In the headlines this Saturday, February 3rd: - Pope Francis condemns anti-Semitism as he calls for peace and friendship in the Holy Land - The Holy Father tells Italian students to be lovers of the truth - The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith releases a doctrinal Note insisting that, 'For validity of Sacraments, formulas and matter cannot be modified’

In the headlines this Friday the 2nd of February, -   Pope Francis releases his message for World Mission Day 2024 -   A new book about martyred men and women in Argentina during the 1970s is published, featuring a preface by Pope Francis And -   The first World Children’s Day, to be celebrated in May, is presented at the Holy See Press Office

-   Pope Francis releases his message for Lent 2024, inviting the faithful to pause for prayer and assist their brothers and sisters in need -   Eight are killed in an attack on a Pentecostalist Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo -   European leaders agree to a 50 billion euro aid package for war-torn Ukraine

-   Pope Francis invites Christians to pray for people who are terminally ill and says they deserve our utmost care -   Several children from Gaza arrive in Italy to receive medical treatment in hospitals around the country -   The Dicastery for Communication hosts the first-ever Vatican workshop on mental health and pastoral care

 - Pope Francis renews calls for a global ceasefire in an interview with an Italian newspaper  - Iran denies involvement in a deadly drone strike on a U.S. military base in Jordan  - The UN expresses concern as various countries halt funding to its Palestinian aid agency

In the headlines, this Sunday, January 28th:  - Pope Francis decries attack on a Catholic church in Istanbul  - He appeals for humanitarian aid to arrive to those suffering in Myanmar  - At Angelus, he insists that wars destroy peoples and are a defeat for humanity  

In the headlines this Saturday, January the 27th -   The world marks Holocaust Remembrance Day, 79 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau   -   The Holy Father recalls the 1994 Rwandan genocide urging the world to never forget and -   We hear from the UN’s High Commissioner from Human Rights, who sheds light on International Law and fight for global peace and justice

-   The International Court of Justice imposes emergency measures on Israel over the situation in Gaza-  -   A new report says that Christians are being targeted in the ongoing conflict in Myanmar -   Pope Francis tells a delegation from the Oriental Orthodox Churches that “Full communion between our Churches is not only possible but urgent and necessary”  

 - Six nuns kidnapped in Haiti last week have been released  - Twelve people were killed in an attack on a UN facility in Gaza  - Pope Francis will celebrate 2nd Vespers for the feast of the conversion of St Paul

 - Pope Francis dedicates his message for the World Day of Social Communications to artificial intelligence  - The Holy Father renews his prayers for peace in Ukraine and the Holy Land  - European and African bishops gather in Kenya to foster deeper communion between the churches of the two continents

 - Pope Francis celebrates Mass in St Peter’s Basilica to mark the Sunday of the Word of God  - The Holy Father announces a Year of Prayer in preparation for the upcoming Jubilee of 2025  - Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects the idea of a future Palestinian state

 - Pope Francis urges a charismatic group to move forward in adoration, evangelization, and communion  - Armed criminals have kidnapped at least six nuns in Haiti  - Iran blames Israel for an air strike in Syria that killed four Iranian military advisors

These are the headlines for Wednesday, 17 January: -   Pope Francis condemns a recent Iranian missile strike on the city of Erbil in Iraqi Kurdistan, -   The heads of leading humanitarian organisations appeal for greater access to Gaza to bring desperately needed food and medicine to the people there, and -   The Holy Father also urges world leaders to ensure that economic development benefits everyone.

In the headlines, this Tuesday, January 16th: - Pope Francis invites the Roman Curia to live Lenten Spiritual Exercises in personal prayer - The Pope changes rules on procurement and extraordinary expenses of Dicasteries - Challenges ahead for new president of Guatemala

 - Pope Francis sends prayers and condolences to victims of a landslide in Colombia  - Nicaragua’s government has released several bishops, priests and seminarians from prison  - The United Nations launches a new appeal for humanitarian aid for Ukraine

-   Pope Francis highlights the fraternity-building power of sports -   The war between Israel and Gaza near its 100th day, as the conflict risks spreading to the Red Sea -   The Pope calls for a ‘therapeutic covenant’ in his message for the 2024 World Day of the Sick

-   Ecuador’s bishops call for unity and fraternity in response to a surge of violence in the country -   A group promoting dialogue between socialists and Christians meets with Pope Francis in the Vatican -   The Pope gives his approval to the election of the new head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India

In the headlines this Tuesday, January 9th: -   Vatican publishes Pope Francis’ upcoming liturgical celebrations. -   Another earthquake hits Japan as we speak to the Head of Caritas Japan -   Germany mourns Catholic football great Franz Beckenbauer

 - Pope Francis delivers his “state of the world” address to diplomats accredited to the Holy See  - A fire in the world’s largest refugee camp has left nearly 7000 Rohingya refugees without shelter  - Pope Francis calls for greater efforts for a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan

-   Pope Francis prays for victims of a bombing in Iran -   Maronite Catholic Bishops express concern the war between Israel and Hamas could spill over into Lebanon -   Sudan’s warring leaders continue their deadly civil war despite calls for a ceasefire

- Israeli strikes in Gaza bring the total death toll of Palestinians to over 22,000 as the war against Hamas nears the three-month mark - Regional tensions rise in the Middle East as an attack in Iraq follows strikes this week in Iran and Lebanon - Pope Francis thanks Catholic communicators for providing truthful information and not fuelling conflict – even in the Church

In the headlines, this Wednesday, January 3rd: - Pope Francis appeals for Palestine, Israel, Ukraine, and Rohingyas, and prays for Japan - The UN urges restraint after Hamas deputy leader killed in Lebanon - More than 100 killed and hundreds injured in twin blasts near Iran General Qasem Soleimani’s tomb

 - Pope Francis mourns the loss of life due to a powerful earthquake in Japan  - Sudan’s bishops call on the international community to intensify efforts to end violence in the country  - Israel continues its push into Gaza with ongoing attacks in the southern region of Khan Younis

-   Pope Francis reflects on a year blighted by wars and violence and appeals to those who have stakes in conflicts to heed their consciences -   Israel’s Prime Minister warns the war in Gaza will last many months -   The war in Ukraine grinds into the New Year with a series of major attacks by both sides

 - Pope Francis speaks by phone with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky  - The people of Sudan continue to suffer the ravages of war far from the eyes of the world  - Christians in war-torn Myanmar celebrate a subdued Christmas as fighting continues

 - At least 210 people are killed by Israeli strikes in Gaza in the last 24 hours  - The Pope’s almoner returns from a mission to the Holy Land with stories of great suffering  - Pope Francis tells young people gathered for the 46th Meeting of the Taizé Community to be bold and build a world of listening, dialogue and openness

 - At Wednesday’s General Audience, Pope Francis begins a new catechetical series on virtues and vices  - Christians in southern Lebanon have left their homes due to daily rocket fire along the border with Israel  - More than 140 people were killed in a series of attacks in Nigeria on Christmas Eve

-   Pope Francis prays for peace in all areas torn by war, and urges Christians to always show charity when faced with discrimination -   Ukraine’s military damages a Russian warship in the Black Sea

 - At the Christmas Urbi et orbi blessingPope Francis renews his prayers for world peace and solidarity with those who suffer   - The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem reflects on the tragedy in the Holy Land at a subdued Midnight Mass in Bethlehem  - Monsignor Robert Vitillo invites us to reflect on the plight of migrants and refugees during the Christmas season

 - Pope Francis expresses his closeness to our brothers and sisters who are suffering due to war  - Israel vows to continue its military campaign in Gaza while admitting fighting is difficult  - Almost two years on from Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine faces a turbulent Christmas

-   Scores of Palestinians die in intense Israeli strikes on Gaza as humanitarian organizations warn of imminent famine in the Strip -   European bishops express concern for the EU’s new Asylum and Migration Agreement that could result in more suffering for people on the move -   The Vatican Secretary of State visits the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital with a message of peace and gifts for the little patients

