welcoming the faithful and visitors, while restorers from the Painting and Wood Restoration Laboratory of the Vatican Museums will carry out the cleaning operations.

Two movements of love explained by the Pope to religious: God who comes to save and man who awaits his coming

ZENIT Staff

Homily of the Holy Father on the occasion of the 30th World Day of Consecrated Life

ANALYSIS: An “ecclesial” experiment comes to an end: the German Synodal Path. The problem remains in the hands of the Pope

Jorge Enrique Mújica

Looking back, Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), spoke of a “cultural shift” in Church life. Irme Stetter-Karp, president of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), was even more direct: “We made it.”

Pilgrimage to the Christ the King Monument in Mexico’s Center Breaks Participation Record with at Least 60,000 Young People.

Rafael Manuel Tovar

The young people enlivened the ascent to the hill with cheers for their hometowns, the recitation of the Rosary, shouts of Long live the Cristero War and the Mexican martyrs who died between 1926 and 1929.

Priests, Dissidents, and a Warning from Havana: Cuba Tightens the Screws on Voices of Conscience

ZENIT Staff

Father Álvarez was questioned for roughly three hours. His interrogation followed a recent trip to Miami and public remarks published by Diario Las Américas, in which he reiterated the hardships facing ordinary Cubans and suggested that the arrest of Nicolás Maduro had weakened Havana’s grip on Venezuela

U.S. and African Bishops Call for Continuing Solidarity and Lifesaving Assistance to Africa in Joint Statement

ZENIT Staff

The bishops write: “The faithful of the U.S. and Africa are gifts to one another. Together, we call for robust lifesaving and life-affirming U.S. assistance to the continent, grounded in thoughtful partnership, and pray for the flourishing of an ever-deeper fraternity.”

Significant drop in arrests of priests in 2025 but deaths increase

ZENIT Staff

The number of kidnappings also dropped slightly compared to 2024 but remains a major problem in parts of Africa.

Regnum Christi Consacrated Women Chart Their Future: Nancy Nohrden Re‑Elected as General Director and New Leadership Team Announced

ZENIT Staff

The re-election of Nohrden signals a strong endorsement of her leadership during the 2020–2026 term—a period marked by institutional consolidation, renewed identity, and a governance style described by members as steady, close, and deeply attentive to the needs of the community

Vatican response: seeking to avoid further rupture after Lefebvrist announcement of episcopal consecrations

ZENIT Staff

Speaking to journalists, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that dialogue with the SSPX is ongoing

Pope Leo XIV is the most highly regarded global leader

 

One day in the ministry of pastors in Minneapolis

Relationships make a difference even in the hardest times BY EMMA AKPAN Sounding the alarm against empire BY DONNA CLAYCOMB SOKOL

Dignity and respect are the key to a multimillion-dollar ministry supported by a successful thrift shop BY YONAT SHIMRON

Block by block, an organization addresses the trauma underlying community needs BY TINA HAY

Why storytelling is a spiritual practice

By Elizabeth Le’anani Coffee

Telling stories isn’t just about consuming them; it begins with reverence and listening, says a professional storyteller.

‘God of All Promises: A Poetic Pilgrimage through Genesis’

By Walter Brueggemann

In this excerpt from his posthumous book, noted theologian Walter Brueggemann offers prayers, and probes into the deep, as he reflects on Genesis.

One day in the ministry of pastors in Minneapolis

Q&A with Hierald Osorto and Ingrid Rasmussen

Two Lutheran pastors in Minneapolis are providing for congregants’ needs and trying to hold onto joy amid the daily chaos and terror.

Lessons from Minneapolis for people of faith

By Tyler Sit

A United Methodist pastor in Minneapolis emphasizes the importance of faith communities’ public ministry during a surge of immigration enforcement in his city.

Clergy from across the country respond to opportunities for solidarity and learning in Minneapolis

By Dana Neuhauser

A multifaith coalition invited religious leaders to come together and bear witness to the crisis started by Operation Metro Surge.

Historic church teaches about the past and engages the present

By Celeste Kennel-Shank

The oldest Black congregation in Chicago restores its historic building while reaching out as history is made in the city today.

At a Mexico market, baby Jesus prepped for Candlemas

This doctor couldn’t save one Palestinian toddler. Now he hopes to save all Gazan children
Religion News Service: A 53-year-old Kuwaiti-born and US-trained doctor is the unlikely visionary who has won the support of Israeli authorities for a sprawling new philanthropic enterprise in the Gaza Strip.

The Interview: Rev. James Martin on our moral duty in turbulent times*
New York Times Magazine: “One of the hallmarks of Jesuit spirituality is finding God in all things. God’s presence is not just confined to within the walls of a church or in reading the Bible,” Martin said.

The important details missing from Shapiro’s new memoir on his Catholic Church probe, legislative reforms
Spotlight PA: Gov. Josh Shapiro shares stories and vignettes in his new memoir, “Where We Keep The Light.” There are also several high-profile controversies he avoids mentioning.

Larry Lyon named Truett McConnell president
Baptist News Global: Larry Lyon has been elected president of Truett McConnell University to succeed Emir Caner, who was fired by trustees last year amid allegations of mishandling reports of sexual abuse.

At a Mexico market, baby Jesus prepped for Candlemas
National Catholic Reporter: Candlemas, or El Día de la Candelaria, is a special day for Catholics in Mexico, who embrace the local tradition of bringing their own beautifully dressed plaster Christ Child to their parish for a blessing.