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Iran talks still no closer

President Donald Trump said Friday that Iran “wants to make a deal,” but added he was not satisfied with the latest proposal.

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Pope: In times of change, we must give ourselves generously

Pope Leo receives employees of the Italian Bishops' Conference, telling them that in an era of “profound changes” the Lord asks us to “not to withdraw into ourselves or to be afraid, but rather to give of ourselves generously”.

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St. Athanasius: Saint of the Day for Saturday, May 02, 2026

St. Athanasius, also known as Athanasius the Great and Athanasius the Confessor, was a bishop and doctor of the church. He is called the "Father of Orthodoxy," the "Pillar of the Church" and "Champion of Christ's Divinity." Athanasius became one of the most dedicated opponents of the heresy of Arianism. Much of his life was a testimony to the divinity of Jesus Christ. Born in either 296 or 298 in Alexandria, Egypt to a prominent Christian family, Athanasius received a wonderful education in ...

Lord's Day Reflection: 'The Way Through Anxiety'

As the Church celebrates the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Fr. Marion Nguyen, OSB, offers his thoughts on the day’s liturgical readings under the theme: “The Way Through Anxiety".

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Holy See: Disarmament the only true way to achieve secure peace

The address of the Holy See’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York at the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons underscores how the "total elimination of nuclear weapons" is "a necessary responsibility that calls for concrete and credible steps."

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Pope Leo: The Papal Foundation’s generosity shows goodness of God

Pope Leo XIV meets with a delegation from The Papal Foundation, and expresses his support for their charitable activities that have helped many in the Church.

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The Papal Foundation reveals record-setting grants for Church-run projects

As it meets with Pope Leo XIV, The Papal Foundation announces it has approved over $15 million in grant allocations for 2026, a record in its 38-year history.

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On the road: Popemobile heads to the USA

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Even though Pope Leo XIV is not visiting the United States this year, the popemobile is!

The white, custom-built Hyundai vehicle will go on a 13-city tour of the U.S., covering 3,700 miles from New York to California.

Dubbed the "Hopemobile," Pope Francis wanted the popemobile to be used after his death to benefit those who are poor and vulnerable.

This week it was given to Cross Catholic Outreach, the U.S.-based Catholic relief and development organization, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.  

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Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, head of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, hands the popemobile key over to Michele Sagarino, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, April 28, 2026, at the Vatican. (CNS photo/ courtesy of Cross Catholic Outreach)

Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, head of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, handed the keys over to CCO's president, Michele Sagarino, who said they will use the popemobile to create moments of encounter, prayer and action to help children affected by war.

"At a moment when the country is reflecting on its history, this is an opportunity not just to serve, but to witness, to evangelize, to bring faith into the public square and to invite people into a deeper encounter with the Catholic faith, and a greater compassion and care for the vulnerable around the world," she said in a statement to CNS. 

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A white, custom-built Hyundai popemobile is loaded onto a container for shipment from the Vatican to the United States in late April 2026 at the Vatican. (CNS photo/courtesy of Cross Catholic Outreach)

The initiative, called "American Catholic Heroes: The Road Trip for Hope," will run from June to July and coincide with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Cross Catholic Outreach has invited Michael Iskander, the actor who played King David in the streaming series, House of David, to drive the popemobile. The Catholic prayer app, Hallow, will film a video series to premiere on YouTube.

CCO plans to raise money for children around the world who have been affected by war, and to highlight different "heroes of the faith" who devoted their lives to the Gospel. 

Over the past 25 years, Cross Catholic Outreach has received upwards of $4 billion worth of donations, which have gone to support hundreds of programs in more than 90 countries. They have been assisting the Vatican dicastery for many years, particularly in material aid for Ukraine. 
 


 

Pope Leo XIV Accepts Resignation of Bishop Mark Brennan of Wheeling-Charleston; Appoints Bishop Evelio Menjivar-Ayala as Successor

WASHINGTON – Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Most Reverend Mark E. Brennan, 79, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, and has appointed Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, currently auxiliary bishop of Washington, as his successor. 

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on May 1, 2026, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Bishop Menjivar-Ayala’s biography may be found here.

The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is comprised of 24,041 square miles in the State of West Virginia.

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Pope Leo XIV Appoints Two New Auxiliary Bishops for the Archdiocese of Washington; Accepts Resignation of Most Reverend Roy Campbell

WASHINGTON - Pope Leo XIV has appointed Reverend Gary R. Studniewski and Reverend Robert P. Boxie, III, as auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of Washington. Bishop-elect Studniewski is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington and currently serves as pastor of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Washington, D.C. Bishop-elect Boxie is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington and currently serves as chaplain to Howard University in Washington, D.C. 

At the same time, the Holy Father accepted the resignation of the Most Reverend Roy E. Campbell, 78, from the Office of Auxiliary Bishop of Washington. The appointments and resignation were publicized in Washington, D.C. on May 1, 2026, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The following biographical information for Bishop-elect Studniewski and Bishop-elect Boxie was drawn from preliminary materials provided to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Bishop-elect Gary R. Studniewski 

Bishop-elect Studniewski is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington and currently serves as pastor of the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Washington, D.C. He was born on May 8, 1957, in Toledo, Ohio. He received an Army commission through the ROTC program at the University of Toledo in 1979, completing a Bachelor of Education degree in Biology. He served in various artillery assignments in the 82d Airborne Division Artillery (1980-1981), and then in the 3d Infantry Division Artillery, United States Army Europe (1983-1986), and from 1987 to 1989 he served in the Army’s Personnel Command in Alexandria, Virginia.

In 1989 Father Studniewski left active duty to enter seminary, and studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome (1990-1995), earning both a Bachelor of Sacred Theology and Licentiate in Sacred Theology from the University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington on June 24, 1995.

Bishop-elect Studniewski served as military chaplain from 1995-2014, retiring with the rank of colonel. His pastoral assignments in the Archdiocese of Washington have included: Assumption parish in Washington (2014-2016); St. Francis Xavier parish in Leonardtown, Maryland (2016-2017); St. Peter’s parish in Washington (2017-2022); and the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament (2022 to present).

Bishop-elect Robert P. Boxie, III

Bishop-elect Robert P. Boxie, III is a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington and currently serving as chaplain to Howard University in Washington. Father Boxie was born on September 18, 1980, in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering from Vanderbilt University (2002), a Juris Doctor from Harvard University (2007), and studied at the Pontifical North American College in Rome, earning a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (2015) and a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (2017) from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 25, 2016.

Father Boxie’s pastoral assignments include: parochial vicar at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Derwood, Maryland (2016); and parochial vicar at St. Joseph parish in Largo, Maryland (2017-2020). Since 2020, he has served as chaplain at Howard University in Washington. Bishop-elect Boxie has also served as professor in the Archdiocese of Washington’s permanent diaconate program since 2018 and has been an assistant vocations director for the archdiocese since 2016.

The Archdiocese of Washington is comprised of 2,104 square miles in the District of Columbia and the State of Maryland.

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