“Churches are places of prayer, encounter, and solace for thousands of people, especially for those seeking spiritual comfort after suffering injustice,” the bishops said in a statement. “Hence, we find the violence directed toward these places of hope and peace deeply troubling as violence will never lead to peace.”

“May the pain suffered by women not divide us, but rather inspire us to seek paths of justice, dialogue, encounter, and fraternity,” the bishops added.

42% of Americans “very positive” or “somewhat positive” view of the Pontiff, while 8% have a negative view.

Other personalities in the survey were Stephen Colbert, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, President Donald Trump, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Father Juan Manuel Zavala Madrigal disappeared after celebrating Mass in a different community from the one in which he lived.

The General Secretariat of the Synod, led by Cardinal Mario Grech, released the third of 15 final reports of the study groups established by Pope Francis during the synod on synodality.

In April 2024, Pope Francis skipped Rome’s diocesan ordination Mass, instead taking part in seven audiences on the day of the ordination. In 2025, Pope Leo resumed the longstanding papal practice of ordaining priests for the diocese when he ordained 11 new priests.

The Diocese of Rome also announced that Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of His Holiness for Rome, will ordain seven men permanent deacons at the Lateran Basilica on April 18.

Bishop Shaleta was arrested on March 5 at San Diego International Airport while attempting to leave the country and pleaded not guilty on March 9 to embezzlement and money laundering charges. The Pillar reported last month that the prelate was under Vatican investigation for alleged financial and sexual misconduct and that he had submitted his resignation.

Cardinal Sako, 76, has been the Eastern Catholic church’s Patriarch since 2013. The prelate said that he “freely decided to submit my resignation to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV” so that “I could devote myself quietly to prayer, writing, and simple service.” According to The Pillar, Cardinal Sako had considered transferring Bishop Shaleta to a post in Iraq.

Pope Leo also appointed Iraqi Bishop Saad Sirop, a critic of Cardinal Sako’s governance, as apostolic administrator of the San Diego eparchy. In 2006, then-Father Sirop was abducted by Islamist terrorists; during his 28-day captivity, he was tortured and refused to renounce his faith.

The book, edited by the Major Penitentiary (Cardinal Angelo De Donatis) and Major Penitentiary emeritus (Cardinal Mauro Piacenza), includes ten reasons for going to Confession, including “to pass from death to life,” “to renew the experience of true love,” and “to have the objective certainty of forgiveness.”

Pope Leo XIV transferred Archbishop Sebastian Shaw, OFM, of Lahore, Pakistan’s most populous archdiocese, to the Apostolic Vicariate of Quetta, the nation’s smallest ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

Cardinal Béchara Boutros Raï, the Patriarch of the Maronite Church, lamented the death of Father Pierre al-Rahi, killed in an Israeli attack on a Christian village in southern Lebanon.

Father Pierre al-Rahi, along with other priests, defied an Israeli order to leave Qlayaa and chose instead to remain with his parishioners.