Catholic News
- Pope departs for South America, fields questions about health, voting (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV departed from Rome Fiumicino Airport for South America this morning as he began his apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, the sixth international journey of his pontificate. - Hong Kong cardinal, Beijing archbishop praise sinicization (CWN)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Stephen Chow Sau-yan, S.J., of Hong Kong, and the archbishop of Beijing spoke at a conference marking the 100th anniversary of the consecration of the first native Chinese bishops. The two Chinese prelates praised sinicization, described by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom as “the complete subordination of religious groups to the CCP’s [Chinese Communist Party’s] political agenda.” - Belarus priest sentenced to 3 years for speaking out against Russian invasion of Ukraine (AP)
A 66-year-old Belarusian priest was sentenced to three years in prison in a closed-door trial on charges of “insulting the authorities” and “extremism.” Father Anatoly Parakhnevich, 66, denounced the Russian invasion of Ukraine, advocated for peace, took up a collection to aid Ukrainian refugees, and called on Belarus to repent for its support for the invasion. The priest, jailed in March, has suffered a heart attack. - USCCB, CRS call on world leaders to take 'decisive action' on climate change (CWN)
The chairmen of two committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, joined by the president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, called on world leaders who will gather at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) to take “decisive action that will protect and promote human flourishing and our common home.” - Allow depositors access to their money, Paraguay's bishops demand after bank collapse (Diario HOY)
The bishops of the South American nation of Paraguay demanded that depositors be granted access to their money following the collapse of Ueno Bank. In a statement entitled “I have seen the affliction of my people, and I have heard their cry” (Ex. 3:7), the bishops asked the nation’s parishes to assist those affected by the crisis and called for accountability. “We reject all forms of financial crime and any improper use of public or private resources that harm people, destroy trust and harm the common good,” they said. “There were warnings that were not heeded in time and, as so often, those who suffer the most are the little ones.” - Nuncio, Vatican newspaper pay tribute to slain Congolese prelate, 30 years after assassination (CWN)
The apostolic nuncio to the Democratic Republic of the Congo paid tribute to the Servant of God Archbishop Christophe Munzihirwa Mwene Ngabo, S.J. (1926-1996), at a conference marking the 30th anniversary of his assassination. - Catholic support for Democrats jumped in midterm election (The Christian Century)
Polls conducted by NBC News and CNN found a marked shift in the Catholic vote between the 2024 and 2026 elections. In 2024, Catholics favored Republicans by a 59%-39% margin, according to NBC News (and by a 60%-39% margin according to CNN). In 2026, NBC News and CNN reported that Catholics, who made up 20% of the electorate, supported Democrats by a 50%-49% margin. - Times publishes overview of abuse scandal settlements (New York Times)
Abuse scandal settlements announced by the nation’s dioceses have now reached “well over $2 billion in just the last few years,” according to a New York Times overview. The largest settlements include settlements announced by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles ($880 million in 2024 and $660 million in 2007), the Archdiocese of New York ($800 million in 2026), the Archdiocese of San Francisco ($395 million in 2026), and the Archdiocese of New Orleans (at least $230 million in 2025). In addition, plaintiffs recently held a vote on whether to accept the Diocese of Buffalo’s $325-million offer. - Charlotte seminarian numbers decline for 3rd consecutive year (CWN)
The number of seminarians in a North Carolina diocese has declined by 19.6% since 2023-24, according to a brochure included with a new fundraising letter written by the diocese’s bishop. - Raleigh diocese refers financial case involving priest to law enforcement (WECT-TV)
The Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina, announced that one of its vicars forane resigned from his position and his pastorate “following a preliminary investigation into financial irregularities conducted by third-party accounting and legal professionals.” “The matter involving Father John McGee, O.S.F.S., has been referred to law enforcement officials,” the diocese said in a statement. Before his resignation, Father McGee was vicar forane of one of the diocese’s eight deaneries. - Ruth Pakaluk's incipient sainthood cause paused (National Catholic Register)
The Ruth V.K. Pakaluk Foundation suspended its petition to open the sainthood cause of the Servant of God Ruth Pakaluk (1957-1998), a wife and mother of seven who served as president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. “The family requests privacy at this time,” said Dwight Duncan, postulator-designate. “But perhaps in the future the case could be formally opened.” - Pope Leo recalls 100th anniversary of consecration of first Chinese bishops (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV recalled the 100th anniversary of the consecration of the first native Chinese bishops in a video message to a conference that commemorated the occasion. - Pope Leo emphasizes sanctity of life in meeting with Hungary's bishops (Magyar Kurir)
