Catholic News
- Vatican cautions against Marian title: 'Co-Redemptrix' (CWN)
In a document released on November 4, the Vatican discourages referring to the Virgin Mary as “Co-Redemptrix,” explaining that the title can convey an inaccurate understanding of Mary’s role in the work of salvation. - Tanzania's bishops denounce government oppression (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
The secretary-general of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference denounced “the systematic violation of fundamental human rights” in his nation “through the kidnapping and killing of politicians and those who opposed the government.” The bishops there have “called for national prayers and condemned the disappearances, kidnappings, and the abduction of politicians and other opposition party representatives,” said Father Charles Kitima. “The episcopal conference even wrote open letters condemning these acts and telling the government that it must sit at the negotiating table and engage in dialogue with the opposition political parties.” Pope Leo XIV recently lamented election violence in Tanzania. The East African nation of 67.5 million (map) is 56% Christian (22% Catholic), 33% Muslim, and 10% ethnic religionist. - Adhere to space treaty's nuclear weapons ban, Vatican diplomat urges (Holy See Mission)
In his second statement in recent days on outer space, a leading Vatican diplomat called for adherence to the Outer Space Treaty (1967), which bans nuclear weapons in space. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said that “states must promote responsible behavior in outer space and fully respect the principles and obligations enshrined in the Treaty, particularly its Article IV, which prohibits the placement of nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction in orbit, on celestial bodies, or anywhere else in outer space.” Earlier this year, NATO’s secretary-general expressed concern that Russia may deploy nuclear weapons in space. - Leading Argentine prelate lists fidelity to the Gospel, defense of human life among essentials (Vatican News (Spanish))
In an interview with Vatican News that followed an audience with Pope Leo, the president of the Episcopal Conference of Argentina addressed a question about “conservative, liberal, or progressive sectors” within the Church. “They are categories borrowed from political sociology, which fail to express the depth of evangelizing commitment,” said Archbishop Marcelo Colombo of Mendoza. “In the Church, what is essential is fidelity to the Gospel, communion with the Pope and the bishops, and the defense of life from conception to natural death.” “The Church exists to evangelize; this must be the root of all structure and service,” he added. “Synodality is not a fad, but an ecclesial lifestyle that involves walking together and discerning communally.” - Apostolic visitor appointed for Emmanuel Community (Tribune Chrétienne )
The Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life has appointed Archbishop Antoine Hérouard of Dijon, France, as apostolic visitor of the Emmanuel Community. “Several bishops and members of the Community have sent detailed reports to the dicastery, expressing their concerns about internal governance, the centralization of power and the difficulty of integration into diocesan life,” Tribune Chrétienne reported. Archbishop Hérouard had previously led the apostolic visitation of the Diocese of Fréjus-Toulon. Following the visitation, Bishop Dominique Rey resigned at Pope Francis’s request. - Pope Leo, on All Saints' Day, proclaims Newman doctor of the Church, co-patron of education (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Square on November 1 and proclaimed St. John Henry Newman (1801-1890) a doctor of the Church and co-patron, along with St. Thomas Aquinas, of the Church’s educational mission (booklet, video). - Abuse suit against New Hampshire bishop dismissed (New Hampshire Union-Leader)
A New Hampshire judge dismissed an abuse suit against Bishop Peter Libasci of Manchester following the death of the bishop’s accuser. The accuser had alleged that the bishop had sexually assaulted him in 1983 and 1984, when the future bishop was serving in a New York parish. Bishop Libasci denied the allegations. - Pope visits Santa Maria Maggiore, prays at predecessor's tomb (Vatican News)
En route to his weekly stay at Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV visited the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major, where he placed a bouquet of white roses on Pope Francis’s tomb and prayed there. The Pontiff also prayed before the Salus Populi Romani, the beloved Roman Marian image. - Leading Congolese prelate links synodality, peace efforts (Vatican News (French))
The president of the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo linked synodality to the bishops’ efforts for peace in the strife-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo. Archbishop Fulgence Muteba of Lubumbashi told Vatican media that he sees “listening, consulting, collaborating, and acting together in shared responsibility” as the key elements of synodality. The prelate said that the nation’s bishops used these synodal elements in developing a proposed roadmap for peace. Archbishop Muteba also “warned against potential pitfalls if synodality is not accompanied by solid ecclesial formation,” according to Vatican News. - President Trump recalls All Saints' Day, All Souls' Day (White House)
President Donald Trump issued a message for All Saints’ Day. “The Blessed Virgin Mary, Patroness of the United States, has long been honored as a symbol of grace for our country,” he wrote. “Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini poured out her life in service to the most poor and needy among us; Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton formed generations through her schools of faith and learning; and Saint John Neumann led his flock with humility, courage, and unrelenting devotion.” At the conclusion of his message, President Trump wrote that “on All Souls’ Day, Christians will remember all those who have entered the eternal sleep of peace. Today, the faithful honor the saints who light the path toward Christ and call our Nation to holiness.” - Former OSV editor faces child pornography charges (Our Sunday Visitor)
Gerald Korson, the editor of Our Sunday Visitor from 1998 to 2007, has been charged with the possession of child pornography, as well as inducing a minor to engage in explicit conduct for the creation of child pornography. Korson also worked as editor of the magazine of Legatus, the association of Catholic business leaders. - USCCB touts CCHD, its anti-poverty program (USCCB)
