Indian Church takes up mental health ministry as 'major concern'

St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, mother church of the Archdiocese of Bangalore in India. | Credit: Saad Faruque via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 2.0)Jan 8, 2026 / 11:22 am (CNA).The Catholic Church in India has launched a systematic campaign to address growing mental illness in groups including families and religious communities."We decided to take up mental health as a major concern and set up the structure in response to increased family conflicts, death by suicide among young adults, and even among religious," said Archbishop Thomas Tharayil, the chairman of the Mental Health Ministry of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India."Mental health issues are on the increase both in personal lives and in families and service fields. The Church has to reach out to those in trouble at different levels from diocese to parishes," Tharayil told CNA from Changanacherry in southern Kerala state.After informal consultations and discussions, the ministry emerged at the national convention jointly org...

Czech town may build world's largest 3D-printed church in historic reversal

An architectural rendering shows the planned Church of the Holy Trinity in Neratovice, Czech Republic. The Noah's Ark-inspired design by architect Zdenek Fránek features a green roof and may become the world's largest 3D-printed church. | Credit: The Neratovice Community Center FoundationJan 8, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA).Communists in former Czechoslovakia wanted to turn Neratovice into the first church-free city. Now, in democratic Czech Republic, which banned the promotion of communism starting this January 2026, the city may become home to the world's largest 3D-printed church.The tower will be constructed using 3D printing technology, but whether the entire church will be printed is to be decided soon based on calculations and estimation of the building's vault."The decision to 3D-print the entire above-the-ground part of the building should be made in the near future, that is at the beginning of 2026," Marek Matocha, member of the board of directors of the Neratovice Community ...

Late vocations program in Austria allows priest to keep his current job

Vienna Skyline with St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna, Austria. | Credit: mrgb/shutterstockJan 8, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).The Catholic Church in Austria has launched a new formation program to promote late vocations, aimed at men between 45 and 60 years old who are currently employed and can complete the process without having to leave their jobs.The initiative, promoted by the Conference of Rectors of Austrian Seminaries, breaks with the traditional model of formation and preparation for priestly ordination and opts for a more flexible model as a response to the shortage of vocations.Under the name " Zweiten Weg für Spätberufene" ("Second Path for Late Vocations"), the program is specifically aimed at men with professional experience and offers the possibility of pursuing theological studies remotely, without requiring community life in the seminary or exclusively in-person formation, adapting to the professional demands of each candidate.This new program also allows them to co...

After ICE shooting of U.S. citizen, Minneapolis archbishop pleads for prayers, calm

People take part in a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York on Jan. 7, 2026, after an ICE officer shot dead a woman in Minneapolis. | Credit: Bryan R. SMITH/AFP/Getty ImagesJan 7, 2026 / 19:32 pm (CNA).Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda on Jan. 7 pleaded for prayers and calm after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis.Officials said the ICE officer shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Good after what was reported as an altercation in the street in south Minneapolis. The officer reportedly fired into Good's vehicle after she apparently attempted to drive away while surrounded by agents.U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem alleged on Jan. 7 that Good was "harassing and impeding" agents prior to the shooting. Law enforcement including the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are investigating the incident. 'We need to lower the temperature of rhet...

Scottish bishops denounce 'buffer zone' law

St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland. | Credit: Gastao at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)Jan 7, 2026 / 13:40 pm (CNA).Scottish bishops have denounced a law establishing so-called "buffer zones" around abortion facilities, saying it "restricts free speech, free expression, and freedom of religion in ways that should concern us all." The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act 2024 establishes "buffer zones" up to 200 meters (656 feet) around 30 locations across Scotland. The Bishops' Conference of Scotland said: "Within those zones, any conduct deemed to 'influence' a decision about abortion may be criminalized.""We oppose this law because it is disproportionate and undemocratic," the bishops said in a Jan. 6 statement. "The Catholic Church does not condone harassment or intimidation, but that was not the intention of this law."The Scottish government lists several activities that might violate the law, including "silent vigils," "handing ou...

