While many people around the world seek a blessing for their animals around the Oct. 4 feast of St. Francis of Assisi, in Italy the traditional date to pray for the protection of one’s pets and livestock is Jan. 17 — the feast of St. Anthony the Abbot.

The chief rabbi of Rome said Christian-Jewish dialogue has been a victim of the war unleashed with the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.

During the Holy Year 2025, which is centered on proclaiming a message of hope, Pope Francis told future priests to let hope be the guiding principle of their lives.

A new report confirms OSV News’ previous finding that U.S. Catholic dioceses and eparchies have paid more than $5 billion to settle abuse claims filed over the past two decades — but credible allegations have declined significantly over the same period, with the majority of cases preceding a landmark set of anti-abuse protocols established by the U.S. bishops in 2002.

In the waning days of his single term in the White House, President Joe Biden announced he would bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, the nation’s highest civilian honor, to Pope Francis.