Pope Leo in Cameroon, Bishop Says Just War 'Not a Blank Check for Violence,' Young Men Becoming Religious, and More

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Gina Christian of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for April 17, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.

Read the stories in this episode:

• Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass for more than 120,000 people in Cameroon’s largest city April 17, urging the "beloved children of the African continent" to respond to hunger with both charity and faith, sharing material food and "the bread of life."
• The Catholic Church's just war doctrine is not "a blank check for violence," and the pope is the "guardian of conscience," said Auxiliary Bishop James Massa of Brooklyn, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Doctrine. 
• An increasing number of the nation's young men say religion is "very important" in their lives, marking a return to levels seen 25 years ago, and edging them ahead of young women on the issue, according to Gallup.
• Pope Leo XIV has warned that artificial intelligence could reshape how humanity relates to truth. Speaking April 17 at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, he urged students to pair technical skill with ethical formation in a rapidly digital world. 
• Ten years after her death in Ecuador's 2016 earthquake, Sister Clare Crockett is being remembered as a joyful witness to the faith whose story continues to resonate worldwide.