ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, SLATERSVILLE RI

Nigerian security officers during a military operation ahead of the gubernatorial elections in Benin City, Edo, Nigeria, on Sept. 17, 2020. | Credit: Oluwafemi Dawodu/Shutterstock

Jan 2, 2026 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Following U.S. military strikes on Christmas, targeted sanctions and further U.S. action to end persecution of Christians is expected in Nigeria in 2026, according to members of Congress and advocates familiar with the situation. 

Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, has said he will present a report to U.S. President Donald Trump that “outlines concrete ways the United States can partner with Nigeria to bring an end to this bloodshed and protect our brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Moore’s office said the congressman would meet with Trump sometime in January and present him a report including 30 possible ways the administration could act to end the persecution of Christians in Nigeria in accordance with Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC).

“During my trip to Nigeria, I met many who had endured unimaginable suffering — women who had watched their children and loved ones brutally murdered in front of them,” Moore said in a statement. “At the same time, our engagement with Nigerian leaders was productive, and we are close to establishing a strategic security framework to confront both ISIS and Boko Haram in the northeast and to stop the targeted violence against Christians in the Middle Belt by Muslim Fulani radicals.”

“I am grateful to President Trump for entrusting me with leading this official House investigation,” he said. “The report I will present to the president outlines concrete ways the United States can partner with Nigeria to bring an end to this bloodshed and protect our brothers and sisters in Christ.”

Trump had threatened military action against Nigeria shortly after announcing the designation. He said in a social media post Nov. 1 if the Nigerian government fails to stop the killing of Christians, “the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.” He has since threatened further military action following the Christmas Day strikes.

After the Dec. 25 strike, Trump said in a statement that he “warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.”

Moore’s forthcoming report follows his travel to Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, where he met with Christians who fled from persecution and are living in camps of displaced people. The president had charged Moore with looking into the situation in Nigeria and reporting back to him.

Nina Shea, Hudson Institute senior fellow, said she hopes the recent strikes on ISIS will further embolden the Nigerian government to police Islamist Fulani militants in the region, including by confiscating their AK assault weapons.

“These Fulani have observed the free rein given to the terror groups until now and act as though they too have a license to massacre and kidnap Christians,” she said. “Trump now has the attention and cooperation of the Nigerian government in addressing this crisis before it’s too late.”

The president can choose from a menu of sanctions for a CPC-designated country under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998, ranging from diplomatic measures to economic sanctions.

Under the IRFA, the U.S president must designate countries that engage in or tolerate “particularly severe violations of religious freedom” as CPCs. Violations include torture, prolonged detention without charges, and forced disappearance, according to the State Department.

Shea said she expects the outcome of the CPC designation in 2026 to entail the return of Middle Belt Christians to their homelands with ongoing protection from “an effective security force.” Shea said she further expects to see the U.S. government assist Nigeria in its border security “to stop the influx of Islamist terrorists and weapons from the Sahel,” and for the U.S. government to impose visa sanctions against “Nigerian officials and individuals who are complicit in the atrocities linked to religious freedom violations.”

“The stakes for Christians are very high,” Shea said.

Sean Nelson, senior counsel for global religious freedom with Alliance Defending Freedom International, said he’s “cautiously hopeful” for the outcome of the CPC designation in 2026. “This is really the most I’ve ever seen in terms of D.C. action in order to really try to resolve and fix what is one of the worst persecutor situations in the world,” Nelson said.

For his work with ADF, Nelson said his focus regarding Nigeria in 2026 will be ADF’s challenge of blasphemy laws at the Supreme Court of Nigeria that allow punishment by death.

Credit: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock

Jan 2, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Many people who receive assistance through anti-poverty programs faced disruptions in 2025, and Catholic Charities’ wish list for 2026 includes government support for food assistance and housing.

The largest disruption came in October when food stamps received through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were delayed amid the government shutdown. Funding for rental and heating assistance were also disrupted.

Confusion about how to implement a memo in January from the Office of Management and Budget calling for a grant freeze also caused delays in funding related to health care, housing affordability, and food assistance.

Luz Tavarez, vice president of government relations at Catholic Charities USA, said “people get nervous and scared” amid disruptions.

Many Catholic Charities affiliates saw an influx in clients, especially during the shutdown, but Tavarez said there are “very poor people who rely on SNAP subsidies for their meals” and who “can’t get to a Catholic Charities [affiliate] or other food pantry for assistance” when it happens.

Long-term eligibility and funding changes to SNAP were also approved in the tax overhaul signed into law in July. Previous rules only included a work requirement up to age 54, but the law extended those requirements up to age 64. It added stricter and more frequent checks for verifying the work requirements.

It also shifted some funding responsibilities away from the federal government and to the states.

Tavarez expressed concern about some of the SNAP changes as well, saying the government should end “burdensome requirements for individuals and states.”

