St. Maria Goretti Parish

Caritas representatives from over forty countries are in Brazil for COP30, urging world leaders to place human lives above political interests as the climate crisis deepens from the Philippines to the Sahel.

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Loyola Press releases "Our Treasures Within", a picture book for children inspired by Pope Francis’ call to recognise and share God-given gifts. Created by Peter and Paul Reynolds, it encourages children and families to reflect on how their talents can contribute to others.

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Africa’s most populous country deals with three attacks—two on Christian communities and one on a secondary school. The Nigerian president postpones a trip to South Africa and Angola to monitor the situation.

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Pope Leo XIV arrives in Assisi and pays a visit to the tomb of St Francis, saying his witness is especially important "at a time when the world is searching for signs of hope.”

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During his visit on Thursday to the Italian hill town of Assisi, Pope Leo closes the 81st General Assembly of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI), and tells Italian Bishops to keep Christ at the center of all they do and to offer effective pastoral care, especially to families, young people, the elderly and the poor.

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Following a massive Russian attack on the western Ukrainian city of Ternopil, Archbishop Teodor Martynyuk tells Vatican News about the Greek-Catholic Church’s immediate assistance to affected residents, and calls on the faithful to pray for Ukrainians enduring the pain of war.

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The Vatican Publishing House (LEV) releases Pope Leo XIV’s new book, entitled “The Power of the Gospel: Christian Faith in 10 Words.” Edited by Lorenzo Fazzini, the book is a collection of the Pope’s interventions and speeches, along with an unpublished introduction, which we publish in full below.

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After weeks of street protests over the recent elections that led to many deaths and injuries, Bishop Wolfgang Pisa, President of the Tanzanian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, expresses grief over the brutality of the security forces, urging political leaders to apologize.

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Speaking to Vatican News, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem expresses hope that the U.S. plan will lead to solutions offering “clearer prospects” and relief for the Palestinian population of Gaza.

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WASHINGTON – Catholics across the country are encouraged to observe a nationwide prayer vigil from Thursday, January 22 to Friday, January 23, 2026, to pray for an end to abortion and a greater respect for all human life in post-Roe America. “Together, we must pray to change hearts and build a culture of life as we advocate for the most vulnerable. I look forward to opening our Vigil with Holy Mass together with many other bishops, hundreds of priests, consecrated religious, seminarians, and many thousands of pilgrims,” said Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

The National Prayer Vigil for Life is hosted each January by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Pro-Life Secretariat, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., and The Catholic University of America’s Office of Campus Ministry. This year, the opening of the National Prayer Vigil for Life will take place on January 22, the anniversary date of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.

In 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. Since the Dobbs decision, abortion policy is now determined at the state and federal levels. Some states have increased access to abortion and others are working to ensure stronger policies to protect preborn children and their mothers.

The Opening Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life will take place at 5:00 p.m. in the Great Upper Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, January 22. Bishop Thomas will be the principal celebrant and homilist for the Opening Mass. At 7:00 p.m., following the Opening Mass, a National Holy Hour for Life will take place in the Crypt Church (lower level) of the Basilica, which will include Recitation of the Rosary and Benediction. The nationwide vigil concludes on Friday, January 23 in the Great Upper Church with the 8:00 AM Closing Mass celebrated by Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM, Cap., archbishop emeritus of Boston.

Pre-registration is required for clergy and seminarians. For more information about on-site attendance at the Basilica for the National Prayer Vigil for Life, please visit the event page at https://www.nationalshrine.org/event/2026-national-prayer-vigil-for-life/.

The live television broadcasts on January 22 for the 5:00 pm Opening Mass and the January 23 Closing Mass at 8:00 a.m. will be provided by the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) and will be available via livestream on the Basilica’s website at www.nationalshrine.org/mass. 

For those who cannot come to Washington, Catholics across the country are invited to unite in prayer during the nationwide vigil through local diocesan prayer efforts such as special Masses and holy hours taking place during January 22-23. Additionally, thousands of Catholics are signing up for the national pro-life novena, 9 Days for Life, which will take place from January 16-24, 2026.

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