Catholic News
- Pope Leo calls for 'new global food order' (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV said that “new global food order is essential—one in which technological innovation is unconditionally subordinated to respect for God-given human dignity and the universal common good.” - 2 days after surgery, Pope's recovery 'progressing normally' (Vatican News)
Two days after Pope Leo XIV underwent lung surgery, the Pope’s personal physician, joined by the head of the surgical team that operated on the Pontiff, said that “overall, his postoperative recovery is progressing normally.” Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora said in a statement issued on October 15 that “this morning, the Holy Father underwent routine checks, which yielded normal results. The chest X-ray showed good recovery of the lung that underwent surgery.” Carbone and Margaritora added that the Pope “carried out his daily activities independently” and that “his physiotherapy session included a full range of physical activities.” - Dominican Republic's president, leading Vatican officials discuss regional conflicts (Vatican Press Office)
President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic met on October 15 with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations. According to a Vatican statement, the parties discussed Church-state relations and “the regional situation, with particular attention to the repercussions of conflicts and transnational organized crime.” President Abinader said that Cuba and Haiti were among the topics of conversation. - Christian village attacked in Syria (Aid to the Church in Need)
Armed men from Al-Qalaa, a predominantly Sunni Muslim village in western Syria, entered a predominantly Christian village on October 3, damaged property, and fired at houses. An Orthodox priest narrowly missed being shot. Local sources told Aid to the Church in Need that the attack on Al-Suqaylabiyah began with an altercation between Christian and Muslim youths. A previous attack on Al-Suqaylabiyah in March caused “widespread damage to homes, shops and cars,” the Associated Press reported at the time. - Holy See calls for international cooperation to combat transnational crime (Vatican News)
A Vatican diplomat emphasized the importance of international cooperation in combating organized crime. Addressing a conference of the Organization of American States (OAS), Msgr. Juan Antonio Cruz Serrano, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the OAS, also emphasized the importance of “placing the human person at the center of security strategies” and “investing in prevention and protection,” according to Vatican News. In its report, Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, inaccurately referred to Msgr. Cruz as an archbishop. According to the Annuario Pontificio, the priest was named a monsignor in 2017 but has not been appointed a bishop. - Vatican diplomat: Give poorest nations greater access to finance, technology (Holy See Mission)
A leading Vatican diplomat called upon the international community to grant countries in “special situations”—the least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and small island developing States (SIDS)—greater access to finance and technology. Addressing a UN committee meeting, Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said recently that “countries in special situations must have the means to invest in their development, strengthen their resilience, and respond to emerging crises. This requires greater access to concessional financing; addressing unsustainable debt burdens, including through debt cancellation and technology transfer.” Archbishop El-Kassis added: We must place people at the center of our efforts. The measure of development is not simply economic growth, but whether the inherent God-given dignity of each person is recognized by providing the conditions necessary for them to flourish. Investments in healthcare, education, decent work and social protection systems are therefore indispensable ... Solidarity should indeed be embraced as both a principle and a virtue, recognizing the unique vulnerabilities of countries in special situations and responding accordingly. - Head of Eastern Catholic church assumes leadership of 2nd eparchy (Holy See Press Office)
In an unusual arrangement, the head of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church (CNEWA profile) assumed governance of a second eparchy. As head of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church, Major Archbishop Claudiu-Lucian Pop is the ex officio head of the Archeparchy of Făgăraș and Alba Iulia. With the consent of the church’s Synod of Bishops, and after consultation with the Holy See, Archbishop Pop will also lead the Eparchy of Cluj-Gherla. The Eparchy of Cluj-Gherla is not unknown to the Major Archbishop. The prelate, now 54, was bishop of Cluj-Gherla from 2021 until his 2025 election as head of the Romanian Greek Catholic Church. The Romanian Greek Catholic Church has seven eparchies: six in Romania and one in the United States. - Philippine bishops: Don't displace indigenous peoples for sake of 'greener future' (AsiaNews)
The Philippine bishops’ Commission for Indigenous Peoples condemned the prospective displacement of indigenous peoples because of “green” energy projects. “A greener future cannot be built on injustice,” the commission stated. “The growing demand for critical minerals must not be used to justify forced displacement.” AsiaNews, the news agency of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, reported that the “extraction of nickel—necessary for electric vehicles—in Palawan and other areas has led to the destruction of farmland, water pollution and the forced displacement of local communities.” - Vatican newspaper spotlights plight of West Bank's Palestinian Christians (CWN)
The Vatican newspaper drew attention to the plight of Palestinian Christians with a four-article series in its October 15 edition - Another bishop consecrated in China (Holy See Press Office)
The Holy See Press Office announced that Father Ignatius Ding Zuyao, 40, was consecrated bishop of Haimen, China, on October 15. Typically, the Holy See Press Office announces a bishop’s appointment, rather than his consecration. In announcing the prelate’s consecration, the press office stated that Pope Leo, “having approved his candidacy within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China,” made the appointment on August 24. The announcement follows similar episcopal consecrations in recent months. - USCCB warns against 'Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment' (USCCB)
