Rich Raho

Voice of peace and hope: Pope Leo's visit to Türkiye and Lebanon - Vatican News The director of the Holy See Press Office presents Pope Leo XIV’s first apostolic journey that takes him to Türkiye and Lebanon, emphasising ...

Ahead of Pope’s first trip outside Italy - to Turkey and Lebanon - Vatican reveals Leo’s speeches during 6-day trek to be in English - not Italian; Leo will celebrate liturgies in French. Customary papal presser on return to Rome is planned. www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

Francis' popemobile transformed into mobile clinic for Gaza children “We’re pleased that we have here a serious contribution towards the healthcare of children in Gaza,” Caritas Secretary-General Alistair Dutton told a news conference in Bethlehem.

A vehicle used by the late Pope Francis during a visit to Bethlehem more than a decade ago has been transformed into a mobile health clinic that Christian leaders hope will soon be used to provide care to Palestinian children in Gaza. www.nbcnews.com/world/middle...

Cardinal Blase Cupich: Giving thanks can be an act of unity The true character of America is found in our capacity as a pilgrim people to find reasons for hope and share those blessings with others.

Card Cupich: “Thanksgiving…is not about pretending we agree on everything. It is about remembering that before we are citizens of any political party, adherents of any ideology or followers of any particular faith, we are human beings capable of gratitude…” www.chicagotribune.com/2025/11/25/o...

Full text: www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

Pope Leo in new Apostolic Letter: “We must therefore leave behind theological controversies that have lost their raison d’êtrein order to develop a common understanding and even more, a common prayer to the Holy Spirit, so that he may gather us all together in one faith and one love.”

“Singing reminds us that we are a Church on a journey, an authentic synodal reality capable of sharing with everyone the vocation to praise and joy on this pilgrimage of love and hope. - Pope Leo

Pope Leo at Mass for Jubilee of Choirs: “Dedicate yourselves to facilitating the participation of the people of God, without giving in to the temptation of ostentation, which prevents the entire liturgical assembly from actively participating in the singing.” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

Punctuating Pope’s quality as a “good listener,” Leo met privately this morning with Katharina Westerhorstmann, a professor of theology at Franciscan University campus in Austria. In 2022 Westerhorstmann resigned from the German Synodal Way forum on sexual morality.

Pope at Jubilee Audience: Peace is taking a stand where human dignity is trampled - Vatican News During his Jubilee Audience on Saturday morning, Pope Leo XIV reflects on Servant of God, Dorothy Day, an American Catholic, who dedicated her life to ...

Pope Leo at Jubilee Audience: Dorothy Day understood that for too many the dream was a nightmare, and that as a Christian she had to involve herself with workers, with migrants, with those cast aside by an economy that kills." www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

Pope Leo to young people: Technology can help us live our Christian faith - Vatican News Pope Leo XIV meets online with over 15,000 teenagers gathered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and invites young Catholics to grow in friendship with Jesus ...

Pope Leo meets online with over 16,000 teenagers gathered in Indianapolis, Indiana, and invites young Catholics to grow in friendship with Jesus Christ, use technology healthily to deepen their faith, and avoid using political categories to speak about the Church. www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

The Pope to NCYC:
“Be careful not to use political categories when speaking of faith. The Church does not belong to any political party; rather, it helps to form your conscience so that you may think and act with wisdom and love.”

This morning, Pope Leo received a group of mothers and wives of prisoners and adolescents forcibly taken to Russia and now returned to Ukraine.

Pope Leo was presented on Friday with a copy of a US Senate resolution commemorating the victims of a shooting in August at a Minnesota Catholic Church and school, given to him by Senator Amy Klobuchar, one of the bill's co-sponsors. www.reuters.com/world/us/pop...

Pope Leo consolidates governance reform for Vatican City Commission - Vatican News With a Motu Proprio, Pope Leo XIV has abrogated Article 8 of the previous Fundamental Law of Vatican City State, which had allowed only cardinals to ...

www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

In a new motu proprio, Pope Leo says the President of Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State is not only open to Cardinals but also the laity for a 5-year term. The position of President is currently held by Sister Raffaella Petrini. In doing so, Leo solidifies a change desired by Francis.