Under the new law, there are stricter rules for verifying a person’s immigration status for benefits. It also limited which noncitizens could receive SNAP benefits, which excluded some refugees and people granted asylum.

Tavarez expressed concern about such SNAP changes, encouraging the government to permit “humanitarian-based noncitizens” to receive those benefits.

Overall the 2025 tax law gave the biggest boost to the richest families while poorer families might get a little less help than before, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The bill added a work requirement for Medicaid recipients, and this will not take effect until 2027. Under the previous law, there was no work requirement for this benefit. It also shifts some Medicaid funding requirements onto the states.

Tavarez said Catholic Charities has “concerns with how [work requirements are] implemented” moving forward but does not oppose the idea outright: “There’s dignity in work so the Church isn’t necessarily opposed to people working as long as there’s some opportunities for people to do other things and other issues are taken into consideration.”

She also expressed concerns about funding shifts: “We know that not every state views things like SNAP and Medicaid as a good thing. We don’t know how states are going to balance their budget and prioritize these programs.”

2026 wish list

Looking forward to 2026, Tavarez said Catholic Charities hopes the government will restore full funding to the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program for food banks and bulk food distribution programs and ensure that funding is protected for school meals and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) made policy changes in November that would focus its homelessness funding on “transitional” housing instead of “permanent” housing. This move is facing legal challenges.

President Donald Trump’s administration initially sought to cut federal housing assistance and shift much of those costs to states, but this was ultimately not included in the final version of the 2025 tax law.

In December, Trump promised an “aggressive” housing reform plan that focuses on reducing costs. At this time, the specifics of that proposal have not been announced. The increased cost to buy a new home has outpaced the growth in wages for decades.

Tavarez said Catholic Charities is focused on housing affordability in 2026 and that the solution must be multifaceted. This includes “building and developing affordable housing,” “a tax credit for developers,” “more affordable housing units,” and subsidies and Section 8 vouchers for low-income Americans, she said.

“We recognize that there’s a real crisis — I think everybody does in a bipartisan way — but there needs to be a real bipartisan approach and it’s going to require money,” Tavarez said.

Tax credits and economic trends

Some changes to the tax code included in the 2025 tax law are geared toward helping low-income Americans.

Specifically, the law reduced taxes taken from tips and overtime work. It also increased the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,200 and tied the credit to inflation, meaning that it will increase each year based on the rate of inflation.

Tavarez characterized the changes to the child tax credit as a “win” and hopes it can be expanded further.

The economy has been a mixed bag, with November unemployment numbers showing a 4.6% rate. In November of last year, it was slightly lower at 4.2%.

Inflation has gone down a little, with the annual rate being around 2.7%. In 2024, it was around 2.9%. The average wage for workers also outpaced inflation, with hourly wages increasing by 3.5%, which shows a modest inflation-adjusted increase of 0.8%.

Credit: Ivan Galashchuk/Shutterstock

Jan 2, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The rate of married couples filing for divorce has begun to trend downward in recent years, but the rate of “gray divorce” — divorces of couples in their 60s or older — has continued to climb.

A July 2025 report from the Institute for Family Studies found that about 40% of today’s first marriages will end in divorce — much less than the oft-cited estimates of about 50%. This is partly because marriages are more selective and some younger people are waiting longer to marry or shunning marriage altogether.

In spite of that overall downward trend, the report explains that the 40% estimate is based on the assumption that divorce rates will remain stable. It acknowledges though that “prediction is no easy task,” and if later-year divorce rates continue to surge, the number of divorces may be higher.

A 2024 study by the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at Bowling Green State University found that the divorce rate among married couples aged 65 or older nearly tripled over the past three decades, from about 5.2% in 1990 to 15.2% in 2022. Divorce among older couples is frequently called gray divorce.

Julia Dezelski, associate director of marriage and family life for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth, told CNA the factors leading to gray divorce are often different from the factors that lead to divorce among younger or middle-aged married couples.

“The new challenges [are] faced by couples who find themselves newly ‘alone’ with themselves after their kids have left home for college, careers, etc.,” she said. “As empty nesters, the couple is faced with a new season of ‘rediscovery’ as a couple, and this can be a source of stress as well as disillusionment as they learn that the years of child-rearing and careerism may have changed them as individuals and as a couple.”

Dezelski said other factors include health and hormonal changes that come with age, and many couples are unprepared for changes that accompany perimenopause and menopause, and this can sometimes cause “greater tension between the couple.”

Gray divorce, she said, can exacerbate the feelings of “lowliness and social isolation” and can be “harder to navigate in some ways.” The impact on the couple’s grown children is different than it would be on young children but is “always significant and a form of trauma” regardless of the age of the children, she said.

