Catholic News
- Christ's grace awaits in times of trouble, Pope tells audience (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV devoted his weekly public audience on October 8 to a reflection on how Jesus approached his disciples after his Resurrection. “We would have expected special effects, signs of power, overwhelming evidence,” the Pope said. “But the Lord does not seek this: he prefers the language of proximity, of normality, of sharing a meal.” By this means, the Pope continued, Jesus showed that “everything can become grace—even the most ordinary things: eating, working, waiting, taking care of a house, supporting a friend.” However, he went on: “there is an obstacle that often prevents us from recognizing Christ’s presence in our daily lives: the assumption that joy must be free from suffering.” In fact, Jesus is waiting for us even during times of pain and disappointment, the Pontiff said. “This is the greatest surprise: to discover that beneath the ashes of disenchantment and weariness there is always a living ember, waiting only to be rekindled.” He cited the example of the disciples who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus, and belatedly realized: “Did not our hearts burn within us?” Pope Leo said: Brothers and sisters, Christ’s resurrection teaches us that no history is so marked by disappointment or sin that it cannot be visited by hope. No fall is definitive, no night is eternal, no wound is destined to remain open forever. However distant, lost or unworthy we may feel, there is no distance that can extinguish the unfailing power of God’s love. - Pope will travel to Turkey, Lebanon in November (Vatican Press Office)
The Vatican has announced plans for the first trip abroad by Pope Leo XIV: a trip that will take him Turkey and Lebanon. The Pontiff will travel to Turkey, where he will join in ecumenical celebrations marking the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, from November 27 to 30. From there he will continue to Lebanon, visiting there until December 2. The Vatican indicated that further details of the trip will be released as the date approaches. - USCCB emphasizes lack of authority over individual dioceses (USCCB)
A spokeswoman for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops emphasized that the bishops’ conference has no authority over individual dioceses. The conference “is not a governing body, and as such, it has no authority to intervene in matters dealing with decisions made in an individual diocese,” said Chieko Noguchi. “The USCCB seeks to facilitate dialogue among its bishop members, while also respecting the right of individual bishops to speak as they deem appropriate.” The USCCB issued its statement because of inquiries over recent “matters pertaining to decisions made in individual (arch)dioceses.” The statement follows Cardinal Blase Cupich’s decision to give a lifetime achievement award to Sen. Richard Durbin. - Pope, at Vespers, reflects on the Blessed Virgin Mary's example (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Vespers on the evening of October 6 in the chapel of Domus Australia, a guest house in Rome. Cardinals Raymond Burke, Edwin O’Brien, and Willem Jacobus Eijk were also present, the Vatican newspaper reported. Recalling the chapel’s patronal feast of Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii, celebrated the following day, Pope Leo said that “this devotion to Our Blessed Mother holds a special place in my heart.” Mary, the Pope continued, embodied the virtue of hope “through her trust that God would fulfil his promises. This hope, in turn, gave her the strength and courage to spend her life willingly for the sake of the Gospel and abandon herself entirely to God’s will.” - Cardinal Parolin raps both Hamas massacre, Israeli conduct of war (Vatican News)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, has renewed the Holy See’s condemnation of the October 7 attacks on Israel and the killing of civilians in Gaza—while also sharply criticizing Israel’s current military campaign in Gaza. In a wide-ranging interview with Vatican communications staff, Cardinal Parolin said that “those who are attacked have a right to defend themselves, but even legitimate defense must respect the principle of proportionality. Unfortunately, the resulting war has brought about disastrous and inhuman consequences.” Stating that “it is unacceptable and unjustifiable to reduce human beings to mere ‘collateral damage,’” Cardinal Parolin said that it now seems Israeli forces are “targeting a largely defenseless population, already pushed to the brink.” He called for prayer and action on behalf of peace. - Vatican foreign minister calls for respect for rights of Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims (Holy See Mission)
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, called for respect for the human rights of Rohingya Muslims, who have suffered intense persecution in Buddhist-majority Myanmar. “Every human being, regardless of ethnicity or religion, possesses a God-given dignity as well as fundamental rights, including the right to nationality, and to live in safety,” Archbishop Gallagher said in a statement for a recent UN conference. “While unequivocally condemning all forms of discrimination, persecution, and violence based on ethnicity or religion, the Holy See urges all parties to uphold international human rights [and] to take concrete steps to protect ethnic and religious minorities.” - Pope expresses closeness to Gaza parish (@PGabRomanelli)
