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Jillian Anderson

Jillian Anderson finds her musical home

Music and faith have always been linked for Jill Anderson, a member of St. Joseph in West St. Paul who graduated from St. Agnes School and the University of St. Thomas, both in St. Paul. She has performed with touring choirs, big bands, jazz ensembles and even a country band over the years, but the constant has been singing in church. One of her greatest joys is making the kind of music that people can pray at Mass or in adoration of the Eucharist.
Nation + World
Pilgrims walk along a road toward Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Petersburg, Iowa, May 24, 2024. Pilgrimage organizers are encouraging Catholics to turn out in strong numbers for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage's Eucharistic processions to counter the growing number of anti-Catholic protesters who consistently have been present at the route's public events.

National pilgrimage leaders urge large procession turnouts to counter anti-Catholic protesters

Catholics are encouraged to turn out in strong numbers for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage's Eucharistic processions to counter the growing number of anti-Catholic protesters who have afflicted the route's public events from the first week.
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Jillian Anderson

Jillian Anderson finds her musical home

Music and faith have always been linked for Jill Anderson, a member of St. Joseph in West St. Paul who graduated from St. Agnes School and the University of St. Thomas, both in St. Paul. She has performed with touring choirs, big bands, jazz ensembles and even a country band over the years, but the constant has been singing in church. One of her greatest joys is making the kind of music that people can pray at Mass or in adoration of the Eucharist.
Pilgrims walk along a road toward Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Petersburg, Iowa, May 24, 2024. Pilgrimage organizers are encouraging Catholics to turn out in strong numbers for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage's Eucharistic processions to counter the growing number of anti-Catholic protesters who consistently have been present at the route's public events.

National pilgrimage leaders urge large procession turnouts to counter anti-Catholic protesters

Catholics are encouraged to turn out in strong numbers for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage's Eucharistic processions to counter the growing number of anti-Catholic protesters who have afflicted the route's public events from the first week.
Pope Leo XIV greets cyclists participating in the Giro d’Italia before riding through the Vatican Gardens as part of the race’s passage through Rome June 1, 2025. He is joined by (from left to right): Mads Pedersen, leader of the points classification; Isaac Del Toro, best young rider; Simon Yates, leader of the general classification; Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist Raffaella Petrini, president of the office governing Vatican City State; Lorenzo Fortunato, leader in mountain climbing; and Urbano Cairo, president of di RCS MediaGroup, which owns the Italian sports newspaper, Gazzetta dello Sport. (professional cyclists)

Take care of body, mind, heart, spirit, pope tells professional cyclists

In a tribute to Pope Francis and his message of hope for the Jubilee Year, elite cyclists rode through Vatican City and its gardens before starting the last stage of the Giro d'Italia in Rome.
This is an undated AI-generated image of computers. The Catholic University of America in Washington is launching two AI degree programs in its School of Engineering.

‘Change of era’ prompts Catholic University of America to launch new degrees in AI

"We are not living an era of change," said Pope Francis in November 2015, "but a change of era."
People walk past the Boulder County Courthouse in Colorado at dusk June 2, 2025, near the scene of an attack that injured multiple people. The alleged attacker, identified by the FBI as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was armed with a homemade flamethrower and threw two Molotov cocktails at the group June 1, burning multiple victims, police said. Witnesses said Soliman yelled, "Free Palestine."

Colorado faith leaders express sorrow over attack on rally for release of Hamas hostages

As Boulder residents reeled from a violent attack on peaceful demonstrators June 1 who called for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, area faith leaders expressed sorrow over the attack and urged an end to such violence.
Brazilian Sister Marizele Isabel Cassiano Rego is seen in an undated photograph. Two Brazilian nuns have gone viral worldwide after a May 28, 2025, video showed them beatboxing and dancing hip hop on Catholic TV -- drawing comparisons to a real-life "Sister Act." (nuns beatboxing)

Video of Brazilian nuns beatboxing goes viral, boosts interest in their ministry

A video of Brazilian nuns beatboxing and dancing hip-hop, a scene taken from a local TV show and defined by celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg as "a real life 'Sister Act,'" went viral on May 28, with millions of views all over the world.
A family presents the offertory gifts to Pope Leo XIV during Mass marking the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican June 1, 2025.

Reach out to families; let them know God loves them, pope says

The Catholic Church, its ministers and its members must find new ways to reach out to and welcome families who are distant from the Church and have no understanding of how much God loves them, Pope Leo XIV said.
Pope Leo XIV meets with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican May 19, 2025.

As first US-born pontiff, Pope Leo may be ‘more attuned’ to polarization issue, analysts say

Pope Leo XIV, as the first U.S.-born pope, may bring unique insight to the problem of polarization in the U.S. and in the U.S. church, analysts told OSV News.
New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan joins the assembly in reciting the Nicene Creed during an ecumenical prayer service for peace in the world in honor of Mary, Mother of God, at Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral in the Brooklyn Heights section of Brooklyn, N.Y., May 20, 2025. In a May 29 Wall Street Journal commentary, Cardinal Dolan said he is "stunned" that New York lawmakers "are on the verge of legalizing suicide," and he said he prays the governor "will step up to protect precious human life."

Dolan: NY lawmakers ‘may conclude that some lives aren’t worth living’

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York urged Empire State lawmakers to reject legislation that would legalize physician-assisted suicide.
Robin's nest with eggs

The gift of taking our time

As I write this, I am keeping company with a mama robin on our backyard balcony, so I’m treading lightly. Tapping, not pounding, the keyboard. Sliding, not slamming, the door. Basking in the breeze.
Jim Bittner

Why I am Catholic — Jim Bittner

For most of my life, I have been more of a cultural Catholic than a practicing Catholic.
Faith
Pilgrims from the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the Diocese of San Bernardino, Calif., and St. Agnes School in St. Paul, Minn., receive Communion and pray during a Jubilee Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican March 17, 2025.

Five ways to prepare for Mass

Most events in life require preparation. When you go on a trip, you get to the airport early so you can get through security. When you go to a concert or sporting event, you arrive early to find your seat. When you host a party, you make sure you have all the right food and supplies.

Peace be with you!

Commentary
Robin's nest with eggs

The gift of taking our time

As I write this, I am keeping company with a mama robin on our backyard balcony, so I’m treading lightly. Tapping, not pounding, the keyboard. Sliding, not slamming, the door. Basking in the breeze.

Month of May is month of Mary

Why I am Catholic
Practicing Catholic

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