Day: March 19, 2026

Pope’s Robin Hood wraps almoner’s mission and returns to Polish hometown as archbishop #Catholic –

(OSV News) — After 13 years of daring acts of charity that made him break the law in the name of the Gospel and elevate Rome’s homeless to the heart of the Church, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope’s “Robin Hood” leaves Rome after nearly three decades to become archbishop of Lódz, Poland.

Five months into Pope Francis’ papacy, on Aug. 3, 2013, then-Msgr. Konrad Krajewski was picked by the pontiff to be the charity point-man of the Vatican.

“He told me that I would not have a desk, that I should not stay in the Vatican City, that I should not deal with formal offices … that I should not have my own car, and that I should not have a secretary,” he told OSV News March 12.

“He told me to give up everything,” Cardinal Krajewski said. “And later I realized that I actually received the most when I simply had nothing.”

“It turned my life upside down,” the Polish prelate said. He spoke to OSV News the day the Vatican announced he would leave the post of prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity and return to his hometown.

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Longtime archbishop of Lódz, Cardinal Grzegorz Rys, was been appointed archbishop of Kraków Nov. 26, 2025. Since then, the search for the new archbishop of Lódz continued.

“The Holy Father asked me … whether, after so many years, I could see myself there and whether I would want it. It was not that the Holy Father told me that I must go … he simply asked whether I could see myself there. Whether I would be available,” Cardinal Krajewski told OSV News.

“I said, of course, with joy: yes. But it wasn’t only about joy,” he said.

“From the very beginning of my priesthood, I believed that I had promised obedience to the bishop. And it is precisely in moments like these that this promise is fulfilled: One does not think about oneself, but about what one’s superiors propose.”

He told OSV News he is returning home after 28 years spent in Rome, where he arrived first to serve St. John Paul II, then Pope Benedict XVI as master of papal ceremonies and over 12 years as papal almoner for Pope Francis.

“I never really left Lódz. I left Lódz in order to be here, in Rome, with the universal Church, with the pope. But I never left Lódz in my heart; I always remained connected to it.”

He admitted, however, that in Rome he leaves behind a Vatican family.

“Apart from the homeless who were entrusted to me by Pope Francis and whom I served in his name” — and who sent him many of the 800 “heartfelt” farewell messages he received on March 12 — he said he feels “a very deep bond with the workers of Rome.”

“Not so much with the hierarchy as with the ordinary people — carpenters, those who set up the chairs in St. Peter’s Square, plumbers,” he told OSV News.

“In order to create all those shelters and showers for the poor, I worked together with them — my Roman family. They never needed any documents or paperwork. Whenever I called, they were there.”

They were there when in November 2014, showers for the homeless would be built under the sweeping white colonnade of St. Peter’s Square.

Over the years, an outpatient clinic for the poor was built in that same spot, in the touristy center of the Vatican.

In 2019, the plumbers and carpenters of the Vatican were there for him when Cardinal Krajewski hit another milestone of Pope Francis’ revolution of tenderness: The pope had an empty Roman palace to allocate.

After extensive renovation carried out under the supervision of Cardinal Krajewski, and which left historical frescoes on the walls, Palazzo Migliori was opened in November 2019 in time for the third World Day of the Poor.

Recalling his Roman “family,” Cardinal Krajewski told OSV News: “They also drove around Rome with me whenever some intervention was needed — things that were not always fully possible according to the law, such as turning on water or electricity in abandoned houses. All of them helped me, putting themselves at risk.”

In a move that gained him the nickname of the pope’s Robin Hood, Cardinal Krajewski on May 12, 2019, climbed into a manhole in Rome to restore electricity to an abandoned building occupied by about 450 people, including many migrants, and around 100 children.

The power had been cut because of more than $300,000 in unpaid bills. To reconnect electricity, he broke a police seal — technically committing a crime — but was never charged despite criticism from then-Italy’s interior minister.

When questioned about the legality of his actions, Cardinal Krajewski replied, “The Gospel is my law.” A year later, several migrants living in the building — most of them Muslim — sent him a video thanking him for what he had done.

“In a moment like that you don’t think about the consequences, but only about the fact that the help is necessary,” he said.

“I was able to do many things because I had the trust of Pope Francis. He told me to think according to the Gospel, and that challenged me. It was something that kept me awake at night,” he said.