In a social media message posted in Spanish and Arabic, the pastor of Gaza’s sole Catholic parish said on October 6 that “Pope Leo sent me a message assuring us of his prayers for peace.” Father Gabriel Romanelli, IVE, said that the Pope “tells us that his prayers are with us and that he sent his blessing to all.” - Haiti needs 'profound moral conversion,' wounded bishop says in interview (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Bishop Pierre-André Dumas, a Haitian bishop severely wounded amid gang violence last year, told the Vatican newspaper that the strife-torn Caribbean nation needs a “profound moral conversion.” “It is not enough to change a president or a parliament: we must rebuild the ethical and social fabric, also through a profound moral conversion,” he said. “The true reconstruction of Haiti begins with the rebuilding of hearts.” An explosion last year caused third-degree burns on 40% of his body. Bishop Dumas has undergone dozens of operations and is currently in Florida. - Authorities find body of missing priest in violence-torn Mexican state (AP)
The body of Father Bertoldo Pantaleón Estrada was found in violence-torn Guerrero state (map) on October 6, two days after the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa reported his appearance. “It was not immediately clear how he was killed or who was behind his death,” according to the Associated Press, which reported that ten priests were killed in Mexico between 2019 and 2024. - Amazon prelates lament threats to clean water (CELAM (Spanish))
Prelates and laity from the Amazon region gathered in Iquitos, Peru, for the Amazon water summit. In a statement at the summit’s conclusion, participants spoke of “the contradiction of living in the largest source of fresh water on the planet, without access to safe and healthy drinking water.” The statement denounced “mining, oil exploitation, deforestation and the excessive increase in garbage,” as well as “the murder of water defenders by power interests that seek to turn it into merchandise and profit.” Participants also said that “ecclesial communities” should become “spaces of articulation for the defense of water, to accompany pastoral agents in their mission to care for the territory, and to strengthen processes of political and ethical formation in favor of the common home,” according to the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM). - Comboni missionary official says Church in Europe has become a 'dry womb' (Fides)
In an address at a meeting organized by the Dicastery for Evangelization and the Pontifical Mission Societies, an official of the Comboni missionary order described European dioceses as a “dry womb.” Father Giulio Albanese, who writes frequently about Africa for the Vatican newspaper, said that in 1990, “there were nearly 24,000 Italian missionaries, including 800 lay people.” Today, “there are 4,000 Italian missionaries, including 2,000 lay people.” While praising the increase in lay missionaries, the priest said that “it is clear that if the churches, and I am thinking especially of the European churches, become, pardon the expression, a dry womb, they betray their vocation, they go against nature.” - Pontiff again appoints Spiritan superior as bishop (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV yesterday appointed Father Pedro Alexandre Simões Gouveia Fernandes, CSSp, the former superior general of the Portuguese province of the Spiritans, as bishop of Portalegre-Castelo Branco, Portugal. The previous day, Pope Leo had appointed another Spiritan priest, Father Frédéric Pierre Rossignol, as bishop of Tournai, Belgium. Father Rossignol had served as Spiritan major superior for India and Vietnam. A Spiritan priest was last named a bishop in 2022. The Spiritans, also known as the Holy Ghost fathers, were founded in 1703 by the Servant of God Claude-François Poullart des Places. The institute, once led by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (1962-68), has nearly 2,800 members. - 16,000 expected for Jubilee of Consecrated Life (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Some 16,000 pilgrims are expected in Rome for the Jubilee of Consecrated Life, which begins on October 8. Although the Vatican’s jubilee website publicized the Jubilee of Consecrated Life as a two-day event, the Vatican newspaper reported that the jubilee is a four-day event that concludes on October 11. Pope Leo XIV will celebrate a rare Thursday morning Mass in St. Peter’s Square on October 9 for participants. - Pope Leo: 'Today a new missionary age opens up in the history of the Church' (Dicastery for Communication)
