Catholic World News April 20, 2026 The typical member of the priestly ordination class of 2026 is a 33-year-old cradle Catholic, according to a newly released survey of 334 of the 428 men slated to be ordained to the priesthood in the United States this year. The survey was conducted for the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and posted on the USCCB’s website. The typical ordinand regularly took part in Eucharistic adoration and prayed the Rosary before entering seminary, according to the survey. 81% of the men were preparing for the diocesan priesthood. 35% of the men attended seminaries in the Midwest, 28% in the Northeast, 19% in the South, 14% in the West, and 5% abroad. 26% of the ordinands are foreign born, with the most typical foreign countries of birth being Vietnam (5%), Mexico (3%), and Colombia (2%). On average, these foreign-born seminarians …
The Dicastery for Culture and Education announced the participation of several influential figures in contemporary art and culture — including American singer Patti Smith and Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao — in the Holy See Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, which will be held May 9 through Nov. 22.
Several anonymous cardinals and curial officials told the Substack.com account The Pillar on April 17 that they do not expect any resolution to the question of the Mass in the Roman rite in the near future. Some Catholics had hoped the next extraordinary consistory of cardinals on June 26–27 would address the liturgical issue. Instead, Leo XIV chose to focus on Francis' document Evangelii Gaudium. One Vatican official said that Leo XIV was not very familiar with traditional communities or even the traditional liturgy, and that his primary concern was not liturgy but whether members of those communities accept the Second Vatican Council. As early as June 2025, the best friend of Leo XIV, Alejandro Moral, Prior General of the Augustinians, had already ruled out any return of the older form of the Mass under his pontificate. #newsVdgrmnvwkv
Authored by Andrew Korybko, Orban’s “democraticouster” is expected to remove Hungary’s procedural opposition to the EU’s planned €90 billion loan to Ukraine that’ll be financed by members raising common debt. RT published a detailed article about this plan here last December, which was a compromise for financing this loan after the bloc failed to reach a consensus to either outright confiscate some of Russia’s frozen assets for giving to Ukraine or use at least some of them as collateral for a loan to it. Readers can learn more here and here. If everything goes according to plan, and Bloomberg reported that the bloc plans to move swiftly after Hungary held everything up for several months already, then this move risks funding a forever war. Hopes of a military breakthrough along the front or a diplomatic breakthrough in US-mediated talks have yet to materialize, so the pace of Russia’s on-the-ground advance remains glacial, thus meaning that it could take years to achieve …
Cardinal Pizzaballa and the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land have issued a statement expressing profound indignation and unreserved condemnation of the desecration of a statue of Jesus Christ by an Israeli soldier in a Lebanese village, calling it a grave affront to the Christian faith — and linking it to a broader pattern of IDF desecration of Christian symbols in southern Lebanon.
L’Assemblea degli Ordinari Cattolici di Terra Santa ha diffuso un comunicato durissimo dopo la profanazione di un’immagine di Gesù crocifisso in un villaggio del Libano. Il testo parla di un’offesa grave alla fede cristiana e denuncia anche altri episodi contro simboli cristiani nel sud del Paese. I vescovi chiedono misure disciplinari immediate, un’accertata assunzione di responsabilità e garanzie chiare perché fatti simili non si ripetano. La Chiesa di Terra Santa rinnova il suo appello: fermare una guerra che lacera la regione da troppo tempo e scegliere una strada fatta di dialogo, responsabilità, rispetto del sacro e di ogni vita umana. da pagina facebook di SilereNonPossum
He even suggested that some form of sterilisation agent could be added to the water or food supply, writing that “doses of the antidote would be carefully rationed by the government to produce the desired population size” (p. 131).
