At the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV reflects on the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, urging Christians not to be paralysed by fear or unfavourable circumstances, but to trust in God’s timing. He also calls on the faithful to proclaim the Gospel in every human setting, as a force for fraternity and peace.

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In his message for the 100th World Mission Day, Pope Leo XIV writes that the Church’s identity is to be a community in mission, “at the service of fraternity among all human beings and harmony with all creation.”

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Sunday, January 25, 2026 | Third Sunday in Ordinary Time |  Matthew 4:12–23 (or 4:12–17) Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus begins his public ministry and calls his first disciples. When Jesus emerged publicly and began...

St. Anthony 8:00 a.m. Mass is CANCELLED due to weather and road conditions for tomorrow, Sunday, January 25th.  The 5:00 p.m. Mass tonight and the 10:00 a.m. Mass tomorrow will be celebrated as normal.  But know that if you are...

Jan 24, 2026 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV warned of the risks that go hand in hand with information in the digital age and urged journalists never to succumb “to the temptation of the trivial” or to fake news that creates confusion about what’s true or false.

The pope made his comments in a message sent on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of “Porta a Porta” (“Door to Door”), a program on RAI 1 Italian public television, in which he addressed to the show’s host, Bruno Vespa, the editorial team, and the viewers.

Leo XIV recalled the three decades of the “Porta a Porta” program’s history as a period marked by “wars and peace agreements, crises and recoveries, joyful and sad events.”

At the same time, he emphasized that the medium itself has also changed: television and, with it, all communication. “Today we have new tools and new possibilities for informing ourselves, learning, and interacting,” the pope wrote, “but along with them, new risks have also emerged.”

Among these dangers, the Holy Father listed the exchange of fake news for real news, “compulsive channel surfing” instead of attentive listening, “doom scrolling” instead of intentional reading, superficial curiosity instead of a genuine desire to learn, and monologues instead of dialogues in which no one truly listens.

‘Quality television’

In the face of these trends, the pontiff advocated patience and a long-term perspective as necessary conditions for building lasting relationships. He also urged that technological innovations not lead to the loss of “the uniqueness of our humanity.”

“Communication challenges us all never to succumb to the temptation of the banal,” Pope Leo XIV emphasized. Finally, he encouraged television professionals to “always offer the world, which thirsts for beauty and truth, quality television.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

Day Nine Intercession:   May all who defend life find strength and renewal in the Holy Spirit. Prayers:  Our Father,  3 Hail Marys,  Glory Be Reflection:  God has carefully, tenderly created every person in His own image and...

Jan 24, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic news from around the world that you might have missed this week:

Kidnapped priest in Nigeria regains freedom after 2 months in captivity

Father Bobbo Paschal, who was abducted on Nov. 17, 2025, when gunmen attacked St. Stephen Parish in the Kaduna Archdiocese, has been released after spending two months in captivity, the Nigerian Metropolitan See has confirmed, according to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa.

In a statement on behalf of Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso, the chancellor of the Kaduna Archdiocese said Paschal was released on Jan. 17 and conveyed “profound gratitude” to all those who worked and prayed for the priest’s release.

Nigeria has been battling a surge of violence orchestrated by gangs, whose members carry out indiscriminate attacks, kidnapping for ransom, and in some cases, killing.

Church in Aleppo launches emergency home-repair initiative

More than 10 days after fighting subsided in parts of Aleppo, dozens of Christian families remain unable to return to their homes, according to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. Damage sustained during recent clashes between Syrian government forces and Kurdish Asayish units left entire residential blocks partially uninhabitable, triggering a new wave of displacement.

In response, the Council of Christian Churches in Aleppo launched an emergency housing rehabilitation project, led by Archbishop Youssef Tobji and supported by several local Christian organizations. The initiative focuses on rapid assessments and urgent repairs to make homes safe for return.

Church leaders are urging donors and humanitarian partners to accelerate assistance, warning that prolonged displacement could further erode Aleppo’s fragile Christian presence.

Iraqi Christian bloc seeks unified voice in Parliament

Christian political representation in Iraq entered a new phase this past week with the formation of the Soyana Bloc parliamentary bloc, now the largest Christian grouping in the Iraqi Legislature. This brings together three newly elected lawmakers who say the move is meant to end years of fragmented representation and external political influence over Christian quota seats.

Bloc leader Kaldo Ramzi Oganna told ACI MENA that the initiative responds to decades of displacement, demographic pressure, and marginalization faced by Christians since 2003. He stressed that the group’s goal is not symbolic presence but active participation in national decision-making as an equal partner within Iraq’s political system.

Among the bloc’s priorities are passing a dedicated Christian personal status law, revising provisions on the Islamization of minors in the national ID law, and reforming the quota system to ensure only Christian voters elect Christian representatives. The bloc also aims to translate political representation into tangible improvements in security, services, and investment in historic Christian areas to encourage return and long-term stability.

Archaeological evidence points to early Christianity in Hatra

New attention has turned to the ancient city of Hatra, where archaeological findings suggest Christianity reached the region far earlier than commonly assumed, ACI MENA reported. Located southwest of Mosul, the UNESCO-listed site once stood as a powerful trading kingdom between the Roman and Parthian empires.

Researchers highlight a marble slab discovered near Hatra’s main temple bearing a carved cross and Syriac inscription reading “Shimona, son of the martyr.” Additional crosses etched into building stones, believed to be “masons’ marks” left by Christian craftsmen, reinforce the case for a Christian presence during the city’s later period.

Historians also cite early Syriac writings, including those attributed to Bardaisan, referencing Christian communities in Hatra. Together, the material and textual evidence points to a complex religious landscape in Mesopotamia, where Christianity took root alongside older traditions during the first centuries of the faith.

Macau Diocese in China celebrates 450th anniversary

On Jan. 23, the Diocese of Macau in China began a special jubilee year as it began a series of celebratory events to mark its 450th anniversary with a Mass in the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady.

According to Fides, the Diocese of Macau has played a key role in the evangelizing mission of the Church in the Far East. Today the diocese has “nine parishes, 28 educational institutions, Caritas centers, and a publishing house that also takes care of communication. Over 70 priests and seminarians together with about 130 nuns offer pastoral service to the approximately 30,000 baptized.”

Signature of leading Russian Catholic prelate left off new statement

A recent statement published on Jan. 15 signed by representatives of the Orthodox, Protestant, evangelical, and other churches condemning alleged persecution of Christians in Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia, and Armenia was not signed by the leading Catholic prelate in Russia, Archbishop Paolo Pezzi, FSCB, according to the Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU), and reported in the Tablet.

The spokesman for the Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Father Kirill Gorbunov, said the archbishop “did not sign the statement because he has no authority to make official statements regarding other countries.”

Gorbunov said, according the Russian news agency RIA, that Pezzi “generally shares the position expressed in the statement, but the internal rules of the Roman Catholic Church do not allow him to make similar statements on his behalf.”