Catholic News
A giddy Patti Smith meets fellow Chicago legend, Pope Leo XIV, and says ‘Hi’
ROME — Rock legend Patti Smith was giddy and almost at a loss for words when she met Friday with Pope Leo XIV. “Hi,” she said softly as she sat down across from Leo at his desk in the Apostolic Palace. Wearing a crucifix necklace and hair in her trademark
Two former Sri Lanka officials sentenced to death for negligence in deadly Easter bombings
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A Sri Lankan court on Friday sentenced a former police chief and a former top Defense Ministry official to death after finding them guilty of criminal negligence that allowed Islamic State-inspired bomb attacks on Easter Sunday in 2019, which killed more than 260 people. A death
Israeli Strike Damages Christian-Run Hospital in Gaza, Catholic Aid Group Says
The Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) reported emergency response crews were not able to immediately reach the struck building because responders feared a second strike. Israeli airstrikes on an apartment building adjacent to the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City damaged the hospital on the evening of July 29, blowing
News around the diocese: Journalism award, World Youth Day preparations, retreats and more
Assistant editor wins journalism awardSAN DIEGO — Denis Grasska, assistant editor of “The Southern Cross,” was among the winners of the Society of Professional Journalist (SPJ) San Diego Pro Chapter’s annual journalism contest.He received the James Julian Memorial Award (for Best Community Service story) for his article about You Did
Starting Seven: July 31, 2026
Welcome to Starting Seven, The Pillar’s daily newsletter.I’m Luke Coppen and I aim to guide you each weekday morning to the most interesting Catholic news and commentary.The next Starting Seven will be on Monday, Aug. 17, due to a vacation break. Read more
Finding God in the Unexpected
We asked you, readers, for your stories of finding God in the unexpected. Not unexpectedly, you delivered by sharing your moving encounters with God. Here’s a sampling from dotMagis blog readers. More will be shared in future posts. Big Smile I was sitting in the waiting room of the dentist’s