Priests

The Latest

Members of Actívate (Get Active) deliver more than 33,000 signatures to the Mexican Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) and the attorney general’s office Aug. 24, 2022, demanding justice for two Jesuit priests murdered in June.

More than 33,000 signatures presented to Mexican authorities demanding justice for slain priests

Aug 26, 2022

By CNA Staff

The Mexican platform Actívate (Get Active) on Aug. 24 delivered the signatures to the Ministry of the Interior and the... Read more

Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes of Managua, Nicaragua, in a priestly ordination ceremony.

Archdiocese asks faithful to pray to Curé of Ars for priests in Nicaragua

Aug 4, 2022

By CNA Staff

On the feast day of St. John Mary Vianney, Aug. 4, the Archdiocese of Managua, Nicaragua, called on the faithful... Read more

Pope Francis meets with members of the editorship of the theological magazine La Scuola Cattolica at the Vatican's Consistory Hall, June 17, 2022.

Pope Francis: Candidates for the priesthood must be well scrutinized

Jun 17, 2022

By Courtney Mares

The pope was speaking to seminary formators from the Milan archdiocese. Read more

Pope Francis meets the bishops and priests of the churches of Sicily, Italy, in the Vatican's Clementine Hall on June 9, 2022.

Pope Francis urges Sicily’s Catholic priests to be moral guides — but to drop the lace

Jun 9, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

Noting that he has seen photos from Masses in Sicily, the pope appeared to comment on the use of lace... Read more

Pope Francis celebrates the Chrism Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, April 14, 2022.

Pope Francis at Chrism Mass: The devil tempts priests with ‘hidden idols’

Apr 14, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

‘The priest with a functionalist mindset has his own nourishment, which is his ego,’ he said. Read more

Pope Francis meets members of Rome’s Pontifical Lombard Seminary at the Vatican’s Clementine Hall on Feb. 7, 2022.

Pope Francis to priests: Don’t ‘remain barricaded in the sacristy’

Feb 7, 2022

By CNA Staff

He praised the example of Pius XI, elected pope 100 years ago. Read more

Cardinal Robert Sarah celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Basilica Sept. 28, 2019.

Cardinal Sarah calls Catholic priests to spiritual renewal in new book

Nov 18, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

‘If priests, if society look to God, then I think things will change,’ he said. Read more

Pope Francis ordains 10 men to the priesthood in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 7, 2017.

Number of foreign-born Catholic priests in Italy continues to rise

Nov 10, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

The total number of priests has falled by 11% in the last decade. Read more

Pope Francis visits the elderly priest-residents of Casa San Gaetano in Rome, June 17, 2016.

Pope Francis tells elderly priests: ‘Aging is a privilege’

Sep 17, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

He said: ‘Please, pray for me who is a little old and a little, but not too much, sick!’ Read more

Archbishop Thomas Wenski speaks at a press conference.

Priests are still essential, says Archbishop Wenski

Mar 31, 2021

Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami stressed this week that despite public health distinctions created over the past year, priests are... Read more

A red cross ambulance passes in front of the Vatican as Italy prepares for the coronavirus, March 9, 2020.

43 Catholic priests have died in Italy’s 2nd wave of coronavirus

Nov 30, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Forty-three Italian priests died in November after contracting the coronavirus, as Italy experiences a second wave of the epidemic.  Read more

St. Peter’s Basilica seen through a bubble on Dec. 3, 2019.

World Mission Sunday: number of Catholics continues to rise worldwide

Oct 16, 2020

The number of Catholics worldwide increased by almost 16 million in a year to 1.33 billion, according to statistics highlighted... Read more

Pope Francis at the general audience in St. Peter's Square on March 16, 2016.

Pope Francis thanks sick and elderly priests for proclaiming Gospel of life

Sep 17, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Pope Francis thanked sick and elderly priests for their quiet witness to the Gospel Thursday in a message that conveyed... Read more

Floating tiki bar.

A drowning man prayed for help. God sent a floating tiki bar filled with priests.

Sep 8, 2020

When Jimmy Macdonald found himself floundering in the waters of Lake George in New York next to his tipped kayak,... Read more

Catholics arrange aid for St. Pius X parish in Ragley, Louisiana.

After Hurricane Laura, priests' support group responds to a 'brother' in need

Sep 2, 2020

Support groups for priests provide ongoing camaraderie and spiritual nourishment, and now that list of benefits can be expanded to... Read more

A priest prays at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Hendon, London, on June 14, 2020, as the church prepares to reopen following lockdown.

Coronavirus lockdown leaves Catholic priests struggling for funds

Aug 27, 2020

Catholic priests in England are struggling to make ends meet following a drop in income caused by the coronavirus crisis.  Read more

Photo courtesy of the Polish bishops' conference.

Polish bishops recall service of priests, nuns during Warsaw Uprising

Aug 7, 2020

Commemorating the 76th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising against the Nazis, the Catholic bishops of Poland released a reflection on... Read more

Seminarians for the Diocese of Providence. Photo courtesy of Our Lady of Providence Seminary.

Prayers answered: Diocese of Providence sees decades-high number of new seminarians  

Aug 6, 2020

By Perry West

The Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, is welcoming eight new seminarians this year - the highest number of incoming seminarians... Read more

Pope Francis. Courtesy: Worldpriest

Pope Francis blesses global rosary relay for priests

Jun 2, 2020

Pope Francis has given his apostolic blessing to a worldwide rosary relay for priests.   Read more

Undertakers wearing a face mask carry coffin in a cemetary in Bergamo, Italy on March 16, 2020.

At least 28 priests in northern Italy have died from COVID-19

Mar 19, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Italian dioceses surrounding Milan have reported the deaths of 30 priests during the coronavirus outbreak.  Read more