Performers are seen at Estadio Azteca, renamed Mexico City Stadium for the FIFA World Cup, during the opening ceremony June 11, 2026, before the match between Mexico and South Africa. (OSV News/Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach)

Nuns hope international spotlight from World Cup shines on Mexico's disappeared

News

As Mexicans show their zeal for soccer everywhere during FIFA's World Cup 2026, families of Mexico's more than 130,000 disappeared want the country to have that same obsession for those who are missing.

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Las Cruces Diocese demands jury trial, just compensation in feds' effort to seize pilgrimage site

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Editors' Choice

Rachel Accurso uses her fame from her educational YouTube videos to be a passionate advocate for children’s rights. (Instagram/@msrachelforlittles)

In Focus

The unshakable faith of Ms. Rachel

Having achieved worldwide fame for her educational YouTube videos, Rachel Accurso is an advocate for children's rights. Behind it all? An unshakable faith in the love of God and steadfast commitment to children.

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Most Read Stories

Newly consecrated Society of St. Pius X bishops, from left, Pascal Schreiber, Michael Goldade, Michel Poinsinet de Sivry and Marc Hanappier pray at the end of their consecration ceremony in a tent set up outside the Society of St. Pius X seminary in Écône, Switzerland, July 1, 2026. (AP/Baz Ratner)
NCR Voices

#1
The Society of St. Pius X shows itself out the door

There is room for everybody within the church's embrace. Except those who refuse the embrace. It appears the Vatican has finally lost patience with these antisemitic, post-liberal, cafeteria and now former Catholics.

ByMichael Sean Winters

#2
France's traditionalist Catholics rally behind Pope Leo XIV after SSPX schism

French Catholics attached to the traditional Latin Mass but loyal to Rome are expressing deep sadness after the Society of St. Pius X consecrated four bishops without papal approval, prompting the Vatican to declare the group in schism and excommunicate six SSPX bishops.

ByOSV News
Pope Leo XIV speaks with leaders of the "continental bodies" representing Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, the Middle East and North America, together with the coordinators of the continental synodal teams, during a private meeting at the Vatican June 25, 2026. (CNS/Vatican Media)
NCR Voices

#3
In plans for 'Amoris Laetitia' meeting, Pope Leo continues to show his hand

We learned more about how Pope Leo XIV intends to implement the reforms his predecessor introduced when the Vatican released a "thematic framework" for a meeting to discuss Pope Francis' Amoris Laetitia.

ByMichael Sean Winters

#4
As Pope Leo faces SSPX schism, a Minnesota church merges old customs with fidelity

#5
How a long-closed NYC Catholic hospital still provides lessons for the church

#6
Vance's 'Communion' explores his Catholic conversion — but dodges hard questions

Opinion

Can civil religion make a comeback?

NCR Voices

The US has entered a national era of cruelty

Guest Voices
Newly consecrated Society of St. Pius X Bishop Michael Goldade is seen kissing the ring of Bishop Alfonso de Galarreta during an SSPX liturgical celebration July 1, 2026, in Écône, Switzerland. (OSV News/CPP)

Editorial: Following schism, SSPX leaders must work for unity

Editorial

The leaders of the Society of St. Pius X made decisions that carry major implications. Their actions will need to be unpacked, and in some cases, undone, if the group seeks to have unity with the Catholic Church.

Podcast: Theologian Ronald Rolheiser talks about a spirituality for our wisdom years

Guest Voices

Key issue of AI is not use of technology as such, but the vision that underlies it

Guest Voices
Hands holding and tapping on a cellphone (Unsplash/Rapha Wilde)

How can a God who whispers compete in the attention economy?

NCR Voices

We have largely surrendered our limited temporal resources to algorithms, and the near-constant distraction of smartphones and social media threatens our spiritual flourishing and prayer lives, writes Dan Horan.

Vatican

Rates of HIV, AIDS down, but children still vulnerable, says Vatican diplomat to UN

Much has been done to mitigate rates of HIV and AIDS, but more work remains as children are still vulnerable to the virus and the disease it causes, said the Holy See's diplomatic representative to the United Nations in a July 10 address.

Andrea Tornielli, editorial director at the Dicastery for Communication speaks at a news conference at the Vatican Sept. 19, 2024. (CNS/Justin McLellan)

Did the Vatican take a jab at Trump's ambassador?

After the U.S. ambassador to the Holy See characterized the pope's criticism of the Iran war as the intervention of a head of state "coequal" to the U.S. president, a top Vatican communications official appeared to clap back.

ByJustin McLellan
Pilgrims are seen leaving a packed train July 12, 2026, as they arrive at Castel Gandolfo, Italy, ahead of Pope Leo XIV's Sunday Angelus. (OSV News photo/Jan Guzik)

Pilgrims flock to Castel Gandolfo for Pope Leo's first Angelus of the summer

When the 8:21 a.m. train left Rome's Termini Station to Castel Gandolfo July 12, people were packed in like sardines, off to see Pope Leo XIV's Sunday Angelus prayer — the first this summer at his residence there.

ByPaulina Guzik, OSV News
Pope Leo XIV poses for a photo with two young boys at a lunch with vulnerable people from the Diocese of Rome at Borgo Laudato Si, in the pontifical gardens of Castel Gandolfo, Italy, July 11, 2026. (OSV News/Vatican Media/Simone Risoluti)
Vatican News

Pope Leo shares meal with vulnerable guests at Castel Gandolfo

About 200 people from the Diocese of Rome participated in "Lunch with the Pope" July 11, "a day of welcome and fraternity" within the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo.

