Catholic News
- The saints are the most beautiful sign of the Kingdom of God, Pope tells pilgrims (CWN)
In his All Saints’ Day Angelus address (video), Pope Leo XIV described the saints as “the most beautiful and powerful sign of the Kingdom of God.” - 5 Franciscan martyrs beatified in Georgia; Pope hails their example (CWN)
Five Franciscan friars who were martyred in modern-day Georgia in 1597 were beatified on October 31. - Pope Leo calls for new peace initiatives in Ukraine following Oleshky ceasefire (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine amid a ceasefire in Oleshky, for which he had appealed in a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. - Pope receives pilgrims from Notre Dame and Villanova, reflects on athletics and holiness (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV reflected on athletics and holiness as he addressed pilgrims from the University of Notre Dame and Villanova University. - Start anew from God and rebuild with a prophetic vision, Pope tells delegations from earthquake-ravaged Italian towns (CWN)
A decade after an earthquake ravaged parts of central Italy, Pope Leo XIV invoked the example of the prophet Haggai as he addressed delegations from affected municipalities. - Vatican court condemns publication of 'credibly accused' lists (Catholic World Report)
Echoing earlier decisions of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, the Roman Rota condemned the publication of lists of clergy and religious who have been deemed “credibly accused” of sexually abusing minors, but have never been the subject of a trial. In a 2025 decision published recently in English, the Rota ruled against a religious institute that had published a “credibly accused” list. The canonical suit was brought by a former member—now a married layman—who argued that the publication of his name without an opportunity for self-defense inflicted immense damage upon him. - Pope Leo: Pray for the forgotten dead (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV encouraged the faithful to pray for the repose of the souls of the departed, and particularly for the forgotten. - Pope offers encouragement to Youth Olympic Games, Franciscan mission to the poor (CWN)
At the conclusion of his All Saints’ Day Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV offered his encouragement to the Youth Olympic Games and to a Franciscan mission among the poor of Rome. - New apostolic visitor appointed for Medjugorje (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV appointed Bishop Francesco Cavina, the former bishop of Carpi, Italy, as the new special apostolic visitator (visitor) for the parish of Medjugorje, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bishop Cavina succeeds Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, 80, who has served as special apostolic visitator since 2021. Bishop Cavina, appointed bishop of Carpi by Pope Benedict in 2011, resigned in 2019, when he was only 61. In 2024, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, in its Note About the Spiritual Experience Connected with Medjugorje, granted cautious approval to Medjugorje devotions. - USCCB publishes November Respect Life Prayer Guide (USCCB)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life activities published a Respect Life Prayer Guide for November. The month’s theme focuses on care for the sick and dying. “Rather than addressing the patient’s problems, assisted suicide cruelly eliminates the life of a patient in need of authentic care,” the prayer guide notes. - Pope's prayer intention for November: for the proper use of wealth (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for November 2026 is “let us pray for the proper use of wealth, that not succumbing to the temptation of selfishness, it may always be put at the service the common good and solidarity of those who have less.” - Annual Vatican message to Hindus focuses on peace in the 'spirit of Assisi' (Vatican Press Office)
The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue issued its annual message to Hindus ahead of Diwali (Deepavali), the Hindu festival of lights. The message—entitled “Hindus and Christians: Forging pathways of peace together in the ‘spirit of Assisi’”—recalls the 40th anniversary of Pope St. John Paul II’s 1986 day of prayer for peace there. “As persons grounded in our respective religions, and as people with shared values, may we, Hindus and Christians, draw renewed inspiration from the fortieth anniversary of the Assisi gathering,” the dicastery’s prefect and secretary wrote in their October 30 message. They added: May we imbibe ever more the spirit of Assisi in our own lives by praying for peace, living the spirit of fraternity in our daily lives, and, by engaging actively in interreligious dialogue, joining hands with people of other religions and all people of goodwill in working for peace in our world. We wish you all a Happy Deepavali! - Pope Leo votes in US midterm elections; USCCB issues statement (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV cast a mail-in ballot in the U.S. midterm elections. - Pope offers scientists 5 considerations in guiding AI's development (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV offered scientists in the field of artificial intelligence five considerations for AI’s future development. - Venezuela's bishops call for free elections (Aid to the Church in Need)
