Catholic News
- Pope Leo, in message to Assisi gathering, calls for renewed commitment to peace (CWN)
In a video message to participants in an international peace meeting in Assisi, Pope Leo XIV said that peace “must once again become the common ideal of all peoples, the guiding star for all our choices, the standard that exposes injustice, and the shared horizon for all.” - At least 60 Orthodox Christians dead in 2 attacks in Ethiopia (CWN)
At least 60 Christians were killed in two massacres in Ethiopia’s Oromia state, according to an announcement from the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. - Ceasefire announced in Oleshky following Pontiff's plea (Politico)
U.S. First Lady Melania Trump announced a ceasefire in the Ukrainian city of Oleshky “to protect the safety of civilians and to facilitate the delivery of critical humanitarian aid.” The October 27 announcement followed a papal plea for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged city. On October 16, Pope Leo spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and called for a ceasefire there. Three days later, the Pontiff discussed Oleshky in a conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. - Jordanian Muslim leaders condemn church attack; King Abdullah visits wounded (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Jordanian Muslim leaders condemned the October 23 attack on a Greek Orthodox church that left nine dead and 40 wounded. Father Rifat Bader, director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan, wrote that “King Abdullah II was among the first to arrive at the hospital, just hours after the crime, to check on the condition of the wounded and offer comfort to the victims’ families.” “Jordanian Islamic institutions, foremost among them the Department of the Qadi al-Quda, the General Fatwa Department, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Holy Sites, were quick to condemn the crime, reaffirming the sanctity of innocent lives and places of worship,” Father Bader continued. In Egypt, “the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar also expressed his condemnation of this criminal act.” - Cardinal Fernández sees little interest in new DDF document from progressives, conservatives (Catholic Herald)
The prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith said that he has seen little interest in the dicastery’s new document on transmitting the faith (Phil Lawler analysis). Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández told Religion Confidencial that “in countries with more progressive bishops, there is no visible concern for fostering an intense encounter with Christ. But neither is there any in the more traditional or conservative sectors.” “Pope Francis’s call for a renewed missionary proclamation of the kerygma hasn’t changed the pastoral plans of dioceses and movements,” Cardinal Fernández added. “It’s logical that this topic in the new document—which is so closely connected to that one—doesn’t stir up passions.” Cardinal Fernández asserted that progressives are more interested in “structural changes and dialogue with society,” while conservatives are concerned with “the transmission of sexual morality.” “Awakening in the faithful a captivating experience of the living Christ—who offers His friendship and new life—is something that sounds ‘romantic’ to both sectors, almost out of touch with reality,” he said. “On this point, they agree.” - White House defends President Trump after archbishop calls prayer moment 'manipulated' (Fox News)
A White House spokeswoman came to the defense of President Donald Trump after Archbishop Jeffrey Grob of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, apologized for taking part in a meeting with him. “There has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it: he stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation’s children, and protected parents’ rights,” said Taylor Rogers. - Pope to meet with abuse survivors in Latin America (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV will meet with abuse victims during his apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, which begins next week. “During the days of the Holy Father’s upcoming Apostolic Journey to Latin America, some meetings are planned with people who are victims of abuse by members of the clergy and the Church,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement. “These meetings respond to the Pope’s desire to express his closeness to those who have suffered and continue to suffer because of this violence, to build with them paths to healing accessible to anyone who needs them, and to ensure that the Church is a safe and spiritually healthy place that lives and communicates the Gospel,” the press office added. - Armed standoff inside Texas Catholic church ends in suicide (KBTX-TV)
An armed standoff inside St. Martin’s Church in Round Top, Texas, ended in a suicide yesterday. Sheriff’s deputies negotiated for hours with a murder suspect who entered the church. The suspect eventually killed himself. - Kansas City priest pleads guilty to theft, pays restitution (KSHB-TV)
A priest of the Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas, who was arrested in May on suspicion of stealing $160,000 from his former parish has pleaded guilty to his crime and paid restitution. Father Richard Storey, formerly of Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, will be sentenced in January. The archdiocese said in a statement that Father Storey paid $159,362.92 to his former parish and that it would begin a canonical investigation into the theft, as well as an allegation involving an adult victim. - Nuncio begins mission in Czech Republic, meets with President Pavel (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Archbishop Eugene Nugent began his mission last month as apostolic nuncio to the Czech Republic, the Vatican newspaper reported on October 27. On September 29, the Irish-born prelate met with President Petr Pavel. “During their cordial conversation, various topics concerning the relationship between the Holy See and the Czech Republic were discussed, highlighting the positive bilateral ties and a shared commitment to fostering their further development,” L’Osservatore Romano reported. “Furthermore, the head of State expressed his gratitude to the Holy Father for the approval of the decree for the beatification of the Servants of God Jan Bula and Václav Drbola.” - Papal liturgies for November, early December announced (Vatican Press Office)
Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Celebrations, announced the calendar of liturgical celebrations at which Pope Leo will preside in November and early December. The Pontiff will celebrate Mass in Verano Cemetery on All Souls Day and, as is customary, celebrate Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on November 5 for the repose of the souls of cardinals and bishops who have died during the past year. Pope Leo will also celebrate Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on November 18, the 400th anniversary of the basilica’s dedication. - Slovenia's president, Pontiff discuss Ukraine, AI (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV received President Nataša Pirc Musar of Slovenia on October 26. - Pope encourages Sisters of Charity to keep their charism alive (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV encouraged members of the general chapter of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne Antide Thouret to keep alive their charism of Christ-centered charity. - Vatican confirms Pope will visit Latin America next week (Vatican Press Office)
The Holy See Press Office confirmed that Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru will proceed as planned from November 6-17, despite the cancellation of a far shorter trip to Assisi on October 27. “Based on his current clinical status, as well as the instrumental and laboratory tests performed, there are no contraindications that would prevent him from undertaking his upcoming Apostolic Journey to Latin America as planned,” said the statement. “The Pope is following medical recommendations with great care and diligence, and with a deep determination to continue serving the Church.” - Curial prefect travels to Ukraine on humanitarian mission (Vatican News)
The prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity begins a three-day humanitarian mission to Ukraine today. Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, O.S.A., is bringing 600 boxes of food, clothing, and blankets to Kyiv. - Representatives of world religions gather in Assisi for peace meeting (Community of Sant'Egidio)
Representatives of various religions, joined by prelates and scholars, have gathered in Assisi for a three-day international meeting for peace, four decades after Pope St. John Paul II’s 1986 day of prayer for peace there. The meeting concludes today with a time of prayer. Christians are scheduled to pray in the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi; non-Christians will pray at various locations outside the basilica. Pope Leo XIV was scheduled to travel to Assisi today, but cancelled his visit because of his recent lung surgery. - Vatican diplomat calls for total elimination of nuclear weapons (Holy See Mission)
A leading Vatican diplomat said that the “only lasting response to the dangers posed by nuclear weapons is their total elimination.” “While measures to reduce nuclear risks are necessary, they cannot substitute for disarmament,” Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said at a recent UN committee meeting. “The deterioration of the international security environment cannot justify deeper reliance on nuclear weapons,” the prelate added. “On the contrary, it makes the pursuit of their elimination all the more urgent.” Archbishop El-Kassis also recently expressed “profound concern” about the current nuclear landscape. - Cardinal Cupich defends award to major Planned Parenthood donor (LifeNews.com)
Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago defended the bestowal of an archdiocesan award to a major donor to pro-abortions causes. “This year’s recipient” of the Nostra Aetate Award “is Mr. Michael Sacks, a well-respected leader in Chicago and in the Jewish community,” said Cardinal Cupich. “Refusing to honor or engage with Jews solely because they hold conflicting religious or political positions can risk mimicking historic patterns of antisemitism through exclusion and bigotry, which, frighteningly, is on the rise.” In a 2004 statement, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said that “the Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.” - Vatican spokesman: TLM procession application not specific enough (Pillar)
The director of the Holy See Press Office commented on the Secretariat of State’s decision not to permit an annual pilgrimage of Catholics devoted to the extraordinary form of the Mass to process into St. Peter’s Basilica. The Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage’s request referred “exclusively to the procession, because that’s ordinarily not allowed, not even for dioceses that come in pilgrimage,” said Matteo Bruni. “If the organizers wanted to hold an [alternate] activity such as Eucharistic adoration or prayer, they should’ve made a specific request to that end.” - Cardinal Romeo dies at 88 (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Cardinal Paolo Romeo, the archbishop emeritus of Palermo, Italy, died on October 25 at the age of 88. Born in 1938 and ordained to the priesthood in 1961, Romeo entered the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1967 and was appointed apostolic nuncio to Haiti in 1983. He was later appointed apostolic nuncio to Colombia (1990), Canada (1999), and Italy and San Marino (2001). Pope Benedict XVI named him archbishop of Palermo in 2006 and created him a cardinal in 2010. Five years later, Pope Francis accepted Cardinal Romeo’s resignation from the see of Palermo for reasons of age. “Notably, during his time as Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, he carried out his ministry during a turbulent period in the Caribbean nation’s history, marked by the fall of the Duvalier regime and various coups d’état,” the Vatican newspaper reported. As is customary, Pope Leo XIV issued a telegram following the cardinal’s death. The Pontiff addressed it to the bishop of Acireale, the diocese for which Cardinal Romeo was ordained a priest. With Cardinal Romeo’s death, there are now 239 living members of the College of Cardinals, 116 of whom are eligible to take part in a papal election. - More...