Catholic News
- Amoris Laetitia meeting, October 8: prelates discuss 'families today: reality, beauty and challenges' (CWN)
On October 8—the first full day of the weeklong extraordinary Vatican meeting devoted to Amoris Laetitia—the presidents of the world’s episcopal conferences and the heads of the Eastern Catholic churches discussed the first of the meeting’s five themes: “families today: reality, beauty and challenges: discerning the signs of the times through the experience of families and the Church’s pastoral commitment today.” - Cardinal Farrell, at Amoris Laetitia meeting, encourages focus on transmission of faith within families (CWN)
In his opening greeting at the extraordinary Vatican meeting devoted to Amoris Laetitia, Cardinal Kevin Farrell encouraged the presidents of the world’s episcopal conferences and heads of Eastern Catholic churches to consider the breakdown of the transmission of faith within families. - Sister Alford at Amoris Laetitia meeting: 'Encourage young people to take up the great challenge of marriage and family life' (CWN)
In the first meditation delivered at the extraordinary Vatican meeting devoted to Amoris Laetitia, Sister Helen Alford, O.P., encouraged the assembled prelates to “search for ways to encourage young people to take up the great challenge of marriage and family life, embracing it in the full knowledge that they will experience great fragility as part of the process of realizing its beauty, and that in that fragility, they will find new and unexpected sources of God’s grace and experience a desire for holiness that is their very own.” - Sierra Leone's president meets with Pontiff (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV received President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone on October 8. - Vatican diplomat calls for reform of international financial architecture (Holy See Mission)
A leading Vatican diplomat called for a “fairer and more inclusive international financial architecture” so that “no nation is merely a recipient of decisions made elsewhere.” During an October 6 UN discussion on financing sustainable development, Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, also encouraged the international community to “continue working towards a more effective and equitable debt architecture. This would provide countries facing unsustainable debt burdens with the necessary space to invest in their people and advance their development priorities.” “At a time when global military expenditure continues to rise and many developing countries still face severe constrains on financing basic development needs, greater attention must be given to the consequences of these choices on human persons,” Archbishop El-Kassis added. “Investment in healthcare, education, food security, decent work, and climate action is not peripheral to building peaceful and resilient societies: it is at its very core. “ - Leading nun to become president of Pontifical Mission Societies (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV appointed Sister Mary Barron, O.L.A., as the new president of the Pontifical Mission Societies, effective January 4. - Vatican dicastery: Discern how charism, mission of dying religious orders can continue (Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life)
Two officials of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, including the dicastery’s secretary, took part in the National Assembly of Catholic Religious Australia in August. In an October 5 statement on the meeting, the dicastery said that “when the forms that have sustained an institute for decades can no longer remain unchanged, what it has received must be preserved: accompanying people and older members, preserving archives, history and heritage, administering assets responsibly, and discerning how the charism and mission can continue.” “The materials from the visit clearly distinguish preserving the charism from the indefinite continuation of every canonical structure,” the dicastery added. - Vatican newspaper highlights Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
In a front-page article in its October 8 edition, the Vatican newspaper drew attention to a wave of Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians. “The new wave of bombardments has impacted various areas of the country, once again exacting a heavy toll on the civilian population,” L’Osservatore Romano reported. “Five children are among the victims.” “Missiles and drones struck populated areas and various civilian infrastructure, exacerbating an already extremely fragile humanitarian situation,” the unsigned article continued. “A hospital is among the damaged facilities, while attacks have struck critical energy infrastructure, causing power outages and leaving some areas without electricity.” - Beauty opens us to God's gifts, Pope tells donors to Vatican Museums (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV thanked the Louisiana Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums for their generosity and told them that “beauty possesses the power to awaken the noblest desires of the human heart, calling us beyond ourselves and opening our souls to the gratuity of God’s gifts.” - Pope opens extraordinary meeting on Amoris Laetitia, calls on prelates to speak with 'evangelical freedom' (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV opened the extraordinary meeting on the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia and called upon participants to speak with “evangelical freedom” about “what has brought joy in our Churches, what has challenged us and what questions have emerged more clearly through experience.” - US bishops to vote for conference secretary, 6 committee chairmen (USCCB)
The members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops will vote for a new conference secretary and six committee chairmen at their November meeting. The secretary-elect will become chairman-elect of the relatively powerful Committee on Priorities and Plans. The two candidates are Bishop Earl Fernandes of Columbus, Ohio, and Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana. - Vatican diplomat: The equal dignity of men and women 'does not mean sameness' (Holy See Mission)
A leading Vatican diplomat said that “while women and men have equal dignity, equality does not mean sameness. In fact, equity cannot be achieved without recognizing the unique characteristics of each sex.” Addressing a UN committee meeting on the advancement of women, Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said on October 6 that “in this perspective, women should have equal opportunities in all spheres of life without being compelled to renounce either their family life or professional aspirations. Capacities should always be valued and never be a reason for discrimination.” Archbishop El-Kassis added: Equality for women cannot be achieved as long as violence against women remains widespread. The majority of trafficking victims are women and girls who experience violence, exploitation, and objectification, which violates their God-given human dignity. Furthermore, medical and technological advances have enabled new forms of exploitation and abuse, such as surrogacy. The Holy See reiterates its condemnation of transforming gestation into a negotiable service. - Bring the Gospel message of salvation to all people, Pope says in World Mission Sunday video (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV issued a video message for the 100th World Mission Sunday and spoke about “our commitment and responsibility to spread the Gospel message of salvation to all people.” - Pope, in audience on Vatican II, reflects on the Church's mission in the contemporary world (CWN)
Continuing his series of Wednesday general audiences on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, Pope Leo XIV devoted his October 7 audience (video) to the mission of the Church in the contemporary world. - Cardinal Burke: The Blessed Virgin Mary 'is rightly called Co-Redemptrix' (Diane Montagna's Substack)
Addressing an international Marian conference in Rome, Cardinal Raymond Burke said on October 7 that “the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, participated in an altogether unique way in the Mystery of Faith, the Mystery of the Redemptive Incarnation, and is rightly called Co-Redemptrix.” Cardinal Burke delivered his talk, entitled “Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Reign of Christ the King: The Mission of Co-Redemptrix and of Co-Redeemer,” nearly a year after the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a document that discouraged the use of the title. - Former head of Vatican diplomatic personnel named apostolic nuncio to Ireland (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV named Archbishop Jan Romeo Pawlowski, the current apostolic nuncio to Greece, as the new apostolic nuncio to Ireland. - Pope recalls importance of the Rosary (CWN)
At the conclusion of his October 7 general audience, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the importance of the Rosary. - Australian bishop sentenced to over 6 years in prison for abuse (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
The retired bishop of Broome, Australia, was sentenced to six and one-half years in prison for the sexual abuse of two young men. Bishop Christopher Saunders, 76, was convicted in August of one count of sexual penetration and 12 counts of indecent assault. - French bishops issue message on Pope's apostolic journey (CWN)
The permanent council of the Conference of Bishops of France emphasized gratitude and joy in a message on Pope Leo XIV’s recent apostolic journey there. - Argentine auxiliary bishop removed from office following allegations by 2 adults (EWTN News)
The Archdiocese of Córdoba, Argentina, announced that Bishop Ricardo Seirutti has been removed from the offices of auxiliary bishop and vicar general. Following unspecified allegations by two adults, Bishop Seirutti has also been barred from hearing confessions for five years, though he may continue to celebrate the other sacraments. - More...