Citing “polarization, a lack of institutional integrity, and restrictions on democratic guarantees,” the bishops of Venezuela called for “free and transparent elections, with an impartial National Electoral Council (CNE) and an independent Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), so that due process is guaranteed, disqualifications are brought to an end, and the political rights of all citizens are respected.” Delcy Rodríguez, Nicolás Maduro’s vice president, has been the nation’s acting president since U.S. forces removed Maduro from office in January. The bishops welcomed “greater freedom of expression for the mass media” since January, even as they said that “many actions still need to be taken to restore citizens’ rights.” - Holy See 'deeply concerned' by withdrawals from international weapons treaties (Holy See Mission)
A leading Vatican diplomat said that the Holy See is “deeply concerned” by withdrawals from two international treaties: the Convention on Anti-Personnel Mines (1997) and the Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008). Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland have withdrawn from the former treaty; Lithuania, from the latter. China, Russia, and the United States have not signed either treaty. Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, told participants in a recent UN General Assembly committee meeting that the withdrawals “threaten decades of progress in humanitarian disarmament.” The prelate added that “the devastating humanitarian consequences of using explosive weapons in populated areas are a grave concern for the Holy See.” - Pope names 2 Synod undersecretaries; Sister Becquart's term ends (General Secretariat of the Synod)
Pope Leo XIV appointed two undersecretaries of the General Secretariat of the Synod, which remains under the leadership of its secretary general, Cardinal Mario Grech. Father Giacomo Costa, S.J., the special secretary of the synods on youth (2018) and synodality (2021-2024), succeeds Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, O.S.A., who was appointed prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity in March. (The functions of the papally appointed special secretary are described in the apostolic constitution Episcopalis Communio.) Sister Elena Massimi, F.M.A., succeeds Sister Nathalie Becquart, X.M.C.J., who has spoken frequently on the topic of synodality. Sister Massimi is president of the Association of Professors and Scholars of Liturgy, and head of Liturgical Music at the National Liturgical Office of the Italian Episcopal Conference. Cardinal Grech said that “Father Giacomo accompanied the Assembly from within and knows its method; Sister Elena comes from liturgy and music, and so she knows what it means to build unity, to harmonize different voices without reducing them to a single note. This is exactly what the implementation phase [of the synod on synodality] needs.” - Cardinal Becciu 'nervous' after appeal trial postponed until January (AdVaticanum)
At a brief hearing on October 29, Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, the president of the Vatican City State’s Court of Appeal and dean of the Roman Rota, postponed until January 26 the appeal trial of Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, former prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. “We are nervous,” the prelate said in reaction to the postponement. Cardinal Becciu and his co-defendants were convicted in 2023 of financial crimes. Both the prosecution and the defense appealed the ruling. - Europe's bishops appeal for 'just and sustainable peace' in Ukraine, elsewhere (CCEE)
The presidents of the bishops’ conferences of Europe issued an “unwavering appeal for a just and sustainable peace in all conflict zones on this continent and across the globe.” “Our continent of Europe is facing the largest military conflict since World War II,” the prelates, who were meeting in Salzburg, said in their October 29 statement. “No one can remain indifferent to the atrocities taking place in Ukraine. Indeed, we must never become accustomed to such blatant violations of the norms of civilization.” The bishops also recalled St. Francis of Assisi, who “teaches us to greet one another with these words: ‘May the Lord give you peace.’ Through forgiveness Christians transform their hearts and pave the way for peace. We know that this is never an easy path. But it is the path of the Gospel.” - Albania's bishops meet with Pontiff (CNA.al)
The bishops of Albania met with Pope Leo XIV on October 30 for over an hour. The prelates, who were in Rome for their ad limina visit, “presented the Holy Father with the icon of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Patroness of the Albanian People, skillfully crafted by an Albanian artist, while renewing the invitation to visit our country,” the Albanian news site CNA.al reported. Located in southern Europe, the Balkan nation of 2.6 million is 65% Muslim and 33% Christian (20% Orthodox, 11% Catholic). - More...