-   Pope Francis sends his papal almoner to the Holy Land to accompany the Church during Christmas amid the Israel-Hamas war -   Nicaraguan authorities arrest a second bishop in the latest crackdown on the local Church -   The Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors unveils an allocation of funds to support safeguarding initiatives in the Global South

 - Pope Francis expresses closeness to victims of an earthquake in China and asks for prayers for Ukraine, Palestine and Israel - The possibility of a new pause in fighting in Gaza is supported by talks taking place in Cairo  - Caritas Europa expresses disappointment with the just agreed new EU Pact on Asylum and Migration

-   The Church in the Holy Land grieves the two Christian women shot inside a church compound in Gaza by Israeli snipers -   China suffers its worst earthquake in nine years, leaving over a hundred dead -   Cardinal Cupich of Chicago welcomes the Vatican’s recent declaration on blessings for couples in irregular relationships

- Pope Francis encourages members of the 2nd Global Refugee Forum to persevere in their efforts to help migrants  - Ahead of elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, superiors of religious orders remind consecrated men and women to avoid divisive speech  - Voters in Chile have rejected an amended constitution for the second time in a year

-   At least 2 people are killed as the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza comes under Israeli attack -   An investigation is opened by the Israeli military into how it mistakenly killed three hostages during its Gaza offensive -   Pope Francis invites Christians to think about the suffering wreaked by war in the Holy Land this Christmas

-   Pope Francis appeals to leaders to stop wars, to stop enabling the killing of children -   As the death toll continues to rise in Gaza the White House says it wants the war between Israel and Hamas over as soon as possible -   The Preacher of the Papal Household delivers his first Advent meditation focused on the figure of John the Baptist

-   Pope Francis releases his World Peace Day Message warning of the risks of Artificial Intelligence to peace -   Fighting continues throughout Gaza with the leader of Hamas saying he is ready to discuss any initiative that would lead to a ceasefire -   The President of the Pontifical Academy for the Sciences reacts to the final agreement reached at the UN Climate Summit

-   Pope Francis utters yet another plea for a ceasefire for Gaza -   Extreme suffering in the Gaza Strip - under a barrage of Israeli attacks - is compounded by cold winter weather -   Pope Francis chats with a Mexican journalist about possible upcoming journeys, his desired burial place and his continuing good health

-   A suicide bombing on a police station in Pakistan kills more than 20 soldiers -   As Israel continues its military operations in Gaza, the UN warns that the humanitarian situation in the strip has reached breaking point - The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith responds to questions concerning cremation and the preservation of ashes

 - Pope Francis urges Vatican watchdogs to “fight the insidiousness of corruption” in the Holy See and Vatican City  - Christians in Jordan are planning lowkey Christmas celebrations as a gesture of solidarity with Palestinians  - UN officials at the COP28 gathering in Dubai highlight the link between human rights and climate change

 - Pope Francis says the commitment to human rights is never finished as he recalls the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights  - The head of the World Health Organization warns of the “catastrophic impact” of the war in Gaza on healthcare  - Venezuela and Guyana’s presidents are set to meet later this week to discuss the growing crisis over a disputed oil-rich region

- Pope Francis says the creche invites us to turn our thoughts to the tragedy unfolding in the Holy Land - Fierce Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip continue to kill and displace the terrified population - Indigenous women at the UN Climate Summit in Dubai struggle to make their voices heard

 - Pope Francis leads the Angelus in St Peter’s Square for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception - A new Christmas song produced by a British band and a Palestinian Christian aims at conveying a message of hope  - The United States calls on Israel to do more to protect civilians in Gaza

-   Pope Francis calls on the faithful of a Syro-Malabar Archeparchy in India to stay united with Rome  - Israeli tanks shell Jabalia camp as heavy fighting continues in north Gaza -   Peru’s former president Fujimori is released from prison

-   Pope Francis appeals for peace in the Holy Land and Ukraine -   A new report says that one in five children in the world’s wealthiest countries are living below the poverty line -   In his weekly catechesis, Pope Francis stresses that the help of the Holy Spirit is indispensable in proclaiming the Gospel  