“He only said: ‘You must have a lot of imagination — evangelical imagination. So think about what Jesus would do.’ When someone leaves you that kind of freedom, but at the same time shows you a clear goal, then all your strength becomes, so to speak, focused and united,” Cardinal Krajewski told OSV News.

“I experienced the most beautiful years of my life here as a person,” he said of his three decades in Rome. “But I think I did not waste those years. They were truly for the Church — through people.”

He said he learned the most from the poor of Rome during his mission as an almoner.

“Their needs had to be discovered, so that we would not help someone the way we wanted to help, but in the way they actually needed. It is very easy to force help on someone — for example, to give someone a ham sandwich when he doesn’t even like ham. Instead, you ask the person what he or she really needs.”

“That is true charity,” Cardinal Krajewski told OSV News. “It means sharing yourself and thinking about what each person needs in order to restore their dignity.”

With Cardinal Krajewski in charge, the poor were regularly welcomed inside Casa Santa Marta, where the pope lived, and the Swiss Guards were saluting them as they made their way to the Elemosineria Apostolica — the Apostolic Almsgiving office — for lunch with Cardinal Krajewski in his apartment every Tuesday. Pope Francis made it perfectly clear — they’re one of us, and they deserve the Vatican to be their home, the cardinal pointed out.

“The task of the Apostolic Almsgiving is to empty the account for the charity of the Holy Father for the poor, according to the logic of the Gospel,” reads the main banner on the website for the office — entrusted now to Spanish Augustinian Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, new prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity.

A Vatican almsgiving task that elevated Cardinal Krajewski to one of the major — and most colorful — figures in the universal Church, taught him “to wait.”

Earlier on, “I wanted everything immediately, all at once,” having a “choleric temperament.” But with the poor, “it doesn’t work,” he told OSV News.

“They taught me. They calmed me down a bit. They showed me that everyone has their own path, and that making calculations or statistics doesn’t really make sense,” the cardinal told OSV News.

“If someone asked me how many poor people there are in Rome, I would say: I don’t know. Because every person is different. Restoring the dignity of even one person was the most important thing. Numbers or systems never mattered.”

“You have to wait for them,” he said of ministering to the poor. “The door must always remain open. They must always have your phone number. And you shouldn’t be surprised if someone calls at two in the morning saying that the next day he wants to go back home after 10 years. So they taught me this kind of inner calm — for their sake.”

Cardinal Krajewski traveled to Ukraine 10 times under Pope Francis’ pontificate to distribute help, but above all — to “embrace” the Ukrainians, in his own words, and bring them comfort from the Holy Father.

The Ukraine mission that included escaping gunfire in September 2022, came full circle for Cardinal Krajewski as he sent a truckload valued at over 1 million euros ($1.15 million) to the war-torn country on behalf of Pope Leo in February.

“In the bull I received from the pope when I became a bishop, it was written that I should teach by example, and only if that was not enough, then by word. And I think that is how it was. It really was,” he told OSV News.

He said he already met with the new papal almoner, telling Archbishop Marín, “You must become an alms yourself.”

“It is the life of solitude, because during the day the almoner has to function in the office — dealing with documents, papal blessings, financial assistance. But in the afternoon, when everyone goes home, that’s when you take the car and drive around to the places where the shelters are, where the parishes are, where there are soup kitchens or places that offer showers,” the cardinal said.

“You stay with them, you strengthen them, you support them financially — but above all, the pope taught me that presence matters. Presence is what counts.”

One of the poor present in a packed lunch March 10 in the almoner’s apartment, asked the cardinal, “Why do you do all this?”

He replied: “Because I represent Jesus.”

“Only then the works of mercy will last. They’re not linked to a person. They’re linked to the Gospel. Only this way they will last.”

Paulina Guzik is international editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @Guzik_Paulina.

– (OSV News) — After 13 years of daring acts of charity that made him break the law in the name of the Gospel and elevate Rome’s homeless to the heart of the Church, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope’s “Robin Hood” leaves Rome after nearly three decades to become archbishop of Lódz, Poland. Five months into Pope Francis’ papacy, on Aug. 3, 2013, then-Msgr. Konrad Krajewski was picked by the pontiff to be the charity point-man of the Vatican. “He told me that I would not have a desk, that I should not stay in the Vatican City, that I should

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Pope’s visit to show that Christianity is asset, not danger, for Algeria, bishop says #Catholic –

(OSV News) — As Pope Leo XIV prepares to visit Algeria as the first stop of his apostolic trip to Africa April 13–23, Bishop Michel Guillaud of Constantine-Hippone told OSV News the Holy Father’s presence will demonstrate that Christianity “is an asset and not a danger” to Algeria.

