Pope Leo has established that from Jan. 10, following the closing of the church’s Jubilee Year, until Jan. 10, 2027, a special Year of St. Francis may be proclaimed, in which every Christian, “following the example of the Saint of Assisi, may himself become a model of holiness of life and a constant witness of peace.”

The ongoing emigration of millions of Venezuelans from their native country is the largest recorded refugee crisis in the Americas. According to The Associated Press, about 8 million people have fled the country since 2014.

As the U.S. marked its annual observance of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day Jan. 11, anti-trafficking advocates told OSV News their work is facing challenges due to funding downturns and fears of reprisal amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns.

While Catholics have been accustomed to the famed silver papal staff featuring the suffering of Christ crucified and used by the pontiffs for decades, a new staff, or crosier, used by Pope Leo XIV, emphasized the victory of the risen Christ over death.

Considered from an artistic point of view, “Marty Supreme” (A24), a loosely fact-based mix of drama and comedy, is an undeniably accomplished film. Approached from a moral standpoint, however, its narrative turns out to be both unsettling and, ultimately, unacceptable.