News & Commentary

Bishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino, Calif., the main celebrant, distributes Communion to a detainee during a Mass on the grounds of the ICE Processing Center near Adelanto, Calif., Dec. 10, 2025. Attendees said the Mass, which took place in the Mojave Desert, was deeply emotional for both the bishops and the roughly 300 detainees present.

California bishops celebrate ‘very powerful’ Mass for detainees in ICE facility

OSV News December 19, 2025

A group of seven California bishops celebrated Mass at the ICE Processing Center outside the town of Adelanto in the Mojave Desert on December 10, providing communion to the roughly 300 detainees present.

Pope marks anniversary of Russia’s ‘absurd, cruel’ war on Ukraine

OSV News February 22, 2023

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A year after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pope Francis asked, “Can the Lord forgive so many crimes and so much violence? He is the God of peace.” At the end of his weekly general audience Feb. ...

Emotional LA sheriff details arrest of suspect in shooting death of Bishop O’Connell

OSV News February 21, 2023

LOS ANGELES (OSV News) — A 65-year-old Hispanic man was taken into custody the morning of Feb. 20 by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies as the prime suspect in the murder of Auxiliary Bishop David G. O’Connell of Los Angeles. ...

Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David G. O'Connell is pictured speaking with parishioners outside St. Frances X. Cabrini Church in Los Angeles July 19, 2015. According to local news reports, Los Angeles County sheriffs found him dead of a gunshot wound at his home Feb. 18, 2023, and his death has been ruled a homicide. An investigation was under way for a suspect and motive. A native of Ireland, he spent most of his four decades as a priest ministering in the inner city of Los Angeles. He was 69. Editors: This cutline has been updated to reflect new details about the bishop's death. (OSV News photo/CNS file, John Rueda, The Tidings)

LA’s ‘peacemaker’ Bishop David O’Connell dead at 69

OSV News February 19, 2023

Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop David G. O'Connell, a native of Ireland who spent most of his four decades as a priest ministering in LA's inner city, has died. He was 69.

Michigan State University students place flowers at "The Rock" on campus Feb. 14, 2023, the day after after a mass shooting at the university in East Lansing. A gunman opened fire at at two university locations leaving three dead and five others critically injured. After an hourslong manhunt police found the shooter off campus dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. (OSV News photo/Matthew Dae Smith, Lansing State Journal USA TODAY NETWORK via Reuters)

Michigan shooting victims memorialized at parish vigils, live-streamed rosary

OSV News February 17, 2023

Tears were shed, words of consolation were shared, and memories were cherished the evening of Feb. 14 during two emotional prayer vigils to honor the memory of three Michigan State University students whose lives were cut short during a shooting ...

Wiktoria Ulma is pictured writing at a table with her oldest daughter, Stasia. Józef and Wiktoria Ulma secretly gave shelter to eight Jews for almost two years in German-occupied Poland, hiding them from the murderous Nazi regime during the Second World War. The Ulmas are on the path to beatification with the Vatican declaring them martyrs Dec. 17, 2022. The Nazis killed the family and the Jews they were sheltering early in the morning March 24, 1944, right before Easter. (OSV NEWS photo/courtesy Polish Institute of National Remembrance)

Polish family murdered by Nazis to be beatified Sept. 10

OSV News February 16, 2023

Urszula Niemczak keeps a regular schedule...

A woman claps during the Feb. 5, 2023, Mass for Black History Month at Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Church in Washington. During the Mass, Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory called on Black Catholics and all people of color to "vastly improve our world with an understanding of the strength of character that resides within the souls of our people." (OSV News photo/Mihoko Owada, Catholic Standard)

National Black Catholic Congress XIII to be held in Washington area in July

OSV News February 15, 2023

During Black History Month in February, Catholics are being invited to register to attend this summer's National Black Catholic Congress, which over the years has made history of its own.