At Cameroonian orphanage, Pope Leo tells children they can always find a friend in Jesus ‘We can always begin anew’: Pope Leo leads peace meeting in heart of Cameroon’s conflict zone Americans continue to feel drawn to Pope Leo, first American pontiff, a year after election Pope Leo XIV arrives in Cameroon as ‘a servant of dialogue’ amid violent separatist conflict US bishops’ doctrine chair defends Church’s just war tradition after Vance comments Local News Catholics nurture environment in gardens, yards and beyond Katie V. Jones April 16, 2026 Across the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Catholics are finding creative ways to care for God’s creation, transforming parish grounds, churchyards and personal backyards into vibrant, life-giving spaces. Xaverian Brother Charles Warthen dies at 92 Catholic Review Staff April 14, 2026 A memorial service for Xaverian Brother Charles (Dean) Warthen will be offered April 18 at 11 a.m. at the Mount St. Joseph High School Chapel in Irvington. His funeral Mass was previously offered in Virginia Beach, Va. Brother Charles died March 16. He was 92. St. Michael-St. Clement School will close at end of academic year Christopher Gunty April 13, 2026 School leadership announced April 13 that St. Michael-St. Clement School in Overlea, which serves preschool through eighth grade, will not reopen in the fall for the 2026-27 academic year. Spain’s Sagrada Familia Basilica invites visitors to see ‘Bible in stone’ Christopher Gunty April 13, 2026 Visitors to the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, don’t even have to go inside the basilica to be inspired. The exterior of the basilica itself is a “Bible in stone in the facades,” according to Mauricio Cortés Sierra, the lead architect for the basilica’s Tower of Christ that was completed earlier this year. More Local News World News At Cameroonian orphanage, Pope Leo tells children they can always find a friend in Jesus Courtney Mares April 16, 2026 Pope Leo XIV brought joy to 64 orphaned and abandoned children on the evening of April 15 when he visited the Ngul Zamba orphanage in Cameroon, blessing the children and assuring them that despite their suffering, Jesus “cares especially for children like you.” ‘We can always begin anew’: Pope Leo leads peace meeting in heart of Cameroon’s conflict zone Courtney Mares April 16, 2026 A religious sister in Cameroon who was kidnapped just a few months ago by separatists and held hostage for three days in the bush was among those who shared her testimony with Pope Leo XIV April 16 in an emotional peace meeting in Cameroon’s northwest city of Bamenda, a region marred by years of separatist violence. Americans continue to feel drawn to Pope Leo, first American pontiff, a year after election Simone Orendain April 16, 2026 A year into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV is still enjoying popularity and rockstar-like fame, especially in Chicago, his hometown. Beyond the pop-culture interest, some of the faithful told OSV News his message of peace, dedication to the faith and outreach to young people have stood out. Pope Leo XIV arrives in Cameroon as ‘a servant of dialogue’ amid violent separatist conflict Courtney Mares April 16, 2026 Pope Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon on April 15, delivering a forceful appeal for peace to a nation scarred by years of separatist violence, telling the country’s leaders that “there is such a hunger and thirst for justice” as thousands lined the streets of the capital to welcome him. More World News Commentary Question Corner: Is it ever acceptable to say something other than ‘amen’ when receiving Communion? Jenna Marie Cooper April 16, 2026 Although the General Instruction of the Roman Missal does go on to give some minor variations of this exchange, it never lists any other communicants’ responses besides “amen,” nor does it envision or provide for alternative responses as a possibility. Odds on Peter: Trump vs the Pope Elizabeth Scalia April 15, 2026 Catholics will always be loyalty suspects in the United States of America. We love our country, but we will not (and should not) put it before Christ or his Church or the successors to his apostles. An Open Letter to Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J. George Weigel April 15, 2026 Permit the suggestion, Your Eminence, that the Church’s pastors should avoid causing further confusion (and, indeed, whatever suffering is caused by those confusions) by helping God’s people embrace the mysteries of faith in love, rather than by suggesting that what has been settled by divine revelation and the authoritative teaching of the Church (in the 1994 apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis) is not, in fact, settled. Common sense slowly emerges for protecting women’s athletics Kenneth Craycraft April 13, 2026 On March 26, the International Olympic Committee made an announcement that is simultaneously surprising and banal. The IOC declared that only women are eligible to participate in women’s events in the Olympics. Of course, saying that women’s events are limited to women is as newsworthy as a declaration that water is wet. Eternal investment Carole Norris Greene April 13, 2026 Lose no opportunity to invest quality time with children at every stage of their lives. Remind them of how precious they are. Teach them as they grow how to recognize opportunities to spread the good news of salvation that our resurrected Lord makes attainable for generations to come. More Commentary Featured Video The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA), home to the largest public collection of Matisse’s work in the world, will open an exhibition March 29 featuring a rare group of preparatory drawings for the artist’s Stations of the Cross. The exhibition runs through June 28 and includes more than 80 drawings that trace the development of the monumental work.
