ArcaMax

Since news of the new pope, Robert Prevost, who assumed the name Leo XIV, hit the wires, he has been universally celebrated as being an American from Chicago.

But he’s also another important first, something that wasn’t divulged at the same time or with the same fanfare: the first known pontiff of demonstrable African descent. This is ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: My grown daughter has had a falling out with her best friend, and it is eating her up. What is the correct response to relationships that go bad? – B.R.

A: God’s will is for us to live at peace with everyone, as much as possible; but sometimes the door to a broken relationship seems closed ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I was excited for my children to watch the SpaceX rescue of the astronauts that had been left in space because I remember watching the Apollo missions when I was a kid. As the SpaceX rocket launched, ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: Even as a Christian, I have a difficult time ridding my mind of things that bring me down and cause me to doubt God’s power in my life. What is the secret to overcoming these pesky thoughts? – S.T.

A: How often do we notice the weeds in the garden, weeds that we thought we dug up and threw away...Read more

VATICAN CITY — When 15-year-old Maria Izworska from Poland hears the word Chicago, the first thing that comes to mind is “O Block,” the notoriously high-crime strip of South King Drive that’s been immortalized in rap songs and social media.

“I also think about food,” said the teen, who was sitting on the steps of St. Peter’s ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I’m taking a course in Old Testament studies and have been appalled at the idolatry that was prevalent among God’s people, particularly the fact that the Ten Commandments clearly state that there should be no other God but God. The New Testament says that if we confess Him with our mouth, He ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I have a cousin who calls me weekly with a new problem – always a people problem – and whatever the case, the other person is the one at fault, never her. When I try to give some advice, she tells me I’d understand if I walked in her shoes. What’s the right response to someone like this? It�...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court dealt an unexpected blow Thursday to the conservative drive for religious charter schools, with the justices splitting 4-4 and unable to rule in a case from Oklahoma that had the effect of blocking a proposed new Catholic charter school.

If upheld, it would have been the nation’s first tax-funded, church-run ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court dealt an unexpected blow Thursday to the conservative drive for religious charter schools, with the justices splitting 4-4 and unable to rule in a case from Oklahoma that had the effect of blocking a proposed new Catholic charter school.

If upheld, it would have been the nation's first tax-funded, church-run ...Read more

The Supreme Court dealt an unexpected blow Thursday to the conservative drive for religious charter schools.

The justices announced they were split 4-4 in a test case heard last month from Oklahoma, which blocks the new Catholic charter school in the state.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett had announced in advance she would not participate in the ...Read more

“Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” – Mark Twain

I have been deeply touched by the flood of mail from Catholic readers who have appreciated that a rabbi could have some spiritually helpful insights on the new papacy of Leo IV. Here, a Protestant reader, R, shares her soul’s ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: It is interesting to note how offended people are when something is said about Hell; yet most people use the word like commas in their communication, and they particularly use it when they want to offend someone. This seems hypocritical. Many people get so angry that they declare they want someone ...Read more

While the Illinois village of Dolton is moving ahead with negotiations to buy Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home in the village, it’s unclear how trustees were consulted about the decision, which hasn’t been discussed at an open meeting.

As Mayor Jason House seeks to come to terms with the home’s owner, at the same time the village attorney ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has revealed what it says are recent substantiated allegations of sex abuse involving three priests, bringing to nearly 30 the number of credibly accused clergy who have served in the archdiocese.

The priests all have died in recent years, according to an announcement last week by ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: When I watch the unrest on college campuses, it makes me mad at first, and then it makes me sad because these kids (who are really young adults) are so misled. They may be highly educated, but they are outwardly foolish. They’ve been pumped with hatred by others, and their hatred is toxic. One ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I resent when someone tells me that I am just as bad of a sinner as someone who has committed murder. The worst thing I’ve done is lie to my parents. Where in the Bible does it say that a liar is as bad as a murderer? – A.C.

A: From the human standpoint, some sins seem worse than others – ...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: When I became a mother, I was fearful that I wouldn’t be able to guide my children spiritually because I was a babe myself in the faith. My mother recalled reading in “My Answer” a response to a question about how to engage children in learning the Bible. A friend then gave me a wonderful gift...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I’m shocked that God allowed certain stories to be part of the Bible. There are some pretty rough characters. I thought the Bible was a storybook about God’s love. – G.L.

A: The same Book that tells us over and over again of God’s love warns us constantly of the devil who would come between...Read more

From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Q: I love Jesus, and I try to obey His commands, but I doubt that I can really be good enough to get into Heaven, though I try. How can I be good enough to get in since I sin even when I don’t mean to? – H.E.

A: We will never be good enough to go to Heaven. That statement may be shocking to hear, ...Read more

In the United States, where religion is “very” or “somewhat” important according to nearly two-thirds of adults, one racial group stands out when it comes to practicing their faith, a new poll found.

The Public Religion Research Institute American Values Atlas poll based religious activity on three categories: how often people pray, how...Read more