The universal Church rejoiced together on October 19 as Pope Leo XIV canonized seven new saints on World Mission Sunday, with pilgrims who attended the Mass calling it a deep personal reminder of faith and resilience as Catholics.

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Pope Leo XIV meets with the Knights and Dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, gathered in Rome for the Jubilee Year of Hope, and thanks them for their mission.

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"I renew my appeal that there can be no tolerance for any form of abuse in the Church," Pope Leo XIV underscores in his message to the National Safeguarding Conference in the Philippines.

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Egypt and the European Union are meeting for their first-ever summit in Brussels, with talks focused on migration, trade, and regional security.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The joy of Christ's resurrection can repair the widespread sadness and malaise in today's world, Pope Leo XIV said.

"On the paths of the heart, the Risen One walks with us and for us," the pope said Oct. 22 during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

"It is the Risen One who radically changes our perspective, instilling hope that fills the void of sadness," he said.

Greeting Polish-speaking visitors during the audience, the pope highlighted that Oct. 22 marked the feast of St. John Paul II, the date of his inaugural Mass in 1978, during which he proclaimed, "Do not be afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ."

"Exactly 47 years ago, in this square, he urged the world to open itself to Christ," Pope Leo said. "This appeal is still valid today: We are all called to make it our own."

The month of October is dedicated to the rosary, he told French-speakers, and to prayer, reflection and action in support of its missionary work, he added in Italian.

All Catholics are invited "to renew our active cooperation in the mission of the church," he said.

"With the power of prayer, the potential of married life and the fresh energy of youth, may you be missionaries of the Gospel, offering your concrete support to those who dedicate their lives to the evangelization of peoples," he told young people and newlyweds who had come to the audience in their wedding attire to receive a blessing from him. 

Meanwhile, in his ongoing series of audience talks on the Jubilee theme, "Jesus Christ our Hope," Pope Leo reflected on how Christ's resurrection "can heal one of the malaises of our time: sadness."

"Intrusive and widespread, sadness accompanies the days of many people," he said in his main address in Italian. "Sadness robs life of meaning and vigor, turning it into a directionless and meaningless journey."

A similar scenario can be seen in the Gospel of Luke's account of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he said. "Disappointed and discouraged, they leave Jerusalem, leaving behind the hopes they held in Jesus, who has been crucified and entombed."

However, they met a stranger along the road who listened to them, "allowing them to unburden their disappointment," the pope said. A bit of hope is rekindled in their hearts when the stranger rebukes them for being slow to believe everything that the prophets have declared, "that Christ had to suffer, die and rise again." 

It is only after they sit down and break bread with the "mysterious traveling companion" that the two disciples recognize him as Jesus, and he immediately disappears from their view, he said. 

"Everything becomes clear: the shared journey, the tender and powerful word, the light of truth," Pope Leo said. "Immediately, joy is rekindled, energy flows back into their weary limbs, and gratitude returns to their memory."

Their souls are filled "with an unexpected and joyful realization: Christ is truly risen!" he said in English. "The Lord wishes to do the same for us, by dispelling any sadness and desperation that we may be feeling."

"The Lord has truly been raised," in deeds, not words, "with his body bearing the marks of his passion, a perennial seal of his love for us," the pope said in Italian. "The victory of life is not an empty word, but a real, tangible fact."

"May the unexpected joy of the disciples of Emmaus be a gentle reminder to us when the going gets tough," he said. "It is the Risen One who radically changes our perspective, instilling hope that fills the void of sadness."

Despite the darkness of his passion, "he bears witness to the defeat of death and affirms the victory of life," he said. "History still has much goodness to hope for."

"To recognize the Resurrection means to change one's outlook on the world: to return to the light to recognize the truth that has saved us, and that saves us," he said. Jesus alone "makes the impossible possible!"

WASHINGTON - On October 27, the United States observes International Religious Freedom Day to commemorate the signing of the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998. “Let us stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are suffering, and let us resolve to do our part to promote religious freedom for all people around the world,” said Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee for Religious Liberty. They called attention to the repression and persecution of religion as being detrimental to peace:

“Across the world, millions of people are denied the basic right to religious freedom, a denial that fuels violent conflict and hinders human development. In recent years, for example, thousands of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria have been kidnapped and killed by Islamist extremists, while the government has imprisoned members of both religious groups for blasphemy. In many other countries as well, people of faith are under consistent assault, while their governments engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom.

