Madalaine Elhabbal

Madalaine Elhabbal

Madalaine Elhabbal is a staff reporter for Catholic News Agency, based at the Washington, D.C. headquarters of EWTN News.

Articles by Madalaine Elhabbal

American Jewish Committee donates $25,000 to repair Holy Family Church in Gaza

Aug 5, 2025 / 15:16 pm

The global Jewish advocacy group said the funds will be distributed to the Gaza parish through the Archdiocese of New York with the help of Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

Catholic nuns arrested in India on human trafficking and conversion allegations released

Aug 4, 2025 / 14:54 pm

Two Catholic nuns who were arrested at a train station in central India have been released on bail after spending more than 10 days in prison.

Senate confirms former CatholicVote President Brian Burch as Holy See ambassador

Aug 2, 2025 / 16:25 pm

The U.S. Senate has confirmed former CatholicVote president and founder Brian Burch to serve as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See. 

Bishop Zaidan commends President Trump’s acknowledgment of starvation in Gaza

Aug 1, 2025 / 14:15 pm

“I commend President Trump for acknowledging that starvation is happening in Gaza, especially affecting children,” Bishop Abdullah Elias Zaidan said July 31.

2 Syrian girls share ‘moving testimony’ at Jubilee of Youth event

Aug 1, 2025 / 11:00 am

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed.

Leader of English bishops ‘thrilled’ at Newman’s elevation to doctor of the Church

Jul 31, 2025 / 11:41 am

Cardinal Vincent Nichols said he is “delighted and thrilled” that Pope Leo has announced that he will declare St. John Henry Newman to be a doctor of the Church.

‘Multiverse analysis’ backs 2012 research on outcomes for kids of same-sex parents

Jul 31, 2025 / 10:06 am

A recent analysis by Cornell sociologists “vindicated” a 2012 study that found children of gay parents do worse than those who grow up in intact, biological families.

Fraud in juvenile migrant program causing backlog in visas for foreign priests, religious

Jul 30, 2025 / 17:54 pm

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services found fraud in its permanent residence program for minors, leading to a backlog in visas for foreign-born priests.

New Jersey hospital receives largest-ever gift to a U.S.-based Catholic health center

Jul 29, 2025 / 17:29 pm

Holy Name Medical Center in New Jersey announced it has received a $75 million gift, the largest-ever donation to a U.S.-based Catholic hospital. 

Iconic Notre Dames des Champs church in Paris closed after 2 fires in 48 hours

Jul 28, 2025 / 18:54 pm

Notre Dame des Champs, a Catholic church in Paris, was targeted in an arson attack just 24 hours after an accidental fire broke out in its choir loft.

Amid plunging births, scholar says parenthood needs to be touted as ‘pathway to happiness’

Jul 26, 2025 / 09:00 am

“It’s troubling that we’re actually hitting record low here when it comes to fertility in America,” sociologist Brad Wilcox said.

Exclusive: Gaza priest injured in Israeli bombing discusses impact on parish community

Jul 24, 2025 / 18:13 pm

In an exclusive interview with “EWTN Noticias,” Father Gabriel Romanelli spoke about the July 17 bombing of Holy Family Parish in Gaza.

Pope Leo XIV meets Algerian president, discusses Church life and peacebuilding

Jul 24, 2025 / 14:35 pm

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed.

Inside the cave in France where many believe Mary Magdalene spent her final years

Jul 22, 2025 / 16:17 pm

Tucked away in a rocky mountain in southeast France is a cave formed by natural erosion called La Sainte-Baume, where Mary Magdalene lived.

Director of Jerusalem Pontifical Mission assesses situation in Gaza after church attack

Jul 19, 2025 / 09:00 am

Joseph Hazboun, director of the Pontifical Mission in Jerusalem, spoke with “EWTN News Nightly” on July 18 about the situation facing the people there.

Violence against Christians escalates in Syria

Jul 18, 2025 / 06:00 am

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed. 

Catholic youth urge European leaders to address migrant crisis with charity, understanding

Jul 17, 2025 / 17:15 pm

This year’s written contribution by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union Youth Net centers on solutions for “fostering integration of migrants.”

Australian bishops call on government to enforce country’s surrogacy ban

Jul 16, 2025 / 12:05 pm

“A woman is not a machine for reproduction,” the bishops argue in the letter, “she is a person made in the image of God, called to bear life with love, freedom, and dignity.”

As conditions worsen in Gaza, novena for peace set to start

Jul 14, 2025 / 16:20 pm

The Philos Project’s “Nine-Day Novena to Pray for Peace in the Holy Land” comes as Israel has intensified its bombardment of Gaza.

Malawi gets ready for first-ever Eucharistic congress

Jul 11, 2025 / 14:23 pm

Here’s a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed.