Pope Leo greets pilgrims during the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents, and the Elderly on Sunday, June 1, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jun 2, 2025 / 16:09 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Monday said Christian families are called to be missionaries of the Gospel to new generations, especially in light of a widespread “privatization” of faith preventing many people from approaching the Church.

In the Holy Father’s message to participants of a June 2–3 seminar organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Laity, Family, and Life on the theme “Evangelizing with the Families of Today and Tomorrow: Ecclesiological and Pastoral Challenges,” he said the Church needs to be farsighted in discerning the needs of parents and children often caught up in “worldly concerns” or misled by “illusory lifestyles.”

“Sadly, in the face of this need, an increasingly widespread ‘privatization’ of faith often prevents these brothers and sisters from knowing the richness and gifts of the Church, a place of grace, fraternity, and love,” Pope Leo shared in his June 2 message.

“As a result, despite their healthy and holy desires, while they sincerely seek ways to climb the exciting upward paths to life and abundant joy, many end up relying on false footholds that are unable to support the weight of their deepest needs,” he continued.

With a “maternal concern” for all Christian families, the pope said it is the responsibility of the Church — bishops and the laity — to reach out to families who are “spiritually most distant from us” and become “fishers of families.”

“‘Fishers’ of couples, young people, children, women, and men of all ages and circumstances, so that all may encounter the one Savior,” he said. “Through baptism, each one of us has been made a priest, king, and prophet for our brothers and sisters, and a ‘living stone’ (1 Pt 2:4) for the building up of God’s house.”

“I ask you, then, to join in the work of the whole Church in seeking out those families who no longer come to us, in learning how to walk with them and to help them embrace the faith and become in turn ‘fishers’ of other families,” he added. 

Addressing his concern that many young people are choosing cohabitation instead of marriage, the Holy Father said couples need guides who can reveal “the beauty and grandeur” of the vocation to love and service through Christian marriage and the gift of family. 

“In reality [they] need someone to show them in a concrete and clear way, especially by the example of their lives, what the gift of sacramental grace is and what strength derives from it,” he said. 

“Similarly, many parents, in raising their children in the faith, feel the need for communities that can support them in creating the right conditions for their children to encounter Jesus,” he continued.

Despite difficulties and problems families face, Pope Leo said spreading “the gospel of the family” is a mission that can only be sustained by prayer and an encounter with Christ.

“Consequently, if we want to help families experience joyful paths of communion and be seeds of faith for one another, we must first cultivate and renew our own identity as believers,” he said.

“May the Holy Spirit guide you in discerning criteria and methods that support and promote the Church’s efforts to minister to families,” he continued. “Let us help families to listen courageously to Christ’s proposal and the Church’s words of encouragement!”

Listeners of Spirit Catholic Radio sparked an initiative to place billboards featuring the Sacred Heart of Jesus along Interstate 80 through Nebraska “to share a message of love, hope, and faith with everyone who passes by.”  / Credit: Spirit Catholic Radio

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 2, 2025 / 15:44 pm (CNA).

Drivers heading through Nebraska this summer should expect to see more than just traffic and highways — they should also anticipate catching a glimpse of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Listeners of Spirit Catholic Radio sparked an initiative to place billboards featuring the Sacred Heart of Jesus along Interstate 80 through Nebraska “to share a message of love, hope, and faith with everyone who passes by.” 

Spirit Catholic Radio, an affiliate of EWTN Radio network, announced that it is kicking off the campaign in June to mark the month devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

“This campaign came straight from the hearts of our listeners,” Jim Carroll, executive director of Spirit Catholic Radio, said in the announcement. “They had the desire to share Christ’s love more publicly, and they made it happen through prayer and generous support.”

“Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus goes back centuries,” Spirit Catholic Radio reported in a press release. “It’s rooted in the Christian belief that God’s love isn’t abstract — it’s personal. Saints like St. Gertrude the Great and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had deep spiritual experiences centered on this love, often describing the Heart of Jesus as a source of peace, mercy, and transformation.”

The Sacred Heart, depicted by a pierced heart on fire surrounded by a crown of thorns, has been an important image for Catholics as it represents Jesus’ love, compassion, and sacrifice.

