Catholic News
- Background: World Day for Consecrated Life (CWN)
February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, is also the 30th World Day for Consecrated Life, a commemoration instituted by Pope St. John Paul II in 1997. - Pope reflects on the Beatitudes, 'lights that the Lord kindles in the darkness of history' (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV said today that the Beatitudes are “lights that the Lord kindles in the darkness of history, revealing the plan of salvation that the Father accomplishes through the Son, with the power of the Holy Spirit.” - Pope Leo calls for dialogue between Cuba, United States amid mounting tensions (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV today called for “sincere and effective dialogue” between Cuba and the United States amid mounting tensions. - February papal prayer intention: for children with incurable diseases (Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network)
The Pope’s February 2026 prayer intention, disseminated by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, is “let us pray that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families receive the necessary medical care and support, never losing strength and hope.” - Cuban bishops warn of risk of chaos and violence, call for greater political freedom (CWN)
Warning of the risk of chaos and violence, the bishops of Cuba called for “structural, social, economic, and political changes” in the Caribbean nation, including “respect for the dignity and exercise of freedom of every human being.” - Pope Leo: Images of saints remind us of universal call to holiness (Dicastery for Communication)
Presiding at the inauguration of a Marian mosaic and a statue of St. Rose of Lima in the Vatican Gardens (video), Pope Leo XIV said that “the two figures represented, our heavenly Mother and the first Latin American saint, Rose of Lima, bring us to the theme of holiness.” “These beautiful images we are contemplating today recall the greatness of the vocation to which God calls us, namely, the universal vocation to holiness,” Pope Leo continued. “I encourage you, with God’s grace, to be witnesses and examples of that holiness in today’s world. For that is God’s will: our own sanctification.” The event took place on the afternoon of January 31, with the Peruvian bishops, the ambassador of Peru to the Holy See, and the president of the Governorate of Vatican City State in attendance. - Reflecting on peace, Pope Leo says 'greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion' (CWN)
Addressing young people involved in a political innovation hackathon associated with the Focolare Movement, Pope Leo XIV reflected on peace as “a gift, a covenant and a promise” and said that “there can be no peace while humanity wages war against itself.” - Shun polarization, Pope tells Italian newspaper (Il Foglio)
In a letter marking the 30th anniversary of Il Foglio, Pope Leo XIV encouraged the Italian newspaper’s director to promote the free exchange of ideas, shun polarization, and offer “the most objective narration of the facts possible.” “The possibility of spreading different opinions, and of offering different interpretations of the facts, is the concrete foundation of that free exchange of ideas without which there is no freedom of thought,” Pope Leo wrote in his letter to Claudio Cerasa. “It is necessary to promote dialogue and not surrender to an extremist and deceptive polarization that reduces reality to its parody, cultural and religious roots almost to labels to be exhibited, thought to a calculation,” In the letter, dated January 23 and published on January 30, the Pope added that a free press “requires a great sense of responsibility, for example in the distinction between the most objective narration of the facts possible and the exposition of opinions on them, always dutifully open to discussion.” - Pope entrusts families of Swiss fire victims to Our Lady of Sorrows (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV sent a message to an ecumenical prayer vigil for the victims of the Crans-Montana bar fire in Switzerland, which took place on January 1 and left 40 dead and 116 injured. “In these hours, when your souls are afflicted not only by suffering, but also by incomprehension and the feeling of abandonment, I can only entrust you to the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, who holds you close to her heart and invites you to look with her to the Cross, one which her beloved Jesus also suffered and gave his life,” Pope Leo said in his message, dated January 28 and released on February 1. “On the Cross, the Son of God—God in person—wished to share in what you are experiencing today,” the Pope added. “He will also share with you his glorious and blessed resurrection. For Jesus is truly risen!” The Pontiff previously mourned the loss of life in the fire and met with families of the victims. - Cardinal Parolin marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between Malta, Holy See (Archdiocese of Malta)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, celebrated Mass yesterday at St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, Malta, to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malta and the Holy See. “The Holy See does not claim to calm every storm,” Cardinal Parolin preached. “But it seeks, humbly and persistently, to keep alive the conviction that no one should be lost, that peace is possible, and that dialogue is never in vain.” Recalling St. Paul’s shipwreck on Malta, Cardinal Parolin said, “May we learn from St. Paul to trust, from the Maltese people to welcome, and from St. Peter to remain united—so that, even amid the storms of our time, all may be brought safely to land.” - Vatican newspaper laments 'terrible situation' in Myanmar, 5 years after coup (CWN)
