The secret to living an authentic life is praying to understand what is truly beneficial according to God’s plan and letting go of the superfluous, Pope Leo XIV said.

A Catholic bishop in South Sudan appealed for peace, respect of human life and the protection of civilians in Sudan, as the town of Kalogi, South Kordofan region, reeled from the deaths of over 100 people killed in drone strikes.

Across the country – and across faiths – millions of Americans say they believe in unseen protectors who watch, warn and sometimes intervene. A 2023 Associated Press-NORC poll found that about seven in 10 U.S. adults believe in angels.

Dr. Matthew Dugandzic, academic dean and associate professor of moral theology at St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park, explained that people are created to be human – not angels.

Archbishop Richard W. Smith of Vancouver, British Columbia, said the 62 Indigenous cultural items received from the Vatican mark “a gift freely given” and an important step in rebuilding trust between the Catholic Church and Indigenous peoples.