ByPaulina Guzik, OSV News

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

View from the Vatican

Reporter's Notebook: Witnessing the SSPX schism in the Swiss Alps

Vatican News

Vatican unveils agenda for global family summit marking 'Amoris Laetitia' anniversary

Vatican News

Pope visits US embassy July 4 for discussion on peace and freedom, with a side of apple pie

EarthBeat

Las Cruces Diocese demands jury trial, just compensation in feds' effort to seize pilgrimage site

The Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico, is demanding a jury trial as it fends off the Trump administration's move to seize a long-revered pilgrimage site for a border wall as part of Trump's hardline crackdown on immigration.

'Keep Venezuelans in your hearts' after earthquakes, says Catholic relief worker

Damage from two back-to-back earthquakes that struck Venezuela June 24 is "a lot worse than expected," said a Catholic Relief Services disaster response worker, who asked people to "keep Venezuelans in their hearts."

ByGina Christian, OSV News
In this file photo, a statue of Henry David Thoreau stands outside a replica of his cabin near the shores of Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
Soul Seeing

Could Henry David Thoreau be a synodal conversation partner?

Soul Seeing - As we struggle both individually and collectively as a church to figure out synodality, might Henry David Thoreau be another voice we need to heed?

ByPeter Gilmour
Members of the Missionaries of Charity walk after accompanying a burial for earthquake victims at La Esperanza Cemetery in La Guaira, Venezuela, July 6, 2026. Two catastrophic earthquakes hit Venezuela in quick succession June 24, leaving at least 3,500 dead, which experts say is a major undercount. (OSV News/Reuters/Adriano Machado)
Columns

After 2 earthquakes, nuns do their part in Venezuelans' compassionate response

Horizons - The disaster has plunged us into deep grief for the lost lives. Once again, our country has been shaken. And once again, we promise ourselves that we will rise, shake off the dust and keep moving forward.

ByMaura Aranguren

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Catholic leaders, aid workers respond to Venezuela earthquakes

Renewable energy investments are a moral and economic imperative

As plastic chokes Vietnam's seas, people of faith cast their nets for hope

Culture

Egypt goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir (23) saves a penalty kick by Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Egypt in Atlanta, July 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Spiritual lessons from World Cup penalty kicks

The 2022 final between France and Argentina, widely considered one of the greatest World Cup games ever played, was decided by a penalty kick shootout. So if it happens again this year, spare a prayer for the pressure these players are under — and ask yourself how you would respond, whatever the outcome.

Rachel Accurso uses her fame from her educational YouTube videos to be a passionate advocate for children’s rights. (Instagram/@msrachelforlittles)

The unshakable faith of Ms. Rachel

Having achieved worldwide fame for her educational YouTube videos, Rachel Accurso is an advocate for children's rights. Behind it all? An unshakable faith in the love of God and steadfast commitment to children.

ByJohn Grosso
composite photo church fathers

The early church fathers are showing their swag on TikTok

Videos imitating 'church fathers,' bishops and theologians who helped shape early Christianity, have been popping up across social media since late 2025. Several have drawn hundreds of thousands of views.

ByDenva Gallant, Religion News Service
hands clasped and holding small cross/rosary
Book Reviews

Antonio Pagliarulo's 'Queer Saints' explores expanded understanding of sainthood

A new book argues that many historical figures who challenged cultural expectations can serve as spiritual models regardless of whether they were formally recognized by the Catholic Church. 

ByCamillo Barone

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Book Reviews

Vance's 'Communion' explores his Catholic conversion — but dodges hard questions

The complicated embrace of US patriotism at the World Cup

How a long-closed NYC Catholic hospital still provides lessons for the church

Sr. Catherine Lucia Phoebe Addington of the Daughters of St. Paul in Alexandria, Virginia, is pictured kneeling in prayer during her profession of vows in Boston Feb. 14, 2026. (OSV News/Courtesy of Daughters of St. Paul)

Meet 4 religious sisters dedicating their lives to God in 2026

Four religious sisters professing vows in 2026 spoke with OSV News about their vocation stories and what led them to dedicate their lives to God.

Performers are seen at Estadio Azteca, renamed Mexico City Stadium for the FIFA World Cup, during the opening ceremony June 11, 2026, before the match between Mexico and South Africa. (OSV News/Reuters/Kai Pfaffenbach)

Nuns hope international spotlight from World Cup shines on Mexico's disappeared

As Mexicans show their zeal for soccer everywhere during FIFA's World Cup 2026, families of Mexico's more than 130,000 disappeared want the country to have that same obsession for those who are missing.

ByRhina Guidos
Daughters of St. Anne, Ranchi, Sr. Cicilia Bara, superior of the congregation's motherhouse in Ranchi, capital of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, poses with Sr. Rose Kongari. (Thomas Scaria)

Indian congregation attracts vocations among Indigenous communities

In the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, Sr. Rose Kongari of the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Anne, Ranchi, says that her religious vocation and tribal identity are two sides of the same coin. 

ByThomas Scaria
Catholic Sisters Walking with Migrants participants walk alongside the U.S. wall at the Morley Port of Entry in Nogales, Arizona. (Eileen McKenzie)
Columns

Signs of our times: Catholic sisters walk with migrants

The Kino Border Initiative's program invites people to lean into the complexity and all the discomfort that it brings, writes Sr. Eileen McKenzie.

By

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Monday Starter: French vote on euthanasia law raises concerns for Little Sisters of the Poor

Nuns care for children with HIV, reintegrate them into Indian society