“For the older children of divorce, it can be particularly hard to commit to a similar life journey with confidence if your own parents’ marriage is unraveling or to explain to their own children why their grandparents are separating,” she said.

What do Catholic experts suggest?

Although many of the root causes for gray divorce are distinct from the root causes of divorce for younger couples, Sheila Oprysko — who serves on the leadership team for the Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WWME) — told CNA that many of the solutions are “very similar.”

WWME is a Catholic organization that offers retreats for married couples to help them build their connection with each other and with God.

For couples in their 60s, one issue can often be that they “really haven’t communicated with each other” properly in years, she said. This is often because their efforts focused on their children, their house, their jobs, and other things.

Her husband, Peter Oprysko, who also serves on the leadership team, told CNA gray divorce is often “because couples have lost track of each other — their life has been about everything but their relationship.”

Peter said: “We have seen an increase in the number of older couples attending the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend Experience.” He said a goal is to teach them “a form of communication that enables couples to connect at a different level — at a feeling level.”

Sheila added that “sharing your feelings is one of the tools,” as well as a need to “reevaluate where we spend our time [and] how do we even communicate to one another?”

“And when things go awry, we talk about the importance of healing and forgiveness,” she said. “... Not just saying ‘I’m sorry,’ but saying ‘please forgive me’ and the other person acknowledging that yes they are forgiven.”

She said the inability to communicate amid life changes can cause couples to “make judgments about each other,” adding: “It’s easier to blame your spouse for the change rather than look at what the change really was.”

In addition to better communication and hearing each other out, Sheila said married couples need to reflect on “the graces of the sacrament [of marriage and] the beauty of the sacrament.”

“A couple’s love is a reflection of God’s love for all to see,” she said.

They also emphasized the importance of not simply praying for each other but also praying with each other.

“God really enters into the relationship [through that process],” Sheila said. “So it becomes the three.”

Dezelski said for older couples it’s important to “begin with gratitude” and review the greatest blessings of the marriage and to “continue with hope” and “renew the reason for your love: Reflect on what drew you together by God’s grace on your marriage day.”

“Don’t let the sun set on your resentment, anger, [or] frustration: Give and ask for forgiveness,” she added. “The new year is a wonderful time to begin anew by seeking God’s mercy in the sacraments.”

The Opryskos pointed to their programs as options for married couples who are struggling with the thought of divorce. Dezelski also recommended seeking faith-based therapy through Alpha Omega Clinic or MyCatholicDoctor and other Catholic resources.

Micah Kim, the 5-year-old son of Catholic speaker and influencer Paul Kim, passed away Dec. 31, 2025. | Credit: Screenshot of Paul Kim’s Facebook page, last visited Jan. 1, 2026

Jan 1, 2026 / 16:24 pm (CNA).

Micah Kim, the 5-year-old son of popular Catholic speaker Paul Kim, has passed away, Kim announced in a tearful social media post Thursday afternoon.

Micah died on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, after more than a week on life support following a rare medical emergency brought on by a severe case of the flu.

“Micah Joseph is beginning the new year basking in the never-ending glory, love, and peace of God,” Kim wrote in the post, which was accompanied by a two-part video. “Micah has been very busy already, as I see the Lord using him and sending him on missions to bring millions of people closer to God.”

Kim asked for privacy for his family as they grieve but said he felt he had to provide an update to the millions of people praying for Micah and his family throughout the ordeal. He shared that over the last week and a half, his social media account has been viewed more than 50 million times by people from all over the world offering prayers for the situation.

Micah was rushed to the hospital a week and a half ago after experiencing severe internal bleeding and other complications. Kim, a devoted husband and father of six known for his engaging talks on faith and family at Catholic conferences, first alerted followers via social media on Dec. 22: “My son Micah is having a medical emergency right now and headed to the hospital in an ambulance.”

By Dec. 24, Micah underwent emergency chest surgery to address the bleeding, which successfully stabilized his heart function. Kim shared on social media that after the surgery, his son’s heart began beating independently and his vital signs remained steady.

Doctors gradually reduced life support, with Micah’s lungs showing slow improvement on a ventilator. However, a subsequent MRI revealed severe brain damage, leading physicians to conclude there is “no medical possibility” of recovery.

“I couldn’t be a prouder father,” Kim said in his Jan. 1 post. “This reality gives me great joy and hope in the midst of sorrow. Our hearts are broken; but we trust in the Lord. Please pray for my family and me as we learn how to live by faith and not by sight.”

Cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons, and laypeople — including many well-known Catholic media personalities — had messaged Kim and told him they were praying for his son, he said. Kim had prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet live with followers during the ordeal, and the family had asked for a miracle through the intercession of Venerable Fulton Sheen.

In addition to an outpouring of prayer for Micah, a GoFundMe campaign was begun to support the family amid mounting medical costs.

