All posts tagged: Catholics

A viral church ranking series is sending young Catholics to Mass in New York

A viral church ranking series is sending young Catholics to Mass in New York

Published by Sam Flores

              View this post on Instagram                         A post shared by RNS (@religionnewssvc)   NEW YORK (RNS) — As Anthony Gross left Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Pompeii Church, a Catholic parish in downtown Manhattan, a fellow parishioner stopped him as he exited the sanctuary. “Do us a favor and try not to be shirtless in the video for this parish,” the man told him.  Gross, 22, a social media influencer who recently moved to New York City, has been posting a viral video series in which he ranks Catholic churches, grading them from A to F based largely on a single visit. The short, lighthearted videos follow a familiar arc: Gross leaves his apartment, attends Mass and often returns home, ending the clip by taking off his shirt and jumping into bed. Less reliant on research and more on “vibes,” Gross said, his most popular church-ranking video, posted last month, has received more than 1.5 million …

As a year of two popes ends, Catholics and the world watch as Leo takes charge

As a year of two popes ends, Catholics and the world watch as Leo takes charge

Published by Sam Flores

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — In 2025, the Catholic Church and the Vatican witnessed the death of Pope Francis and the election of the first pope born in the United States, Leo XIV. While the year was marked by profound change, the new pope emphasized his intention to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics in a spirit of continuity with his predecessor. Leo has already embraced Francis’ financial, structural and spiritual reforms as well as many of his causes, such as care for the environment and the welcoming of migrants and refugees.  What the two popes don’t share is style. In his first months Leo has been more restrained and reflective than Francis, who from the start of his papacy broke with tradition in his dress and where he lived, and never shied from addressing divisions in the church. Leo has restored the practice of retreating to the papal estate at Castel Gandolfo, away from the concerns of the Roman Curia and the chaos of Rome.  On a deeper level, Leo has spent this transition year …