The Nebraska billboards will have an image of Jesus with open arms and the Sacred Heart across his chest along with the words “June is devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and “Jesus is king.” 

“We hope these billboards spark curiosity,” Carroll said. “Even if someone isn’t familiar with the Sacred Heart, we want them to know: This love is for you, too.”

The billboards will be visible in high-traffic areas including along I-80 and in the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas.

Whether people are commuting to work, driving home, or traveling through Nebraska, thousands are expected to see the billboards daily with the intent to offer them “reflection and spiritual inspiration.”

Listeners of Spirit Catholic Radio sparked an initiative to place billboards featuring the Sacred Heart of Jesus along Interstate 80 through Nebraska “to share a message of love, hope, and faith with everyone who passes by.”  / Credit: Spirit Catholic Radio

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jun 2, 2025 / 15:44 pm (CNA).

Drivers heading through Nebraska this summer should expect to see more than just traffic and highways — they should also anticipate catching a glimpse of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Listeners of Spirit Catholic Radio sparked an initiative to place billboards featuring the Sacred Heart of Jesus along Interstate 80 through Nebraska “to share a message of love, hope, and faith with everyone who passes by.” 

Spirit Catholic Radio, an affiliate of EWTN Radio network, announced that it is kicking off the campaign in June to mark the month devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

“This campaign came straight from the hearts of our listeners,” Jim Carroll, executive director of Spirit Catholic Radio, said in the announcement. “They had the desire to share Christ’s love more publicly, and they made it happen through prayer and generous support.”

“Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus goes back centuries,” Spirit Catholic Radio reported in a press release. “It’s rooted in the Christian belief that God’s love isn’t abstract — it’s personal. Saints like St. Gertrude the Great and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had deep spiritual experiences centered on this love, often describing the Heart of Jesus as a source of peace, mercy, and transformation.”

The Sacred Heart, depicted by a pierced heart on fire surrounded by a crown of thorns, has been an important image for Catholics as it represents Jesus’ love, compassion, and sacrifice.

The Nebraska billboards will have an image of Jesus with open arms and the Sacred Heart across his chest along with the words “June is devoted to the Sacred Heart of Jesus” and “Jesus is king.” 

“We hope these billboards spark curiosity,” Carroll said. “Even if someone isn’t familiar with the Sacred Heart, we want them to know: This love is for you, too.”

The billboards will be visible in high-traffic areas including along I-80 and in the Omaha and Lincoln metro areas.

Whether people are commuting to work, driving home, or traveling through Nebraska, thousands are expected to see the billboards daily with the intent to offer them “reflection and spiritual inspiration.”

Karol Nawrocki, presidential candidate of the Law and Justice Party (PiS), speaks to supporters following the Polish presidential runoff election on June 1, 2025. / Credit: Marek Antoni Iwaczuk/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Jun 2, 2025 / 14:49 pm (CNA).

In a tightly contested runoff election, nationalist candidate Karol Nawrocki won Poland’s presidency with 50.89% of the vote, narrowly defeating Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski’s 49.11%, according to final results announced Monday. 

Nawrocki, a 42-year-old historian and former amateur boxer, ran on a platform emphasizing traditional Catholic values and cultural and political conservatism. He has vowed to maintain close ties between the Polish government and the Catholic Church, saying he views faith as a cornerstone of national culture. 

During the campaign, Nawrocki made headlines by publicly shredding a copy of “Gender Queer: A Memoir,” signaling his staunch opposition to progressive social policies. He has pledged to veto any legislation liberalizing Poland’s strict abortion laws or introducing same-sex civil unions, citing the Catholic Church’s teachings on sexual ethics and the need to protect traditional family structures. 

“Poland’s strength lies in its faith and family values,” Nawrocki declared at a campaign rally, framing his presidency as a defense against secular influences.

His conservative stance contrasts sharply with Trzaskowski, who campaigned on progressive reforms, including abortion law liberalization, support for LGBTQ+ civil partnerships, and deeper European integration.

Nawrocki is expected to use his presidential veto to block Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s pro-European Union, reformist legislative efforts. 