The birthplace of St. Augustine is the first stop of his trip and “overjoyed” with the fact the pontiff is coming, with the Vatican releasing a detailed itinerary of the first African journey of the pontiff March 16.

“The Holy Father has already visited Algeria twice, in 2003 and 2014, when he was prior general of the Order of St. Augustine,” Bishop Guillard told OSV News. “He is not coming primarily on a personal pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Augustine, but to meet the Algerian people and to support his Church, drawing on the strong bond between them through the figure of Augustine.”

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Algeria is 99% Sunni Muslim, and the Catholic Church counts just 8,740 members, about 0.019% of the population, out of more than 45 million people, according to the 2025 edition of the Annuario Pontificio, the Vatican’s annual yearbook.

In a conversation with OSV News, the Algerian Church leader discussed the deep connection to St. Augustine that unites the pope with the nation, the daily realities faced by Christians who are “one in a thousand,” and their hopes for a future in a place where Christianity “does not exist primarily through the presence of a priest, but through the presence of Christians.”

Bishop Guillaud, originally from Lyon, France, became a parish priest in Algeria in 2006. He was named administrator of the Diocese of Constantine-Hippone in 2024 and appointed bishop in July 2025.

Reflecting on the May 8, 2025, election of Pope Leo to the Chair of Peter, he said: “When Pope Leo was elected, one of his first statements was: ‘I am the son of Saint Augustine.’ All of Algeria trembled … since then, they have been waiting for him,” the bishop said.

“Algerians know that popes are not only concerned with their flock, but also with peace, justice and reconciliation for all. If the Holy Father is coming to Algeria, it is because he believes that everyone has a part to play in building the Kingdom of God, including the Muslim Algerian people. The hope of the Church in Algeria is that the Algerian people will grow in the conviction that Christians are not a threat, but that their presence and what inspires them can be good news for everyone,” the bishop emphasized.

On April 14, the pope will travel 310 miles from Algiers to celebrate Mass in the Basilica of Hippo, in the city now called Annaba. St. Augustine was the bishop of Hippo from 396 to 430, the year of his death. Annaba is a familiar place for local Muslims who travel Annaba every year to visit — be it families, tourists, school groups and university students — to discover the place and the man whose memory it preserves.

“Every year, we organize ‘Augustinian Days’ in Hippo, attended by both Muslims and Christians,” Bishop Guillaud told OSV News. “The three speakers this year were Algerian and expressed how much the bishop of Hippo was a source of inspiration for them. Augustine was, in his life as in his thinking, a seeker of truth, a builder of unity, a person who scrutinized the world with intelligence and faith. He propels us forward by telling us to love in everything we do, to sing the ‘alleluia of the road’ even when we are going through trials, and to walk with perseverance and confidence.”

Asked about the daily realities faced by Christians, and their hopes for a future, the bishop first highlighted the number of Christians a Muslim-majority country: “(of) 47 million inhabitants, Catholics are perhaps one in a thousand,” he said. “Every day we are questioned about not being Muslim. It takes a great deal of effort to join a Christian community in a country of 2.5 million square kilometers (919,595 square miles), and some have to travel several hours by road to do so.”

A diversity of languages spoken — and those include English, Portuguese, Arabic, French, Berber — provides challenges for Christian gathering in the North African country.

“Sunday is a working day, so we have to meet on the weekend, on Friday or Saturday. We do not have a priest in every parish, and Christians must learn that a community does not begin with the presence of a priest, but with Christians. Our communities are not very large. They rarely exceed fifty people, more often gathering 15 to 30, which gives them a character that is both more austere and more familiar.”

The bishop underlined that the main task of Catholic priests in Algeria is “to support Christians and maintain fraternal ties with Muslims.”

“We sometimes welcome people who come knocking on our door because they feel called to follow Christ. For Christians of European origin, it is considered ‘normal’ for them to be Christians,” but for people from sub-Saharan Africa, “it is more surprising.”

“When Christians are of Algerian origin, it comes as a shock. The authorities tolerate it, respecting the conscience of the country’s citizens, but society struggles to accept it. These new Christians often have to remain very discreet in their family, social and professional environments. And evangelical communities composed solely of Algerians struggle to be recognized. Our presence in society, when it manifests itself in cultural or charitable institutions, must remain modest, proportionate to our numbers,” Bishop Guillaud said.

