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All speeches and messages from Pope Leo XIV since his May 8 election are accessible on the Vatican website, as stated by Vatican News. This advisory was issued on May 21 following the release of a 36-minute AI-generated "deepfake" video on YouTube, one of several social media hoaxes concerning the new pope.
On May 18, eight young adults embarked on a National Eucharistic Pilgrimage from Indiana to California. The St. Katharine Drexel Route will pass through ten states and conclude in Los Angeles on June 22, coinciding with the feast of Corpus Christi. Updates from the pilgrimage are available via a live blog.
The Catholic University of America has announced a reduction of its workforce by 7% as part of financial restructuring efforts to address a $30 million deficit caused by declining enrollment revenue and increasing costs. These cuts aim to save approximately $9.7 million annually. University President Peter Kilpatrick stated that these measures were essential for achieving a balanced budget for the current fiscal year.
Father Mike Schmitz, known for his popular podcasts "The Bible in a Year" and "The Catechism in a Year," is conducting a nationwide speaking tour titled "Parables: A Time of Reflection with Fr. Mike Schmitz." Proceeds from this tour will support the Seeds of Faith campaign, which seeks to expand the Newman Center where Father Schmitz has served as chaplain for two decades.
The Archdiocese of New Orleans has reached an agreement with creditors regarding its bankruptcy case, which involved over $41 million in legal fees over five years while addressing around 500 abuse claims.
Father Stanislaw Streich, murdered at the altar by a radical communist in Lubon, Poland in 1938, is set to be beatified as a martyr killed "in odium fidei" — "in hatred of the faith." Cardinal Marcello Semeraro will preside over the ceremony on May 24 in Poznan.
A U.S. Supreme Court decision on May 22 resulted in an evenly split ruling concerning what would have been the nation's first Catholic charter school. This outcome upholds an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision deeming it unconstitutional to establish St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School as publicly funded.
Catholic bishops from Europe and Africa have released a joint statement warning that Africa is becoming another "battleground for external interests," especially concerning land resources and Europe's climate agenda. They criticized large-scale land deals intended for green energy and carbon offsets as unjust and exploitative ahead of an EU-AU foreign ministers' meeting scheduled for May 21.
Pope Leo XIV began his papacy with Mass on May 18 and subsequently met with various leaders including Ukraine's president and the U.S. vice president. He also made significant appointments within the Roman Curia, including naming Sister Tiziana Merletti as secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
In Washington D.C., President Donald Trump signed into law the Take It Down Act on May 19, aimed at prohibiting nonconsensual online publication of sexually explicit content created authentically or via artificial intelligence. On May 22, he also saw success with House passage of legislative measures supporting his agenda; these await Senate consideration amid mixed reactions from Catholic leaders regarding certain provisions.
Former President Joe Biden disclosed on May 18 that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
