Immigration was perhaps the biggest story of the year for many of America’s editorial departments. It surely was for Dispatches, The Weekly Dispatch and in feature writing for America magazine.
US Church
Posted inDispatches
‘He’s just Catholic’: Joliet voices speak on new NY archbishop Hicks
“When it comes to the culture wars, I don’t think he is interested,” said Rev. Peter Wojcik. “He doesn’t have social media accounts. I think he’s just Catholic.”
Posted inNews
Pope Leo names pro-immigrant pastor bishop of Florida diocese where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago is located
Pope Leo XIV on Friday named the Rev. Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez, currently pastor of a predominantly Hispanic church in the Queens borough of New York City, as bishop of Palm Beach, Florida.
Posted inNews
New NY archbishop ‘committed’ to immigration issues, accountability on abuse—and staying a Cubs fan
(OSV News) — The newly named leader of the Archdiocese of New York, Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks, introduced himself to the faithful of his new home Dec. 18 with a pledge to become familiar with its challenges and uphold human dignity. He also highlighted his Chicago-area background, which is similar to Pope Leo XIV’s. In […]
Posted inVatican Dispatch
Pope Leo picks Chicago-born Ronald Hicks to follow Dolan in New York
In naming Bishop Hicks for this high-profile post, Pope Leo chose a man whom he already knew; they met in 2024 when the then-Cardinal Robert Prevost gave a talk at a parish in the Joliet diocese.
Posted inNews
California bishops celebrate ‘very powerful’ Mass for detainees in ICE facility
With Communion bowls in hand, a group of California bishops walked through the barbed wire gates of the ICE Processing Center and offered Jesus to the men locked inside.
Posted inNews
Pew: Why some Americans—including Catholics—leave their childhood faith
For Catholics, retention rates tend to be significantly lower than for other faiths, while former Catholics cite varying reasons for leaving the church, depending upon their current religious affiliation—or lack thereof.
Posted inNews
Trump administration threatens Sister Norma Pimentel’s migrant aid with 6-year funding ban
The Department of Homeland Security has moved to bar Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley from receiving federal funds for six years, targeting one of the nation’s most prominent Catholic Charities affiliates.
Posted inArts & Culture, Books
Review: The U.S. church today—and tomorrow
‘Reclaiming American Catholicism,’ coming in at nearly 400 pages, is a comprehensive and meticulous synopsis of many of the ills that are plaguing the church in the United States.
Posted inNews
Boston archdiocese tells church to remove ICE message from Nativity, but pastor refuses for now
In a Dec. 6 statement, the archdiocese said, “The people of God have the right to expect that, when they come to church, they will encounter genuine opportunities for prayer and Catholic worship—not divisive political messaging.”