Pope Leo XIV. | Credit: Vatican Media

, Jan 2, 2026 / 18:07 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo expressed his closeness and compassion to the relatives of the victims.

The tabernacle of Holy Thorn Monastery church in Valladolid, Spain, was forced open and the Blessed Sacrament was stolen. | Credit: Creative Commons/Nicolás Pérez

, Jan 2, 2026 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

The tabernacle in a Spanish monastery has been forced open and the Blessed Sacrament stolen.

In his New Year's Day homily at Newtownpark Avenue Church in Dublin, Archbishop Dermot Farrell called upon Ireland’s politicians to show leadership in promoting peace and in how they communicate and articulate it. Credit: John McElroy

, Jan 2, 2026 / 12:58 pm (CNA).

At a Mass for the World Day of Peace, Dublin Archbishop Dermot Farrell called upon Ireland’s politicians to show leadership in promoting peace.

A fire tears through the Vondelkerk church tower in Amsterdam on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Remko DE WAAL/ANP/AFP via Getty Images/Netherlands OUT

, Jan 2, 2026 / 12:10 pm (CNA).

A fire reduced the famed 150-year-old building mostly to ash in a matter of hours.

Credit: Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock

Jan 2, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Many people who receive assistance through anti-poverty programs faced disruptions in 2025, and Catholic Charities’ wish list for 2026 includes government support for food assistance and housing.

The largest disruption came in October when food stamps received through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) were delayed amid the government shutdown. Funding for rental and heating assistance were also disrupted.

Confusion about how to implement a memo in January from the Office of Management and Budget calling for a grant freeze also caused delays in funding related to health care, housing affordability, and food assistance.

Luz Tavarez, vice president of government relations at Catholic Charities USA, said “people get nervous and scared” amid disruptions.

Many Catholic Charities affiliates saw an influx in clients, especially during the shutdown, but Tavarez said there are “very poor people who rely on SNAP subsidies for their meals” and who “can’t get to a Catholic Charities [affiliate] or other food pantry for assistance” when it happens.

Long-term eligibility and funding changes to SNAP were also approved in the tax overhaul signed into law in July. Previous rules only included a work requirement up to age 54, but the law extended those requirements up to age 64. It added stricter and more frequent checks for verifying the work requirements.

It also shifted some funding responsibilities away from the federal government and to the states.

Tavarez expressed concern about some of the SNAP changes as well, saying the government should end “burdensome requirements for individuals and states.”

Under the new law, there are stricter rules for verifying a person’s immigration status for benefits. It also limited which noncitizens could receive SNAP benefits, which excluded some refugees and people granted asylum.

Tavarez expressed concern about such SNAP changes, encouraging the government to permit “humanitarian-based noncitizens” to receive those benefits.

Overall the 2025 tax law gave the biggest boost to the richest families while poorer families might get a little less help than before, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The bill added a work requirement for Medicaid recipients, and this will not take effect until 2027. Under the previous law, there was no work requirement for this benefit. It also shifts some Medicaid funding requirements onto the states.

Tavarez said Catholic Charities has “concerns with how [work requirements are] implemented” moving forward but does not oppose the idea outright: “There’s dignity in work so the Church isn’t necessarily opposed to people working as long as there’s some opportunities for people to do other things and other issues are taken into consideration.”

She also expressed concerns about funding shifts: “We know that not every state views things like SNAP and Medicaid as a good thing. We don’t know how states are going to balance their budget and prioritize these programs.”

2026 wish list

Looking forward to 2026, Tavarez said Catholic Charities hopes the government will restore full funding to the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program for food banks and bulk food distribution programs and ensure that funding is protected for school meals and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) made policy changes in November that would focus its homelessness funding on “transitional” housing instead of “permanent” housing. This move is facing legal challenges.

President Donald Trump’s administration initially sought to cut federal housing assistance and shift much of those costs to states, but this was ultimately not included in the final version of the 2025 tax law.