Catholics nurture environment in gardens, yards and beyond Katie V. Jones April 16, 2026 Across the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Catholics are finding creative ways to care for God’s creation, transforming parish grounds, churchyards and personal backyards into vibrant, life-giving spaces.
Xaverian Brother Charles Warthen dies at 92 Catholic Review Staff April 14, 2026 A memorial service for Xaverian Brother Charles (Dean) Warthen will be offered April 18 at 11 a.m. at the Mount St. Joseph High School Chapel in Irvington. His funeral Mass was previously offered in Virginia Beach, Va. Brother Charles died March 16. He was 92.
St. Michael-St. Clement School will close at end of academic year Christopher Gunty April 13, 2026 School leadership announced April 13 that St. Michael-St. Clement School in Overlea, which serves preschool through eighth grade, will not reopen in the fall for the 2026-27 academic year.
Spain’s Sagrada Familia Basilica invites visitors to see ‘Bible in stone’ Christopher Gunty April 13, 2026 Visitors to the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, don’t even have to go inside the basilica to be inspired. The exterior of the basilica itself is a “Bible in stone in the facades,” according to Mauricio Cortés Sierra, the lead architect for the basilica’s Tower of Christ that was completed earlier this year.
At Cameroonian orphanage, Pope Leo tells children they can always find a friend in Jesus Courtney Mares April 16, 2026 Pope Leo XIV brought joy to 64 orphaned and abandoned children on the evening of April 15 when he visited the Ngul Zamba orphanage in Cameroon, blessing the children and assuring them that despite their suffering, Jesus “cares especially for children like you.”
‘We can always begin anew’: Pope Leo leads peace meeting in heart of Cameroon’s conflict zone Courtney Mares April 16, 2026 A religious sister in Cameroon who was kidnapped just a few months ago by separatists and held hostage for three days in the bush was among those who shared her testimony with Pope Leo XIV April 16 in an emotional peace meeting in Cameroon’s northwest city of Bamenda, a region marred by years of separatist violence.
Americans continue to feel drawn to Pope Leo, first American pontiff, a year after election Simone Orendain April 16, 2026 A year into his papacy, Pope Leo XIV is still enjoying popularity and rockstar-like fame, especially in Chicago, his hometown. Beyond the pop-culture interest, some of the faithful told OSV News his message of peace, dedication to the faith and outreach to young people have stood out.
Pope Leo XIV arrives in Cameroon as ‘a servant of dialogue’ amid violent separatist conflict Courtney Mares April 16, 2026 Pope Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon on April 15, delivering a forceful appeal for peace to a nation scarred by years of separatist violence, telling the country’s leaders that “there is such a hunger and thirst for justice” as thousands lined the streets of the capital to welcome him.
Question Corner: Is it ever acceptable to say something other than ‘amen’ when receiving Communion? Jenna Marie Cooper April 16, 2026 Although the General Instruction of the Roman Missal does go on to give some minor variations of this exchange, it never lists any other communicants’ responses besides “amen,” nor does it envision or provide for alternative responses as a possibility.
Odds on Peter: Trump vs the Pope Elizabeth Scalia April 15, 2026 Catholics will always be loyalty suspects in the United States of America. We love our country, but we will not (and should not) put it before Christ or his Church or the successors to his apostles.
An Open Letter to Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J. George Weigel April 15, 2026 Permit the suggestion, Your Eminence, that the Church’s pastors should avoid causing further confusion (and, indeed, whatever suffering is caused by those confusions) by helping God’s people embrace the mysteries of faith in love, rather than by suggesting that what has been settled by divine revelation and the authoritative teaching of the Church (in the 1994 apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis) is not, in fact, settled.
Common sense slowly emerges for protecting women’s athletics Kenneth Craycraft April 13, 2026 On March 26, the International Olympic Committee made an announcement that is simultaneously surprising and banal. The IOC declared that only women are eligible to participate in women’s events in the Olympics. Of course, saying that women’s events are limited to women is as newsworthy as a declaration that water is wet.
Eternal investment Carole Norris Greene April 13, 2026 Lose no opportunity to invest quality time with children at every stage of their lives. Remind them of how precious they are. Teach them as they grow how to recognize opportunities to spread the good news of salvation that our resurrected Lord makes attainable for generations to come.
