I remember an event from that last summer we spent in Santa Margherita Ligure. After dinner, while Carlo was finishing his summer vacation homework, we received a phone call. It was one of his female friends. Carlo, wanting to be discreet and not disturb me [Antonia] as I worked, stepped aside. But despite this, I […]

On May 31st, the Church celebrated the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to her relative, Elizabeth, as described in the Gospel of Luke. This year, I was struck by a way that I was able to join Mary in her ministry through my own practice of the apostolate of visiting. Luke describes that soon […]

At the time of writing, the Catholic world is still basking in the afterglow of the election of our new Holy Father, Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV. The election of the new pontiff brought a renewed interest in the institution of the papal conclave, the millennium-old custom by which popes are selected from […]

CNA Newsroom, Jun 1, 2025 / 19:56 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV urged French Catholics to embark on a profound spiritual renewal by following the example of three beloved saints as France commemorated the centenary of their canonization.

In his first message to the French bishops’ conference, released by the Holy See Press Office on Saturday, the Holy Father highlighted St. John Eudes, St. John Mary Vianney, and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus as powerful models for contemporary evangelization.

The pope emphasized their shared spiritual trait: “they loved Jesus unreservedly in a simple, strong and authentic way” and experienced his goodness in daily closeness.

The pontiff presented these saints as Catholics whose lives demonstrate the transformative power of Christ’s tender love.

Leo noted St. John Eudes as the first to celebrate liturgical worship of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, St. John Mary Vianney as the priest who declared, “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus,” and St. Thérèse as the great Doctor of scientia amoris who “breathed” Jesus’ name with spontaneity and freshness.

Pope Leo framed this anniversary not as mere nostalgia but as an opportunity for missionary momentum. He expressed hope that God can “renew the marvels he has accomplished in the past” through these saints’ intercession.

The pope specifically addressed the shortage of priestly vocations, asking whether these saints might inspire young people to embrace the priesthood’s “beauty, greatness and fruitfulness.”

The message concluded with papal gratitude for French priests’ “courageous and persevering commitment” amid contemporary challenges, including “indifference, materialism and individualism.”

Pope Leo invoked the saints’ intercession for France and placed the nation under the maternal protection of Our Lady of the Assumption.

CNA Newsroom, Jun 1, 2025 / 19:56 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV urged French Catholics to embark on a profound spiritual renewal by following the example of three beloved saints as France commemorated the centenary of their canonization.

In his first message to the French bishops’ conference, released by the Holy See Press Office on Saturday, the Holy Father highlighted St. John Eudes, St. John Mary Vianney, and St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus as powerful models for contemporary evangelization.

The pope emphasized their shared spiritual trait: “they loved Jesus unreservedly in a simple, strong and authentic way” and experienced his goodness in daily closeness.

The pontiff presented these saints as Catholics whose lives demonstrate the transformative power of Christ’s tender love.

Leo noted St. John Eudes as the first to celebrate liturgical worship of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, St. John Mary Vianney as the priest who declared, “The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus,” and St. Thérèse as the great Doctor of scientia amoris who “breathed” Jesus’ name with spontaneity and freshness.

Pope Leo framed this anniversary not as mere nostalgia but as an opportunity for missionary momentum. He expressed hope that God can “renew the marvels he has accomplished in the past” through these saints’ intercession.

The pope specifically addressed the shortage of priestly vocations, asking whether these saints might inspire young people to embrace the priesthood’s “beauty, greatness and fruitfulness.”

The message concluded with papal gratitude for French priests’ “courageous and persevering commitment” amid contemporary challenges, including “indifference, materialism and individualism.”

Pope Leo invoked the saints’ intercession for France and placed the nation under the maternal protection of Our Lady of the Assumption.

CNA Newsroom, Jun 1, 2025 / 16:47 pm (CNA).

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

CNA Newsroom, Jun 1, 2025 / 16:47 pm (CNA).

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

CNA Staff, Jun 1, 2025 / 10:12 am (CNA).

Over the centuries, many people have asked: “What did Jesus look like?” A new documentary attempts to answer this question.

“The Face of Jesus” examines two acheiropoietic images of Christ — the Shroud of Turin and the Veil of Manoppello, both believed to be divinely created — as well as the Vilnius image of the Divine Mercy, one of the most extraordinary hand-painted depictions of Jesus.

Jaroslaw Redziak, the film’s producer and director, spoke to CNA about the inspiration behind the documentary and his hope that viewers, when they view these images, will come to see just how much Jesus loves them.

To discover what our Savior might have looked like, the film takes viewers back 2,000 years to Jesus’ tomb in Jerusalem and then on to Rome and the small Italian village of Manoppello. 

The Polish filmmaker explained that the movie was inspired by the Veil of Manoppello. He and his wife have a personal devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus and have visited the veil in Manoppello several times, he said.

“It’s a beautiful place. You can stand in this small, small church. There are only a few people inside and you … can almost touch the monstrance, which holds this image, and you can look at his face,” he told CNA. “It’s something incredible.”