In December, Trump promised an “aggressive” housing reform plan that focuses on reducing costs. At this time, the specifics of that proposal have not been announced. The increased cost to buy a new home has outpaced the growth in wages for decades.

Tavarez said Catholic Charities is focused on housing affordability in 2026 and that the solution must be multifaceted. This includes “building and developing affordable housing,” “a tax credit for developers,” “more affordable housing units,” and subsidies and Section 8 vouchers for low-income Americans, she said.

“We recognize that there’s a real crisis — I think everybody does in a bipartisan way — but there needs to be a real bipartisan approach and it’s going to require money,” Tavarez said.

Tax credits and economic trends

Some changes to the tax code included in the 2025 tax law are geared toward helping low-income Americans.

Specifically, the law reduced taxes taken from tips and overtime work. It also increased the child tax credit from $2,000 to $2,200 and tied the credit to inflation, meaning that it will increase each year based on the rate of inflation.

Tavarez characterized the changes to the child tax credit as a “win” and hopes it can be expanded further.

The economy has been a mixed bag, with November unemployment numbers showing a 4.6% rate. In November of last year, it was slightly lower at 4.2%.

Inflation has gone down a little, with the annual rate being around 2.7%. In 2024, it was around 2.9%. The average wage for workers also outpaced inflation, with hourly wages increasing by 3.5%, which shows a modest inflation-adjusted increase of 0.8%.

Micah Kim, the 5-year-old son of Catholic speaker and influencer Paul Kim, passed away Dec. 31, 2025. | Credit: Screenshot of Paul Kim’s Facebook page, last visited Jan. 1, 2026

Jan 1, 2026 / 16:24 pm (CNA).

Micah Kim, the 5-year-old son of popular Catholic speaker Paul Kim, has passed away, Kim announced in a tearful social media post Thursday afternoon.

Micah died on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, after more than a week on life support following a rare medical emergency brought on by a severe case of the flu.

“Micah Joseph is beginning the new year basking in the never-ending glory, love, and peace of God,” Kim wrote in the post, which was accompanied by a two-part video. “Micah has been very busy already, as I see the Lord using him and sending him on missions to bring millions of people closer to God.”

Kim asked for privacy for his family as they grieve but said he felt he had to provide an update to the millions of people praying for Micah and his family throughout the ordeal. He shared that over the last week and a half, his social media account has been viewed more than 50 million times by people from all over the world offering prayers for the situation.

Micah was rushed to the hospital a week and a half ago after experiencing severe internal bleeding and other complications. Kim, a devoted husband and father of six known for his engaging talks on faith and family at Catholic conferences, first alerted followers via social media on Dec. 22: “My son Micah is having a medical emergency right now and headed to the hospital in an ambulance.”

By Dec. 24, Micah underwent emergency chest surgery to address the bleeding, which successfully stabilized his heart function. Kim shared on social media that after the surgery, his son’s heart began beating independently and his vital signs remained steady.

Doctors gradually reduced life support, with Micah’s lungs showing slow improvement on a ventilator. However, a subsequent MRI revealed severe brain damage, leading physicians to conclude there is “no medical possibility” of recovery.

“I couldn’t be a prouder father,” Kim said in his Jan. 1 post. “This reality gives me great joy and hope in the midst of sorrow. Our hearts are broken; but we trust in the Lord. Please pray for my family and me as we learn how to live by faith and not by sight.”

Cardinals, bishops, priests, deacons, and laypeople — including many well-known Catholic media personalities — had messaged Kim and told him they were praying for his son, he said. Kim had prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet live with followers during the ordeal, and the family had asked for a miracle through the intercession of Venerable Fulton Sheen.

In addition to an outpouring of prayer for Micah, a GoFundMe campaign was begun to support the family amid mounting medical costs.

“Thank you for all the love, prayers, and compassion that a countless number of you have showed us,” Kim wrote. “May God truly bless you. Your prayers for Micah were answered, but in a different way than what we had all hoped for. God healed and welcomed him into eternal life. He is where we all want to be.”

Amira Abuzeid contributed to this story.

Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile in St. Peter’s Square in October 2025. Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 1, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV is preparing for a very busy year at the Vatican in 2026, with important events such as the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope and his first consistory of cardinals since his election on May 8, 2025.

1. Closing of the Jubilee of Hope — Jan. 6

On Jan. 6, the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate the Mass and perform the rite for the closing the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, bringing to an end the Jubilee of Hope that Pope Francis began on Dec. 24, 2024. This liturgical act officially closes a year that, according to the papal bull Spes non Confundit, has been experienced as “a time of grace and hope” for the global Church.

2. Extraordinary consistory of cardinals — Jan. 7–8

Following the conclusion of the jubilee, the pope has convened an extraordinary consistory of cardinals for Jan. 7–8. This type of meeting is usually reserved for discussing major doctrinal, institutional, or pastoral issues affecting the entire Church. Its scheduling in the days immediately following the close of the holy year underscores the pope’s intention to set a new course after the intense experience of the jubilee.

3. Extraordinary restoration in the Sistine Chapel — January

Beginning in January, the Vatican Museums will undertake extraordinary conservation work on Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” fresco in the Sistine Chapel, which will continue until March, with the expectation of completion before Holy Week. This project addresses the need to preserve the masterpiece in light of the impact of millions of visitors each year.

4. Appeal hearing in the Becciu case — Feb. 3

The appeal hearing in the case concerning the management of funds by the Secretariat of State of the Holy See in the purchase of a building in London has been postponed until Feb. 3. Spanish judge Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the Roman Rota, presides over the three-judge panel hearing the appeal of 77-year-old Cardinal Angelo Becciu. On Dec. 16, 2023, the cardinal was convicted of embezzlement and barred from holding public office. He was also fined 8,000 euros ($9,400).

5. Second World Children’s Day — Sept. 25–27

Pope Leo XIV has announced the celebration of the second World Children’s Day, which will take place in Rome Sept. 25–27. Organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, this event aims to bring together thousands of children and families from around the world for a time of encounter, prayer, and celebration for peace and the future of children.

Possible international trips for Pope Leo XIV in 2026

Although the official travel schedule is not yet finalized, the pontiff has expressed a desire to visit several countries during 2026:

— Algeria, an African country with deep ties to St. Augustine, is still in the planning stages as part of a possible continental itinerary.

— Argentina and Uruguay have been mentioned as possible destinations, along with an extended visit to Peru and Mexico, with a particular interest in visiting the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world.

— There is also a strong possibility of an upcoming papal trip to Spain.

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

Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for recitation of the Angelus on Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 1, 2026 / 02:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday urged Catholics to pray for peace, “first, among nations bloodied by conflict and suffering,” and also “within our homes, in families wounded by violence or pain,” during the Angelus address on the first day of 2026.

Greeting pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 59th World Day of Peace, the pope reflected on the start of a new year as a time to renew hope and reconciliation.

“While the rhythm of passing months repeats itself, the Lord invites us to renew our times by finally ushering in an era of peace and friendship among all peoples,” he said. “Without this desire for the good, there would be no point in turning the pages of the calendar and filling our diaries.”

Leo also looked back on the jubilee, which he said “is about to end,” noting that it has taught the Church to cultivate hope for a new world by converting hearts to God, so as “to transform wrongs into forgiveness, pain into consolation, and resolutions of virtue into good works.”

The pope then turned to the Marian feast, saying Christmas today “directs our gaze towards Mary, who was the first to experience Christ’s beating heart.” He evoked “the silence of her virginal womb,” where “the Word of life presents himself as a heartbeat of grace.”

“God, the good creator, has always known Mary’s heart and our hearts,” Leo said. “By becoming man, he makes his heart known to us.” He added that the heart of Jesus “beats for every man and woman,” both for those who welcome him and for those who reject him.