 - Israeli forces are expanding their ground operations in Gaza after last week’s cease-fire ended  - Tensions between Venezuela and Guyana are rising in a dispute over the oil-rich region of Guyana Essequibo  - Pope Francis meets with his Council of Cardinal Advisors, with discussions focusing on the feminine dimension of the Church

-   Pope Francis calls on world leaders gathered for the COP 28 climate conference to eliminate fossil fuels -   Israel continues to launch rocket attacks on targets in the Gaza strip -   At a meeting at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, the Holy See calls for collaboration to bring about nuclear disarmament

-   Over a hundred die in Gaza after the Israel-Hamas truce breaks down -   The Vatican confirms that Cardinal Parolin will represent the Holy See at the COP28 climate conference -   We speak to Prof. Vanderlei Bagnato, the organizer of a Vatican conference on quantum technologies

-   The truce between Israel and Gaza continues into its seventh day with the release of more hostages on both sides -   The Rome-based Sant’Egidio Community launches an appeal to save the life of a death row inmate in Alabama on the Day of "Cities for Life against the death penalty" -   The UN COP28 Summit kicks off in Dubai with the adoption of a new fund to support victims of climate disasters

-   Pope Francis calls for an extension to the ceasefire in Gaza -   Scotland’s Celtic Football Club pays a visit to the Vatican -   In his weekly catechesis, Pope Francis says that Christians are called to fill pessimistic societies with the joy of the Gospel

-   The temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is extended by 48 hours -   More details are released about the Pope’s upcoming journey to Dubai for the COP28 Climate Conference -   Pope Francis releases his December prayer intention, asking that disabled people might be placed at the centre of society

 - Pope Francis thanks God for the truce between Israel and Hamas, and calls for continued prayer and dialogue  - Recalling the Holodomor, the Pope calls for “untiring” prayers for all peoples torn apart by conflict  - On diocesan World Youth Day, the Holy Father encourages young people to be protagonists in the life of the Church

- Pope Francis undergoes a CT scan to avoid any complications with an onset of flu-like symptoms - The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem says the exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners marks a first step toward peace - The Pope renews his condemnation of violence against women

 - Israel and Hamas have begun releasing hostages, while a shaky ceasefire appears to be holding  - Pope Francis meets local authorities from parts of Italy that were devastated by the earthquakes in 2016 and 17  - The Church marks the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium

-   The Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, welcomes the news of a temporary ceasefire in Gaza -   The man who has been called the Dutch Donald Trump sails to victory in elections in Holland -   Speaking to Italian journalists, Pope Francis stresses the importance of an “ecology of communication” in the digital world

-   Pope Francis meets with delegations of Israelis and Palestinians who share their suffering -   The Holy Father calls for an end to the war that is ravaging the Holy Land -   Israel and Hamas confirm a deal that foresees the release of hostages and a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza beginning at 10 am on Thursday

 - International Children’s Day highlights the fact that children pay the highest price in ongoing wars  - Hopes are increasing that a deal may soon be reached to release hostages held by Hamas in Gaza  - A Cameroonian migrant describes the tragic journey that brought him to Italy and his recent meeting with Pope Francis

-   Pope Francis urges Child Protection operators to safeguard, to listen to and to care for victims of sexual abuse -   Christians in Myanmar ask for prayers as violence in their country worsens -   We look ahead to the World Day of the Poor celebrated annually on the third Sunday in November

-   Pope Francis meets with pilgrims from the Philippines, urging them to remain faithful to their baptismal promises -   The Syrian Archbishop Jacques Mourad decries the political agendas of international powers in the Middle East -   A play on child sexual abuse debuts in Rome, supported by the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors

-   Israeli forces search for weapons and Hamas infrastructure inside Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital -   As food systems collapse in Gaza barely 10 percent of the amount needed reaches Gaza's 2.2 million inhabitants -   Pope Francis reflects on holiness and its place in everyday life

-   Pope Francis asks the world to pray for Ukraine, the Holy Land, and Sudan -   Israeli soldiers raid the largest hospital in the Gaza strip -   In his weekly catechesis, Pope Francis reminds Christians that Jesus is their joy, and remains with them even in times of trial

-   US and British leaders push for greater protection for Gaza hospitals and civilians as the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza worsens by the hour -   We hear the perspectives on the war of an Israeli and a Palestinian professor -   Pope Francis invites young people to share Christian hope in dark times

In the headlines, this Saturday, November 11th: -   Israel intensifies offensive on Gaza -   Pope Francis prays for baby Indi Gregory and her family -   The Pope reaffirms the right of parents to educate their children in freedom

In the headlines, this Tuesday, November 7th: - The Holy See calls for 'just peace' in Israel and Palestine - The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists bloodshed in Gaza must stop - Cardinal Parolin underlines Holy See's commitment to climate action  

-   The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says that 10,000 people have died in the enclave since the outbreak of war -   Discussions between faith leaders on the subject of climate change go into their second day in Abu Dhabi -   Pope Francis meets with seven thousand children in Rome

-   The Holy See announces that Pope Francis will travel to Dubai in December for the COP28 Climate summit -   The head of Caritas Lebanon warns about the impact that an escalation of the Gaza conflict would have on the wider region -   Pope Francis offers Mass for the soul of the late Pope Benedict XVI

 - Pope Francis calls on us to continue to pray for peoples who are suffering from ongoing wars  - Wounded Palestinians and some foreign nationals have been permitted to leave Gaza  - Russian drone and missile strikes hit critical military and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine

 - The humanitarian crisis in Gaza is growing more urgent by the day, as Israel expands its ground offensive  - The Holy See denounces racial discrimination, as well as the rise in religious intolerance and persecution  - Pope Francis asks the faithful to pray for him and his ministry in his November prayer intention

-   Pope Francis praises the courage of women who have cut family ties with organized crime -   The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem consecrates the Holy Land to the Virgin Mary, as calls for humanitarian aid and a ceasefire intensify -   As Synod participants return home, a Canadian Bishop offers his take on the month-long synodal journey and the steps to be taken in future

-   Gaza goes dark as Israel cuts of electricity and mobile networks -   The United Nations educational agency decries Israeli attacks on schools and hospitals in the Gaza strip -   Pope Francis prays for the victims of the latest mass shooting in the United States

-   Pope Francis renews his appeal for the release of Israeli hostages, and for humanitarian aid to be allowed to reach Gaza -   A resident of a kibbutz attacked earlier this month by Hamas militants tells his story to Vatican News -   The Pope meets with a group from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

-   Pope Francis renews his appeals for peace in the Holy Land and Ukraine -   Church leaders across the Holy Land pray for peace and condemn violence against innocent civilians -   Religious women meet in Rome to network and promote the efforts of sisters working in areas ranging from the grassroots to the UN

-   Hundreds of civilians die in Gaza in a barrage of Israeli strikes targeting Hamas infrastructure in the Strip -   The UN Agency for Palestinian refugees appeals for fuel and clean water to allow doctors and medics to assist the wounded -   the Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on Synodality enters its final week

In the headlines this Sunday, October 22nd: -   The Holy Father renews appeal for humanitarian aid, release of hostages in Gaza -   Pope Francis insists at Angelus that faith and daily life are crucially connected -   The Church observes World Mission Sunday  

 - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges “rapid, unimpeded humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip  - US and European leaders seek to present a united front with regard to conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine  - Ahead of World Mission Sunday, the Fides news agency releases the latest statistics on the Catholic Church

-   Fighting continues unabated in the Holy Land where the death toll is on the rise and the humanitarian situation is increasingly desperate -   Bishops' conferences and aid agencies across the world join Pope Francis’ appeal to halt the war between Israel and Hamas -   As winter encroaches in Afghanistan thousands are in need of aid following a series of deadly earthquakes that flattened villages 

-   Pope Francis makes a phone call to the parishioners of the Holy Family Catholic Parish in Gaza -   Christians across the world observe a Day of Prayer and Fasting for peace in the Holy Land. -   In a new interview, the Pope says he would like to visit Papua New Guineau