The Polish presidency, while largely ceremonial, wields significant influence through its veto power, which requires a 60% parliamentary majority to override — a threshold Tusk’s coalition lacks. This dynamic echoes the tenure of outgoing President Andrzej Duda, a PiS (Law and Justice Party) ally who consistently thwarted Tusk’s attempts to reverse PiS-era judicial reforms.

Poland’s president is elected to a five-year term through a two-round voting system, with a runoff between the top two candidates if no one secures a majority in the first round. Presidents may serve up to two terms. Duda’s second term ends on Aug. 6, when president-elect Nawrocki will be sworn in to office.

The election, the closest in Poland’s post-communist history, underscores the country’s deepening political divide. Early exit polls had predicted a Trzaskowski win, while the actual results ended up reversing those projections. Exit polls also showed that younger voters leaned toward Nawrocki in the runoff.

Nawrocki’s win has broader implications for Poland’s role in Europe. His opposition to strengthening EU ties and Ukraine’s NATO membership sets him apart from Trzaskowski’s pro-EU platform.

Nawrocki has expressed strong opposition to illegal immigration, advocating for policies that prioritize Polish citizens and reject EU-driven migration frameworks.

“My Poland is a Poland without illegal migrants,” he said during his campaign.

Conservative European leaders celebrated the result, with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán calling it a “fantastic victory” and France’s Marine Le Pen, deputy of the French National Assembly, praising it as a rejection of the “Brussels oligarchy.” 

Nawrocki attended the National Day of Prayer at the White House last month, posing for photos with President Donald Trump, who supported Nawrocki’s presidential bid.

At a Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting in Poland last week, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also strongly endorsed Nawrocki.

“I met with Karol, and let me be clear: He must be Poland’s next president. Are we on the same page?” Noem declared.

“You need to choose the right leader,” she continued. “You can be the ones to steer Europe back toward conservative values.”

Karol Nawrocki, presidential candidate of the Law and Justice Party (PiS), speaks to supporters following the Polish presidential runoff election on June 1, 2025. / Credit: Marek Antoni Iwaczuk/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Jun 2, 2025 / 14:49 pm (CNA).

Karol Nawrocki vowed to maintain close ties between the Polish government and the Catholic Church, saying he views it as a cornerstone of national culture.

A view of the Vatican Apostolic Library in 2021. / Credit: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Vatican City, Jun 2, 2025 / 12:17 pm (CNA).

The Vatican Library is the custodian of a major part of humanity’s literary heritage. That includes more than 80,000 ancient manuscripts and 2 million printed books (8,600 of which are “incunabula,” that is, printed before 1501); a graphic collection (drawings, maps, engravings, photographs); 150,000 documents; a large collection of coins and medals (300,000 pieces); and a collection of archives (100,000). 

The library is currently in the process of digitizing and publishing online all the manuscripts it houses, a project that first started in 2012. When necessary, manuscripts receive conservation treatments or are restored before digitization. So far, some 30,000 manuscripts have been digitized and published online. This work is made possible due to the support of many benefactors, including the Sanctuary of Culture Foundation, which generously supports the digitization and restoration of manuscripts as well as other projects. 

Recently, a new collaboration was launched between the Vatican Library and the Colnaghi Foundation, a prestigious art gallery founded in 1760. The two institutions are working together specifically on the library’s archives section.

The five-year agreement provides for the restoration and reorganization of the archives’ storage facilities, which will improve the future preservation of documents spanning the 10th to the 20th century. The archival collections include documents of exceptional historical value.

The project, which involves a complete reorganization of the department, including new shelving systems and renovations, will be led by the renowned British architectural firm David Chipperfield Architects.

The Colnaghi Foundation has promoted the creation of an association, the Patrons of the Vatican Library, to assist in the project and to study and carry out other projects related to the conservation treatments of many of the archival manuscripts.

The association has provided a new system for scanning the surface of documents, called Selene, developed by the Factum Foundation. Among other benefits, this device makes it possible to bring to light parts of objects that are hidden from view.

To celebrate this collaboration between the art world, represented by the Colnaghi Foundation and the Vatican Library, the “Codex” exhibition opened on May 26.

