Catholic News

• Pope Leo: In health-care management, defend the dignity of every person (Dicastery for Communication)
  Speaking in Spanish, Pope Leo XIV called upon participants in a seminar on the ethics of health management to “defend actively the unequivocal dignity of every human being, in all stages and facets of their existence.” Pope Leo warned against “a perverse manipulation that will classify [persons] according to the treatments they need and their cost, the nature of their illnesses, transforming them into objects, data, statistics.” Instead, he called for a twofold vision: first, consideration of the common good, rather than immediate profit; second, “the human relationship,” “the recognition [of] the real person, in his or her fragility and dignity.”
• Pray and practice humility, Cardinal Parolin tells Vatican diplomatic staff (Vatican News (Italian))
  Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica for the Jubilee of Collaborators of Nunciatures. Cardinal Parolin preached that perseverance in prayer “allows us to look beyond all boundaries, both material and spiritual; it allows us to overcome obstacles of adaptation, coexistence, loneliness, misunderstanding, and disappointment, because it brings into play the power and mercy of God, for whom nothing is impossible.” Cardinal Parolin also spoke of the importance of “humility, performing gratuitous and hidden acts of kindness, helping those experiencing difficult times at home or in the office, and not hurting others with harsh words or bad examples.”
• Polish, German bishops recall 60th anniversary of post-World War II reconciliation (Vatican News)
  Bishops from Germany and Poland gathered in Wrocław, Poland, to mark the 60th anniversary of the exchange of letters of reconciliation between the episcopates. Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda, president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference, said that “the Church of both nations dared to speak the language of the Gospel, not of politics. It dared to affirm that reconciliation is possible because God is greater than our fears, and the Holy Spirit crosses borders and walls.” Bishop Georg Bätzing, president of the German Bishops’ Conference, said that “the Church in Poland and the Church in Germany are equally needed. When we speak with one voice, we can bring an ethical dimension to public debate, grounded in the Gospel. The effectiveness of our efforts depends on our cooperation and the unity of our witness.”
• New leader of Eastern-rite Romanian Catholic Church is enthroned (Agerpres)
  Major Archbishop Claudiu-Lucian Pop, the new head of the Eastern-rite Romanian Catholic Church (CNEWA profile), was enthroned at his cathedral in Blaj on November 15, less than two weeks after Pope Leo confirmed his election. Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, attended the ceremony and said, “You are Eastern, you are a Church, and a suffering Church, in full communion with the Pope of Rome. You are our pride, our hope, our affection.”
• Charlotte bishop calls for prayer, fasting amid immigration enforcement actions (Catholic News Herald)
  Reacting to immigration enforcement actions in Charlotte, North Carolina, the local bishop called for prayer and fasting. “While I have no words to practically address the fear and uncertainty that many are feeling with the increased presence of federal immigration officials in the Charlotte metro area, I want to call upon all Catholics and people of goodwill to give witness to the message of Jesus,” said Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv. Bishop Martin offered four suggestions: “reach out to those living daily with this uncertainty and assure them of our love and care for them”; pray and fast on November 21; “do not vilify federal agents who have been sent to our community”; and advocate for immigration reform. “To those of you who are afraid to come to church, you are not obligated to attend Mass when you are inhibited from doing so by circumstances beyond your control, as the Church has always taught,” he added.
• Islamist rebels kill patients, set fire to Catholic health clinic in DR Congo (Vatican News)
  Members of the Allied Democratic Forces, an Islamist rebel group, attacked a diocesan health clinic in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Islamists “massacred patients, and then set the entire facility ablaze, killing several women in the maternity ward,” according to Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication. Father Giovanni Piumatti, an Italian missionary, said that “15 people were killed in the clinic and another five in the surrounding area. They set fire to the entire facility and 27 nearby homes. Before destroying everything, they looted all the medical supplies ... They killed mothers as they were breastfeeding their babies.”
• Pope backs US bishops on immigration (Vatican News)
  Pope Leo XIV urged American Catholics to heed the US bishops’ statement on immigration, in remarks to reporters at Castel Gandolfo on November 18. While acknowledging a country’s right to control its own borders, the Pope said: “If someone is in the United States illegally, there are ways to address this. There are courts. There is a judicial system.” But he criticized the “extremely disrespectful” treatment of illegal immigrants, especially those who have been leading a “good life” in the US for years. The Pope made his remarks during an informal exchange in which he also answered questions about conflicts in Ukraine and Nigeria, his future travel plans, and his regular use of the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo. (See today’s separate CWN headline.)
• Resurrection points to 'ecological conversion,' Pope tells audience (Vatican Press Office)
  At his weekly public audience on November 19, Pope Leo XIV said that “the death and resurrection of Jesus are the foundation of a spirituality of integral ecology.” Continuing his series of talks on the Resurrection, the Pope remarked that St. Mary Magdalene encountered the Risen Christ in the garden where He had been buried. He reminded his audience: “Cultivating and keeping the garden is the original task that Jesus brought to fulfillment.” Quoting from Laudato Si’, the encyclical of Pope Francis, the Pontiff said that the Resurrection is an invitation to “ecological conversion.” He added: “There are also many people who desire, through a more direct relationship with creation, a new harmony that will lead them beyond so many divisions.”
• Pope calls for liturgical, biblical formation (Dicastery for Communication)
  In an address to diocesan liturgical pastoral workers, Pope Leo XIV called upon dioceses and parishes to “initiate biblical and liturgical courses” where they are not present. “Ensure that instituted lectors and those who regularly read the Scriptures at celebrations are thoroughly prepared,” said the Pope. “Basic biblical knowledge, clear diction, the ability to sing the responsorial psalm, as well as to compose prayers of the faithful for the community are important aspects that implement liturgical reform and help the People of God grow on their path.” Liturgical formation, the Pope added, should “foster the fruitful participation of the People of God, as well as a dignified liturgy that is attentive to different sensibilities and sober in its solemnity.”
• Pope speaks on several topics in exchange with reporters (Vatican News)
  During a question-and-answer session with reporters on November 19, Pope Leo XIV spoke on conflicts in Ukraine in Nigeria; his possible travel plans; his regular use of the papal summer residence; and the case of a Spanish prelate charged with abuse. [During the same session the Pontiff also offered his support to the US bishops in their criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. See today’s separate CWN headline.] Questioned about the prospects for a peace accord in Ukraine, the Pope said: “The problem is that there is no ceasefire.” Regarding terror attacks in Nigeria he observed that “there is indeed a danger for Christians—and for everyone, Christian and Muslim.” The Pope disclosed that he is considering travel to several places in coming months, listing the Marian shrines at Fatima and Guadalupe, and South American countries including Uruguay, Argentina, and “of course” Peru, where he had served as diocesan bishop. Answering questions about his regular Tuesday trips to Castel Gandolfo, the Pope said that he uses his “day off” for reading, correspondence, and “a bit of tennis, a bit of swimming.” Questioned about the case of Bishop Rafael Zornoza of Cadiz and Cueta, Spain, who has been charged with sexual abuse, the Pontiff reminded reporters that the bishop has maintained his innocence, and an investigation is underway. “Depending on the results, there will be consequences,” he said, urging patience with the judicial process.
• Ukrainian Catholic leader deplores corruption (Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
  In his most recent weekly message, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, deplored corruption. “Our law enforcement agencies have uncovered a criminal corruption scheme that was destroying Ukraine’s energy system,” he said. “We share the pain of our society and, fulfilling the prophetic role of the Church, we consistently denounce and condemn the phenomenon we call corruption.” Ukrainian officials face accusations of embezzling $100 million from the nation’s state-owned energy companies.
• Bishops of Sudan, South Sudan lament ongoing conflicts (Holy See Mission)
  At a recent meeting, the bishops of Sudan and South Sudan said they were “deeply disturbed by the ongoing devastating conflicts and the dishonored peace agreements in both nations.” “Selfish interests have unleashed violence, aggravating humanitarian crises, community-based hatred, widespread displacement, the misappropriation of public funds, hunger, and the looming threat of famine,” the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sudan and South Sudan said in its statement. “We are witnessing unprecedented ethnic and tribal divisions in the name of politics.” South Sudan, a nation of 12.7 million (map), is 61% Christian (39% Catholic), 32% ethnic religionist, and 6% Muslim. In 2011, it gained independence from Sudan (map); the nation of 50.5 million is 92% Muslim and 4% Christian, with 3% adhering to ethnic religions.