The pope’s visit, he highlighted, is “To show that difference is not a danger, that unity can coexist with differences, whereas too much emphasis on unanimity stifles freedom. If society becomes more accepting of difference, this will benefit everyone.”

“The Catholic Church is the custodian of a treasure in the Eucharist and the apostolic ministry,” Bishop Guillaud stressed. “But the latter has been exercised for too long in a way that gives it excessive importance. When there are fewer priests, the challenge for the community is to realize that it does not exist primarily through the presence of a priest, but through the presence of Christians, and to rethink itself accordingly. The future depends in part on the emergence of a new way of being Church. It also depends on the place that society will accept to give it. Everything is still possible.”

The bishop stressed that Algerian Christians await the pope “with both great joy and a certain expectation: when St. Peter travels in the Acts of the Apostles, it is anything but ordinary. With his successor, we try to open our hearts to the grace proper to this visit.”

Ngala Killian Chimtom writes for OSV News from Yaounde, Cameroon.

– (OSV News) — As Pope Leo XIV prepares to visit Algeria as the first stop of his apostolic trip to Africa April 13–23, Bishop Michel Guillaud of Constantine-Hippone told OSV News the Holy Father’s presence will demonstrate that Christianity “is an asset and not a danger” to Algeria. The birthplace of St. Augustine is the first stop of his trip and “overjoyed” with the fact the pontiff is coming, with the Vatican releasing a detailed itinerary of the first African journey of the pontiff March 16. “The Holy Father has already visited Algeria twice, in 2003 and 2014, when he

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Catholic hoops at the highest level take over this year’s March Madness #Catholic –

PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) — Catholic universities have quietly taken over March Madness, blending history, talent, and the kind of coaching that shapes every game into an unpredictable contest.

The 2026 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments showcase Catholic hoops at the highest level. Twelve programs — seven men’s, five women’s — bring tradition, depth, and star power to the brackets, creating thrilling matchups from the first tip-off.

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Women’s Tournament Highlights

In the women’s bracket, experience meets sharpshooting as the University of Notre Dame faces a Fairfield University team that could surprise anyone.

Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish step onto the court with a 22-10 record and a six-seed, riding a 9-2 surge in their last 11 games. Junior standout Hannah Hidalgo, finalist for the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year award, anchors a team with a storied NCAA history: two national championships (2001, 2018), nine Final Four appearances, and 21 Sweet 16 showings. Balanced scoring and steady leadership provide the Irish an edge as they prepare for Fairfield.

The Stags, the three-time reigning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion, arrive with the highest seed in Fairfield’s history (No. 11) and a 28-4 record.

Under Stags coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis, the squad ranks first nationally in three-pointers per game (11.4) and top-10 in three-point percentage (.370). MAAC Player of the Year Kaety L’Amoreaux averages 17.6 points, and the team sets a program record with 2,416 points this season. Defensively, Fairfield allows just 55.8 points per game, ranking 13th nationally. Hot shooting and disciplined defense position The Stags as a genuine upset threat, ensuring a matchup against The Fighting Irish that captivates from the opening tip.

Beyond Notre Dame and Fairfield, other Catholic programs join the hunt to make an impact in the tournament.

The College of the Holy Cross claimed the Patriot League championship with a 23-9 record and nine straight wins. The Crusaders excel at defense and forcing turnovers.

Gonzaga University (24-9) spotlights freshman Lauren Whittaker, who has scored 641 points, second nationally among freshmen, while sophomore Allie Turner leads the West Coast Conference with 84 made three-pointers. The Bulldogs rank second nationally in three-point percentage (.390) and thrive in fast-paced games.

Villanova University (25-7) relies on sophomore Jasmine Bascoe, who averages 18.8 points per game and has 1,154 career points, anchoring a team that finishes second in the competitive Big East.

Villanova graduate student Kylee Watson offered a unique perspective, having played at Notre Dame before transferring this year.

Watson’s experience at Pope Leo XIV’s alma mater underscores what sets Catholic colleges apart.

“Something I’ve noticed at both schools is that we say the Lord’s Prayer before every game as a team,” Watson told OSV News. “It’s a really special moment where we take the time to connect with God pregame, and it’s cool that it’s a tradition at both schools.”

Men’s Tournament Highlights

The men’s bracket mixes seasoned champions with rising stars, promising upsets and deep runs.

