(Photo: Lightstock) By Tessa Gervasini/CNA The United States bishops have invited Catholics to pray an annual Respect Life novena for the protection of the unborn. The Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is sponsoring the “9 Days for Life” prayer that will begin on Friday, Jan. 16, and end on Jan. 24. The novena is to be prayed in observance of the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children on Jan. 22. T

John Adams by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1800. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain) Having recently lamented in this space that book reading is on life support in these United States, I find myself in the awkward position of recommending a made-for-television series as good preparation for the nation’s 250 th birthday, which will soon be upon us. In fact, though, if you’re going to do just one thing over the next six months to recollect what a marvel the birth of this country

As the annual FOCUS conference began on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Denver archbishop encouraged the thousands gathered to ponder with Mary and grow in faith, identity and mission. (Photo courtesy of FOCUS) As one year closes, another begins. And this year has begun with a bang, as thousands of faithful descended upon the Mile High City on Thursday from across the United States for FOCUS’ annual SEEK conference. This year’s conference, hosted simultaneously in C

As tens of thousands of Catholics gathered for SEEK 2026 across Denver, Columbus and Fort Worth, they were united not only by worship and fellowship, but by a special message from the Successor of Peter himself. In a recorded video address shared with conference attendees, Pope Leo XIV offered words of encouragement, prayer and hope to the participants taking part in the national conference hosted by FOCUS. The Holy Father’s message resonated deeply with the conference’s the

(Photo: Unsplash) Twenty years ago, I published a small book, The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politics Without God. It enjoyed a fair sale, got translated into French, Spanish, Polish, Italian, Portuguese, and Hungarian, and was named a FOREIGN AFFAIRS  Bestseller. In it, I argued that Europe was experiencing a crisis of “civilizational morale,” evident in sclerotic governmental bureaucracies, an unwillingness to contribute appropriately to the defense of the

German Bishops at Mass in the Papal Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls during their visit in Rome, Nov. 17, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA) When it was first published in 1993, Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical on the reform of Catholic moral theology, Veritatis Splendor  (The Splendor of Truth), dealt a severe blow to the pride of many German theologians, who had long thought themselves the cutting edge of Catholic intellectual life. Indeed, within a year of the encycl

USCCB President Archbishop Timothy Broglio speaks at the bishops’ spring meeting, Thursday, June 13, 2024. (Photo: Courtesy of the USCCB) Archbishop Michael J. Curley of Baltimore, who confirmed my father, was a pugnacious Irishman with a taste for shocking people via undiplomatic language. In a conversation with the great historian John Tracy Ellis, Curley, who had had his share of tussles with the Vatican, once blurted out, “Rome will use you, abuse you, and then throw you

St. Michael's Square in Kyiv, Ukraine. (Photo: Unsplash) Prior to the “Revolution of Dignity” that began on the Maidan, Kyiv’s Independence Square, in late 2013 and eventually gave birth to the country that has amazed the world with its courage, resilience, and ingenuity since the Russian invasion of February 2022, ecumenical dialogue and interreligious cooperation were not prominent features of the Ukrainian cultural landscape. The Maidan experience changed all that. An ecum

Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver leads hundreds in the Stations of the Cross outside an ICE detention center in Aurora, Colorado, on Nov. 22, 2025. (Photo: André Escaleira Jr./Denver Catholic) By Francesca Pollio-Fenton/CNA Hundreds of Catholics gathered in front of the Denver Contract Detention Facility — an ICE detention facility in Aurora, Colorado — on Nov. 22 for Stations of the Cross led by Archbishop Samuel Aquila and Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez of the Archdioce

At a Stations of the Cross prayer gathering in Aurora, Archbishop Aquila condemns political gamesmanship and calls Catholics to defend the God-given dignity of migrants. (Photo by André Escaleira, Jr.) Denver Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, together with Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez, led a Stations of the Cross prayer service around the ICE Detention Facility in Aurora. Several hundred attended the peaceful procession and joined in saintly solidarity with the innumerable im

In the footsteps of Jesus’ Passion, Archbishop Aquila, Bishop Rodriguez and the faithful lift up the cries, sorrows, and hopes of immigrant families. (Photo by André Escaleira, Jr.) You could hear the crunch of the dry Denver grass underfoot — that’s how quiet it was in the north-east Metro on Saturday morning.  Led by Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila and Bishop Jorge Rodriguez and sponsored by the Committee for Pastoral Care for Migrants, several hundred from more than 36 local p

The bishops issued a Special Message addressing their concern for the evolving situation impacting immigrants in the United States. It marked the first time in twelve years that the USCCB invoked this particularly urgent way of speaking as a body of bishops. Maura Moser (far left), director of the Catholic Communications Campaign, moderates a discussion on immigration with (left to right) Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bis

From their convent at the St. John Paul II Center, the Discalced Carmelite Sisters of the Most Holy Trinity live a hidden life of prayer and service — reminding the Archdiocese of Denver that God’s love is always present. The community of the Allied Carmelites of Denver with Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila. (Photo provided) Founded in 1986 in Aguascalientes, Mexico, the community of the Discalced Carmelites of the Most Holy Trinity arrived in Colorado in 2017 with the mission of

Young people listen to the stories of Christian youth with lived experience of mental health challenges as part of “The Sanctuary Youth Series” by Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries. (Photo courtesy of Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries) By Kate Quiñones/CNA Daniel Whitehead knew it was time for a change when his wife told him she couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him smile. With the strain of constantly meeting with people who were struggling, the Christian pastor s

Bailasan, championed by the Latin Patriarchate and Aid to the Church in Need, has already helped hundreds of people. A group session underway at Bailasan with Sister Lorena Saenz. (Photo: Courtesy of Bailasan) By Sabrina Ferrisi/National Catholic Register For the average young person living in the West Bank, life is very hard. Teenagers there have never known what it means to live in a place of peace. Within the city of Bethlehem, a short distance from the Church of the Nativ

(Photo: Ivon19/Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0) By Francesca Pollio Fenton/CNA Catholics across the United States are encouraged to participate in the national Respect Life Novena beginning Oct. 22 in an effort to unite in prayer for the protection of the unborn and all those affected by abortion. The Respect Life Novena is offered annually by the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) and consists of nine days of prayers, Scripture readings, and suggested acts o

The UK Parliament has debated "assisted dying" for months, the latest affront to life and a clear misunderstanding of compassion. (Photo: Unsplash) The “Mother of Parliaments” — that’s the one in London — has been embroiled for months in a debate over “assisted dying,” which is euphemized elsewhere under other Orwellian monikers: “Medical Assistance in Dying,” “Physician Assisted Suicide,” “Physician Assisted Dying,” and so forth. The bill legalizing this odious practice narr

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' in 2021. (Photo: Marcel Badykshin/Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0) When Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’  was head of the Russian Orthodox Church’s external relations department, he would occasionally come to Washington, where the Librarian of Congress, James Billington, a distinguished historian of Russian culture, would host a small dinner for him. I was a guest on one such occasion, and the impression Kirill left that night rem

(Photo: Vatican Media) By Hannah Brockhaus/CNA In the first major document of his pontificate , Pope Leo XIV writes that the poor are not...

George Weigel, syndicated Denver Catholic columnist, addresses a group at The Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization during...