Catholic News
- Pope call Gaza parish as Israel launches major ground offensive (CWN)
As Israel launched a major offensive in Gaza City, Pope Leo XIV spoke by phone with Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of Gaza’s sole Catholic parish, from Castel Gandolfo on September 16 to assure him of his prayers and closeness. - In suffering, 'build a bridge towards heaven,' Pope says at Jubilee of Consolation (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV presided at a prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica, the final event in the one-day Jubilee of Consolation (video). “Sacred Scripture guides us on the journey from questioning to faith,” Pope Leo said, as he advised those suffering today, like the Psalmist, to “turn our questions into pleas, lamentations and supplications for the justice and peace promised us by God. In this way, we build a bridge towards heaven, even when it seems we get no response.” The Pope also referred to the abuse scandal, saying, “The Church, some of whose members have unfortunately hurt you, kneels with you today before our Mother ... May we receive from Our Lady of Sorrows the strength to recognize that life is not defined only by the evil we suffer, but by the love of God, who never abandons us and guides the whole Church.” Two women offered testimonies during the prayer vigil. Lucia Di Mauro spoke of forgiving an accomplice in the murder of her son. Diane Foley, whose journalist son was beheaded by ISIS, said that “Jesus and Mary became my constant companions” in her suffering, “along with countless earthly angels whose compassion lifted me up.” - The religious vocation is 'foremost an adventure of love,' Pope tells Augustinians (Dicastery for Communication)
Pope Leo XIV addressed participants in the general chapter of the Order of Saint Augustine and told them that “our first concern should be that of helping, especially the young, to glimpse the beauty of the calling and to love what they could become by embracing their vocation.” “Vocation and formation are not pre-ordained realities: they are a spiritual adventure that involves the entire history of the person, and it is first and foremost an adventure of love with God,” Pope Leo said in his September 15 address at the Augustinian Patristic Pontifical Institute. The Augustinian Pope also discussed theological study and intellectual formation, community life and apostolic activity, and the order’s missionary vocation. The Pope said that “this missionary spirit must not be allowed to die out, because even today there is a great need for it.” - Nuncio to Spain appointed amid tension between government, bishops (Pillar)
Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop Piero Pioppo, until now apostolic nuncio in Indonesia, as the apostolic nuncio in Spain. The Pillar reported that Spain’s Socialist government delayed its approval of the appointment for months in order in order to show its displeasure with the nation’s hierarchy. The Italian blog Silere Non Possum, citing “multiple reconstructions,” stated that the Spanish government had originally issued an informal veto of Archbishop Pioppo’s appointment. - Emphasizing bishops, Pope notes 60th anniversary of Synod of Bishops (Dicastery for Communication (Italian))
At the conclusion of his recent Sunday Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV noted that September 15 is “the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Synod of Bishops, a prophetic intuition desired by Saint Paul VI so that bishops might increase and improve their exercise of communion with the Successor of Peter.” “It is my hope that this anniversary will inspire a renewed commitment to the unity and mission of the Church,” Pope Leo continued. In Pope Francis’s 2022 apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia (Praedicate Evangelium), the General Secretariat of the Synod of Bishops was quietly renamed the General Secretariat of the Synod (Art. 33), without reference to bishops. In twice referring to bishops in marking the synod’s anniversary, Pope Leo could be signaling a desire to guide the synod back to Pope St. Paul VI’s original vision for it. - Pope encourages Latin American prelates to promote Church's prophetic, missionary renewal (CELAM (Spanish))
Pope Leo XIV received the leading prelates of the Episcopal Conference of Latin America (CELAM) on September 15. The prelates updated Pope Leo on CELAM’s activities, including its implementation of the synod on synodality. At the conclusion of the audience, the Pope “invited CELAM to continue promoting the renewal of the Church from its prophetic and missionary role, as ‘it has always done throughout its 70 years,’ [and] to know how to read the signs of the times,” according to CELAM. - Pope speaks on Ukraine, synodality, leadership in interview (Crux)
Pope Leo XIV speaks on a variety of topics including the war in Ukraine, the concept of synodality, economic inequality, and his own leadership, in excerpts from an interview that will soon be published in book form. The Pope’s lengthy discussion with Elise Ann Allen of Crux is appearing in Spanish this week; it will be published in the US—under the title Leo XIV: Citizen of the World early next year. In the excerpts that appear on the Crux site, the Pontiff: suggests that the Vatican will continue to advocate for peace in Ukraine, but that proposals for Vatican mediation are “not as realistic.” acknowledges that the concept of “synodality” is not well understood, and offers the explanation that “synodality is a way of describing how we can come together and be a community and seek communion as a Church.” questions extreme inequalities of income in the world economy, noting that chief executives now earn “600 times more than what average workers are earning.” notes that “it seems to be generally recognized that the United Nations, at least at this moment in time, has lost its ability to bring people together on multilateral issues.” discloses that the most novel aspect of his new role has been “being thrown into the level of world leader.” says that in World Cup soccer competition, he will probably be cheering for Peru, but “I’m also a big fan of Italy”—and goes on to discuss his rooting interests in baseball. - Ukrainian Catholic leader condemns Russian incursion into Polish airspace (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
In his most recent weekly commentary on the war, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church condemned the Russian drone incursion into Poland. “Today, we express our solidarity with the Polish people, supporting the statements of the foreign ministers of Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania, and the international community, which unanimously defended Poland during the UN Security Council meeting,” said Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk. “We affirm that war is a crime against God and humanity,” The Major Archbishop said that Ukrainian soldiers “realize that they are protecting the peace and well-being of Europe with their own lives, because peace on the continent is not a given, but something that must be defended.” - Pontiff receives birthday greetings from leaders, Catholics worldwide (Vatican News)
The president of Italy and the presidents of several bishops’ conferences sent greetings to Pope Leo XIV for his recent 70th birthday. “From every continent, people look with great hope” to the Pope’s words, said Italian President Sergio Mattarella, who cited the Pontiff’s “urgent appeals for a ceasefire and the resumption of the path of dialogue, for the common good of peoples.” - Vatican releases trailer to 'Leo from Chicago' (Vatican News (YouTube))
The Vatican released the trailer to “Leo from Chicago,” its new documentary on the Pope’s American roots. In June, the Vatican released León de Perú, a 45-minute documentary on the future Pope’s years in the South American nation. - Vatican newspaper ponders 'America against itself' (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
In a full-page article, “L’America contro sé stessa” [America against itself], L’Osservatore Romano published six reflections on the roots of political violence in the United States. The authors of the reflections included Seth Cropsey, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense under President George H.W. Bush; students from Tennessee and New York; staff members of think thanks; and an Italian journalist described as an expert on America. - Vatican City coin wins 'best gold coin' prize (Vatican City State)
“War and Peace,” a 50-euro Vatican City State gold coin, was named the best gold coin at the 2025 Coin of the Year Awards. On one side of the coin, there is “an olive branch with an adult and a little girl holding a flower; on the other, barbed wire and a man holding an automatic rifle, with a column of smoke in the background symbolizing the destruction caused by war,” according to a Vatican City State announcement. World Coin News presented the awards at the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money in Oklahoma City. - Pope Leo calls for 'theology of wisdom,' cites examples of Augustine, Aquinas, Rosmini (Dicastery for Communication)
Addressing participants in a conference organized by the Pontifical Academy of Theology, Pope Leo XIV called for a “theology of wisdom” and cited the examples of St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Blessed Antonio Rosmini. A theology of wisdom follows “the model developed by the great Fathers and Masters of antiquity. Because of their docility to the Spirit, they knew how to unite faith and reason, reflection, prayer and practice,” Pope Leo said. “Theology is the wisdom, therefore, that opens up greater existential horizons, dialoguing with science, philosophy, art and all human experience. The theologian is a person who lives out, in his or her theological work, a missionary fervor.” In his address, the Pope also referred to the conference’s theme (“Creation, Nature, Environment for a World of Peace”). “You have reflected on issues of urgent relevance, which are very dear to me, just as they were to my venerable predecessors Saint John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis,” Pope Leo said. “Environmental sustainability and the care of creation are essential commitments to ensure the survival of the human race.” - Duchess of Kent receives first Catholic royal funeral in UK since 1685 (Reuters)
Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster presided on September 16 at the funeral of the Duchess of Kent, Katharine Worsley, who became the first member of the British royal family to receive a Catholic funeral since King Charles II in 1685. King Charles III attended the Requiem Mass, as did his heir, Prince William of Wales, with his wife Kate. Pope Leo XIV sent a message that was read at the service, offering his condolences to “Your Majesty, the members of the Royal Family, and especially to her husband, the Duke of Kent, and their children and grandchildren.” The Duchess of Kent, a convert to Catholicism, died on September 4 at the age of 92. - Vatican confirms Pope's prayers for Charlie Kirk, family (Vatican News)
The Vatican press office has confirmed that Pope Leo XIV spoke of his prayers for Charlie Kirk and his family during a meeting on Saturday with the new US ambassador to the Holy See, Brian Burch. Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman, said that in the same meeting with the American envoy the Pontiff “spoke of the need to refrain from rhetoric and instrumentalization that lead to polarization rather than dialogue.” - Raleigh is proportionally the nation's most conversion-rich diocese (Catholic World Report)
Catholic World Report has published an analysis of the ratio of conversions and other non-infant receptions into the Church to diocesan population in America’s dioceses. The analysis of statistics published in the latest edition of The Official Catholic Directory took into account adult baptisms, the baptisms of minors who are not infants, and receptions into full communion. The Diocese of Raleigh led the way, with 1 non-infant reception into the Church for every 71 Catholics. In the typical American diocese, there was one for every 413 Catholics; in the last-place Archdiocese of Newark, there was one for every 2,448 Catholics. - Pope encourages Umbrian pilgrims to be 'missionaries of love and peace' (Vatican Press Office)
Addressing participants in the jubilee pilgrimage of the dioceses of Umbria, Pope Leo XIV hailed the Italian region’s heritage of holiness and natural beauty. “You are surrounded by it [beauty], in various ways: appreciate it, love it, let it speak to you of God, and in turn become its proclaimers,” Pope Leo said to pilgrims in St. Peter’s Basilica. “I invite you to live this Eucharist in the same way: free, united, attentive, in awe, and ready to set out from the Altar as missionaries of love and peace.” - Papal rescript encourages employment of persons with disabilities in the Curia (Vatican News)
In an August 4 audience with Cardinal Pietro Parolin (his Secretary of State), Pope Leo XIV approved decisions of the Labor Office of the Apostolic See that promote the hiring of persons with disabilities. Cardinal Parolin, in turn, issued an August 11 rescript that was published over a month later. The General Regulations of the Roman Curia now state the “employment of persons with disabilities is to be promoted in a spirit of welcome and, where necessary, through the adoption of appropriate and specific measures, since the condition of disability does not preclude suitability for work.” One regulation formerly stated that new employees should be in a “state of good health.” It now states that new employees should have “psycho-physical suitability for the duties to be carried out.” - Orthodox Patriarch visits White House (AP)
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the “first among equals” of the world’s Orthodox primates, met with President Donald Trump at the White House on September 15. Patriarch Bartholomew said that he had spoken with Turmp about the “the difficulties, the persecutions” that Christians face in Turkey, and more generally about the declining Christian presence in the Middle East. He also spoke about the war in Ukraine, describing “these tragic events that wound the conscience of humanity.” - Papal telegram pays tribute to Carmelite martyrs of Compiègne (Vatican Press Office (French))
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a telegram in the Holy Father’s name to the archbishop of Paris as he celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving for the December 2024 canonization of the Carmelite martyrs of Compiègne, slain during the French Revolution. “The peace of heart that inhabited these daughters of St. Teresa [of Avila], who faced martyrdom praising God with hymns and psalms dear to the Church’s liturgy, was truly the fruit of immense charity, but also of the theological faith and hope that inspired them,” Cardinal Parolin wrote. “Total self-giving, forgiveness and gratitude, joy and peace: these are the fruits of charity that have filled the souls of our martyrs,” he continued. “May we learn from them the strength and fruitfulness of an interior life completely focused on heavenly realities!” - More...