Villanova (24-8) brings seven Final Four appearances and three national championships into the tournament. Freshman guard Acaden Lewis, junior guard Tyler Perkins, and senior center Duke Brennan combine scoring, leadership, and inside strength.

Gonzaga (30-3) depends on WCC Player of the Year Graham Ike to guide a team dominating in rebounds, points in the paint, and scoring margin (+19.1). Balanced attack and disciplined defense position Gonzaga as a favorite for a deep run.

Santa Clara University (26-8) makes its first NCAA appearance since 1996 after finishing third in the WCC (15-3). Strong perimeter defense and balanced scoring offer the Broncos upset potential.

St. John’s University (28-6) returns as back-to-back Big East regular-season and tournament champions. Coach Rick Pitino appears in his 25th NCAA Tournament across six schools. Veteran leadership and explosive scoring make the Red Storm a dangerous contender.

St. Louis University (28-5) highlights Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Robbie Avila. The Billikens rank second nationally in three-point percentage (.401) and fourth in effective field goal percentage (.600).

Siena University (23-11) celebrated its seventh MAAC championship and returns to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010. The Saints’ veteran guards and methodical offense challenge opponents.

St. Mary’s College (27-5) earned a program-record fifth consecutive NCAA appearance. Balanced scoring, experience, and defense provide the Gaels a solid chance to advance.

John Knebels is an OSV News sports correspondent. He writes from Philadelphia.

– PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) — Catholic universities have quietly taken over March Madness, blending history, talent, and the kind of coaching that shapes every game into an unpredictable contest. The 2026 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments showcase Catholic hoops at the highest level. Twelve programs — seven men’s, five women’s — bring tradition, depth, and star power to the brackets, creating thrilling matchups from the first tip-off. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Women’s Tournament Highlights In the women’s bracket, experience meets sharpshooting as the University of Notre Dame faces a Fairfield University team that could surprise anyone.

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Former astrologer rediscovers Catholic roots, will enter full communion with Church at Easter #Catholic –

LAKE ORION, Mich. (OSV News) — For most of her life, Molly Curtis was looking everywhere for answers, but the truth seemed to be just out of grasp.

She was baptized in the Catholic Church, but as her family grew away from the faith when she was around 8 years old, she too fell away.

“It wasn’t until I was 19 that my mom returned, but my dad didn’t,” Curtis told Detroit Catholic, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Detroit. “My dad definitely took a more Protestant bent at first, but then we explored New Age spirituality and practices. I actually made a career out of it, studying different religions and then opening an astrology business.”

Curtis would do her own astrology consulting sessions for clients, relying on the movement of the planets and stars to give people direction and help them answer the same type of questions she had: Who were we? Why are we here? What is the purpose of life?

“With astrology, you’re constantly looking at planetary movements in the sky,” Curtis said. “There’s a lot of geometry and math to it, and you’re basically interpreting the stars based on planetary orbits. It dates back to the Hellenistic era; a lot of the texts I would use came from 500 B.C.

“You’re always looking to the future to interpret the next movement and what that means for the world or your client,” Curtis added. “You’re constantly looking for how these signs out there affect you, but you never necessarily get resolution; you don’t get a sense of peace. It’s just interpreting the signs, but then OK, now what?”

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Curtis was always a spiritual person, reading the Bible, studying other religious texts, finding wisdom in Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies. But while she found wisdom, she didn’t find peace.

“I felt like I was on this hamster wheel where I was always projecting into the future, whether it was for me, or for a blog I was writing, or for a client who was coming in,” Curtis said. “It was like I was projecting. And there’s something calming when you drop all of that and say, ‘I don’t have control of all this, and I don’t need to know all the answers.’”

Last year, it all came to a head. With national news stories of political violence, social unrest and a constant bombardment of social media, Curtis was being overwhelmed with what she called a “darkness” in society.

She added that the fallout from the assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk was a particular pressure breaker.

“So much was going on in the world, and my heart just really broke open,” Curtis said. “It was on one hand the violence and madness of it all, but on a different level, it was the reaction to the violence. I saw so many people who reacted to it with indifference and cruelty, and it made me stop for a second and really think about where we are heading collectively.”

Curtis wanted to find a way to get beyond the darkness she was seeing in the world, and she found it in the Christians who were in her life.

“When I would tune into those who were walking in a faith, specifically the Christian faith, I saw a different perspective,” Curtis said. “And that to me really stood out as an answer to all I was looking for. What I saw was a community that stayed connected, while the rest of us were indifferent. I saw people who were living for one another, while everything else was more divisive and indifferent.

