OSV News photo/Simone Risoluti, Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV arrives to celebrate Mass in Piazza Bartolo Longo in front of the Pontifical Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary of Pompeii near Naples, Italy, on Friday, May 8 — the first anniversary of his election as the first American pontiff. C elebrating Mass before an estimated 20,000 people, the pope recalled that his election in 2025 coincided with the feast of Our Lady of Pompeii. “I therefore had to come here to place my ministry under the protection of the Blessed Virgin,” he said. The Augustinian pope’s first year included international trips, canonizations and Jubilee events. In his homily, Pope Leo spoke at length about the importance of the Rosary and urged Catholics to place their hope in Christ. “Brothers and sisters, no earthly power will save the world, but only the divine power of love,” he said. Marco Rubio, Pope Leo XIV Discuss Iran War at Vatican Meeting VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Thursday, May 7, for talks focused on Iran, humanitarian aid and global conflicts, amid tensions between President Donald Trump and the pope. Rubio spent more than 45 minutes with Pope Leo XIV before meeting with the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s foreign minister. The Vatican said the meetings reaffirmed “the shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America” and stressed “the need to work tirelessly to promote peace.” Rubio later said he met the pope “to underscore our shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity.” The visit came days after Trump claimed the pope supported Iran having nuclear weapons, a charge the pope swiftly rejected, saying, “The Church has spoken out for years against all nuclear weapons.” Catholic Aid Groups Remain ‘United in Hope’ for Ukraine as War Rages on NEW YORK (OSV News) — Several Catholic aid organizations said they remain “united in hope” for Ukraine as Russia’s war on that nation relentlessly rages on. Such commitment to support Ukraine reflects an awareness that “we are brothers and sisters in Christ,” said Jennifer Healy, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ director of Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, which holds an annual collection among U.S. dioceses. Healy joined representatives of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association and the Knights of Columbus for a May 4 briefing on Catholic aid to Ukraine. The gathering featured an update on the situation in Ukraine by Metropolitan Archbishop Borys A. Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia. Speakers noted the millions in aid are sustaining both humanitarian and pastoral relief efforts in Ukraine. Describing Catholic aid to Ukraine as “steadfast,” Archbishop Gudziak added that the support provided “has been heart to heart, person to person, community to community” and “church to church.” Bishops’ Pro-Life Chair Encourages FDA to Review Safety of Mifepristone WASHINGTON, D.C. (OSV News) — The head of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee has written a letter to Trump administration officials expressing concern about the status of their promised safety review of the drug. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that pro-life groups are growing concerned that the review is being deliberately slow-walked. Pro-life organizations have pushed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to end a Biden administration policy permitting mifepristone to be distributed by mail. However, the Trump administration has thus far left that regulation in place despite the pro-life groups’ opposition and has sought to block state challenges to mifepristone, such as one from Louisiana. In a May 4 letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee, wrote that he is concerned about “reports alleging a deliberate delay in the completion of that review.” He “urgently” encouraged the FDA “to proceed as expeditiously as possible” with its review. Story of ‘Relatable’ Pope Leo XIV Goes Viral CHICAGO (OSV News) — A lighthearted story about a customer service call from Pope Leo XIV is drawing widespread attention and offering many Catholics a glimpse of the pope’s ordinary side. Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy, the incoming provincial superior of the Midwest Augustinians, said he has been surprised by the reaction since sharing the anecdote at an April 29 gathering for fathers and sons at SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Naperville, outside Chicago. According to Father McCarthy, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost — now Pope Leo XIV — called his Chicago bank several months after his election to update his phone number and account information. After answering multiple security questions, the pope was reportedly told the changes could not be made unless he appeared at the bank in person. Father McCarthy said Pope Leo explained that would be difficult because he was “out of town.” When he finally added, “Would it matter if I tell you I’m Pope Leo?” the customer service representative hung up on him. The issue was later resolved after a fellow Augustinian contacted the bank president, who agreed to make the change rather than risk losing “the account of the pope.” Pope to Lead Procession in Madrid as Vatican Releases Spain Schedule VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — The Vatican on Wednesday, May 6, released the official schedule for Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic visit to Spain, a seven-day trip June 6-12 that will take the pontiff to Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands. The packed itinerary includes meetings with Spain’s royal family and political leaders, along with encounters with migrants, prisoners, young people and Catholic communities across the country. Public Masses, a Corpus Christi procession in Madrid, a visit to Barcelona’s Basilica of the Holy Family and stops at migrant reception centers in the Canary Islands are also planned. Spanish bishops, speaking at a news conference after the schedule’s release, said the visit comes at a time of political and social tension and described Pope Leo as a needed “reference point” for dialogue, encounter and peace. Pope Leo Thanks Canary Islands as Hantavirus-Stricken Ship Arrives in Tenerife VATICAN CITY (OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV thanked the people of Spain’s Canary Islands after authorities allowed a cruise ship carrying passengers exposed to hantavirus to dock in Tenerife. Speaking on Sunday, May 10, after praying the Regina Caeli in St. Peter’s Square, the pope praised the islands’ “characteristic hospitality” in welcoming the Dutch-operated ship MV Hondius. He also said he looks forward to visiting the Canary Islands during his trip to Spain next month. The ship arrived hours after the World Health Organization confirmed eight hantavirus cases onboard, including three deaths. Passengers were evacuated and returned home for quarantine and monitoring. Health officials stressed the risk remains low. The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said the Andes strain involved in the outbreak can rarely spread person to person, unlike most hantaviruses, which are linked to infected rodents. Catholic Bishops in Africa Urge End to Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa JOHANNESBURG (OSV News) — African Catholic leaders are calling for urgent action to stop rising xenophobic violence in South Africa, where attacks on foreign nationals have left several dead and others injured. In a May 5 statement, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, head of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, or SECAM, condemned the violence as “un-African” and a serious violation of human dignity. Since late April, armed mobs have targeted migrants in cities including Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, looting property and demanding foreigners leave. Church leaders stressed that such actions undermine African solidarity and the spirit of Ubuntu, or “I am because we are.” “The credibility of Africa, which aspires to become a key player on the international stage, is at stake,” Cardinal Ambongo said. The South African bishops reaffirmed that all people, regardless of legal status, have basic rights to safety, health care and education. The African Union, through its Commission on Human and People’s Rights, called on the South African government to “take decisive measures to dismantle and prevent the operation of vigilante groups engaging in unlawful enforcement activities.” The post News Briefs: May 17, 2026 appeared first on Today's Catholic. ...read more read less