 - Aid groups warn that an Israeli ground offensive in Gaza could hasten the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe  - The International Union of Superiors General joins the call for a day of prayer and fasting on Tuesday for peace in the Holy Land  - Daniel Noboa is set to become Ecuador’s youngest leader ever after winning the second round of presidential elections

-   Pope Francis appeals for respect for Humanitarian Law as Gaza is pounded by Israeli military attacks and for humanitarian corridors as the death toll continues to rise -   The Pope also prays for those displaced from Nagorno Karabakh and asks Azerbaijan to preserve monasteries and places of worship as signs of fraternity and living together despite differences -   During the Angelus prayer, the Holy Father invites everyone to make room for God in their lives

-   Women and children are amongst those killed fleeing Gaza on what had been assured was a “safe route” -   Australia rejects a historic referendum that proposed to elevate First Nation voices -   Pope Francis praises Scalabrinians for their unwavering commitment to migrants

-   Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako, the head of Iraq’s Chaldean Catholic Church, leads prayers in the Vatican for peace in the Middle East -   Thousands are dead and many more have been left injured following two powerful earthquakes in western Afghanistan -   Pope Francis meets with American actress and star of “Sister Act” Whoopi Goldberg.

-   Pope Francis prays for the victims of violence between Israel and Hamas -   The situation of Armenian refugees from Nagorno Karabakh continues to deteriorate, following Azerbaijan’s recent military takeover -   We speak to the organizer of “Cupid’s Spoon”, the first European Gastronomy Competition for people with disabilities

 - Israel’s prime minister says the nation is at war following Palestinian attacks on Israel.  - European leaders are discussing how the EU can respond to migrants entering the EU irregularly  - Pope Francis says that honouring Mary means celebrating the tenderness of God

-   Pope Francis invites everyone to live holy lives and not as worldly people -   The Synod General Assembly continues its small group reflections on the synodal journey thus far -   The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to an imprisoned Iranian women’s rights activist

-   The Sixteenth General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops gets underway in the Vatican -   Pope Francis releases a new Apostolic Exhortation – with the name Laudate Deum – on climate change and care for our common home -   We speak to members of Caritas Poland who are helping to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Yemen

In the headlines this Tuesday, October 3rd: -   Bishops anticipate Pope’s upcoming Apostolic Exhortation of the Environment to be released tomorrow -   Synod participants continue their spiritual retreat ahead of the Synod’s opening in the Vatican -   Catholic sisters reaffirm the international community’s responsibility for every migrant

-   Ten people are crushed to death in Mexico when a Church roof collapses during a Baptism service -   The new Director of the International Jesuit Refugee Service says hope for an inclusive and just society is at the heart of his mission -   Pope Francis praises the silent work of a Congregation of contemplative religious sisters and their humble testimony to the Gospel for those in need

-   Pope Francis appeals to the international community to promote dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh -   A dramatic humanitarian crisis follows the exodus of almost the entire Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh  -   Participants in the upcoming Synod of Bishops on Synodality gather for a three-day retreat before the start of the month-long assembly

-   Pope Francis tells 21 new Cardinals to work for an ever more symphonic and synodal Church -   Young Christians gather in St. Peter’s Square as a prelude to the Ecumenical Prayer Vigil that highlights the centrality of prayer in the Synod process -   We hear from some of the Christian leaders participating in that Vigil that ushers in the month-long Synod on Synodality

 - Pope Francis praises Vietnamese Catholics for their charity and calls them to be courageous in following Jesus  - Leaders of various Christian denominations have come to Rome to mark the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement  - Religious sisters are joyfully responding to the invitation to the ecclesial journey of the Synod

 - In a wide-ranging address to the UN General Assembly, the Vatican foreign minister appeals to States to put themselves at the service of the most fragile  - On the Feast Day of St Vincent de Paul, we shine the light on a Vincentian charity helping poor Ukrainians get by -   Pope Francis reiterates the need to care for and protect migrants as he recalls his Marseille visit during the General Audience

 - Pope Francis prays for victims of a tragic fire in Benin  - Canadian Bishops are meeting for their annual Plenary Assembly  - Abuse experts highlight the need for prudence as the Church commits itself to greater transparency

-   Pope Francis says that child sexual abuse is a scourge which affects all of societ -   Ethnic Armenians begin their exodus from Nagorno Karabakh following last week’s takeover by the Azerbaijani military -   Australia’s Catholic bishops weigh in on their country’s upcoming referendum on an indigenous voice to parliament

In the headlines this Friday, September 22nd: -   Pope Francis embarks upon his Apostolic Journey to Marseille -   The Holy Father meets poor women in the Vatican before departing -   Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher tells the UN that healthcare is not a luxury, but for all

-   The Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States urges UN member states to join efforts for peace in Ukraine -   Poland announces it will no longer supply weapons to Ukraine for its counteroffensive against Russia -   The General Secretariat of the Synod briefs journalists as momentum increases in the run-up to the opening of the Synod on Synodality

In the headlines this Sunday, September 17th: -   Pope Francis says at his Angelus that God forgives us incalculably -   The Holy Father prays for the 'martyred people' of Ukraine and all war-torn lands -   He looks ahead to his upcoming two-day visit to Marseille

In the headlines, this Saturday, September 16th: -   Pope Francis tells Church in Korea that the Gospel overcomes divisions and barriers -   The Holy Father urges Italy’s Carabinieri officers to be inspired by their late Deputy Brigadier, a Servant of God, who offered his life during World War II -   Relief efforts scaled up in the aftermath of Libya's deadly floods

-   Pope Francis urges men and women religious to have hearts expanded by God’s love -   Cardinal Mario Grech invites everyone to pray for the upcoming Synod General Assembly -   Cartias in Croatia seeks to respond to the cost of living crisis by offering parents professional guidance to break the chains of poverty

In the headlines this Thursday, September 14th: -   Pope Francis praises courageous and prophetic work of ecumenical scholars -   Major Archbishop Shevchuk speaks to Vatican Radio at conclusion of Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church's Holy Synod -   Cardinal Parolin is preparing for a short travel to Slovakia to commemorate four anniversaries  

 - Pope Francis expresses his closeness to victims of devastating flooding in Libya  - Cardinal Matteo Zuppi is headed to China as the Pope’s peace envoy  - North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un is in Russia to meet with Russian president Vladimir Putin

 - Pope Francis welcomes the head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church to the Vatican  - The Holy See’s representative to the UN in Geneva calls for nations to renounce the use of cluster munitions  - Rescue efforts continue following an earthquake in Morocco, as the death toll rises

-   Pope Francis highlights the importance of literacy in contributing to peaceful societies -   The Vatican offers a glimpse of the prayer vigil that will precede the Synod General Assembly -   Poland prepares for the first-ever beatification of an entire family, with the Pope praising their heroicism

 - Pope Francis meets with the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church  - At the General Audience, the Holy Father prays for victims of a tragic fire in South Africa  - The Pope reflects with joy and gratitude on his Apostolic Journey to Mongolia

 - Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to the Dicastery for Doctrine of the Faith to thank Cardinal Ladaria for years of service as prefect  - The President of Central Asia’s Bishops’ Conference praises the Pope’s visit to Mongolia as highlighting unity despite differences   - Mongolia’s Cardinal Giorgio Marengo shares a favorite moment from the Pope’s historic visit to the country

In the headlines, this Monday September 4th: - Pope Francis concludes his Apostolic Journey to Mongolia - The Holy Father  inaugurates the 'House of Mercy' in Ulaanbaatar, emphasising selfless love - Mongolia’s Cardinal Giorgio Marengo speaks to us about the significance of the Pope’s historic Visit

In the headlines, this Saturday, September 2nd, - In Mongolia, the Pope tells Catholic ministers the Church must constantly proclaim Jesus - The Holy Father reminds them that God loves and believes in them - The Pope praises Mongolia’s active role in promoting world peace    