“I then just felt this call to stop focusing all on myself and putting myself as the center and to put God in the center of my life,” Curtis added.

Curtis called the nearby St. Joseph Parish in Lake Orion, where providence would have it, the parish was about to start OCIA classes. OCIA stands for Order of Christian Initiation of Adults.

“Within a week of them forming classes, I think I had missed the first week, but Kelly (Ponce, pastoral associate and co-director of engagement at St. Joseph) was like, ‘Yep, come on in,’” Curtis said. “It happened very quickly, but it felt so right. The moment that I got there and started consuming everything, I was thinking, this is something I finally understood. This has been what I was looking for in my life.”

Curtis recalled her prior attempts at reading the Bible by herself and struggling, but under the direction of Deacon John Manera, director of OCIA at St. Joseph Parish, she grasped the faith in a more complete, mature way than what she previously encountered.

“The OCIA classes are very organized and really break things down to digestible material,” Curtis said. “Whether he uses videos or he uses his own slides, he has a sense of humor about things where he can just bring it down into layman’s terms, but at the same time, still holding the sacredness of the material. He’s just very relatable being a man in the world but still guiding us through this sacred space.”

Since starting her OCIA journey, Curtis has learned to shift from an inward, self-focused worldview to one oriented toward Christ.

“A lot of things that I was practicing before and studying were all about putting the individual at the center,” Curtis said. “With astrology, you look at the stars and ask how it impacts you. You can practice Buddhism without Buddha. But with Christianity, you put Christ at the center of your life. Having a relationship with Christ, it draws you to a person. And when you have Christ at the center, it gives you a better outlook on the world.”

Curtis selected St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, a French Visitation nun and mystic credited with spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as her confirmation saint. Devotion to the Sacred Heart has allowed Curtis to draw closer to the Lord, and in turn, to others.

“In allowing myself to expand outward in following Christ versus falling inward to myself, I draw closer to others,” Curtis said. “I think that is what brought me back to the faith. I could just feel the reactions of those who are close to the Lord, the Lord living in their lives, and they weren’t calling for violence. They weren’t calling for indifference. And that is what I wanted. I wanted to have that love of God to draw upon.”

Curtis is looking forward to receiving her first Communion this Easter. Her daughter, Elwood, 14, is set to be baptized this May and is in confirmation class. Her husband is “not quite ready” to take the next step, Curtis said, but as a family they have brought up God more in conversations, and Molly and Elwood regularly pray the rosary together.

“I’m very happy that she wants to be baptized,” Curtis said. “She’s been asking for it for a couple of years now, and it’s weighed very heavily on me, especially in the last year. There’s nothing sweeter than when she comes in and says, ‘I want to do a decade of the rosary with you.’ That makes my heart smile, and I feel like it’s my role to let her know how much God loves her.

“It all goes back to putting God at the center and Christ in your heart,” Curtis continued. “I was doing all this research, all this reading about the stars, and when I accepted Christ, his Sacred Heart — the Sacred Heart imagery has played a big part in my conversion — I think that fire has burned off the indifference and allowed me to open my heart up to God and the people around me. It’s expelled the darkness.”

Daniel Meloy is a reporter at Detroit Catholic, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Detroit. This story was originally published by Detroit Catholic and distributed through a partnership with OSV News.

– LAKE ORION, Mich. (OSV News) — For most of her life, Molly Curtis was looking everywhere for answers, but the truth seemed to be just out of grasp. She was baptized in the Catholic Church, but as her family grew away from the faith when she was around 8 years old, she too fell away. “It wasn’t until I was 19 that my mom returned, but my dad didn’t,” Curtis told Detroit Catholic, the news outlet of the Archdiocese of Detroit. “My dad definitely took a more Protestant bent at first, but then we explored New Age spirituality and practices.

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Pope Leo XIV calls bishops to Rome to discuss marriage and family in October #Catholic –

VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV announced March 19 that he is asking the presidents of all bishops’ conferences around the world to convene in Rome in October to renew and deepen the Church’s discussion on marriage and family in light of “Amoris Laetitia.”

The pope issued the invitation at the end of a message marking the 10th anniversary of the signing of “Amoris Laetitia,” Pope Francis’ post-synodal apostolic exhortation on the pastoral care of families published after the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family.