“His heart is not indifferent to those who have no heart for their neighbor,” the pope said. “It beats for the righteous, so that they may persevere in their dedication, as well as for the unrighteous, so that they may change their lives and find peace.”

At the end of the Angelus, Leo greeted the tens of thousands of pilgrims in the square and offered “good wishes of peace.” He also returned to the theme of the World Day of Peace, recalling that it has been celebrated on Jan. 1 since 1968 at the request of St. Paul VI.

In his message for the day, Leo said he wanted to repeat the wish he felt the Lord gave him at the start of his pontificate: “Peace be with you all!”

“A peace that is unarmed and disarming, which comes from God, a gift of his unconditional love, and is entrusted to our responsibility,” he said.

“Dear friends, with the grace of Christ, let us begin today to build a year of peace, disarming our hearts and refraining from all violence,” the pope continued.

Leo also expressed appreciation for peace initiatives held around the world, mentioning a national march held the previous evening in Catania and greeting participants in a march organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio.

He offered greetings as well to a group of students and teachers from Richland, New Jersey, and to the Romans and pilgrims present.

Finally, the pope noted that 2026 marks the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, and he invoked a biblical blessing for the new year: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”

“May the Holy Mother of God guide us on our journey in the new year,” Leo said. “Best wishes to everyone!”

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

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 1, 2026 / 02:05 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV called Catholics to a steadfast openness to other people, warning that peace will not be built through force or exclusion, as he celebrated his first liturgy of the new year on Thursday.

“The world is not saved by sharpening swords, nor by judging, oppressing, or eliminating our brothers and sisters,” the pope said in his homily for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Rather, he added, it is saved by “tirelessly striving to understand, forgive, liberate, and welcome everyone, without calculation and without fear.”

As is customary for the Jan. 1 Mass, a large group of diplomats accredited to the Holy See attended the liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, underlining the international scope of the Church’s prayer for peace on the World Day of Peace, observed each year on the first day of January.

A blessing for a new beginning

At the start of his homily, Leo XIV pointed to the ancient biblical blessing proclaimed in the liturgy: “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace” (Num 6:24-26). He recalled that this blessing was addressed to a people set free, Israel after slavery in Egypt, and he drew a parallel to the Christian life at the opening of a new year.

“For each of us, every day can be the beginning of a new life, thanks to God’s generous love, his mercy, and the response of our freedom,” he said. The coming year, he continued, can be seen “as an open journey to be discovered,” lived with confidence “free and bearers of freedom, forgiven and bringers of forgiveness,” trusting in “the closeness and goodness of the Lord who accompanies us always.”

Mary’s ‘yes’ and the human face of mercy

The pope centered his reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation and Mary’s decisive role in salvation history. “By her ‘yes,’ she helped give a human face to the source of all mercy and benevolence: the face of Jesus,” he said.

Leo XIV invited the faithful to contemplate God’s love through Christ’s life: “Through his eyes — first as a child, then as a young man and as an adult — the Father’s love reaches us and transforms us.”

He urged Catholics to begin the year with renewed confidence in that love: “Let us ask the Lord to help us experience at every moment, around us and upon us, the warmth of his fatherly embrace and the light of his benevolent gaze.”

‘Unarmed and disarming’ peace

Echoing the theme he chose for this year’s World Day of Peace message, Leo XIV returned repeatedly to the image of God’s humility revealed in the Nativity. Citing St. Augustine, he emphasized “the complete gratuity of his love” and described God’s approach to humanity as one of radical vulnerability.

“As I emphasized in the message for this World Day of Peace, God presents himself to us ‘unarmed and disarming,’ as naked and defenseless as a newborn in a cradle,” the pope said.

That divine “style,” he suggested, is the model for Christian action in a world tempted by coercion, retaliation, and fear. Christian witness, he said, should reflect a God who does not overwhelm but invites, and who heals rather than humiliates.

