Today’s persecution of Christians is one of the most prevalent crises in the world today, a Vatican official has told the United Nations. “This unfortunate situation has deteriorated further in 2025 due to the exacerbating factors of conflict and extremism,” Msgr Daniel Pacho told the UN Human Rights Council on February 25. The priest is…
Pro-abortion professor backs off leadership appointment at Notre Dame after backlash
A pro-abortion professor at the University of Notre Dame is turning down a leadership appointment there after weeks of backlash that included more than a dozen US bishops criticising the school for its decision. Mary Gallagher, the dean of the university’s Keough School of Global Affairs, wrote in an email on February 26 that Prof.…
US ambassador sees potential for ‘Catholic moment’ with Leo
United States Ambassador to the Holy See Brian Burch, in an exclusive sit-down interview with Crux Now, said he sees the potential for a “Catholic moment” in the US given the high-profile Catholics in the current administration, with history’s first US-born pope. According to Ambassador Brian Burch, there is a new kind of conservativism in…
Weekly Lenten event for Dublin youth offers opportunity for faith formation
The Archdiocese of Dublin is hosting a weekly event for young people to gather and reflect during the Lenten season. ‘5 Thursdays in Lent’ will take place each Thursday from February 26 to March 26, and will focus on the Sunday Gospels of Lent as well as the new Synod resource ‘Baptised and Sent in…
St Francis’ relics open to public for first extended veneration in 800 years
For the first time in eight centuries, the mortal remains of St Francis of Assisi are being exposed for an extended period of public veneration, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world to pray before “the Little Poor Man of Assisi.” The bones of the beloved saint were unveiled for public display…
Polish bishop on trial over alleged delays in reporting claims of child abuse by priests
A Polish bishop went on trial on February 18, accused of not informing authorities immediately about alleged sexual abuse of children by two priests in his diocese. It is the first time a Polish bishop is on trial over sexual abuse allegedly committed by priests under his authority. According to the Polish Press Agency, prosecutors…
Spanish archbishop calls burqa ‘discrimination against women’ while urging respect of religious beliefs
After the Spanish parliament debated on February 17 a controversial bill proposed by far-right party Vox to ban the burqa and niqab in public spaces, a leading Spanish archbishop has said the burqa discriminates against women while he also called for mutual respect among religious groups. Speaking to Crux, Archbishop Joan Planellas of Tarragona said…
Pope Leo encourages young priests in crisis to share their fatigue
“Above all, I urge you never to close yourselves off: Don’t be afraid to talk to others, even about your fatigue and your crises,” Pope Leo said to Rome’s priests in a February 19 meeting with clergy of the Roman diocese. During the meeting in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father…
Breakaway Catholic group rejects Vatican talks, indicating collision course for pope
A breakaway Catholic traditionalist group rejected the Vatican’s offer of talks, suggesting a collision course with Pope Leo XIV over its planned consecrations of new bishops without his consent. In a letter to the Vatican’s doctrine chief, the Society of St Pius X said the Holy See’s threat of sanctions and schism if it goes…
Decline in Catholic PSNI applicants is concerning yet unsurprising, says baroness
Former Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland Nuala O’Loan has expressed concern over the reduction in Catholic applicants to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The latest PSNI recruitment drive has reported that only 27% of applicants identified as Catholic; the lowest percentage since 2013. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Baroness O’Loan asserted that “there…