“In light of the changes that continue to impact families, I have decided to convene the presidents of the Episcopal Conferences from around the world in October 2026, in an effort to proceed, in mutual listening, to a synodal discernment on the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel to families today, in light of Amoris Laetitia and taking into account what is currently being done in the local Churches,” Pope Leo said.

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“I entrust this journey to the intercession of Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family of Nazareth,” he added.

“Amoris Laetitia,” Latin for “The Joy of Love,” was signed by Pope Francis on March 19, 2016, and released publicly the following April. The document, which runs more than 50,000 words, addressed married life and love, children, extended family, education and related pastoral challenges, with special attention to integrating wounded or marginalized families into the life of the Church.

“Our era is marked by rapid changes which make it necessary, even more than ten years ago, to give particular pastoral attention to families, to whom the Lord entrusts the task of participating in the Church’s mission of proclaiming and witnessing to the Gospel,” Pope Leo explained in the message.

He added that there are “places and circumstances in which the Church ‘can become the salt of the earth’ only through the lay faithful and, in particular, through families.”

“For this reason, the Church’s commitment in this area must be renewed and deepened, so that those whom the Lord calls to marriage and family life can, in Christ, fully live out their conjugal love, and that young people may feel attracted, within the Church, to the beauty of the vocation to marriage.”
At the time of its publication, “Amoris Laetitia” garnered an uneven reception. While Church leaders generally praised the exhortation’s aim of improving pastoral care for families, it met swift and sharp criticism for some ambiguities that appeared difficult to reconcile with Church teaching, especially pertaining to divorced Catholics in new civil unions, without a prior declaration of nullity, and their reception of the Eucharist. Disagreement among theologians and Church leaders persists over these elements.

Pope Leo called the document “a luminous message of hope regarding conjugal love and family life” adding that both “Amoris Laetitia” and St. John Paul II’s 1981 exhortation, “Familiaris Consortio,” “strengthened the Church’s doctrinal and pastoral commitment to the service of young people, married couples and families.”

“On this 10th anniversary, we give thanks to the Lord for the stimulus that has encouraged reflection and pastoral conversion in the Church, and ask God for the courage to persevere on this path, always welcoming the Gospel anew in the joy of being able to proclaim it to all,” Pope Leo said.

Courtney Mares is Vatican Editor for OSV News. Follow her on X @catholicourtney.

– VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV announced March 19 that he is asking the presidents of all bishops’ conferences around the world to convene in Rome in October to renew and deepen the Church’s discussion on marriage and family in light of “Amoris Laetitia.” The pope issued the invitation at the end of a message marking the 10th anniversary of the signing of “Amoris Laetitia,” Pope Francis’ post-synodal apostolic exhortation on the pastoral care of families published after the 2014 and 2015 Synods on the Family. “In light of the changes that continue to impact families, I have

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El Papa León XIV convoca a los obispos a Roma para hablar sobre el matrimonio y la familia en octubre #Catholic –

CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (OSV News) — El Papa León XIV anunció el 19 de marzo que ha pedido a los presidentes de todas las conferencias episcopales del mundo que se reúnan en Roma en octubre para renovar y profundizar el debate de la Iglesia sobre el matrimonio y la familia a la luz de “Amoris Laetitia”.

El Papa hizo esta invitación al final de un mensaje con motivo del décimo aniversario de la firma de “Amoris Laetitia”, la exhortación apostólica postsinodal del Papa Francisco sobre la pastoral de la familia, publicada tras los Sínodos sobre la Familia de 2014 y 2015.

“Reconociendo los cambios que siguen afectando a las familias, he decidido convocar en octubre de 2026 a los Presidentes de las Conferencias Episcopales de todo el mundo, con el fin de proceder, en un clima de escucha recíproca, a un discernimiento sinodal sobre los pasos a dar para anunciar el Evangelio a las familias de hoy, a la luz de Amoris laetitia y teniendo en cuenta lo que se está realizando en las Iglesias locales”, dijo el Papa.

“Encomiendo este camino a la intercesión de san José, Custodio de la Sagrada Familia de Nazaret”, añadió.

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“Amoris Laetitia”, que en latín significa “La alegría del amor”, fue firmada por el Papa Francisco el 19 de marzo de 2016 y publicada el siguiente mes de abril. El documento, que cuenta con más de 50.000 palabras, aborda la vida matrimonial y el amor, los hijos, la familia extensa, la educación y los desafíos pastorales relacionados, con especial atención a la integración de las familias heridas o marginadas en la vida de la Iglesia.