The United States Conference of Conference Bishops issued a press release yesterday encouraging contributions to the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD), its controversial anti-poverty program. In 2023, the program had an operating deficit of $11,412,329, leading to net assets of negative $2.3 million at year’s end. Ralph McCloud, who was named director of CCHD in 2008, resigned from his position in 2024. - Immerse yourselves in Christ, Pontiff tells youth advisory body (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV offered a reflection on participation, synodality, and mission as he addressed the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life’s International Youth Advisory Body. Authentic participation in the life of the Church, Pope Leo said, “stems from being close to the Heart of Christ. Its origin, then, is spiritual, not ideological or political.” The Pope invited the advisory body’s members “to ‘immerse’ yourselves in Christ, so that you may feel as he feels and see as he sees ... I urge you to look upon [young people] with Christ’s same compassion and try to envisage how the Church, inspired by faith, can go out to meet them.” - Pope encourages Latin America's Catholic universities to embody Catholic identity (Dicastery for Communication)
In a recent address, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Latin America’s Catholic universities to “embody Catholic identity.” “The first universities of the continent—such as Santo Domingo, San Marcos de Lima, México, and many others—were established on the initiative of bishops, religious and missionaries convinced that proclaiming Jesus Christ, ‘the Way and the Truth and the Life’( Jn14:6), is an integral part of the Christian salvific message,” Pope Leo said to members of the Organization of Catholic Universities of Latin America and the Caribbean (ODUCAL). He added, “The universities you represent, moved by the same conviction, are called to become pathways of the mind towards God, thus embodying the Catholic identity that must distinguish them.” - Pope Leo reflects on St. Augustine and education (Dicastery for Communication)
In an address to educators (which followed an earlier address to students), Pope Leo XIV reflected on four aspects of St. Augustine’s teaching on education. “Dear friends, I invite you to make these values—interiority, unity, love and joy—the ‘key elements’ of your mission to your students, remembering the words of Jesus: ‘as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me’ (Mt 25:40),” Pope Leo said at the conclusion of his address, given on the penultimate day of the Jubilee of the World of Education. - Ban weapons in outer space, Vatican diplomat urges (Holy See Mission)
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, urged members of a UN committee to work toward a ban on weapons in outer space. “It is regrettable that, despite the fact that outer space has been an agenda item of the Conference on Disarmament since 1985, the international community has not yet achieved a consensus on an agreement to ban all types of weapons in outer space,” Archbishop Caccia said. The prelate described the “ongoing threat posed by space-based weaponry, including anti-satellite systems, and the accumulation of debris in low Earth orbit” as “a genuine and grave threat to international peace, security, and the long-term sustainability of space-related activities.” - Christianity offers a path to peace, Myanmar's bishops write in message (Vatican News)
In a “Message of Compassion and Hope for Myanmar’s Polycrisis,” Myanmar’s bishops wrote that Christianity offers a path to peace in the war-torn nation, which is predominantly Buddhist. The bishops stated: Where do we go from here? How to end all wars? Can we rise together and say no more wars in any part of the world? Christianity does not offer an easy escape from suffering. But it offers a path—a quiet, humble path—towards reconciliation, healing, and durable peace. - Vatican newspaper: Military intervention by President Obama, NATO 'destroyed' Libya (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Father Giulio Albanese, who writes regularly on Africa for the Vatican newspaper, took stock of the long reign of Muammar al-Qaddafi in Libya, from 1969 to 2011. Without mentioning President Barack Obama by name, Father Albanese criticized the military intervention at the end of Qadaffi’s reign. “The effects were devastating: control of the southern borders disappeared; the coasts opened up to arms trafficking routes and the trafficking of hundreds of thousands of human beings to Europe; the desert areas provided refuge for jihadist groups,” he said. “Since then, Libya has been a place of permanent instability, where local conflicts and foreign interests overlap.” Albanese added: Western responsibility makes the situation even more dramatic: external interference, driven by economic and geopolitical interests, has destroyed a functioning state and fostered chaos, without offering any credible alternative. - Louisiana diocese files for bankruptcy (The Guardian)
The Diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana, has filed for bankruptcy. “This action is occurring because some past priest-perpetrators sexually abused minors, actions that are evil, sinful and go against everything the Church and the priesthood represent,” said Bishop Robert Marshall. “As a result, there are financial claims pending against the diocese that exceed our means.” - Chinese underground bishop dies at 91 after decades of persecution (UCANews)
Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo of Zhengding, who suffered torture and 15 years of imprisonment for refusing to renounce his loyalty to the Pope, has died at the age of 91. The Chinese government does not recognize the Zhengding diocese, and authorities reportedly discouraged the faithful from attending the bishop’s funeral, which was held on October 31. In its article on the prelate’s death, L’Osservatore Romano reported that he was consecrated a bishop only a few months after his 1980 priestly ordination. “Bishop Jia always found himself working pastorally in complicated times and with difficult relations with civil authorities, at times with serious consequences for his personal freedom,” the Vatican newspaper reported. “Despite this, he was never discouraged, but tried his best to advance evangelization, the formation of priests, the care of disabled children, and to maintain communion with the Holy Father.” - More...