Calling it a "cause for great joy," Bishop Richard F. Reidy welcomed 250 people on the road to becoming Catholic or completing their initiation during the Diocese of Norwich's annual Rite of Election.  The Rite of Election on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick was a watershed in several ways for the Diocese of Norwich. This year, the diocese welcomed 98 catechumens, along with 152 candidates, making for the highest combined total for the Diocese of Norwich in 10 years.  This is another step toward their journ...

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Beginning with the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, humankind has had to face "the age-old dilemma: can I live my life to the fullest by saying 'yes' to God? Or, to be free and happy, must I free myself from Him?" Pope Leo XIV said during an early morning Mass celebrated in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Rome. ROME (CNS) -- While Satan tempts humanity with the lie of gaining unlimited power, God offers the gift of true freedom that leads to real love, relationships and fulfillment, Pope Leo XIV said. Beginning with the story...

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Eight hundred years after his death, the remains of St. Francis of Assisi were exhumed and placed on public display in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi for a monthlong veneration, highlighting the Catholic tradition of venerating relics as tangible reminders of holiness. ROME (CNS) -- Eight hundred years after his death, the bones of St. Francis of Assisi have been placed on public display for the first extended public viewing in history, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to the hilltop town. Following Pope Leo XIV's approval and blessing...

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Sister Thea Bowman. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of Jackson, Mississippi Bowman’s ability to see the dignity of each individual, and embrace all gifts and cultures, is an essential message for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. African American Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman’s ability to bridge divides shines as a witness needed today, according to those who knew her, and her cause for canonization may create a pathway for other African Americans on their ways to sainthood. More than three decades after her death, Bowman should be remembered...

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