Pope to Caritas: “Love sends us forth & makes us servants; love opens our eyes to the wounds of others. Wherever you accompany a displaced family, defend the rights of the poor, or offer a listening heart to the forgotten, the Church’s witness becomes more credible.” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

Catholic clergy, nuns sue Trump admin over Communion access for ICE detainees (RNS) — ‘The Catholic Church recognizes service to people on the margins as corporal works of mercy that are cornerstones of Christianity,’ the legal complaint reads.

NEW from me: Catholic clergy, nuns sue Trump admin over Communion access for ICE detainees.

All told, more than 60 religious groups/denominations and ~10 religious professionals have sued the Trump admin this year. This lawsuit adds one more group, four more clergy. religionnews.com/2025/11/20/c...

Pope to Italian Bishops: “A synodal Church, which walks the path traced by history while confronting the emerging challenges of evangelization, needs to renew herself continually. We must avoid allowing inertia…to slow down the necessary changes.” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

Pope Leo visited today with the Augustinian nuns in the Monastery of Montefalco; he celebrated Mass then stayed for lunch.

Pope Leo XIV: Recognizing each other as brothers is antidote to all extremism - Vatican News The Vatican Publishing House (LEV) releases Pope Leo XIV’s new book, entitled “The Power of the Gospel: Christian Faith in 10 Words.” Edited by ...

Pope Leo in new book: “We must look at our world, directly: we can no longer tolerate structural injustices in which those who have more always have more, and, conversely, those who have less become increasingly poor.” www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

Pope to Italian Bishops: We are first called to look to Jesus - Vatican News During his visit on Thursday to the Italian hill town of Assisi, Pope Leo closes the 81st General Assembly of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI), ...

Pope to Italian Bishops: “Messages and languages tuned to hostility and violence often spread; the race to efficiency leaves behind the most fragile; technological omnipotence compresses freedom; solitude consumes hope, numerous uncertainties weigh upon our future” www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news...

Leo told the Franciscans gathered this morning: “It is a blessing to be able to come today to this sacred place. We are close to the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Francis, which gives us the opportunity to prepare ourselves to celebrate this great humble and poor saint.”

Pope Leo prayed at the tomb of St. Francis this morning. He is in Assisi to address the Italian Bishops Conference. He will later celebrate Mass and have lunch with the Augustinian Community.

On Thursday, Pope Leo travels to Assisi to close out the meeting of Italian Bishops at Santa Maria degli Angeli. Leo is expected to make an early morning private visit to the tomb of St. Francis; after addressing the bishops, Leo will travel to Montefalco for lunch with Augustinian nuns.

Bishop Martin calls for prayer, fasting, outreach to immigrants in wake of federal actions in Charlotte Stand with migrants but ‘do not vilify’ federal agents, he urges CHARLOTTE — Bishop Michael Martin, OFM Conv., is urging all Catholics to pray, fast, reach out to immigrants, and contact their elected...

NEW: Charlotte’s Bishop Martin amid ICE raids: “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.” catholicnewsherald.com/90-news/loca...

Pope Leo at General Audience: “Pope Francis, with the Encyclical Laudato si’, showed us the extreme need for a contemplative gaze: if he is not the custodian of the garden, the human being becomes its destroyer.” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...

Pope Leo has received Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and his wife MK in a private audience today at the Vatican.

Asked how he spends his time at Castel Gandolfo, he responded: "a bit of reading, a bit of work, there are correspondences every day, phone calls, important matters, urgent ones. And then a bit of tennis and swimming pool.”

Leaving Castel Gandolfo, Pope expressed appreciation for US bishop’s statement in support of migrants: “We must find ways to treat people with humanity and dignity…when people are living good lives, to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful to say the least is unacceptable.”

Speaking to Catholic Biblical Federation today, Pope Leo laments “cultural places” where the Gospel is “distorted by particular interests.” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...