International News

Easter boom: a Catholic ‘revival’?

In a world of gray, Church offers certainty

Kimberley Heatherington · March 30, 2026

While the religiously unaffiliated are on the rise globally, something curious is also happening: Some American dioceses are reporting significant upticks in adults preparing to enter the Catholic Church this Easter.

Israel to allow Church leaders to celebrate Holy Week, Easter at holy sites, Latin patriarchate says

Junno Arocho Esteves · March 30, 2026

An agreement has been reached with Israeli authorities to allow Holy Week and Easter celebrations to take place at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Israeli police prevent Latin patriarch, custos, from entering Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Palm Sunday

Junno Arocho Esteves · March 30, 2026

Cardinal Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, and Franciscan Father Francesco Ielpo, the custos of the Holy Land, were prevented from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by Israeli police on Palm Sunday.

Pope Leo assures archbishop of Canterbury of his prayers in message read after her installation

OSV News · March 27, 2026

Pope Leo XIV has assured Archbishop Sarah Mullally, the 106th archbishop of Canterbury and the first female to lead the Church of England, of his prayers and invoked "grace, mercy, and peace … in truth and love."

In France, record-breaking number of catechumens to be baptized at Easter

More than 20,000 welcomed into Church

Junno Arocho Esteves · March 26, 2026

Over 20,000 catechumens in France are expected to be baptized during the Easter Vigil, marking a 20% increase compared to baptisms in 2025.

Belgian bishop commits to ordain married men

Sets 2028 target

Junno Arocho Esteves · March 24, 2026

A Belgian Catholic bishop said he “will make every effort to ordain married men as priests” and expressed his commitment to doing so by 2028.

U.S. bishops seek probe of Indian boarding school legacy

OSV News · March 24, 2026

Chairmen of several U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops committees wrote in a letter to key House lawmakers that they support a bill that would establish an effort to investigate and document the histories and practices of Indian boarding schools, and their long-term effects on Native American peoples.

Jerusalem patriarchate cancels Palm Sunday procession, postpones chrism Mass amid war

OSV News · March 24, 2026

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said wartime restrictions have forced the cancellation or postponement of key Holy Week observances, urging the faithful to remain united in prayer despite the inability to gather for traditional celebrations.

Report shows Cardinal Wojtyla's actions were 'exemplary' in abuse cases, refuting previous claims

Paulina Guzik · March 23, 2026

In 2023, following a major television documentary claiming that St. John Paul II had covered up clerical sexual abuse when he was leading the Archdiocese of Kraków, Polish experts rejected the claim and urged that archdiocesan records be opened to allow the full context.

Prayer continues at Holy Sepulchre amid 'time of trial,' restricted access

Paulina Guzik · March 23, 2026

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre remains a place of continuous prayer despite restricted access to the faithful, according to a statement released March 21 by the Custody of the Holy Land.