Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church

Our Catholic forbears had to fight anti-immigration forces such as the KKK for our place in the United States, and the U.S. bishops’ message on immigration says we intend to do more of the same. But the bishops acknowledge how complex the immigration issue is when they say “nations have a responsibility to regulate their Read More…

4 Catholic attitudes toward immigrants

Considering the continued Christmas season and the end of the Jubilee of Hope later this week, Pope Leo spoke of how the Incarnation of the Word of God must affect every aspect of our spirituality. The Holy Father offered this reflection before praying the midday Angelus, and then appealing for prayer for Venezuela, and the Read More…

Pope wonders: Is our spirituality truly incarnate?

Following the Angelus prayer on January 4, 2026, Pope Leo XIV voiced deep concern over the rapidly unfolding crisis in Venezuela, offering the Holy See’s first public response since the U.S. military operation that led to the arrest and extraction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in Caracas. Speaking from a window that overlooks Read More…

Pope urges peace and rule of law for Venezuela

One of the most fascinating groups of people in the entire Bible are the Magi. They have captivated the imaginations of Christians throughout the years and stories continues to be told that try to expand upon their brief appearance. Here are six fast facts that give you a brief overview of who they are and Read More…

6 Fast facts to know about the Magi

We know the names of our local bishops, as we hear them at Mass every Sunday in the Eucharistic Prayer when we pray for the pope, the bishop, and all the clergy. But apart from this moment in the Mass, how often do we pray for our bishops? Our bishops are our shepherds, direct successors Read More…

Adopt a bishop to pray for in the new year

Life comes at us fast. It isn’t unusual that a few days fly by, or even an entire month, and everything blurs together. All the memories are one, long, vague reel. I follow the same routines, make the same jokes, watch the same teams play sports. It isn’t unpleasant, necessarily, but I do wonder if Read More…

Consecrating the new year with John Donne

A tragic blaze tore through a ski bar in Switzerland during New Year’s Eve celebrations, killing up to 47 people — mainly teenagers and young adults — and leaving the world shaken. In the midst of this awful loss, however, one moment has captured the attention of people around the globe — not because it Read More…

“Miracle” in the inferno: Boy survives holding crucifix

Credit: JCDH/Shutterstock. Jan 4, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA). With the signing of the law that recognizes that “the human being in gestation or the unborn child is a natural person,” Puerto Rico concluded 2025 with historic achievements in the defen... [...]

Vatican City, Jan 4, 2026 / 06:51 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV expressed deep concern over the situation in Venezuela and called for the country’s national sovereignty to be fully respected, one day after a U.S. operation ended with the capture and arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

“With a heart full of concern I follow the evolution of the situation in Venezuela,” the pope said, underscoring that “the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail above any other consideration.”

Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square for the recitation of the Angelus, Leo XIV insisted on the need to “overcome violence” and called for “embarking on paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the country’s sovereignty.”

The Holy Father also pointed to the importance of “ensuring the rule of law enshrined in the Constitution” and of “respecting the human and civil rights of each and every person.”

He further urged working together to “build a serene future of collaboration, stability, and concordia.”

The pontiff emphasized that this effort must be carried out “with special attention to the poorest, who suffer because of the difficult economic situation.”

Finally, the pope invited Catholics to unite in prayer for Venezuela, entrusting this intention “to the intercession of Our Lady of Coromoto and of Saints José Gregorio Hernández and Sister Carmen Rendiles,” canonized last year.

The pope’s remarks come at a moment of maximum political and international tension for Venezuela following the capture of President Maduro and his wife, and Maduro's imminent prosecution on U.S. soil on drug trafficking charges.

Hours earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said a second wave of attacks was planned if forces in the country offered resistance. “We are going to govern Venezuela until there is a safe transition,” he said at a press conference.

Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice has ordered that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assume the presidency due to Maduro’s “forced absence.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

[...]

There is a growing ideological trend that seeks to deprive those broadly considered to being “on the right” of any and all rights, through dehumanization and the systematic exclusion from key institutions. Most of us [...]