In a newly published article (“Advance Medical Directives: Planning for Your Future”), the U.S. bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities said that “some states and healthcare systems have been implementing a troubling document known as a ‘Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment,’ also called by a confusing array of acronyms (POLST, MOST, MOLST, or POST).” “The POLST document is filled out by a doctor or other medical professional to define treatments to be withheld or administered in a future situation,” the USCCB explained. “It has been criticized for placing more power in the hands of physicians than in patients’ hands. Indeed, in some cases the patient need not even sign the document.” The article continued: Once signed by the physician, it becomes a doctor’s order to other medical staff, and may override the patient’s own past advance directives and even the patient’s appointment of a health care agent. It may be applied to patients who are not in a terminal situation and who might only need antibiotics, nutrition and hydration, or other proportionate care. Yet a POLST document signed months or years before, stating that the patient should not receive antibiotics, could still be followed even if the patient ... faced a simple urinary tract infection which is easily cleared up by antibiotics. - Teen arrested in attempted arson at French cathedral (OIDAC Europe)
A 19-year-old man was arrested in connection with an attempted arson attack on the cathedral in the French town of Die. The young man “was seen by a witness to be busy lighting a fire in the middle of the cathedral using matches and a candle,” the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe reported. “Following his arrest, investigators reportedly found videos of fires on the suspect’s mobile phone.” - Ukrainian Catholic leader says he discussed families in war at Amoris Laetitia meeting (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
The head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church revealed that he discussed the plight of families in war at the recent Vatican meeting on the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia. Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk said that “It was particularly moving for everyone to hear the voice of Ukraine.” “We had the opportunity to speak about the deep wounds inflicted on Ukrainian families by the war,” he continued. “Among all social institutions, it is the family in Ukraine that faces perhaps the greatest trials, and therefore it needs care, support, and assistance to heal these wounds.” - Bishop leads Rosary for peace in strife-torn Manipur (Fides)
The bishop of Miao, India, led an online Rosary for peace in the strife-torn northeastern Indian state of Manipur. “The Rosary is our powerful weapon against the forces of evil,” Bishop George Pallipparambil, S.D.B., said on October 7, the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary. “We do not pray the Rosary only today, but every day, and we should recite it as often as possible, especially during this month of the Rosary.” Father Felix Anthony, the diocese’s secretary for social communications, said that “most of the violence is directed against innocent villagers and women. The situation appears to be worsening by the day, with divisions and polarization deepening.” - 'Freedom to worship, freedom from fear' is theme of Philadelphia Christian Unity Gathering (National Council of Churches)
The National Council of Churches—a fellowship of 37 Protestant communities and separated Eastern churches—is holding its annual Christian Unity Gathering in Philadelphia. The theme of the gathering, which concludes today, is “Freedom to worship, freedom from fear.” The session on freedom from fear addressed “the fear created by religious hatred, racial violence, political retaliation, surveillance, misinformation, and threats against houses of worship.” - Pew: President Trump's support among Catholic voters drops heading into midterms (OSV News)
President Donald Trump’s approval rating has dropped to 30% among Catholic voters, according to a new Pew Research Center survey—down from 47% at the beginning of his second term. President Trump’s approval rating among white Catholics has dropped from 58% to 39%. His approval rating among Hispanic Catholics has dropped from 31% to 18%. - Pope has good 2nd night in hospital (Vatican News)
The Holy See Press Office issued a brief statement this morning on the Pope’s recovery from lung surgery. “The Pope had a good night in the hospital, got up, and had breakfast,” according to the statement. - Vatican issues message for World Mental Health Day (Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development)
The prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development issued a message for World Mental Health Day. “No psychological wound can ever erase the dignity of a human person,” Sister Alessandra Smerilli, F.M.A., wrote in her message, released October 9. “To all who suffer, the Church says: you are not alone, and God has not abandoned you.” “As Christians, we are called to develop a stable, competent, compassionate and preventive ministry that embraces the person in their totality: body, mind and spirit,” she added. “This requires trained pastoral workers, collaboration with health professionals, clear referral pathways, attention to suicide prevention, support for families and care for young people.” - Amoris Laetitia meeting concludes with papal homily, message (CWN)
The weeklong extraordinary meeting on the tenth anniversary of Amoris Laetitia concluded on October 14 with a Mass in St. Peter’s Square (video), a papal message, and a press briefing (video). - Vatican diplomat calls for abolition of death penalty (Holy See Mission)
At a UN committee meeting devoted to the promotion and protection of human rights, a leading Vatican diplomat called for the abolition of the death penalty. Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, said that the defense of human life must be “consistent and universal, extending to every person, at every stage and in every circumstance.” “For this reason, ‘the death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person,’” he said, citing the 2018 revision to the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “This God-given dignity is never forfeited, no matter the gravity of the crime. Advances in penal systems now allow States to protect society effectively without foreclosing the possibility of repentance and redemption.” “The Holy See is encouraged by the fact that many States have abolished the death penalty in law or established moratorium,” he added in his October 7 statement. “States that retain the death penalty should consider establishing, without delay, a moratorium on executions as a step towards abolition.” - More...