“Thank you for all the love, prayers, and compassion that a countless number of you have showed us,” Kim wrote. “May God truly bless you. Your prayers for Micah were answered, but in a different way than what we had all hoped for. God healed and welcomed him into eternal life. He is where we all want to be.”

Amira Abuzeid contributed to this story.

Caracas skyline. | Credit: Olga Berrios, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jan 1, 2026 / 10:00 am (CNA).

2026 dawned in Venezuela in an atmosphere of ambivalence: sorrows and joys, tensions and consolations, and more questions than certainties. The work of the Catholic Church goes on within the country’s turbulent reality, a task that is far from easy due to “the autocratic drift of national politics,” as the bishops stated at the beginning of last year.

This past December in their Christmas message, the Venezuelan bishops did not hesitate to reaffirm that the “joyful experience” of Jesus’ birth is “overshadowed” by the turbulent national reality. Thus, people go about their daily lives enveloped in a barrage of news, rumors, and hardships.

The collapse of the economy and basic services, which seems to have no solution, is causing great suffering for the most vulnerable. The latent threat of foreign military intervention on the national territory continues due to the severe tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

The worsening political and ideological persecution by the socialist regime is evidenced by the hundreds of prisoners — men and women without distinction, including minors — who are being held in the most deplorable conditions. All of this looms over the new year and the Catholic Church, which has experienced firsthand the worst of the current situation in Venezuela.

So what does 2026 hold for Catholicism in Venezuela? ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, spoke with analysts and experts to consider what the coming months will bring.

Nicaragua, a model to follow?

In February, ACI Prensa asked Archbishop Jesús González de Zárate, archbishop of Valencia and president of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference, whether the episcopate believed the country was heading toward the type of persecution against the Catholic faith like what has been experienced in Nicaragua for several years under the dictatorship of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and vice president, Rosario Murillo.

González simply replied that the bishops pray and work so that the Church does not go through a similar situation. The president of the bishops’ conference said the bishops’ goal is for everyone in Venezuela to be able to “live in harmony and peace” and for the country to have “the conditions of freedom, work, and pluralistic religious expression” that the majority aspires to.

Today, following months of systematic harassment and abuse suffered by the Venezuelan bishops to the point of humiliation, those aspirations remain elusive.

Víctor Maldonado, a Venezuelan political scientist, told ACI Prensa that the relationship between the socialist government and the Catholic Church is clearly “very bad,“ despite the fact that the bishops’ conference has tried to maintain a stance where “a certain moderation and self-censorship“ prevail in order to avoid “falling into a situation where they lose everything.“

“They are subjected to contempt and insults every time they speak out as a body,“ Maldonado explained, which is why they are currently focused on “holding their ground“ to try to avoid “the brutal persecution that has taken place in Nicaragua.“

Despite the prudence of the episcopate, in the last months of 2025 it was violently persecuted by the socialist government, which has been increasingly called into question and isolated internationally. Cardinal Baltazar Porras, archbishop emeritus of Caracas, was perhaps the most prominent voice in the Church criticizing the situation in Venezuela, and thus has earned the particular enmity of the Maduro regime.

“Its essence is totalitarian and atheist. Nicaragua is the testing ground for extreme measures. And a clear demonstration of what they are capable of doing. In this sense, Nicaragua has served as a showcase for intimidation,” Maldonado said, referring to the so-called “socialism of the 21st century,” which gained worldwide prominence when the late Hugo Chávez was president of the country.

Like Nicaragua, a persecuted Church

Martha Patricia Molina is a Nicaraguan lawyer and researcher, author of the report “Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church,” in which she compiled the prohibition of more than 16,500 processions and acts of piety as well as more than 1,000 attacks by the Nicaraguan dictatorship against the Catholic Church. Her report was delivered to Pope Leo XIV in October 2025.

Molina noted that when dictatorships like those of Ortega and Maduro identify a de facto power that is not supporting their policies, “they begin to attack it until it disappears.” When, in Venezuela, as in Nicaragua, all resistance by civil society disappears, then the socialist regime “will focus its fury and punitive power against the prelates.”

“It’s important that Venezuelans begin now to study and identify the patterns of repression that have been used in Nicaragua to attack religious freedom,” Molina said, emphasizing the urgency of “instilling in laypeople and clergy the importance of citizens protesting the government.”

Similarly, Maldonado noted that the Maduro regime has gradually incorporated “efforts to delegitimize the Catholic religion,” especially through the promotion of Santería and Protestantism, to “demonstrate that they, through the arbitrary use of resources and power, can determine religious hegemony at any given moment.”

Furthermore, the political scientist pointed out that the Maduro regime has also used “certain openly revolutionary priests” to promote its political agenda. Perhaps the most representative case is that of Jesuit Father Numa Molina, who “behaves like a committed party member, regardless of the interests and positions of the Church.”