Mary the disciple who ‘laid aside every defense’

Leo XIV also reflected on Mary’s path after Bethlehem, presenting her not only as mother but also as disciple. He described her as one who followed Jesus “with the heart of a humble disciple… all the way to the cross and the Resurrection.”

“To do so, she too laid aside every defense,” he said, renouncing “expectations, claims, and comforts,” and “consecrating her life without reserve to the son she had received by grace.”

In Mary’s divine motherhood, the pope added, the Church sees “the meeting of two immense, ‘unarmed’ realities”: God, who “renounces every privilege of his divinity to be born in the flesh” (cf. Phil 2:6-11), and the human person who embraces God’s will, offering “the greatest power she possesses: her freedom.”

A renewed mission

Near the end of the homily, Leo XIV recalled a Jan. 1 homily of St. John Paul II that invited Christians to begin again with courage after the Jubilee of 2000. As the Church approaches the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope, Leo XIV urged the faithful to return to the Nativity with faith and then step forward with renewed commitment.

“Let us approach it as the place of ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace par excellence,” he said, and then, “like the humble witnesses at the grotto,” to set out once more, “glorifying and praising God” (Lk 2:20) for what they have seen and heard.

“This be our commitment and our resolve for the months ahead, and, indeed, for the whole of our Christian lives,” he concluded.

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

Credit: Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock

Dec 31, 2025 / 16:00 pm (CNA).

On New Year’s Eve, Dec. 31, and the first day of 2026, the Catholic Church offers the opportunity to obtain plenary indulgences as a sign of God’s mercy and the desire for the sanctification of all her members.

A plenary indulgence is remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven.

Indulgences on Dec. 31

On the eve of the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, the Church grants a plenary indulgence to those Christian faithful who publicly recite the “Te Deum,” thanking God for the year that is ending. This blessing is extended especially on Dec. 31.

To recite the “Te Deum,” click here.

Indulgences on Jan. 1

Likewise, on Jan. 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, a plenary indulgence is granted to those who publicly recite the hymn “Veni Creator,” imploring blessings for the new year that is beginning.

To recite the “Veni Creator,” click here.

Additionally, those who devoutly receive the papal blessing “urbi et orbi” (“for the city and for the world”), either through radio, television, or the internet, as well as those who devoutly receive the blessing of the bishop of their diocese, will also be able to obtain these special blessings from the Church.

Conditions to obtain a plenary indulgence

In addition to performing the specific work mentioned above, the following conditions must be met:

First, it is necessary to be detached from all sin, even venial sin.

Second, one must make a sacramental confession, receive Communion, and pray for the pope’s intentions. These conditions can be met a few days before or after carrying out the action prescribed to obtain the indulgence, but it is suggested that Communion and prayer be performed on the same day that the action is carried out.

It is important to note that several indulgences can be obtained through a single confession, although frequent participation in the sacrament of reconciliation is recommended in order to deepen one’s conversion and purity of heart.

As for receiving Communion and praying for the intentions of the Holy Father, it should be noted that with just one Communion and one prayer, made on the same day, a plenary indulgence is obtained.

Finally, the condition of praying for the intentions of the supreme pontiff is fulfilled by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary. However, each Christian is given the right to use any other formula according to his personal piety and devotion.

What is a plenary indulgence?

A plenary indulgence is a grace granted by the Catholic Church through the merits of Jesus Christ to remove the temporal punishment due to sin.

It is not a forgiveness of sin but the remission of punishment for sins already forgiven. It may apply either to oneself or to souls already in purgatory.

In order to obtain a plenary indulgence the faithful must — in addition to being in the state of grace — both have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin (even venial sin), have sacramentally confessed their sins and received the Eucharist (either within or outside of Mass), and must pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.

The conditions for a plenary indulgence can be fulfilled a few days before or after performing the actions specified to gain the indulgence, but it is appropriate that Communion and the prayer take place on the same day that the work is completed.

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