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4 days ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
Standing on loggia of St. Peter’s basilica, newly elected Pope Leo XIV smiled, waved and appeared to hold back emotion May 8 as he introduced himself to the world as the 266th successor to St. Peter – the first American to hold that role. His first words: “Peace be with you!”Pope Leo, 69, formerly Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, is the first pope from the United States.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
Just hours after Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome as the Catholic Church’s new pope, a Mass of Thanksgiving for the pontiff was held at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C.“We come together to rejoice,” Msgr. W. Ronald Jameson, the cathedral’s rector, said as the Mass began. About 125 people attended the Mass on a rainy late afternoon, including many young adults.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
While it is interesting and perhaps even a point of pride that the new Pope Leo XIV was born in the United States, most of the U.S.-based cardinals who participated in the conclave that elected him said nationality was not a factor. “I think the impact of him being an American was almost negligible in the deliberations of the conclave, and surprisingly so,” Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington told reporters May 9 during a news conference at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, the Chicago-born prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis, was elected the 267th pope May 8 and took the name Pope Leo XIV. He is the first North American to be elected pope and, before the conclave, was the U.S. cardinal most mentioned as a potential successor of St. Peter. The white smoke poured from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel at 6:07 p.m. Rome time and a few minutes later the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began to ring.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
Depictions of family life on the big screen have altered greatly over the decades. Yet the appeal of a strong and nurturing maternal figure has endured. With Mother’s Day approaching, movie fans may want to take advantage of the fact that numerous films featuring impressive moms are currently available for streaming. Following, in alphabetical order, are capsule reviews of a dozen such pictures.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
The 133 cardinals who entered the conclave failed to reach a two-thirds supermajority of at least 89 votes to elect a new pope during their morning session May 8. On the second day of voting, two rounds of ballots were scheduled: the first two in the morning after Mass and a brief prayer at 9:30 a.m. and then another two, if needed, after 4 p.m.Thick plumes of black smoke appeared from a chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel at 11:51 a.m. to indicate no winners emerged during the morning session.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
In Rome, the conclave is the talk of the town: from speculation over a morning espresso about who will be the next pope to taxi drivers complaining about how roadblocks have made their work even more difficult. However, along the immense walls surrounding the Vatican, it was business as usual May 7 as hundreds of tourists joined the long line, which stretched around the corner of the wall, waiting to enter the Vatican Museums.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
In 2013, the odds against Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio being named pope were considered about 150 to 1. That March 13, French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran intoned “Habemus Papam!” (We have a pope!”) from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, announcing that Cardinal Bergoglio – Pope Francis – had won the balloting of the College of Cardinals.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington held its 31st annual Blue Mass on May 6, 2025 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Northwest Washington, D.C. The Mass honors the service of first responders, firefighters, federal and local law enforcement officers, and public safety personnel, and remembers those who have died in the line of duty. Washington Auxiliary Bishop Roy Campbell Jr. served as principal celebrant, and Msgr. Salvatore A.
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1 week ago | 
cathstan.org | Jenna Cooper |Wilton D. Gregory |Msgr. John Enzler
The Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and the Sistine Chapel usually top the "must see" list of visitors to Rome and the Vatican. But as 133 of the world's cardinals prepared to enter the conclave May 7 to elect the new pope, the Sistine Chapel has been closed to visitors since April 28. In preparation for the conclave, workers placed a protective covering over the marble mosaic floors and started carrying in pipes, couplers and sheets of subflooring.