“I believe that the bishops’ conference is still a respected voice that has a tradition of assuming the prophetic role that belongs to the Church. Like all Venezuelans, it is subject to the same threats of persecution and repression,” Maldonado said, although he noted that at this moment “it’s not a unified voice” and that “the close relationship of some pastors with those who violate rights and persecute with such ferocity” is causing scandal among believers.

“This struggle over what is the Church’s position weakens their moral authority, and Catholics probably don’t feel fully supported in their suffering and anguish,” he added.

Molina, however, emphasized that the episcopate has been “united and alongside the unprotected and persecuted people.”

“Of course, there will be instances — which also need to be identified — of priests backing the regime. In Nicaragua, we have identified all of them; they are bishops and priests (a few) who have gone so far as to claim that there is no religious persecution in Nicaragua,” she said.

The autocrat vs. the religious leader

In a statement to ACI Prensa, Marcela Szymanski, an expert on religious freedom at the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need, stated that an autocrat “is a man thirsty for power who seeks by all means, especially with weapons and money, to increase his wealth and territorial control.”

Szymanski explained that the religious leader is the one most feared by the autocrat, who will try to co-opt him in any way possible. If unsuccessful, “the autocrat will eliminate him and his community using both violent and nonviolent tactics.” In Latin America specifically, autocratic regimes of a Marxist bent usually ally themselves “with organized crime to eliminate their opponents.”

“In countries where the rule of law has collapsed and human rights violations are increasing, this alliance of Marxist ideology with criminal organizations has become more evident,” she said.

In Nicaragua, Szymanski continued, the Ortega dictatorship “doesn’t care about world opinion,” only about its own survival. That is why it has decisively ramped up its persecution of the Church. In Venezuela, on the other hand, “where the alliance of left-wing parties with organized crime is clear, international reputation is still valued, but less and less.”

“The victim, in this case the Church in Nicaragua and Venezuela, cannot be blamed for having the wrong religion, or for being unwise for not obeying the autocrat,” she said. Their situation is precarious because “they do not have — and will not have — weapons or money, therefore they cannot stand on an equal footing with the autocrat.”

“The men and women who make up the Church must persevere in their faith, because reason cannot comprehend the motive behind such blatant aggression. Resilience, hope, and a life of prayer are what no one can take away from the faithful, even if they close churches and schools and take away hospitals and nursing homes,” Szymanski added.

“The priests and sisters who persevere alongside them are the pillars of this suffering Church,” she emphasized.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for recitation of the Angelus on Jan. 1, 2026. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 1, 2026 / 07:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday urged Catholics to pray for peace, “first, among nations bloodied by conflict and suffering,” and also “within our homes, in families wounded by violence or pain,” during the Angelus address on the first day of 2026.

Greeting pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 59th World Day of Peace, the pope reflected on the start of a new year as a time to renew hope and reconciliation.

“While the rhythm of passing months repeats itself, the Lord invites us to renew our times by finally ushering in an era of peace and friendship among all peoples,” he said. “Without this desire for the good, there would be no point in turning the pages of the calendar and filling our diaries.”

Leo also looked back on the jubilee, which he said “is about to end,” noting that it has taught the Church to cultivate hope for a new world by converting hearts to God, so as “to transform wrongs into forgiveness, pain into consolation, and resolutions of virtue into good works.”

The pope then turned to the Marian feast, saying Christmas today “directs our gaze towards Mary, who was the first to experience Christ’s beating heart.” He evoked “the silence of her virginal womb,” where “the Word of life presents himself as a heartbeat of grace.”

“God, the good creator, has always known Mary’s heart and our hearts,” Leo said. “By becoming man, he makes his heart known to us.” He added that the heart of Jesus “beats for every man and woman,” both for those who welcome him and for those who reject him.

“His heart is not indifferent to those who have no heart for their neighbor,” the pope said. “It beats for the righteous, so that they may persevere in their dedication, as well as for the unrighteous, so that they may change their lives and find peace.”

At the end of the Angelus, Leo greeted the tens of thousands of pilgrims in the square and offered “good wishes of peace.” He also returned to the theme of the World Day of Peace, recalling that it has been celebrated on Jan. 1 since 1968 at the request of St. Paul VI.

In his message for the day, Leo said he wanted to repeat the wish he felt the Lord gave him at the start of his pontificate: “Peace be with you all!”

“A peace that is unarmed and disarming, which comes from God, a gift of his unconditional love, and is entrusted to our responsibility,” he said.

“Dear friends, with the grace of Christ, let us begin today to build a year of peace, disarming our hearts and refraining from all violence,” the pope continued.

Leo also expressed appreciation for peace initiatives held around the world, mentioning a national march held the previous evening in Catania and greeting participants in a march organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio.

He offered greetings as well to a group of students and teachers from Richland, New Jersey, and to the Romans and pilgrims present.