The bishops of Hungary, present in Rome for their ad limina visit, met with Pope Leo XIV on November 5 for 90 minutes. Bishop János Székely of Szombathely, the president of the bishops’ conference, said that Pope Leo “spoke at length about the sanctity of human life, from conception to natural death, and how important it is to protect it,” according to the Magyar Kurir, a Hungarian Catholic news agency, which paraphrased the prelate’s comments. The Pope also “affirmed that standing up for Christian values and representing them serves the common good, so the Church has and must have a voice in issues that affect society, such as the family or social justice,” according to the report. - Prayer for the dead is one of Church's 'fundamental duties,' Pope preaches at Mass for deceased cardinals (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on November 5 (video) for the repose of the souls of cardinals and bishops who died in the past year. - Cardinal Parolin previews Pope's journey to South America (Vatican News)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, said that Pope Leo XIV will bear witness to unity and reconciliation during his apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru. Cardinal Parolin, who customarily grants an interview on the eve of a papal apostolic journey, said that the Pope “is not going to reclaim lost ground, but to propose good news that is offered freely, never imposed. This good news has a face and a name. It is Jesus Christ, the Son of God made man, the Savior, the one who gives meaning to our individual and collective histories.” “By her very nature, the Church is a sign and instrument of unity for all people, and in Latin America too, there is a greater need than ever to overcome deep social polarization,” he added. “The Church’s first mission is to bear witness to unity, becoming a leaven of peace, dialogue, and harmony in society.” - Alarming pro-abortion legislation planned for new Congress (CWN)
Human Life Action (HLA), which works closely with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on matters of pro-life legislation, warned that “the expected agenda for the new Congress is alarming.” - Critic of CDF's 2021 rejection of same-sex unions named undersecretary of Vatican dicastery (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV appointed two new undersecretaries of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development: Father Avelino Chicoma Bundo Chico, S.J., the dicastery’s office head, and Claudia Leal Luna, a professor at the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences. - Vatican spokesman: Pope Leo's journey to South America is more than a homecoming (Vatican News)
In an editorial on Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, a Vatican spokesman said that “Pope Leo is returning home,” “a homeland of the heart.” Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, wrote that nonetheless, “the idea of a homecoming must not overshadow the messages the Pope is bringing to these lands. Above all, he comes to strengthen the Christian people in their faith and to renew the Church’s evangelizing mission, a mission rooted in closeness, tenderness, sharing, support for the poorest, and a commitment to building a more just society together.” Tornielli added: The central message Pope Leo is bringing to Latin America is well summed up in the three mottos chosen for the three stops: “I proclaim to you a great joy” for Uruguay; “Everyone is welcome. Go and proclaim” for Argentina; and “Let us open our hearts” for Peru. These words are a call to faith and to the Church’s evangelizing mission, aimed at fostering unity and encounter. - Cardinal Castillo: Pope will remind Peruvians to love one another amid differences (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
In an article published on the eve of Pope Leo XIV’s apostolic journey to South America, the cardinal archbishop of Lima, Peru, said that the Pontiff will remind Peruvians to love one another amid their differences. Cardinal Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio said that “when he invites us to open our hearts to one another, the Pope presents us with a fundamental question of our time: learning to recognize ourselves as fully human, to listen to one another, and to understand the value of every person.” “We are all brothers and sisters, sharing the same dignity,” Cardinal Castillo continued. “Yet today, this dignity is constantly trampled upon by those who consider themselves superior, by those who mistreat, destroy, fuel wars, and hold the lives of others in contempt.” “The Pope comes to remind us that God is love and that we were all created in the image and likeness of that love,” the prelate added. “We were born to love and serve, to understand one another, to help each other, and to value one another.” - Cardinal Sturla: In secularized Uruguay, 5 million Hail Marys offered for the Pope (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
Cardinal Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet, S.D.B., of Montevideo, Uruguay, wrote that the nation’s Catholics have prayed five million Hail Marys for Pope Leo in the weeks before his apostolic journey there. When Pope Leo was hospitalized last month, “we launched a campaign titled ‘Uruguay Prays for Leo XIV,’ inviting every member of the faithful to recite a Hail Mary and log each prayer on a counter available on the apostolic journey’s official website,” Cardinal Sturla said on the eve of the papal visit. “We surpassed the five-million mark!” Cardinal Sturla added: Today, Uruguay is a country with its own distinct characteristics, strongly marked by secularism, yet one where we are also witnessing an awakening of faith among many people. Catholic identity here is not a matter of mere habit, but rather the result of a conscious choice and personal conviction. For this reason, I believe it is important to listen to what the Pope has to share with us, both in his proclamation of the Gospel and in his message of hope and love for life, something that Uruguay truly needs. - More...