The least known of the three images, the Veil of Manoppello gained popularity after Pope Benedict XVI’s 2005 visit to the remote village where it is preserved. Also known as the Veil of Veronica, it was discovered in the early 1900s and reveals an image of the face of Jesus, which, according to experts, corresponds to the face in the Shroud of Turin. 

Unlike the Shroud of Turin, however, the Veil of Manoppello has no bloodstains and the eyes are open, which, experts suggest, means the cloth shows the face of the risen Lord. Additionally, many believe that the veil is one of the burial cloths seen in the tomb by the disciples Peter and John as told in the Gospels.

Known throughout the world, the Shroud of Turin is an ancient linen cloth that shows the image of what many believe to be the face of Jesus Christ himself. The shroud is kept in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, and has been the subject of extensive scientific study and public curiosity. The shroud has the imprint of the body of a man wearing a crown of thorns and is covered in bloodstains. 

The last time the shroud was publicly displayed was in 2015. While the Vatican does not have an official position on its authenticity, the shroud continues to attract pilgrims from around the world and remains the subject of public interest.

Perhaps more well known than the Shroud of Turin is the Vilnius image of the Divine Mercy, a divinely inspired, hand-painted image based on visions and messages from Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska. 

In 1931, Jesus appeared to St. Faustina in a vision. She saw him clothed in a white garment with his right hand raised as if giving a blessing. His left hand touched his chest, near his heart. From there emanated two large rays, one red and the other white. 

Eugeniusz Kazimirowski painted the image under the guidance of St. Faustina and her confessor, Blessed Michael Sopocko. The Divine Mercy image gained popularity in the 1930s thanks to St. Faustina’s writings and in 2000, the Vatican declared the second Sunday of Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday.

Redziak called the four-year process of making the documentary a “spiritual adventure.”

He explained that the documentary was initially going to be a 20-minute short film that would be shared online only. However, as he traveled, researched, and spoke to more people, it became clear he needed to make it a full-length documentary.

During the making of the film, Redziak said he had the opportunity to see the Shroud of Turin, which is not often on public display. He said that while everyone is familiar with the photos and copies of the shroud, seeing the original “is very painful.”

“You can see there is a lot of blood, a lot of bruises — it’s something very, very hard, and you see that Jesus Christ suffered a lot for us,” he said.

Redziak said he hopes this film will leave viewers feeling closer to God.

“I think this is a chance for people to sit in the theater and look at the face of God, the face of Jesus, into his eyes. So this is a chance to be, for an hour and a half, closer to Jesus.”

He added that while the film tries to show what Jesus may have looked like, the film also tries to answer the question: Why did Jesus show us his face?

For Redziak, the answer is: “Because he loves us and he wants us to be closer to him.”

“The Face of Jesus” will be in theaters across the United States for one night only on Tuesday, June 3.

CNA Staff, Jun 1, 2025 / 10:12 am (CNA).

Over the centuries, many people have asked: “What did Jesus look like?” A new documentary attempts to answer this question.

“The Face of Jesus” examines two acheiropoietic images of Christ — the Shroud of Turin and the Veil of Manoppello, both believed to be divinely created — as well as the Vilnius image of the Divine Mercy, one of the most extraordinary hand-painted depictions of Jesus.

Jaroslaw Redziak, the film’s producer and director, spoke to CNA about the inspiration behind the documentary and his hope that viewers, when they view these images, will come to see just how much Jesus loves them.

To discover what our Savior might have looked like, the film takes viewers back 2,000 years to Jesus’ tomb in Jerusalem and then on to Rome and the small Italian village of Manoppello. 

The Polish filmmaker explained that the movie was inspired by the Veil of Manoppello. He and his wife have a personal devotion to the Holy Face of Jesus and have visited the veil in Manoppello several times, he said.

“It’s a beautiful place. You can stand in this small, small church. There are only a few people inside and you … can almost touch the monstrance, which holds this image, and you can look at his face,” he told CNA. “It’s something incredible.”

The least known of the three images, the Veil of Manoppello gained popularity after Pope Benedict XVI’s 2005 visit to the remote village where it is preserved. Also known as the Veil of Veronica, it was discovered in the early 1900s and reveals an image of the face of Jesus, which, according to experts, corresponds to the face in the Shroud of Turin. 

Unlike the Shroud of Turin, however, the Veil of Manoppello has no bloodstains and the eyes are open, which, experts suggest, means the cloth shows the face of the risen Lord. Additionally, many believe that the veil is one of the burial cloths seen in the tomb by the disciples Peter and John as told in the Gospels.

Known throughout the world, the Shroud of Turin is an ancient linen cloth that shows the image of what many believe to be the face of Jesus Christ himself. The shroud is kept in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, and has been the subject of extensive scientific study and public curiosity. The shroud has the imprint of the body of a man wearing a crown of thorns and is covered in bloodstains. 

The last time the shroud was publicly displayed was in 2015. While the Vatican does not have an official position on its authenticity, the shroud continues to attract pilgrims from around the world and remains the subject of public interest.

