Luke Coppen

Like its saintly namesake, the Shrine of St. Joseph in Missouri has a mostly quiet existence. It also has a reputation for reports of miraculous occurrences. pillarcatholic.com/p/steeped-in-h…

For the latest figures from 18 countries: pillarcatholic.com/p/is-the-numbe…

The Archdiocese of Cincinnati will welcome 1,096 new Catholics (556 catechumens, 540 candidates). That’s up from 853 people in 2025 and is the highest number in more than 15 years. thecatholictelegraph.com/more-than-1000…

The Archdiocese of Chicago is preparing to welcome 1,059 new Catholics at Easter (614 catechumens, 455 candidates). That’s a striking 52% rise from the 696 new Catholics (446 catechumens, 250 candidates) in 2025. 🇺🇸 chicagocatholic.com/chicagoland/-/…

In a devastating moment for our country, the House of Lords has voted for an amendment which would legalise abortion up to birth. In reaction to this tragic news, Archbishop John Wilson said: "This is a truly tragic moment for our nation. How can this frightening legislation, which, following Royal Assent, will permit the abortion of children right up until the moment of birth for any reason, have any place in a civilised society? We can never underestimate the challenges that women and men facing difficult decisions. There is, however, another life involved which is now to be ignored and silenced. There are also serious concerns for the safety of women. While there is an even more difficult journey now to protect the unborn child, we must continue to speak up for the voiceless and work to protect the most vulnerable who are no longer protected by the law. “As Christians, we affirm that each of us is loved by God and each of us is made in God’s image and likeness. Our innate human dignity is not something granted at birth, but exists from the moment of conception. The increasing advances that allow babies born prematurely to live full and happy lives stands in stark contrast to this legislation. This is fundamentally a matter of justice and this legislation, which favours some lives over others, increases inequality in our society.” St Joseph, protector of expecting mothers and unborn children, pray for us

A big step towards decivilization.

The European Court of Justice has ruled on a case that raises sensitive issues for the Catholic Church in Germany. pillarcatholic.com/p/eu-court-rul…

Patriarch Ilia II led the Georgian Orthodox Church for almost 50 years. This is how his successor will be chosen: orthodoxtimes.com/what-is-the-pr…

He died as the most revered figure in Georgia, recognized for guiding the country out of the Soviet era: tinyurl.com/ms7kw6jm

Patriarch Ilia II, the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, died March 17 at the age of 93. It’s hard to exaggerate his significance in Georgia, a nation of 3.9 million people. 🇬🇪

Requesting your prayers: pillarcatholic.com/p/pray-for-gin…

@Ed014895441 It’s the same as the figure for Church exits, because when a Catholic formally leaves the Church, they no long pay the tax. There’s more detail about how it works here: pillarcatholic.com/p/the-debate-o…

@LukeCoppen Are there figures on those who have stopped paying the church tax, please?

The number of Church exits in Germany has fallen for the third consecutive year, while the percentage of Catholics attending Mass has risen for the fourth year in a row. 🇩🇪 pillarcatholic.com/p/german-churc…

Church exits have depleted every German diocese. Here’s an interactive guide to how they fared in 2015-2025: tinyurl.com/yt6bd5jj

A figure that hasn’t received much attention, but is very striking: there were only 25 priestly ordinations for Germany’s 27 dioceses in 2025.