“Nuestra época está marcada por rápidas transformaciones que, incluso hoy más que hace diez años, hacen necesaria una especial atención pastoral a las familias, a las que el Señor confía la tarea de participar en la misión de la Iglesia de anunciar y dar testimonio del Evangelio”, explicó el Papa León en el mensaje.

Añadió que hay “lugares y circunstancias en los que la Iglesia ‘sólo puede llegar a ser sal de la tierra’ a través de los fieles laicos y, en particular, de las familias”.

“Por eso, el compromiso de la Iglesia en este ámbito debe renovarse y profundizarse, para que aquellos a quienes el Señor llama al matrimonio y a la familia puedan vivir su amor conyugal en Cristo y los jóvenes se sientan atraídos por la intensidad de la vocación matrimonial en la Iglesia”, dijo.

En el momento de su publicación, “Amoris Laetitia” tuvo una acogida desigual. Si bien los líderes de la Iglesia elogiaron en general el objetivo de la exhortación de mejorar la atención pastoral a las familias, esta fue objeto de críticas rápidas y contundentes por algunas ambigüedades que parecían difíciles de conciliar con la doctrina de la Iglesia, especialmente en lo que respecta a los católicos divorciados que han contraído nuevas uniones civiles sin una declaración previa de nulidad, y a su recepción de la Eucaristía. Persiste el desacuerdo entre teólogos y líderes de la Iglesia sobre estos elementos.

El Papa León calificó el documento como “un luminoso mensaje de esperanza sobre el amor conyugal y familiar”, y añadió que tanto “Amoris Laetitia” como la exhortación de San Juan Pablo II de 1981, “Familiaris Consortio”, “han estimulado el compromiso doctrinal y pastoral de la Iglesia al servicio de los jóvenes, los cónyuges y de las familias”.

“En este décimo aniversario, queremos dar gracias al Señor por el impulso dado al estudio y a la conversión pastoral de la Iglesia, y pedirle el valor para continuar el camino, acogiendo siempre de nuevo el Evangelio, con la alegría de poder anunciarlo a todos”, dijo el Papa León.

Courtney Mares es editora del Vaticano para OSV News. Sígala en X en @catholicourtney.

– CIUDAD DEL VATICANO (OSV News) — El Papa León XIV anunció el 19 de marzo que ha pedido a los presidentes de todas las conferencias episcopales del mundo que se reúnan en Roma en octubre para renovar y profundizar el debate de la Iglesia sobre el matrimonio y la familia a la luz de “Amoris Laetitia”. El Papa hizo esta invitación al final de un mensaje con motivo del décimo aniversario de la firma de “Amoris Laetitia”, la exhortación apostólica postsinodal del Papa Francisco sobre la pastoral de la familia, publicada tras los Sínodos sobre la Familia de 2014 y

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Parsippany pastor to explore ‘When is Enough, Enough?’ on radio show #Catholic –

Father David Pickens, pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Parsippany, N.J., will discuss the renewed interest in faith-based films, the meaning of Holy Week, and hopeful signs of people returning to church during the March 25 episode of “Let Go and Let God.” This weekly radio show addresses listeners who are struggling with their Catholic faith, have doubts, or wish to strengthen their beliefs.

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In a busy, distracted world, this episode, “When is Enough, Enough?”, invites listeners to pause and remember what truly matters. Listeners will be reminded that God has already blessed them abundantly, and that true peace comes not from having more, but from gratitude and trust in him.

Art Suriano of Newton, N.J., the show’s creator, host, and producer, interviews a wide variety of guests, who cover different topical issues. He includes performances of his original Christian contemporary songs to further illuminate the episode’s theme.

Stream the episode on or after Wednesday, March 25, here or on all podcast platforms. The show will be broadcast locally on Sunday, March 29, on WRSK in Sussex at 7 a.m., and on WOLD in Edison at 8 a.m.

– Father David Pickens, pastor of St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Parsippany, N.J., will discuss the renewed interest in faith-based films, the meaning of Holy Week, and hopeful signs of people returning to church during the March 25 episode of “Let Go and Let God.” This weekly radio show addresses listeners who are struggling with their Catholic faith, have doubts, or wish to strengthen their beliefs. Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter. In a busy, distracted world, this episode, “When is Enough, Enough?”, invites listeners to pause and remember what truly matters. Listeners will be reminded that God

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