Arizona bill would hit priests with felony if they fail to break confessional seal to report abuse

Confessional. | Credit: Paul Lowry (CC BY 2.0)Jan 7, 2026 / 14:34 pm (CNA).A proposed law in Arizona could see priests facing felony charges if they fail to break the seal of confession after learning of child abuse during the sacrament. The measure, HB 2039, was introduced in December 2025 by state Rep. Anastasia Travers. It is awaiting action in the state House after Travers prefiled it on Dec. 4. The bill would amend the state code to require priests to report abuse learned during confession if they have "reasonable suspicion to believe that the abuse is ongoing, will continue, or may be a threat to other minors."Failure to report a "reportable offense" could lead to class 6 felony charges under the bill. Those charges in Arizona can lead to up to $150,000 in fines and up to two years of imprisonment. Travers did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill and why she proposed it. She previously filed a similar bill in 2023.Lawmakers in multiple U.S....

Federal appeals court affirms religious organizations can choose to hire only fellow believers

Credit: Digital Storm/ShutterstockJan 7, 2026 / 15:04 pm (CNA).A federal appeals court this week upheld a years-old principle of U.S. law that allows religious organizations to hire only like-minded believers as staff members.Union Gospel Mission of Yakima, Washington, will be permitted to hire only those employees who share the group's religious beliefs about marriage and sexuality, according to a ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The court's Jan. 6 ruling said the state of Washington would be forbidden from enforcing the Washington Law Against Discrimination against the Christian group.The mission group originally brought suit against the state in 2023, arguing that the nondiscrimination law hindered its ability to hire solely workers who agree with the group's Christian worldview.The "ministerial exception" generally allows religious groups to be exempt from U.S. discrimination laws when hiring for ministry roles. But in its lawsuit Union Gospel M...

Michael Reagan, Catholic son of U.S. President Ronald Reagan, dies at 80

Republican strategist Michael Reagan speaks at a get-out-the-vote rally for U.S. Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle featuring U.S. Sen. John McCain at the Orleans, Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, in Las Vegas. | Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesJan 7, 2026 / 10:07 am (CNA).Michael Reagan, the adopted son of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan and a longtime conservative activist who spoke publicly about his Catholic faith, died on Jan. 4 at 80 years old.Reagan's family announced his death on Jan. 6 via Young America's Foundation, which operates out of the "Reagan Ranch" near Santa Barbara, California. The announcement said Reagan died in Los Angeles "surrounded by his entire family.""Michael was and will always remain a beloved husband, father, and grandpa," the statement said, with the family expressing grief over "the loss of a man who meant so much to all who knew and loved him."He is survived by his wife, Colleen, his son Cameron and his daughter Ashley. Born March 18, 19...

A bomb fell meters from their homes in Caracas, but they survived: 'It's a miracle'

Elena Berti (left) was sleeping alone in her house when a projectile landed in her yard. Berti's daughter, Patricia Salazar, is at right. | Credit: EWTN Noticias/ScreenshotJan 6, 2026 / 16:20 pm (CNA).What does large-scale bombing sound like? What does it feel like to be in the middle of a series of explosions? After Jan. 3, everyone in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, is able to answer these questions.Around 2 a.m. local time on Jan. 3, as the U.S. military carried out Operation Absolute Resolve to capture President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, terrifying explosions interrupted the sleep of millions. A family from east Caracas, the Bertis, along with their neighbors experienced the chaos firsthand.Survival was 'a miracle'It's one thing to be awakened by the relatively distant sound of planes and bombs, and quite another to be jolted awake by the devastating roar of a projectile landing less than 20 meters (65 feet) from your room.Elena Berti, 78, was sl...

Facing impending death, renowned cartoonist announces intent to convert

Cartoonist Scott Adams announced his intention to convert to Christianity in January 2026. | Credit: Art of Charm, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsJan 6, 2026 / 17:38 pm (CNA).Scott Adams, the 68-year-old cartoonist who created the decades-long "Dilbert" comic strip, announced he is converting to Christianity amid his deteriorating health caused by terminal cancer.Adams, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in May 2025, had previously been critical of organized religion and expressed skepticism about traditional faiths in blog posts and two fiction books titled "God's Debris" and its sequel, "The Religion War."On the Jan. 1 episode of his podcast "Real Coffee with Scott Adams," the cartoonist expressed a change of heart following numerous conversations with Christian friends."I've not been a believer, but I also have respect for any Christian who goes another way to try to convert me," Adams said. "Because how would I believe [that] you believe your own religion if you're not...