Finally, the pope noted that 2026 marks the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, and he invoked a biblical blessing for the new year: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

“May the Holy Mother of God guide us on our journey in the new year,” Leo said. “Best wishes to everyone!”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Jan. 1, 2026. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 1, 2026 / 07:05 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV called Catholics to a steadfast openness to other people, warning that peace will not be built through force or exclusion, as he celebrated his first liturgy of the new year on Thursday. 

“The world is not saved by sharpening swords, nor by judging, oppressing, or eliminating our brothers and sisters,” the pope said in his homily for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Rather, he added, it is saved by “tirelessly striving to understand, forgive, liberate, and welcome everyone, without calculation and without fear.” 

As is customary for the Jan. 1 Mass, a large group of diplomats accredited to the Holy See attended the liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, underlining the international scope of the Church’s prayer for peace on the World Day of Peace, observed each year on the first day of January. 

A blessing for a new beginning 

At the start of his homily, Leo XIV pointed to the ancient biblical blessing proclaimed in the liturgy: “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace” (Num 6:24-26). He recalled that this blessing was addressed to a people set free, Israel after slavery in Egypt, and he drew a parallel to the Christian life at the opening of a new year. 

“For each of us, every day can be the beginning of a new life, thanks to God’s generous love, his mercy, and the response of our freedom,” he said. The coming year, he continued, can be seen “as an open journey to be discovered,” lived with confidence “free and bearers of freedom, forgiven and bringers of forgiveness,” trusting in “the closeness and goodness of the Lord who accompanies us always.” 

Mary’s ‘yes’ and the human face of mercy 

The pope centered his reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation and Mary’s decisive role in salvation history. “By her ‘yes,’ she helped give a human face to the source of all mercy and benevolence: the face of Jesus,” he said. 

Leo XIV invited the faithful to contemplate God’s love through Christ’s life: “Through his eyes — first as a child, then as a young man and as an adult — the Father’s love reaches us and transforms us.”

He urged Catholics to begin the year with renewed confidence in that love: “Let us ask the Lord to help us experience at every moment, around us and upon us, the warmth of his fatherly embrace and the light of his benevolent gaze.”

‘Unarmed and disarming’ peace 

Echoing the theme he chose for this year’s World Day of Peace message, Leo XIV returned repeatedly to the image of God’s humility revealed in the Nativity. Citing St. Augustine, he emphasized “the complete gratuity of his love” and described God’s approach to humanity as one of radical vulnerability.

“As I emphasized in the message for this World Day of Peace, God presents himself to us ‘unarmed and disarming,’ as naked and defenseless as a newborn in a cradle,” the pope said. 

That divine “style,” he suggested, is the model for Christian action in a world tempted by coercion, retaliation, and fear. Christian witness, he said, should reflect a God who does not overwhelm but invites, and who heals rather than humiliates. 

Mary the disciple who ‘laid aside every defense’ 

Leo XIV also reflected on Mary’s path after Bethlehem, presenting her not only as mother but also as disciple. He described her as one who followed Jesus “with the heart of a humble disciple… all the way to the cross and the Resurrection.” 

“To do so, she too laid aside every defense,” he said, renouncing “expectations, claims, and comforts,” and “consecrating her life without reserve to the son she had received by grace.” 

In Mary’s divine motherhood, the pope added, the Church sees “the meeting of two immense, ‘unarmed’ realities”: God, who “renounces every privilege of his divinity to be born in the flesh” (cf. Phil 2:6-11), and the human person who embraces God’s will, offering “the greatest power she possesses: her freedom.” 

A renewed mission 

Near the end of the homily, Leo XIV recalled a Jan. 1 homily of St. John Paul II that invited Christians to begin again with courage after the Jubilee of 2000. As the Church approaches the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope, Leo XIV urged the faithful to return to the Nativity with faith and then step forward with renewed commitment. 

“Let us approach it as the place of ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace par excellence,” he said, and then, “like the humble witnesses at the grotto,” to set out once more, “glorifying and praising God” (Lk 2:20) for what they have seen and heard. 

“This be our commitment and our resolve for the months ahead, and, indeed, for the whole of our Christian lives,” he concluded. 

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. 

Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile in St. Peter’s Square in October 2025. Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 1, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV is preparing for a very busy year at the Vatican in 2026, with important events such as the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope and his first consistory of cardinals since his election on May 8, 2025.

1. Closing of the Jubilee of Hope — Jan. 6

On Jan. 6, the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate the Mass and perform the rite for the closing the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, bringing to an end the Jubilee of Hope that Pope Francis began on Dec. 24, 2024. This liturgical act officially closes a year that, according to the papal bull Spes non Confundit, has been experienced as “a time of grace and hope” for the global Church.