The Vatican newspaper lamented conditions in Myanmar, five years after a coup d’état brought to an end a decade of democratic rule in the Southeast Asian nation. - Pope expresses gratitude to his attendants (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV expressed gratitude to his ushers and other attendants in a February 1 audience. “Whether prince or pilgrim, patriarch or postulant, the solicitude of the Successor of Peter remains the same towards all and loving towards each one,” Pope Leo said during the February 1 audience, which took place in Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace. “The sober beauty that characterizes papal protocol is reflected in in your every gesture.” “Thinking of the history of those who have gone before you, bear witness to their values with a consistent life, knowing well that the service of honor certainly requires a particular code of ethics, but even more so a solid faith, and therefore a spiritual style marked by devotion to the Church and the Pope,” the Pontiff said. “May your daily actions, posture and gaze always be a shining reflection of this.” - Pope sends 80th birthday wishes to Cardinal Christophe Pierre (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV expressed appreciation for Cardinal Christophe Pierre’s service to the Holy See as the apostolic nuncio to the United States celebrated his 80th birthday. Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, the Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, was present in Washington for the cardinal’s birthday party on January 30 and read aloud the papal telegram. Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, was also present at the gathering. Cardinal Pierre was appointed apostolic nuncio to the United States in 2016. He was previously apostolic nuncio to Uganda (1999-2007) and Mexico (2007-2016). - Papal prayer for victims of DR Congo mine collapse (Dicastery for Communication (Italian))
Pope Leo XIV offered prayers for the victims of the Rubaya mine collapse, which left over 200 dead in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “I assure you of my prayers for the numerous victims of the landslide in a mine in North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” Pope Leo told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his February 1 Angelus address. “May the Lord sustain those people who suffer so much!” The Pope’s remarks about the mine collapse were omitted from the Vatican’s English translation of his words. - Papal prayers, solidarity for Portuguese storm victims (Conferência Episcopal Portuguesa)
Pope Leo XIV offered prayers for the victims of Storm Kristin, a record-breaking cyclone. “The Holy Father wishes to express his sorrow for the people who lost their lives, uniting himself spiritually to the pain of their families,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, wrote in his January 30 message to the president of the Portuguese Episcopal Conference. “His Holiness prays for the national and local authorities, as well as for the civil, military and religious institutions that are uniting to come to their aid.” - Follow St. Toribio's example and live in the manner of the Apostles, Pope tells Peru's bishops (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV encouraged the bishops of Peru to follow the example of St. Toribio of Mogrovejo (1538-1606), to live in the manner of the Apostles, and to proclaim the Gospel in its entirety. - Pope encourages Regnum Christi to define its charism more clearly (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV encouraged participants in the general assemblies of the consecrated members of Regnum Christi to define their charism “with ever greater clarity,” to identify their own style of “authentically evangelical governance,” and to “promote ever deeper communion” within the Regnum Christi family. - Pontiff praises Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network, encourages it to invite youth to participate (CWN)
Noting that prayer is “not external to the evangelical work of the Body of Christ, but an integral part of it,” Pope Leo XIV praised the work of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and encouraged it to “invite young people to take part so that they may form the next generation of intercessors for the needs of the whole world.” - Pope encourages parishes to bear Christian witness to Olympic athletes (Vatican Press Office)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a telegram in the Holy Father’s name to Cardinal Oscar Cantoni of Como, Italy, encouraging area parishes to offer “generous Christian witness” to Winter Olympic athletes, “so as to be a shining sign of the presence of Christ, who calls everyone to fraternity.” The Pontiff also expressed hope that the Olympics “will be a favorable opportunity to promote the authentic values of sport: loyalty, respect, team spirit and sacrifice, as well as social inclusion and the joy of encounter.” The January 30 papal telegram to Cardinal Cantoni followed a similar telegram to the archbishop of Milan. - Vatican foreign minister meets with Slovak president (CWN)
Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, began a three-day visit to Slovakia on January 30 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the basic agreement, or concordat, between the Holy See and Slovakia. - More...