The exhibit features 14 works from private collections that are not normally exhibited. The library has also selected 15 documents from its collections (manuscripts and archival documents) related to the people portrayed in the exhibited works, the curators of those works, or the artists who created them.

On June 3, the works will return to private collections, and the Vatican manuscripts will be returned to their original collections.

The works on display offer a visual and historical journey through sacred art and portraits from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, highlighting pieces by some of history’s greatest masters.

The exhibition opens with “Saint Peter Penitent” by Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck, which depicts the weeping apostle with a deeply human expression of repentance and features baroque chiaroscuro (strong light and dark contrasts).

The exhibition continues with “The Triumph of Flora,” a mythological allegory by Mario Nuzzi, exuberant in color and symbolism, which celebrates the fertility of nature with a festive and decorative spirit that contrasts with the gravity of other pieces.

Another work on display is Michelangelo Buonarroti’s preparatory sketch for “The Adoration of the Brazen Serpent,” a powerful scene from the Old Testament. The drawing demonstrates the artist’s anatomical and expressive intensity, which manages to condense drama and redemption into a single figure.

The exhibition also includes works by other influential artists of the 16th and 17th centuries, such as Titian’s “Portrait of Pope Paul III,” painted during his trip to Rome between October 1545 and May 1546. This painting, in which the pope appears with a shrewd expression and the traditional camauro (red cap with white trim), a symbol of his authority, belongs to a private collection and is kept in Lisbon, Portugal.

Another portrait is that of “Clement VII,” painted by Sebastiano del Piombo. A highlight by the artist Tintoretto is his “Portrait of Cardinal Marcantonio da Mula,” which demonstrates the painter’s skill in combining the cardinal’s dignified appearance with dynamism.

Also featured in the exhibition is Guido Reni’s portrait of Camillo Borghese (later Paul V), painted during the first decade of the 17th century.

Among library documents featured in the exhibition, which aim to suggest a real dialogue with the works of art, are the 1628 invoice sent to the bishop of Gubbio for three Caravaggio paintings, including “The Card Cheats”; some notes and autograph drawings by Michelangelo Buonarroti; as well as a 1657 letter by Cardinal da Mula to Cardinal Guglielmo Sirleto.

Also among the documents in the exhibition is a 1526 contract signed with Sebastiano del Piombo for a panel of the “Nativity of the Virgin” in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo.

The sharing of cultural heritage embodied by the Codex initiative represents, for the library, an essential tool for building bridges between cultures. The exhibition is considered a beautiful and concrete example of this, and an important demonstration of the collaboration between different institutions working together to achieve positive results in the conservation of cultural heritage.

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

A view of the Vatican Apostolic Library in 2021. / Credit: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Vatican City, Jun 2, 2025 / 12:17 pm (CNA).

The Vatican Library is the custodian of a major part of humanity’s literary heritage. That includes more than 80,000 ancient manuscripts and 2 million printed books (8,600 of which are “incunabula,” that is, printed before 1501); a graphic collection (drawings, maps, engravings, photographs); 150,000 documents; a large collection of coins and medals (300,000 pieces); and a collection of archives (100,000). 

The library is currently in the process of digitizing and publishing online all the manuscripts it houses, a project that first started in 2012. When necessary, manuscripts receive conservation treatments or are restored before digitization. So far, some 30,000 manuscripts have been digitized and published online. This work is made possible due to the support of many benefactors, including the Sanctuary of Culture Foundation, which generously supports the digitization and restoration of manuscripts as well as other projects. 

Recently, a new collaboration was launched between the Vatican Library and the Colnaghi Foundation, a prestigious art gallery founded in 1760. The two institutions are working together specifically on the library’s archives section.

The five-year agreement provides for the restoration and reorganization of the archives’ storage facilities, which will improve the future preservation of documents spanning the 10th to the 20th century. The archival collections include documents of exceptional historical value.

The project, which involves a complete reorganization of the department, including new shelving systems and renovations, will be led by the renowned British architectural firm David Chipperfield Architects.