The recent death of Paul Ehrlich (1932–2026), that master of anti-natalist propaganda, should cause us to consider the far-reaching consequences of his doctrine. As the author of The Population Bomb, (Note: all page references given below refer to this work) written in 1968, Ehrlich helped shape the disastrous demographic policies which many countries around the world are currently scrambling to reverse. by Kathy Clubb Among his predictions was the frightening spectre of overpopulation and world-wide famine to be experienced in the 1970s. By tying food availability to increasing population, Ehrlich successfully sowed enough fear into the academics of his day to ensure that his message would be taken up and disseminated into the unsuspecting community at large. Contraception Central to Ehrlich’s policies for population control was contraception; this was to be subsidised by the government and especially was to be made available to the poor. He lauded the U.S. government’s multi-million …
"I feel so sorry for you," said the unlit candle to her flickering friend. "Your time is so short. You’re constantly burning away, and soon, you’ll be gone forever. I’m much happier than you. I don’t burn, so I don’t melt. I just lie here in peace, and I’ll last for years. But your days are numbered." The burning candle replied: "I don’t regret a single moment. My life is beautiful and full of meaning. Yes, I burn, and my wax is melting away, but my flame has lit countless other candles, and my own light is never diminished by sharing it. With my light, I drive back the darkness of the night. I bring a sparkle to a child’s eyes at a celebration. I purify the air by a sick person’s bedside, for shadows and despair cannot stand the presence of a living flame. I stand as a symbol of hope and a silent prayer. Isn't a life like that—even a short one—truly beautiful? Actually, it’s you I feel sorry for, my unlit sister. Your fate is the one that's truly sad. You’ve never fulfilled the …More
ECB chief Christine Lagarde warns of possible food rationing due to fertilizer disruptions “A third of fertilizers are shipped through the Strait of Hormuz... that is at risk.”
The late great ALAIN DELON’s parents divorced when he was 4yrs old and put him up for adoption - so his answer when asked — “if God exists what would you ask him after your death?” — hits me hard every time.
Communards? During World War II, Italian partisans (especially those of a communist and socialist orientation) adopted the song "Bella Ciao" as an anthem of resistance to fascism and Nazism. The song became a symbol of the fight for freedom, equality and justice, and the lyrics were adapted to reflect the fight against the fascist regime. After the war, "Bella Ciao" became an international symbol of left-wing, labor and anti-fascist movements. It was sung at protests, union meetings and political events all over the world, from Latin America to Europe. Her message of resistance to injustice and solidarity with the vulnerable makes her a permanent political symbol.
Fr. Chad Ripperger Reveals the Forgotten Secrets of the Fallen Angels Have you ever wondered about the mysteries of angels and their purpose? In this deep theological insight, Fr. Chad Ripperger explores their divine role, thei...
Amid growing controversy over the future of the Valley of the Fallen, Spain’s Minister of the Presidency, Félix Bolaños, has defended Cardinal José Cobo of Madrid. Bolaños told LaSexta.com that the plan to secularise the religious site was not the cardinal's initiative, but the result of an agreement reached directly with the Vatican. He emphasised that no personal deal had been made with Cobo, who has faced significant pressure from Catholics over the issue. The minister also said that the Vatican is fully committed to transforming the Valley from a monastery into a site of "democratic memory". Addressing divisions within the Catholic Church, Bolaños described it as a 'plural organisation', while criticising more traditional sectors that oppose the transformation and suggesting that they are out of step with 'contemporary society'. He also placed the “re-signification” of the Valley within a broader set of negotiations between the Spanish government and the Church, covering issues …More
Skip to content German media is full of headlines like ‘German crime figures: Are migrants unfairly targeted?’ “Is it true that the crime rate in Germany is higher among immigrants? Statistics suggest as much, but numbers by themselves can be misleading. An expert explains what’s behind them.” Experts. What would we do without them? The crime statistics are bad otherwise they wouldn’t be doing this kind of song and dance. Syrian nationals in Germany are almost eleven times more likely to be identified as suspects in violent crimes than German citizens. According to de Vries, the rate of offenses is even higher for serious sexual crimes : Afghan nationals top the list – with a figure that is around 14 times higher than that of Germans. Overall, foreign suspects are “significantly overrepresented” in violent crimes (over 43 percent) and serious sexual offenses (39.6 percent), according to de Vries. The crime rate is particularly striking among individuals from Syria, Afghanistan, …
Let's Talk Alberta Independence · Beverley Nadiger Bill to stop euthanasia for mental illness in Canada | Montreal, QC by Olivia Gomm A euthanasia prevention group is asking the federal government to endorse a private member’s bill that stops next year’s expansion of medically assisted death to those whose sole condition is a mental health problem. Members of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition reiterated their support for Bill C-218 during an April 13 press conference on Parliament Hill. Bill C-218, tabled last June by Conservative MP Tamara Jansen, is a private member’s bill that would amend the Criminal Code to prevent medical assistance in dying (MAID) from being expanded to include those diagnosed solely with mental illness. Dr. Peter Blusanovics, a family physician based in Montreal who spoke at the press conference, said he has treated many patients with mental illnesses and wants to “provide a voice for our most vulnerable—those who have and are suffering from mental illness.” …More