2. Extraordinary consistory of cardinals — Jan. 7–8

Following the conclusion of the jubilee, the pope has convened an extraordinary consistory of cardinals for Jan. 7–8. This type of meeting is usually reserved for discussing major doctrinal, institutional, or pastoral issues affecting the entire Church. Its scheduling in the days immediately following the close of the holy year underscores the pope’s intention to set a new course after the intense experience of the jubilee.

3. Extraordinary restoration in the Sistine Chapel — January

Beginning in January, the Vatican Museums will undertake extraordinary conservation work on Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” fresco in the Sistine Chapel, which will continue until March, with the expectation of completion before Holy Week. This project addresses the need to preserve the masterpiece in light of the impact of millions of visitors each year.

4. Appeal hearing in the Becciu case — Feb. 3

The appeal hearing in the case concerning the management of funds by the Secretariat of State of the Holy See in the purchase of a building in London has been postponed until Feb. 3. Spanish judge Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the Roman Rota, presides over the three-judge panel hearing the appeal of 77-year-old Cardinal Angelo Becciu. On Dec. 16, 2023, the cardinal was convicted of embezzlement and barred from holding public office. He was also fined 8,000 euros ($9,400).

5. Second World Children’s Day — Sept. 25–27

Pope Leo XIV has announced the celebration of the second World Children’s Day, which will take place in Rome Sept. 25–27. Organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, this event aims to bring together thousands of children and families from around the world for a time of encounter, prayer, and celebration for peace and the future of children.

Possible international trips for Pope Leo XIV in 2026

Although the official travel schedule is not yet finalized, the pontiff has expressed a desire to visit several countries during 2026:

— Algeria, an African country with deep ties to St. Augustine, is still in the planning stages as part of a possible continental itinerary.

— Argentina and Uruguay have been mentioned as possible destinations, along with an extended visit to Peru and Mexico, with a particular interest in visiting the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world.

— There is also a strong possibility of an upcoming papal trip to Spain.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV speaks to teenagers during a digital encounter at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis during the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) on Nov. 21, 2025. | Credit: Tessa Gervasini/CNA

Jan 1, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA).

On Nov. 21, 2025, Pope Leo XIV spoke to young Catholics during the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Indianapolis, marking his first digital encounter with American teens.

During this encounter, several young people were chosen to ask the Holy Father questions. These questions ranged in topic from prayer and technology to friendships and the future of the Church. Pope Leo gave invaluable advice to all those gathered in the stadium and watching via digital media.

Inspired by this wisdom, and with New Year’s upon us, here are 10 ideas for commitments and pratices to implement in 2026:

1. Go to confession regularly.

When asked if it’s hard to accept God’s mercy after making a mistake or letting someone down, Pope Leo encouraged young people to go to confession frequently.

“​​In confession, Jesus meets us through the priest. When we honestly confess our sins and accept our penance, the priest gives absolution and we know with certainty that we are forgiven,” the Holy Father said. “So, yes, it can be discouraging when we fall. But do not focus only on your sins. Look to Jesus. Trust his mercy and go to him with confidence. He will always welcome you home.”

In the new year, make a concrete plan to receive God’s mercy more often instead of staying stuck in shame or discouragement.

2. Begin and end each day with Jesus.

Pope Leo recommended that everyone work on giving their problems to the Lord.

“Giving our problems to Jesus is something we can do, we need to do, again and again. Each morning we can invite him to be with us during the day. Each night we can talk with him about our day,” the pope said.

Try to offer your day to the Lord in the morning and review it with him at night, handing him your worries, joys, and failures.

3. Make Eucharistic adoration a habit.

In several instances, the Holy Father spoke about the importance of spending time with Jesus in Eucharistic adoration so that we can experience how “he looks at you with love.”

Commit to visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament weekly, even briefly, and speak to him honestly from the heart.

4. Commit to real friendship with Jesus in prayer.

Pope Leo encouraged young people to form a real friendship with Jesus through daily prayer.

“Jesus does not just understand our struggles from a distance,” the Holy Father said. “He actually wants us to hand them to him because he loves us. And that kind of trust starts when we have a real relationship. We cannot give our problems to someone who we barely know.”

In the new year, consider setting a daily time of silent prayer or Scripture reading so you are not giving your problems to someone you barely know but to someone you truly know.

5. Find and invest in one “faithful friend.”

Pope Leo acknowledged how difficult it can be for people to find and form genuine friendships. He described a real friend as someone who is “not only someone who’s fun to be with, though that is good too, but it’s someone who helps you grow closer to Jesus: someone who encourages you to become a better person.”

If you’re struggling with finding “faithful friends,” pray to find one or cultivate at least one friendship that helps you grow closer to Jesus and encourages you to seek help when life gets heavy.

