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National Catholic Register

Christian Churches and Symbols Hit During War in Southern Lebanon

Kawnat Haju
First responders inspect damage following Israeli bombardment on the village of Deir Qanoun al-Nahr in southern Lebanon on May 17, 2026.

Two recent incidents brought attention to the desecration of Christian symbols in Lebanon — one involving an image of an Israeli soldier placing a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue.

Cultural Shifts Drive Decline in U.S. Marriage Rates, Heritage Report Says

Caroline Ruda
An empty aisle in church decorated for a wedding. Cultural shifts are driving a decline in U.S. marriage rates, a Heritage Foundation report released May 19, 2026, said.

Declining wages among working-class men are not the main driver of marriage decline in America, the report said.

Uganda Postpones Martyrs’ Day Celebrations Over Ebola Fears

Badru Katumba
Churchgoers gather for Sunday Mass in Padea, on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, on May 17, 2026. The World Health Organization declared an international health emergency on Sunday over an outbreak of an Ebola strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Uganda's President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni said the decision follows consultations with key stakeholders in the east African nation.

The Vatican’s Long Game With Iran

ISABELLA BONOTTO
Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Seyyed Abbas Salehi (3L) walks with Iranian Ambassador to the Vatican Mohammad Hossein Mokhtari (2L) as they arrive ahead of late Pope Francis' funeral in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on April 26, 2025.

ANALYSIS: Behind a recent controversial honor for Tehran’s envoy lies a history of back‑channel diplomacy, shared U.N. battles and carefully tended lines to the ayatollahs.

From Budapest to Princeton, Catholic Scholars Mobilize to Reconnect Faith and Political Life

CatholicPOST, the Association for the Renewal of Catholic Political and Social Thought, held its first conference titled “The Renaissance of Catholic Social Teaching,” on March 9–10, 2026, at the Ludovika University of Public Service in Budapest.

CatholicPOST seeks to restore Catholic social doctrine to its rightful place in intellectual life and academic discussion.