• Archbishop Coakley reflects on role as USCCB president (Our Sunday Visitor)
  In an interview with OSV News, Archbishop Paul Coakley spoke about his task as president of the US bishops’ conference. The American bishops, Archbishop Coakley said, “are far more unified pastorally, fraternally than is often portrayed in a lot of the media and a lot of people’s imaginations. The narrative is out there that the American bishops are divided, we’re polarized, and that’s not been my experience.” During an interview in which he offered a balanced view on immigration, the archbishop also responded to criticism he has received for supporting Archbishop Vigano in the demand for a thorough investigation of the McCarrick scandal.
• Archbishop Coakley praises governor for commuting death sentence (Our Sunday Visitor)
  Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, the newly elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, praised Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma for commuting a death sentence to life in prison without possibility of parole. “The governor’s commitment to balancing justice with mercy and maintaining an opportunity for redemption is laudable,” said Archbishop Coakley. “In view of the particularly troubling details of [Tremane] Wood’s case, erring on the side of life should always be our first instinct.” “We must also pray for the victims of violent crimes and their families, in this case Ronnie Wipf and those who mourn his death,” the prelate added.
• Missionary from India named Canadian archbishop (Edmonton Journal)
  Pope Leo XIV has appointed Father Susai Jesu, OMI, as archbishop of Keewatin-Le Pas, Canada (map). Born and ordained in India, the priest began to minister in Canadian parishes in 2009. The appointment “was shocking for me,” said Father Jesu. “I went to the church and spent almost one and a half hours kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament. And it was kind of emotional as the Lord was calling me.”
• Leading Spanish bishops meet with Pontiff (Vatican News (Spanish))
  Pope Leo XIV met with leaders of the Spanish Episcopal Conference for an hour on November 17. Archbishop Luis Argüello of Valladolid, the conference’s president, said that the prelates discussed evangelization, dwindling numbers of religious, immigration, missionary priests from Latin America and Africa, and reparations for sexual abuse victims. Commenting on the investigation into an abuse allegation against Bishop Rafael Zornoza Boy of Cádiz y Ceuta, Archbishop Argüello said that “the Holy Father is obviously aware, but he hasn’t told us anything more.”
• Papal tribute to Father Casamassa, 20th-century Augustinian scholar (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
  In a message for a conference marking the 70th anniversary of the death of Father Antonio Casamassa, Pope Leo XIV hailed the scholar as “among the most learned patrologists and historians of the Church of the 20th century.” Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, wrote in the message that Pope Leo “hopes that the remembrance of this esteemed spiritual son of Saint Augustine will inspire renewed commitment to the study of the Fathers and knowledge of the past, necessary to reinvigorate the Church’s awareness of herself and her mission.”
• US bishops express opposition to 'indiscriminate mass deportation' (USCCB)
  In a 216-5 vote at their fall meeting in Baltimore, the US bishops approved a rare special pastoral message on immigration. The bishops stated, “To our immigrant brothers and sisters, we stand with you in your suffering, since, when one member suffers, all suffer (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:26). You are not alone!” “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people,” the bishops added. “We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement. We pray that the Lord may guide the leaders of our nation, and we are grateful for past and present opportunities to dialogue with public and elected officials.”
• 'Red Week' highlights plight of persecuted Christians (Aid to the Church in Need)
  Over 600 churches and landmarks around the world, including the seat of the European Parliament, are being illuminated in red during “Red Week” (November 15-23), an Aid to the Church in Need initiative that highlights the plight of persecuted Christians. “413 million Christians live in countries where religious freedom is severely violated—of these, approximately 220 million are directly exposed to persecution,” according to the charity’s Religious Freedom in the World Report.
• World Day of Sick to be held in Peru (Vatican Press Office)
  The Vatican has announced that the principal commemoration of the 2026 World Day of the Sick (background) will take place at the Shrine of Our Lady of Peace in Chiclayo, Peru. Bishop Robert Prevost, the future Pontiff, was bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023. The Vatican also announced that Pope Leo has appointed Cardinal Michael Czerny, S.J., prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, as his special envoy to the commemoration there.
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