During his Mass for participants in the Jubilee of the Missions, which coincided with the Jubilee of Migrants, Pope Leo XIV spoke of a “new missionary age” dawning in the Church. “We are called to renew in ourselves the fire of our missionary vocation,” Pope Leo preached during yesterday’s Sunday Mass, celebrated in St. Peter’s Square. “Brothers and sisters, today a new missionary age opens up in the history of the Church.” “If for a long time we have associated with mission the word ‘depart,’ the going out to distant lands that did not know the Gospel or were experiencing poverty, today the frontiers of the missions are no longer geographical, because poverty, suffering and the desire for a greater hope have made their way to us,” the Pope continued. “The story of so many of our migrant brothers and sisters bears witnesses to this.” Calling on “all of us to let ourselves be permanently in a state of mission,” Pope Leo called for “a renewed missionary cooperation” among dioceses of the West and the global South, as well as missionary vocations. He explained: I refer in particular to the Church in Europe: today there is a need for a new missionary effort by laity, religious and priests who will offer their service in missionary lands. - Pope repeats condemnation of Hamas terror, plea for peace (CNA)
On October 7, marking the 2nd anniversary of the Hamas terror attack on Israel, Pope Leo XIV said that we “really need to think hard about how much hatred there is in the world.” In an exchange with reporters at Castel Gandolfo, the Pope renewed his condemnation of the massacre by Hamas, appealed again for the release of hostages, and— pointing out that an estimated 60,000 to 67,000 Palestinians have subsequently died in Gaza— repeated his plea for peace. Pope Leo has made it his regular practice to spend Tuesdays—when papal audiences are not scheduled—at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, and to chat briefly with reporters there. - Pope declines to comment on Trump-Chicago showdown (CNA)
When questioned by reporters at Castel Gandolfo on October 7, Pope Leo XIV declined to answer a question about the volatile situation in his native Chicago, where President Trump has said he will send in troops to protect immigration agents from mobs. Asked for his reaction to the situation, the Pope said: “I prefer not to comment at this time about choices made—political choices—in the United States.” Pope Leo has made it his regular practice to spend Tuesdays—when papal audiences are not scheduled—at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, and to chat briefly with reporters there. - Congo: bishops decry death penalty for former president (Fides)
The Catholic bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have voiced their opposition to a military court’s decision to impose the death penalty on former President joseph Kabila. “The death penalty is not compatible with the Gospel and does not promote national cohesion,” the bishops said. They said that they were “shocked” and “horrified” by the sentence, adding that it would not promote peace and reconciliation in the war-torn country. Kabila, who ruled the DRC from 2001 to 2019, left the country in 2023 but has been spotted recently in the eastern province of Kivu, which is under the control of rebel groups. He was convicted of treason in absentia by a military court. - Be Christ's witnesses, Pope urges in World Youth Day message (Vatican Press Office)
In a message for the 40th World Youth Day, which will be observed in local dioceses on November 23, Pope Leo XIV told young people that there are “two two aspects of witness: our friendship with Jesus, which we receive from God as a gift, and our commitment to be builders of peace in society.” Witness, the Pope said, “is not to be confused with ideological propaganda.” Rather “it is an authentic principle of interior transformation and social awareness.” True witnesses as always missionaries, he continued, and “with the help of the Holy Spirit, you can become missionaries of Christ in the world.” Pope Leo went on to say that in those who pursue friendship with Christ, “there arises a way of life that bears the character of fraternity,” and draws closer to others. “The witness of fraternity and peace that friendship with Christ awakens in us casts off indifference and spiritual laziness, helping us to overcome closed-mindedness and suspicion.” - Papal gratitude to Knights of Columbus for funding St. Peter's restoration projects (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV yesterday expressed gratitude to board members of the Knights of Columbus for their support of art restoration projects in St. Peter’s Basilica. During an audience in Consistory Hall of the Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo said that the restoration of Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s baldacchino and of his bronze monument protecting the Cathedra of Saint Peter “help all who look upon them to contemplate two of the principal tenets of our faith: the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and the Pope as the Successor of Peter, who unites and guides the Church.” - Armenia jails Orthodox archbishop, charged with plotting coup (National Catholic Reporter)
An Armenian court has sentenced a leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church to a two-year prison sentence for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government. Archbishop Mikael Ajapahyan was found guilty of calling for the removal of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. Prosecutors argued that he was planning a coup. The Armenian Apostolic Church said that he was engaging only in criticism of government policies, and said that the prosecution was “one of the clear manifestations of the authorities’ anti-church campaign.” - More...