Pope Leo in Cameroon, Bishops Push Back on VP's Just War Comments, and Signs of a Confession Revival

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Maggie Murray of OSV News catches you up on the Catholic news of the day for April 16, 2026. Tune in and visit us online at osvnews.com.

Read the stories in this episode:

1. Pope Leo XIV arrived in Cameroon this week, calling for peace and dialogue in a nation ravaged by separatist conflict, just days after armed factions announced a temporary ceasefire ahead of his visit.
2. In an emotionally charged gathering in Bamenda, Pope Leo delivered a forceful appeal for an end to Cameroon's decade-long Anglophone crisis, hearing firsthand accounts of violence against worshippers and communities while urging the faithful that "we can always begin anew."
3. A U.S. bishop defended the Church's just war tradition after Vice President JD Vance warned Pope Leo to "be careful" when speaking about theology and pushed back on the pope's characterization of the Iran conflict as unjust.
4. The Trump administration canceled an $11 million federal contract with Catholic Charities of Miami, abruptly ending its shelter program for unaccompanied migrant children and giving the agency just three months to relocate those in its care.
5. A new survey from the Vinea Research Group found that two-thirds of Catholics who haven't been to confession in the past year say they're open to returning, with mercy identified as the primary motivator drawing both regular penitents and the long-absent back to the sacrament.