The Colnaghi Foundation has promoted the creation of an association, the Patrons of the Vatican Library, to assist in the project and to study and carry out other projects related to the conservation treatments of many of the archival manuscripts.

The association has provided a new system for scanning the surface of documents, called Selene, developed by the Factum Foundation. Among other benefits, this device makes it possible to bring to light parts of objects that are hidden from view.

To celebrate this collaboration between the art world, represented by the Colnaghi Foundation and the Vatican Library, the “Codex” exhibition opened on May 26.

The exhibit features 14 works from private collections that are not normally exhibited. The library has also selected 15 documents from its collections (manuscripts and archival documents) related to the people portrayed in the exhibited works, the curators of those works, or the artists who created them.

On June 3, the works will return to private collections, and the Vatican manuscripts will be returned to their original collections.

The works on display offer a visual and historical journey through sacred art and portraits from the Renaissance and Baroque periods, highlighting pieces by some of history’s greatest masters.

The exhibition opens with “Saint Peter Penitent” by Flemish artist Anthony van Dyck, which depicts the weeping apostle with a deeply human expression of repentance and features baroque chiaroscuro (strong light and dark contrasts).

The exhibition continues with “The Triumph of Flora,” a mythological allegory by Mario Nuzzi, exuberant in color and symbolism, which celebrates the fertility of nature with a festive and decorative spirit that contrasts with the gravity of other pieces.

Another work on display is Michelangelo Buonarroti’s preparatory sketch for “The Adoration of the Brazen Serpent,” a powerful scene from the Old Testament. The drawing demonstrates the artist’s anatomical and expressive intensity, which manages to condense drama and redemption into a single figure.

The exhibition also includes works by other influential artists of the 16th and 17th centuries, such as Titian’s “Portrait of Pope Paul III,” painted during his trip to Rome between October 1545 and May 1546. This painting, in which the pope appears with a shrewd expression and the traditional camauro (red cap with white trim), a symbol of his authority, belongs to a private collection and is kept in Lisbon, Portugal.

Another portrait is that of “Clement VII,” painted by Sebastiano del Piombo. A highlight by the artist Tintoretto is his “Portrait of Cardinal Marcantonio da Mula,” which demonstrates the painter’s skill in combining the cardinal’s dignified appearance with dynamism.

Also featured in the exhibition is Guido Reni’s portrait of Camillo Borghese (later Paul V), painted during the first decade of the 17th century.

Among library documents featured in the exhibition, which aim to suggest a real dialogue with the works of art, are the 1628 invoice sent to the bishop of Gubbio for three Caravaggio paintings, including “The Card Cheats”; some notes and autograph drawings by Michelangelo Buonarroti; as well as a 1657 letter by Cardinal da Mula to Cardinal Guglielmo Sirleto.

Also among the documents in the exhibition is a 1526 contract signed with Sebastiano del Piombo for a panel of the “Nativity of the Virgin” in the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo.

The sharing of cultural heritage embodied by the Codex initiative represents, for the library, an essential tool for building bridges between cultures. The exhibition is considered a beautiful and concrete example of this, and an important demonstration of the collaboration between different institutions working together to achieve positive results in the conservation of cultural heritage.

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

It is my conclave story captured in one frame: Moments prior to the proclamation extra omnes (outside everyone), I chanced upon a scene from the video coverage at the Sistine Chapel. The camera focuses on Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, with his hand partially shielding his mouth, speaking in a hushed tone to his amused seatmate, […]

The post As a Filipino American I prayed for Tagle, but rejoiced for Prevost appeared first on U.S. Catholic.

On Chicago’s far south side in the early 1930s, as the Great Depression was hitting the many steel mill laborers in his parish, Father James Tort started receiving letters and petitions addressed to St. Jude. People sent the letters to the National Shrine of St. Jude, which Tort had just founded at Our Lady of […]

The post A history of U.S. Catholic magazine appeared first on U.S. Catholic.

Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu, OFM Conv, archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan in Iran, was created a cardinal by Pope Francis during the consistory at St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 7, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

CNA Newsroom, Jun 2, 2025 / 08:24 am (CNA).

Follow our live coverage of the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV, first U.S.-born pope in history.