 - Mongolia’s small Catholic community is eagerly awaiting the arrival of Pope Francis, who begins his journey to the central Asian country on Thursday  - Tomorrow, September 1st, is the Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, marking the opening of the annual season of creation

In the headlines, this Tuesday, August 29th:  - Pope Francis prays for the marginalized this September  - The Vatican provides an overview of the Pope’s imminent Journey to Mongolia  - Vatican Radio speaks to the Mongolian Ambassador to the Holy See

 - Pope Francis asks us to reach out to those who have fallen into the “slavery” of drug addiction  - Libya’s foreign minister has been suspended after an informal meeting with her Israeli counterpart  - The Taliban have banned Afghan women from attending university outside the country

- Pope Francis warns against what he calls a “technocratic tyranny” dehumanizing our societies - As the threat of war looms following a military coup in Niger, Nigerian Cardinal Onaiyekan warns of dire consequences for the region and issues a plea for peace - Looking ahead to the Pope’s upcoming apostolic visit to Mongolia, Cardinal Marengo describes it as "an honour and a grace"

 - More than 540 children have been killed in Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion  - Voting in Zimbabwe continues for a second day due to delays at dozens of polling stations  - Nicaragua declares the Society of Jesus – the Jesuits – illegal, and confiscates their property

In the headlines this Wednesday, August 23rd: -   Pope Francis praises mothers and grandmothers who hand on the faith to their children and grandchildren -   The Pope decries the cruel war in Ukraine, and remembers all those lost -   Bodies of migrants found dead from Greece wildfires

 - Bishops in India are appealing to the United Nations to intervene to stop recurring anti-christian violence  - A human rights group is denouncing mass killings of African refugees by Saudi Arabian border guards  - Countries around the Pacific have expressed alarm over a Japanese plan to release radioactive water into the ocean

In the headlines this Monday, August 21st: -   Pope Francis tells European lawyers to be at service of truth and justice, and some news about his encyclical Laudato si on the environment -   The Pope remembers Dorothy Day finding love in the poor -   He calls on Christians to witness the Gospel together

In the headlines this Sunday, August 20th: -   Pope Francis says the Lord cannot resist us when we pray to Him -   The Pope appeals for Niger and Ukraine -   As today marks a special Day of Prayer in Pakistan, we speak to the head of Pakistan’s Bishops Conference

In the headlines this Saturday, August 19th: -   Pope Francis calls and comforts mother of young man who passed away after World Youth Day -   The Holy Father remembers World Humanitarian Aid Day -   Canada’s wildfires continue to rage, and wreak destruction

-   Pope Francis upholds the value of social friendship as an antidote to conflict and war -   The Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan praises Cardinal Parolin’s recent visit to show the Church’s solidarity with refugees and IDPs -   Wildfires rage in Canada forcing the evacuation of entire towns

 - Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin is in South Sudan, where he’s urging all to work for peace  - Humanitarian aid agencies are working to supply Ukrainian hospitals with much-needed medical supplies  - Peru’s Bishops are speaking out against a medical board’s decision to permit an abortion for a young girl

In the headlines this Monday, August 14th:  - Pope Francis insists that the Church accompany workers in midst of job insecurity  - Cardinal Parolin arrives in South Sudan to encourage peace process -  Ukraine’s main pediatric hospital determined to keep families together

In the headlines this Saturday, August 12th:  - Pope Francis condemns "unjustifiable violence" in Ecuador  - The Pope urges young people to be ‘champions of fraternity’  - The Church in Italy helps Ukrainian children arrive safe in Italian Dioceses

 - Pope Francis prays for victims of catastrophic wildfires in Hawaii that have killed at least 55 people and displaced thousands more  - Bishops of Niger, Nigeria and Burkina Faso express dissent for a proposed military intervention to oust coup-leaders in Niger  - The bishops of Slovenia join the local Caritas office to bring aid and support to those affected by devastating floods  

 - Pope Francis prays for victims of yet another migrant tragedy in the Mediterranean  - West African nations meet to discuss the Niger crisis as coup leaders attempt to consolidate power  - A presidential candidate in Ecuador is assassinated in the capital just weeks ahead of the election