the Church

The Vatican has formally described environmental destruction as an 'ecological sin', a move championed by Pope Francis and his ecological agenda. The declaration builds on the Pope's encyclicals on caring for the planet and puts climate and environmental responsibility at the centre of Catholic moral teaching, prompting debate about the Church's growing role in the environmental movement.

Speaking during a visit to the French shrine of Lourdes, Pope Francis said medicine must never become the servant of programmed death, a remark widely read as a rejection of euthanasia and assisted dying. The comments came at one of the Catholic Church's most important pilgrimage sites, which is closely associated with healing and care for the sick.

The Pope told French bishops visiting the Vatican that the Catholic Church carries a prophetic authority and must remain a voice in the public square. Vatican News reported the address, in which he framed the Church's role as speaking on moral and social questions rather than retreating to the private sphere. The remarks come amid ongoing debates in France over secularism and the place of religion in public life.

Pope Leo travelled to Metz, France, and waded into Europe's increasingly polarised debate over immigration. The visit places the pontiff at the heart of a controversy dividing European governments and publics, with the Catholic Church long balancing calls for compassion toward migrants against security concerns driving hardline policies across the continent.

Investigators have linked a man found dead in an Idaho church roughly 40 years ago to the 1982 Chicago-area Tylenol poisonings that killed seven people and reshaped US drug packaging laws. Authorities say new evidence ties the unidentified man to the unsolved case, reviving one of America's most notorious criminal mysteries more than four decades later.

Pope Leo said Europe must return to its Christian roots while remaining open to migrants, pairing a call for spiritual renewal with a message of hospitality. The appeal comes amid ongoing European debates over migration policy and the continent's cultural identity, and is likely to resonate with both church audiences and political leaders wrestling with how to balance border concerns with humanitarian obligations.

The Catholic Church in Kenya is calling for stronger protection of refugee and migrant children, urging authorities and communities to safeguard unaccompanied and vulnerable minors from exploitation and abuse. The appeal, reported by Vatican News, highlights the risks children face while displaced and pushes for policies that prioritise their safety, education and access to basic services.

Pope Leo has pledged action on clergy abuse following a meeting with French survivors of abuse by Catholic clergy. The pledge comes after direct talks between the pontiff and victims' representatives, who have long pressed the Church for accountability and concrete measures. The commitment is being closely watched to see whether it translates into concrete institutional reform.

The Pope met with French survivors of clergy child abuse in an emotional two-hour meeting and pledged concrete action to address the scandal. The encounter comes amid continuing pressure on the Catholic Church over its handling of abuse cases in France, where official inquiries have documented widespread abuse by clergy over decades.

American Cardinal Robert McElroy has set out ideas for how the Catholic Church should engage with the digital age, discussing the issue through Vatican News. His reflections address how the Church can communicate and pastorally reach people in an increasingly online world. The remarks are drawing attention among observers of Vatican affairs and Church communication.

Pope Leo XIV will close his visit to France on Monday by paying tribute to Robert Schuman, the devout Catholic former French foreign minister regarded as one of the architects of European integration. The pontiff's message is expected to focus on peace and unity, drawing a symbolic link between the Catholic faith and the European project at a time of debate over the continent's future.

A church construction project in Indonesia has been stalled through a permit technicality, according to a report. The issue highlights ongoing tensions some Christian communities face in obtaining building permits in parts of the country, where local objections can hold up official approvals for years.

A woman has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after fatally shooting an employee at a Church's Chicken restaurant. The sentencing followed proceedings covered by local news in Memphis, where WREG reported the outcome. The victim was an employee of the fast-food chain. Details of the motive or the events leading to the shooting were not provided in available coverage.

Haitian community members gathered at a church in North Miami to rally in support of Temporary Protected Status holders, urging measures to protect them from losing their legal residency protections. The event, covered by local station WSVN, highlights ongoing concern in South Florida's large Haitian community over the future of the TPS program and the uncertainty facing those who rely on it.

Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington led a Mass for Migrants and told worshippers the public cannot 'pass by' the suffering of immigrants. The message, reported by America Magazine, frames immigration as a moral issue demanding public attention and response, as the Catholic Church in the United States continues to speak out on migration policy.

Russia's military is reportedly deploying the remains and relics of Orthodox princes and saints as symbols in its war effort, blending religious iconography with battlefield messaging. The practice reflects the Kremlin's deepening alliance with the Russian Orthodox Church, which has framed the invasion as a holy cause. Commenters are weighing what this says about the sacralisation of the conflict and the state's use of religious nationalism.

Pope Leo traveled to Lourdes, France, where he said the Church must confront and heal her 'wounds, infidelities, and painful errors.' The remarks, reported by Catholic media outlets including Catholic World Report and EWTN News, frame the pilgrimage visit as an act of penance and renewal. The visit draws attention given Lourdes' status as one of Catholicism's most important Marian shrines and pilgrimage sites.

Faith-based community groups are asking Microsoft to commit 1% of its data center spending to local communities, and the company has so far not responded publicly. The demand reflects growing pressure on tech firms building large data centers, as residents and organizations seek a share of the economic benefits from facilities that consume land, power and water. Microsoft's silence on the request is itself drawing attention.

The Presidency of COMECE, the Catholic Church's body linked to the European Union, is gathered in Metz for an address by Pope Leo XIV on Europe's roots and future. The event draws attention as the new pope outlines his vision for the continent's Christian heritage and its political direction.

A federal judge has ruled that Oklahoma cannot block a Jewish charter school from opening in the state. The decision resolves a dispute over state officials' refusal to approve the school. The ruling is likely to fuel ongoing national debate over charter schools with religious affiliations and the separation of church and state.

Pope Leo is in France, where he has argued for a role for faith in public life despite the country's strict secular tradition. The remarks, made in a state founded on laicité, touch on long-running tensions between the Catholic Church and French republicanism over religion's place in politics and society. Observers are weighing how the papal message lands in one of Europe's most secular democracies.

One year after a mass shooting at a Michigan church, police officers are recalling their rapid response that stopped the gunman during the attack. Officers describe the race to reach the scene and confront the shooter, marking the anniversary of the incident.

A church has hidden or covered its artwork ahead of a visit by Pope Leo. The move is drawing attention, as visitors would normally expect the church's artistic treasures to be on display for such a high-profile occasion. Details about which artworks are affected and why the church took the step have not been made clear, leaving room for speculation about modesty, security, or conservation concerns.

Civil court cases are putting the governance structures of the United Methodist Church to the test, according to The Christian Century. The disputes raise questions about how far civil courts can go in reviewing decisions made by church bodies, a long-sensitive issue for denominations that guard internal authority over doctrine, property and clergy discipline.

A renewed push for religious charter schools is drawing attention, centering on the Ben Gamla Jewish charter school proposal in Oklahoma alongside the St. Isidore Catholic case. Supporters argue states cannot exclude religious groups from charter programs, while opponents warn the move blurs the line between church and state and could reshape publicly funded education across the country.

A church has issued an apology after a priest who is in prison was included on a public prayer list. The naming of the jailed clergyman in intercessions circulated to the congregation prompted complaint, and the church has since said sorry for the error. Details about which church and priest are involved, and why the priest was jailed, have not been given.

Evansville police report that a Lyft driver was assaulted by passengers near a church in Evansville, Indiana. The incident was reported by local news outlet 14 News, which cited the Evansville Police Department. Details about the driver's condition, the passengers involved, and whether arrests have been made have not yet been released.

The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered a sermon at Christ Church in Greenwich, as announced on the Church of England's official website. The sermon forms part of the Archbishop's regular public preaching engagements, addressing the congregation of the historic Greenwich church. No further details of the sermon's content were given in the announcement.