A Chicago microbrewery has released a beer named “Da Pope” in honor of Pope Leo XIV, the Vatican has launched a brand-new official mobile app, and the world’s oldest purpose-built Christian church has just opened its doors to the public.

In this week’s episode of Church Headlines, we cover stories from Rome, the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas — highlighting moments where faith, culture, technology, and global politics intersect in the life of the Catholic Church.

In today’s episode of Church Headlines, Br. Darius Lawrence walks you through:

- A Chicago microbrewery’s tribute beer honoring Pope Leo XIV

- The reopening of the world’s oldest purpose-built Christian church in Jordan

- The Vatican’s launch of its new official institutional mobile app

- Israel’s ban on Caritas International and other humanitarian organizations

- Early preparations for a possible papal visit to Spain in 2026

- A Catholic AI platform inspired by Our Lady of Guadalupe- Pope Leo XIV’s decision to hold annual consistories with

cardinals

- The Pope’s meeting with Venezuelan leader and Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado

Welcome to @ChurchHeadlines where we bring you regular news recaps about what is happening in the Catholic Church throughout the world!

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🕵‍♂ We read it all—so you don’t have to.

🇻🇦 2 Catholic seminarians in Rome reporting what matters.

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For further reading about this week's stories, here are some online articles:

– Chicago brewery releases “Da Pope” beer for Pope Leo XIV: https://zenit.org/2025/11/30/a-beer-created-in-chicago-is-dedicated-to-leo-xiv/

– World’s oldest purpose-built Christian church opens in Jordan: https://zenit.org/2025/12/23/the-worlds-oldest-church-has-been-found-where-is-it-what-is-it-like-and-how-can-you-visit-it/

– Vatican launches official institutional mobile app: https://zenit.org/2026/01/04/vatican-city-launches-institutional-app/

– Caritas International banned in Gaza and West Bank: https://zenit.org/2026/01/03/the-jewish-state-of-israel-bans-caritas-the-charitable-arm-of-the-church-and-more-than-20-humanitarian-organizations-from-gaza/

– Possible papal visit to Spain in 2026: https://zenit.org/2026/01/04/pope-leo-xvi-to-visit-spain-heres-everything-we-know-so-far/

– Catholic AI platform Juanito.ai expands formation efforts: https://zenit.org/2025/12/10/juanito-ai-takes-a-bold-leap-from-guadalupan-ai-to-platform-for-catholic-formation/

– Pope Leo XIV announces annual consistories: https://zenit.org/2026/01/08/cardinals-will-return-to-rome-for-a-new-consistory-in-june-2026-requested-by-pope-leo-xiv/

– Pope meets Venezuelan leader Maria Corina Machado: https://zenit.org/2026/01/12/pope-leo-xiv-receives-nobel-prize-laureate-maria-corina-machado-this-is-what-the-venezuelan-leader-asked-him/

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⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro

00:17 – Chicago brewery releases “Da Pope” beer for Pope Leo XIV

00:53 – World’s oldest purpose-built Christian church opens in Jordan

01:28 – Vatican launches official institutional mobile app

02:16 – Caritas International banned in Gaza and West Bank

02:57 – Possible papal visit to Spain in 2026

03:25 – Catholic AI platform Juanito.ai expands formation efforts

04:01 – Pope Leo XIV announces annual consistories

04:44 – Pope meets Venezuelan leader Maria Corina Machado

05:16 – Outro

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Music track: Downtown by Moavii

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