“We have seen that repression and persecution of religion is ultimately detrimental to the peaceful development of all nations. Religious freedom fosters peace. Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV said recently that a culture of peace requires full respect for religious freedom in every country, since religious experience is an essential dimension of the human person.

“At a time when war is seemingly non-ending, the evil of political violence persists, and political discourse is shaped by intense polarization and division, we, as followers of Jesus Christ, must not lose hope. On this International Religious Freedom Day, let us try to see Christ in each other. We must stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are suffering, and resolve to do our part to promote religious freedom for all people around the world. May our religious practice, and the practice of other believers cultivate ‘the purification of heart necessary for building peaceful relationships.’”

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WASHINGTON - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2025 Fall Plenary Assembly, November 10-13. Public sessions of the plenary on November 11 and 12 will be livestreamed. Throughout the meeting, the bishops will have opportunities to spend time in prayer and fraternal dialogue with one another.

The plenary will begin with Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the USCCB, delivering his final address to the bishops as USCCB president. He will complete his three-year term as Conference president at the conclusion of the plenary assembly. His address will be followed by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States. 

Among one of the first items of business for the bishops during the plenary will be a vote for the new president and vice president of the Conference. The terms for the new USCCB president and vice president will take effect at the conclusion of this year’s plenary on November 13. The bishops will also elect chairmen of six USCCB committees. The bishops elected as committee chairmen typically serve for one year as chairman-elect before beginning a three-year term at the conclusion of the 2026 Fall Plenary Assembly.

The plenary agenda is not final and is therefore subject to change. Executive sessions will not be livestreamed but are expected to include fraternal dialogues and informational sessions on a variety of topics. While these discussions are private, topics will include the ongoing implementation of the synod and fraternal dialogues (an opportunity for the bishops to freely and candidly discuss important matters in a synodal manner) around best practices to continue the instruction of Laudato si’, and the apostolate of the laity. 

The public session schedule includes:

• Discussion and response to the evolving situation impacting migrants and refugees.
• A vote to consecrate the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 12, 2026, as part of the celebration of the American Semiquincentennial.
• An update from the Subcommittee on the Catechism on the Catechetical Accompaniment Process.
• A vote on the USCCB’s 2026 budget.
• A report from the National Eucharistic Revival initiative, followed by a vote to approve the Summer of 2029 for the next National Eucharistic Congress.
• Discussion and vote on a revised text of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.
• Discussion and votes on two action items pertaining to liturgical texts from the Committee on Divine Worship. 

The bishops will also receive updates on The Catholic University of America, and The Pontifical Mission Societies USA. Underscoring the importance that the U.S. bishops place on understanding artificial intelligence, the ethical implications of AI, its growing impact on society, and the opportunities and challenges it presents to the life of the Church, a presentation will be held in public session.

The livestream of the public portions of the plenary on November 11 and 12 will be available at: www.usccb.org/meetings. Those wishing to follow the meeting on social media may use the hashtag #USCCB25 follow on Instagram (@USCCB), Facebook (@USCCB), TikTok (@USBishops), Threads (@USCCB), Bluesky (@usccbofficial.bsky.social) and X (@USCCB).

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Monsignor Daniel Pacho, Under-Secretary for Multilateral Affairs at the Vatican Secretariat of State, speaks about the importance of confronting the development crisis at a Ministerial Conference of the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

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Karol J. Wojtyla, known as John Paul II since his October 1978 election to the papacy, was born in Wadowice, a small city 50 kilometres from Cracow, on May 18, 1920. He was the second of two sons born to Karol Wojtyla and Emilia Kaczorowska. His mother died in 1929. His eldest brother Edmund, a doctor, died in 1932 and his father, a non-commissioned army officer died in 1941. He made his First Holy Communion at age 9 and was confirmed at 18. Upon graduation from Marcin Wadowita high school ...

Pope Leo XIV meets with members of the Fraternity of Monsignor Courtney, dedicated to preserving the memory of the Apostolic Nuncio who was killed in Burundi in 2003.

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