Perhaps more well known than the Shroud of Turin is the Vilnius image of the Divine Mercy, a divinely inspired, hand-painted image based on visions and messages from Jesus to St. Faustina Kowalska. 

In 1931, Jesus appeared to St. Faustina in a vision. She saw him clothed in a white garment with his right hand raised as if giving a blessing. His left hand touched his chest, near his heart. From there emanated two large rays, one red and the other white. 

Eugeniusz Kazimirowski painted the image under the guidance of St. Faustina and her confessor, Blessed Michael Sopocko. The Divine Mercy image gained popularity in the 1930s thanks to St. Faustina’s writings and in 2000, the Vatican declared the second Sunday of Easter to be Divine Mercy Sunday.

Redziak called the four-year process of making the documentary a “spiritual adventure.”

He explained that the documentary was initially going to be a 20-minute short film that would be shared online only. However, as he traveled, researched, and spoke to more people, it became clear he needed to make it a full-length documentary.

During the making of the film, Redziak said he had the opportunity to see the Shroud of Turin, which is not often on public display. He said that while everyone is familiar with the photos and copies of the shroud, seeing the original “is very painful.”

“You can see there is a lot of blood, a lot of bruises — it’s something very, very hard, and you see that Jesus Christ suffered a lot for us,” he said.

Redziak said he hopes this film will leave viewers feeling closer to God.

“I think this is a chance for people to sit in the theater and look at the face of God, the face of Jesus, into his eyes. So this is a chance to be, for an hour and a half, closer to Jesus.”

He added that while the film tries to show what Jesus may have looked like, the film also tries to answer the question: Why did Jesus show us his face?

For Redziak, the answer is: “Because he loves us and he wants us to be closer to him.”

“The Face of Jesus” will be in theaters across the United States for one night only on Tuesday, June 3.

CNA Newsroom, Jun 1, 2025 / 07:31 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV declared marriage is “not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman” and families are “the cradle of the future of humanity” as he celebrated Mass for thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly on Sunday.

Speaking to families from nearly 120 countries on a sunny morning in Rome, the pontiff emphasized the fundamental role of family relationships in God’s plan for salvation, drawing from the Gospel reading of Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper.

“Dear friends, we received life before we ever desired it,” Pope Leo XIV said in his homily on June 1. “As soon as we were born, we needed others in order to live; left to ourselves, we would not have survived. Someone else saved us by caring for us in body and spirit. All of us are alive today thanks to a relationship, a free and freeing relationship of human kindness and mutual care.”

The Holy Father made an extended tour of the square in the popemobile before Mass, blessing children and greeting the crowds of families who had traveled to Rome for this major event of the Holy Year of Hope 2025.

Marriage as measure of true love

In his homily, Pope Leo XIV emphasized that marriage represents “not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman: a love that is total, faithful and fruitful.” He cited Pope Paul VI’s 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae, noting that conjugal love “makes you one flesh and enables you, in the image of God, to bestow the gift of life.”

The pope highlighted several married couples as exemplars for today’s world, including Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin, parents of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. He also remembered the Polish Ulma family, “parents and children, united in love and martyrdom” during World War II.

“By pointing to them as exemplary witnesses of married life, the Church tells us that today’s world needs the marriage covenant in order to know and accept God’s love and to defeat, thanks to its unifying and reconciling power, the forces that break down relationships and societies,” the pontiff said.

Practical counsel for families

Pope Leo XIV offered specific guidance to different generations present at the celebration. To parents, he recommended being “examples of integrity to your children, acting as you want them to act, educating them in freedom through obedience, always seeing the good in them and finding ways to nurture it.”

Children received counsel to “show gratitude to your parents,” with the pope noting that saying “thank you” each day “is the first way to honour your father and your mother.”

To grandparents and elderly people, he recommended watching “over your loved ones with wisdom and compassion, and with the humility and patience that come with age.”

The Holy Father emphasized the family’s role in transmitting faith, declaring that “in the family, faith is handed on together with life, generation after generation. It is shared like food at the family table and like the love in our hearts.”

Prayer for peace amid global conflicts

Following the Mass, Pope Leo XIV led the Regina Coeli prayer, using the occasion to remember families suffering from war.

“May the Virgin Mary bless families and sustain them in their difficulties. I think especially of those who suffer because of war in the Middle East, in Ukraine and in other parts of the world,” he said.

The pontiff also commemorated the beatification of Blessed Cristofora Klomfass and 14 companion religious sisters of the Congregation of Saint Catherine Virgin and Martyr, who were killed by Soviet soldiers in 1945 in territories of present-day Poland.

“Despite the climate of hatred and terror against the Catholic faith, they continued to serve the sick and orphans,” he noted.

During his remarks, Pope Leo XIV expressed particular joy at welcoming so many children to today's celebration, calling them sources of renewed hope. He praised grandparents and elderly people as “genuine models of faith and inspiration for young generations.”

Last updated Sunday, June 1 with corrected details and link for Sts. Louis and Zélie Martin.