Pope calls on Catholics to rediscover Vatican II teachings
On January 7, 2026, at his first general audience of the year, Pope Leo XIV launched a new catechesis series on Vatican II. The Council (1962-1965), which reshaped the Church’s relationship with other religions and the modern world, remains central to his teaching. Continuing the Jubilee of Hope program begun by Francis, Leo urged the faithful to rediscover Vatican II “not by hearsay” but through its documents. Quoting his predecessors, he affirmed its enduring relevance and prophetic spirit, even as the generation of bishops and theologians who lived it has passed. He highlighted the Council’s contributions: rediscovering God as Father, liturgical reform centered on salvation and active participation, openness to the world through dialogue, and ecumenism. Calling Vatican II “a new ecclesial era,” he insisted reform must still be fully implemented. Leo invited a return to the Council’s constitutions, declarations, and decrees to restore primacy to God, build a just and fraternal society, and renew the Church’s mission of bringing the Gospel of love, justice, and peace to the world. Aleteia (Edited)
Christians must resist allure of power, says Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV, celebrating Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica on Epiphany, closed the Holy Year of Hope by warning against a distorted economy that commodifies human longing. Shutting the Holy Door until 2033, he reminded that God’s mercy never closes. Comparing pilgrims to modern Magi, he urged churches to embody the same humble hope found in
Bethlehem. He condemned violence and exploitation, affirming that God’s gift of grace cannot be controlled or sold. Calling believers to resist fear, embrace Gospel joy, and become “pilgrims of hope,” he said true renewal comes when communities are homes of faith, not monuments. Outside, thousands joined the Angelus and a festive Epiphany procession, as the pope prayed for peace, justice, and unity among peoples. -UCAN (Edited).
Church of St. Nicholas in Kyiv handed over to Roman Catholic community for 50 years
The Ukrainian government has permitted Kyiv’s Roman Catholic community to use St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church for the next 50 years, an online Ukrainian news site reported. The historic church, consecrated in 1909, was closed by the Soviet Union in 1938. The church will remain state property, even as it is used by the faithful of the Latin-rite Diocese of Kyiv-Zhytomyr. “St. Nicholas Church is a cultural heritage site of national importance,” said Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko. “It survived a fire during the Second World War, the difficult decades of the Soviet period, and withstood Russian missile strike very close by in 2024 Despite all the trials, the church has survived and continues to be a symbol of the spiritual resilience of the capital and the entire country.”-CC
Austria opens new path to priesthood for midlife professionals
The Austrian Conference of Seminary Rectors has launched Zweiten Weg für Spätberufene (“Second Path for Late Vocations”), a new model of priestly formation for men discerning a vocation later in life. Announced January 5, the program departs from the traditional full-time seminary track by allowing candidates to continue their professional lives while pursuing flexible theological studies, including distance learning. Spiritual and pastoral formation will remain seminary-based but adapted to each candidate’s circumstances. Candidates must be unmarried (widowers eligible) and commit to lifelong celibacy. Limited professional work after ordination may be permitted with diocesan approval, though political office is barred. Unlike older models requiring full-time residence, this initiative seeks to balance communal formation with minimal disruption to established careers. Targeting men aged 45-60, the program responds to Austria’s priest shortage, where nearly half the population is Catholic but vocations have declined since Vatican II. Officials estimate several thousand potential candidates among the 400,000 baptized Catholic men in this age group. The rectors emphasize that older candidates bring valuable life and professional experience to the Church. The initiative aligns with Vatican norms in the Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis, which recognizes the distinct needs of late vocations. Whether it will significantly boost ordinations remains uncertain, but it signals Austria’s willingness to rethink traditional pathways. to priesthood.-ZENIT (Edited).
Britain’s young are seeking faith and the church
Britain’s youngest adults have long been seen as the most secular generation-disengaged from churches and wary of doctrine. Yet new research suggests a more complex picture. A 2025 survey by the Policy Institute at King’s College London found high levels of belief, spiritual experience, and existential reflection among 18 to 34-year-olds, often surpassing older groups. Rather than formal affiliation, younger adults reported frequent feelings of awe, gratitude, and connection. Over a third experienced wonder at nature weekly, and nearly seven in ten believed
life has overarching purpose. Gratitude was especially revealing: while many cited nature or other people, more than four in ten young adults expressed gratitude to God-twice the rate of older cohorts. Still, the data resist a narrative of religious revival. Spirituality often appears detached from institutions, and other surveys show high levels of nonreligious identity. Researchers caution that online sampling may skew results, though Britain’s growing diversity and rapid shifts suggest deeper change. Church leaders see signs of openness: young adults seeking baptism, exploring faith, and finding belonging through gratitude and wonder. External observers agree the trend points not to a return to creeds, but to a generation more willing to engage with transcendence and purpose. In a society used to measuring secularization by institutional decline, the inner lives of young adults may be telling a more intriguing story. Zenit (Edited).
Mother Teresa Award Honors Somaliland Health Advocate, Seven Others
The Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice 2025 was presented in Mumbai to Edna Adan Ismail of Somaliland and seven others for contributions to maternal health. women’s rights, environmental conservation, and medical services. Ismail, Somaliland’s first qualified nurse, was recognized for her lifelong fight against female genital mutilation and for advancing maternal health. Other honorees included Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege, Indian environmentalist Swami Prem Parivartan, physician Ganesh Rakh, activists Safeena Husain, Rajendra Singh, Heba Elsewedy, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The ceremony, themed “Guardians of Humanity”, marked the 21st year of the awards, which celebrate individuals embodying Mother Teresa’s legacy of compassion and service. UCAN (Edited).