As 2026 Nears, the Church Looks to the New Year With Gratitude, Hope, and Renewal
As the Church prepares to enter a new calendar year, the passage from 2025 into 2026 is understood not simply…
Tag: Pontiff
Why Three Popes Urged Catholics to Read This 1907 Novel About the End Times
The last three successors of St. Peter have all singled out one book—Robert Hugh Benson’s 1907 dystopian novel Lord of…
Pope Leo XIV Ushers in a Quiet Revolution with Listening and Patience
The Catholic Church enters a new era under Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, who has chosen a markedly…
The Worst Papal Election in History Has Lessons for Everyone
By Marshall Neal When the Chair of St. Peter falls vacant, the world watches the Vatican with bated breath. Cardinals…
Locked Doors, White Smoke, and the Work of the Holy Spirit: How the Next Pope Will Be Chosen
By Marshall Neal This morning, as the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica tolled for the passing of Pope Francis, a…
Twelve Years of Pope Francis: A Pontificate of Mercy, Reform, and Evangelization
On March 13, 2013, the world was introduced to a new leader of the Catholic Church: Pope Francis. Now, twelve…
Who Runs the Vatican While Pope Francis Is Hospitalized?
Pope Francis’ recent hospitalization for treatment of bronchitis on February 14, 2025, has raised important questions about the governance of…
How to Become Pope: Qualifications and the Path to the Papacy
The election of a pope is a process steeped in history, tradition, and canon law. While the vast majority of…