6. Pray the rosary for help and protection.

The Holy Father reminded the faithful that in addition to speaking to Jesus about our daily problems, we should also remember to share those problems with the Blessed Mother.

“And remember also Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother. She understands what we go through, and she prays for us. There’s a powerful way to ask for her help, and that’s praying the rosary,” Pope Leo said.

Consider praying the rosary more often in the new year — whether it be a decade a day or a full rosary once a week — and ask Mary to carry your struggles to her son.

7. Limit your screen time.

When speaking to the constant use of technology in our lives and how that can pull us away from spending time with Christ, Pope Leo used St. Carlo Acutis as an example. He explained that while Acutis used technology to help people grow in their faith, he set time limits for himself.

Due to this discipline, “he found a healthy balance and kept his priorities clear. My friends, I encourage you to follow the example of Carlo Acutis. Be intentional with your screen time,” he shared.

Try setting a specific and concrete limit on social media and entertainment so technology serves your vocation instead of ruling your day.

8. Choose one way to be more present in person.

Along similar lines, when speaking about the use of technology in our lives, Pope Leo also highlighted how too much use of technology can also pull us away from being present to others with whom we have relationships.

The Holy Father said: “There’s nothing that can replace true human presence, being with one another. So, while technology certainly can connect us, it’s not the same as being physically present. We need to use it wisely without letting it overshadow our relationships.”

In the new year, aim to intentionally prioritize a face‑to‑face encounter — such as sharing a family meal, going to a youth group, or visiting someone lonely — over staying behind a screen once a week.

9. Join something in your parish.

Pope Leo encouraged young people to get involved at their parishes, not only by attending Mass but also by taking part in other activities as well.

“Stay connected to your parish. Attend Sunday Mass. Join youth activities and say ‘yes’ to opportunities, just as you’ve done taking part in this conference; opportunities where your faith can grow,” he said.

Look at the different activities or groups at your parish and make one concrete commitment to take part in something — maybe a youth group, singing in the choir, becoming a lector, or participating in a service ministry.

10. Teach the faith to someone else.

Sharing and teaching our faith to others is vital, Pope Leo explained, especially in helping the Church grow.

“One great way to build up the Church is by sharing your faith, teaching the faith to others, helping others who need you,” he said. “Teaching is often the best way to strengthen your own understanding. Deepen your prayer life as well.”

Consider becoming a catechist, volunteering in youth ministry, or peer mentoring in the new year.

Credit: Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock

Dec 31, 2025 / 16:00 pm (CNA).

On New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, and the first day of 2026, the Catholic Church offers the opportunity to obtain plenary indulgences as a sign of God’s mercy and the desire for the sanctification of all her members.

A plenary indulgence is remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven.

Indulgences on Dec. 31

On the eve of the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Church grants a plenary indulgence to those Christian faithful who publicly recite the “Te Deum,” thanking God for the year that is ending. This blessing is extended especially on Dec. 31.

To recite the “Te Deum,” click here.

Indulgences on Jan. 1

Likewise, on Jan. 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, a plenary indulgence is granted to those who publicly recite the hymn “Veni Creator,” imploring blessings for the new year that is beginning.

To recite the “Veni Creator,” click here.

Additionally, those who devoutly receive the papal blessing “urbi et orbi” (“for the city and for the world”), either through radio, television, or the internet, as well as those who devoutly receive the blessing of the bishop of their diocese, will also be able to obtain these special blessings from the Church.

Conditions to obtain a plenary indulgence

In addition to performing the specific work mentioned above, the following conditions must be met:

First, it is necessary to be detached from all sin, even venial sin.

Second, one must make a sacramental confession, receive Communion, and pray for the pope’s intentions. These conditions can be met a few days before or after carrying out the action prescribed to obtain the indulgence, but it is suggested that Communion and prayer be performed on the same day that the action is carried out.

It is important to note that several indulgences can be obtained through a single confession, although frequent participation in the sacrament of reconciliation is recommended in order to deepen one’s conversion and purity of heart.

As for receiving Communion and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, it should be noted that with just one Communion and one prayer, made on the same day, a plenary indulgence is obtained.

Finally, the condition of praying for the intentions of the supreme pontiff is fulfilled by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary. However, each Christian is given the right to use any other formula according to his personal piety and devotion.

What is a plenary indulgence?

A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove the temporal punishment due to sin.

It is not a forgiveness of sin but the remission of punishment for sins already forgiven. It may apply either to oneself or to souls already in purgatory.

In order to obtain a plenary indulgence the faithful must — in addition to being in the state of grace — both have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin (even venial sin), have sacramentally confessed their sins and received the Eucharist (either within or outside of Mass), and must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.

The conditions for a plenary indulgence can be fulfilled a few days before or after performing the actions specified to gain the indulgence, but it is appropriate that Communion and the prayer take place on the same day that the work is completed.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.