U.S.
Cdl. Gregory: MLK lived Catholic social justice in ‘extraordinary fashion’
PHOENIX — As Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory prepared to concelebrate and preach at the Diocese of Phoenix’s annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mass Jan. 17 at Xavier College Preparatory High School’s Chapel of Our Lady in central Phoenix, he reflected on the impact King had. As a young man in Chicago, the Cardinal Gregory was among 35,000 people to see King speak at the Chicago Freedom Movement rally July 10, 1966, at Soldiers’ Field. “Dr. King, although he was not himself a Catholic, lived Catholic social justice morality in an extraordinary fashion. He was saintly in the way that he followed the Gospel mandates to love one another as Christ has loved us,” Cardinal Gregory said. (OSV News)
House passes extension of health care subsidies for 3 years
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Jan. 8 to extend enhanced health care subsidies for three years by a vote of 230-196 after 17 Republicans broke with their party’s leadership to force a vote. House Democrats earned enough Republican support on a discharge petition — a House procedure that allows a minority to force a floor vote on a measure if they get 218 signatures — after some Republicans broke with their party’s leadership in support of the measure, with many citing affordability issues. John Berry, national council president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA, said in a statement the group welcomed “bipartisan efforts in Congress to extend the enhanced premium tax credits.” “We urge members to continue good faith negotiations to ensure that health care continues to be affordable for the millions of Americans who purchase coverage through the health insurance marketplace,” he said. The enhanced subsidies, or tax credits, expired at the end of 2025 and were used by lower-to-middle-income households to reduce their out-of-pocket costs for enrolling in the program. (OSV News)
The National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is back in 2026 — with a patriotic twist
FORT WAYNE, Ind. — The 2026 National Eucharistic Pilgrimage will travel the East Coast from St. Augustine, Florida, to Portland, Maine, ending in Philadelphia, organizers announced Jan. 8. The pilgrimage — the third of its kind — will begin in May on Memorial Day weekend and end July 5. This year’s pilgrimage celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with the theme “One Nation Under God” and its route, which incorporates key sites in the history of the country and its Catholics. Organizers described the pilgrimage as “a nationwide call to renewal, unity and mission rooted in the Eucharist.” The pilgrimage will pass through the dioceses of Savannah, Georgia; Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Richmond, Virginia; Arlington, Virginia; Washington; Baltimore; Wilmington, Delaware; Camden, New Jersey; Paterson, New Jersey; Springfield, Massachusetts; Manchester, New Hampshire; Portland, Maine; Boston; Fall River, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; and Philadelphia. The pilgrimage will end in Philadelphia with events planned July 4-5, Independence Day weekend, to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in the Pennsylvania State House, now the city’s Independence Hall, on July 4, 1776. (OSV News)
WORLD
Pope sets Jubilee to mark 800th year since St. Francis’ death
ASSISI, Italy — Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a special Jubilee Year marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, highlighting the saint’s enduring message of peace, holiness and care for creation. In a Jan. 10 decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary and announced by the Franciscan Friars, the Vatican declared a Year of St. Francis that runs from Jan. 10 of this year through Jan. 10, 2027. During the jubilee, Catholics may receive plenary indulgences under the usual conditions, including through pilgrimages to Franciscan churches worldwide or spiritual participation by the sick and homebound. In a letter marking the opening of the jubilee in Assisi, Pope Leo said St. Francis’ witness is urgently needed in a world marked by war, division and environmental harm. The jubilee will feature major events in Assisi, including the first public display of St. Francis’ body this spring. (OSV News)
Venezuelan Nobel laureate Machado asks pope for help in freeing political prisoners
ROME — Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado has asked Pope Leo XIV to help secure the release of political prisoners and support a transition to democracy in Venezuela. The Vatican confirmed the Jan. 12 meeting, held in the Apostolic Palace, but released no details. In a statement posted on X, Machado said she urged the pope to intercede for more than 1,000 political prisoners and for Venezuelans who are “kidnapped and missing.” She also thanked Pope Leo for closely following events in the country and emphasized the resilience and faith of the Venezuelan people. The meeting comes days after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a U.S. military operation. Pope Leo has since called for respect for the will of the Venezuelan people and for the protection of human and civil rights. “I renew my appeal to respect the will of the Venezuelan people, and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all, ensuring a future of stability and concord,” the pope said Jan. 9 during a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Vatican. (OSV News)
New papal staff highlights Christ’s victory over death, papal liturgies office says
ROME — Pope Leo XIV has introduced a new papal staff that highlights the victory of the risen Christ, offering a fresh visual emphasis while remaining rooted in tradition. The new crosier was first used at the Jan. 6 Mass for the feast of the Epiphany, which also marked the closing of the Jubilee Year of Hope. According to the Vatican’s Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, the staff is “in continuity” with those of previous popes, uniting Christ’s sacrifice on the cross with the glory of the resurrection. Unlike the well-known silver crucifix designed by Lello Scorzelli and used since St. Paul VI — which depicted a suffering, crucified Christ — the new staff shows Christ risen, arms outstretched, bearing the wounds of his passion as signs of victory. The Vatican said the design presents Christ’s wounds as “luminous signs” that transform suffering into hope. Used at the close of the jubilee year, the staff underscores the pope’s mission to proclaim faith in the crucified and risen Lord. (OSV News)
