Razor wire and a watchtower are seen at Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola in 2007. Two inmates there, half-brothers Bernard Joseph and Marcus Hamilton, are serving life terms for murdering Josephite Fr. Patrick McCarthy in 1988. They accuse McCarthy and another Josephite priest of sexual abuse. (Newscom/ZUMA Press/Robin Nelson)

Two half-brothers, in prison for killing a priest, tell a story of abuse in New Orleans

News

Bernard Joseph and Marcus Hamilton are serving life terms for murdering a priest. Today, they are claimants in the New Orleans Archdiocese bankruptcy, alleging years of abuse by that priest and another Josephite.

The Latest

New Catholic migration chair talks about supporting immigrants, respecting critics

Aleja Hertzler-McCain, Religion News Service

Polish, German bishops remember 'great act of forgiveness' that happened 20 years after WWII

Jonathan Luxmoore, OSV News

New York state's bishops call on faithful to stand with immigrants and refugees

Jennifer Burke, OSV News

Editors' Choice

Bishops from around the country gather at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore Nov. 10, 2025, for the opening Mass of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' fall plenary assembly. (OSV News/Catholic Review/Kevin J. Parks)

In Focus

Editorial: After a 'balanced' statement on immigration, what about real action?

The U.S. bishops' statement on immigration may be benign, but it is — at least — a beginning. Our fear is that it will be treated as an end in and of itself. 

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Most Read Stories

Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, left, looks on moments after being elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during a Nov. 11, 2025, session of the fall general assembly of the U.S. bishops' in Baltimore. His three-year term begins at the close of the Nov. 11-13 plenary. (OSV News/Bob Roller)

#1
Bishops elect new president, stress need to support immigrants in first day of meeting

The U.S. Catholic bishops on Nov. 11 elected Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley as the new president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during the conference's annual fall plenary assembly.

ByBrian Fraga
Bishops vote during a Nov. 11, 2025, session of the fall general assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Baltimore. (OSV News/Bob Roller)

#2
The depressing result of the US bishops' conference presidential election

The vote for a new president of the U.S. bishops' conference was close. Close and deeply disappointing. In choosing Archbishop Paul Coakley, the bishops had to overlook the disrespect he demonstrated toward Pope Francis.

ByMichael Sean Winters
Pope Leo speaks to a group.
Vatican News

#3
Mysticism is a spiritual gift that always bears good fruit, pope says

"To avoid falling into superstitious illusion, such events must be evaluated with prudence, through humble discernment in accordance with the teaching of the church," Pope Leo said.

ByCindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

#4
Will the bishops follow Pope Leo's lead? Or not?

#5
Why are traditionalists on Catholic Twitter still so obsessed with James Martin?

#6
Vatican bank rehires couple fired for violating workplace marriage rule

Opinion

The Epstein saga is creepy and worse than creepy

NCR Voices

Pixelated popes and AI actors? Pope Leo draws the line

Guest Voices
Anouska De Georgiou speaks during a press conference to discuss the Epstein Files Transparency Act, directing the release of the remaining files related to the investigations into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 3, 2025. (OSV News/Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

The Epstein saga is creepy and worse than creepy

NCR Voices

A trove of emails from Jeffrey Epstein was released by House members, both Democrats and Republicans, shining more light on a sordid story that gives everyone the creeps. Except President Trump.

Why are traditionalists on Catholic Twitter still so obsessed with James Martin?

NCR Voices

Antisemitism accusations plagued Kevin Roberts' political heroes too

Guest Voices
Bishops from around the country gather at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore Nov. 10, 2025, for the opening Mass of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' fall plenary assembly. (OSV News/Catholic Review/Kevin J. Parks)

Editorial: After a 'balanced' statement on immigration, what about real action?

Editorial

The U.S. bishops' statement on immigration may be benign, but it is — at least — a beginning. Our fear is that it will be treated as an end in and of itself. 

Vatican

comic

The Leo Chronicles: The road again

The Leo Chronicles: Pope Leo is ready for his first international trip.

Vatican News

Urging concrete actions, Pope Leo XIV calls out 'failing' political will on climate change

For the one-in-three people extremely vulnerable to impacts from rising global temperatures, "climate change is not a distant threat, and to ignore these people is to deny our shared humanity," Pope Leo said in his second message to the COP30 United Nations climate change conference in Brazil.

ByAssociated Press
A woman holds a sign in support of women deacons as Pope Francis leads his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican Nov. 6, 2019. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Vatican study groups cite women's diaconate among priorities in new synod reports

A future Vatican document will address questions surrounding the possibility of women serving as deacons in the Catholic Church, according to one of several interim reports released Nov. 17 by the Vatican's synod office.

ByJustin McLellan

Pope assures the poor they are loved by God, calls on governments to act

With thousands of migrants, refugees, unhoused people, the unemployed and members of the trans community present in St. Peter's Basilica or watching from St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV assured them, "In the midst of persecution, suffering, struggles and oppression in our personal lives and in society, God does not abandon us."

ByCindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

With Hollywood A-listers at the Vatican, Pope Leo extols human value of movies

Pope returns Indigenous artifacts from Vatican Museums to Canada

Bible described as the 'Mona Lisa of illuminated manuscripts' goes on display in Rome

EarthBeat

Alistair Dutton, Caritas Internationalis secretary general, reflects during a press conference in Rome Oct. 26, 2023, launching the organization's report on climate change and displacement. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

Q&A with Caritas leader on finding hope in face of devastating climate crisis

Caritas projects offer a sign of hope that solutions to climate change, whether mitigating heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions or adapting to impacts like more severe heatwaves and storms, can in fact work.

Vatican News

Urging concrete actions, Pope Leo XIV calls out 'failing' political will on climate change

For the one-in-three people extremely vulnerable to impacts from rising global temperatures, "climate change is not a distant threat, and to ignore these people is to deny our shared humanity," Pope Leo said in his second message to the COP30 United Nations climate change conference in Brazil.

ByAssociated Press
Catholics with the Laudato Si' Movement carry the "River of Hope" banner through the streets of Belém, Brazil, at the global climate march Nov. 15 during the COP30 United Nations climate change conference. (Eduardo Campos Lima)

Catholics join tens of thousands in march for climate justice at COP30 in Brazil

A climate march drew people from all over the world into the streets of Belém, Brazil, at the midpoint of the COP30 U.N. climate change conference. It was the first massive public demonstration at a COP in four years.

ByEduardo Campos Lima
Presenters listen during an event Nov. 13 where Catholic leaders from the Global South discuss a letter demanding climate justice at COP30 in Belém, Brazil. The picture shows Pope Leo blessing a block of ice from a glacier in Greenland during the opening session of an international conference.

Letter from Global South bishops for climate justice echoes among COP30 delegations

The joint appeal calls for an immediate halt on fossil fuel exploration and for the taxation of endeavors already in progress. 

ByEduardo Campos Lima

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Faith leaders confront the world's fossil fuel hypocrisy at COP30

How the US cut climate-changing emissions while its economy more than doubled

Caritas leader Q&A: 'The golden age of aid' is over

Culture

Cynthia Erivo (left) and Ariana Grande, who starred in the movie "Wicked," are nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their duet "Defying Gravity."

Black Catholics aplenty in the 2026 Grammy Award nominations

Fan favorites and category mainstays are among the international crop of Catholic-connected Black artists looking to win on music's biggest night.

A portion of "St. Christina the Astonishing," a painting by George Baltus in Sint-Truiden church, Belgium

'Christina the Astonishing': Patron saint of outcasts?

 Writer and actor Marianne Leone's St. Christina the Astonishing presents a figure of liberation, inspired in part by the author's experiences in an immigrant family in 1960s Boston. 

ByRebecca Bratten Weiss
Idris Elba as POTUS in Kathryn Bigelow’s "A House of Dynamite." (Netflix/Eros Hoagland)

The insanity of reality in 'A House of Dynamite'

Released at a moment when world leaders once again rattle their nuclear sabers, Kathryn Bigelow’s "A House of Dynamite" is a cinematic alarm bell ringing in a world that has drifted back toward the edge of annihilation.

ByThomas C. Fox

'Task' review: Mark Ruffalo ain't no Fr. Brown

Dr. Chris Cruz on the recent HBO drama following a former Catholic priest who is now in law enforcement—and overwhelming interpersonal trouble.

ByChristopher M. Cruz

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Reaching for a 'Happy Day': Noah's ark goes off-Broadway

In a trying moment, a guide to books and films about fascism and authoritarianism

Book Reviews

Everyday saints with Robert Ellsberg

A combination photo shows St. Peter’s Basilica and the logo chosen by the Vatican for the Holy Year 2025. Following Pope Francis' invitation to "be tangible signs of hope" for those experiencing hardships, Sr. Mary Nguyen made a pilgrimage to visit a friend. (OSV News/Catholic Press Photo/Massimiliano Migliorato)
Columns

Finding God's presence within a Jubilee pilgrimage in Vietnam

Pope Francis, in this Holy Year with the theme "Pilgrims of Hope," invited the faithful to "be tangible signs of hope for those of our brothers and sisters who experience hardships of any kind." And Sr. Mary Nguyen did.

Columns

Beyond Trump: Confronting religious nationalism globally

The global surge of religious nationalism and xenophobia distorts the Gospel call to welcome the hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, incarcerated and strangers, writes Nameeta Renu.

By
Sr. Helen Prejean, right, discusses "Dead Man Walking," with actress Susan Sarandon, who won an Academy Award for portraying Prejean in the movie version of Prejean's memoir. They spoke at a Nov. 6 New York book lunch of the illustrated graphic version of the memoir. (Fordham University/Leo Sorel)

Monday Starter: Prejean's 'Dead Man Walking' released in illustrated graphic version

Plus, African religious launch newsletter, Mercy sister honored with peace award and documentary on lives of five sister congregations to premiere in December. 

ByChris Herlinger, Rhina Guidos
Man at counter hands receipt to man who picked up a prescription.

Sisters' pharmacy provides critical health resource in Zambia

Since 2011, the Sisters of Mercy Pharmacy has improved access to medicines in an underserved province.

By

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

In Venezuela, consecrated life shines as a sign of hope

Don't sugarcoat your saints: The challenges of writing Catholic sisters' biographies

On India-Pakistan border, nuns endure hardships and conflict to care for all