Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, encouraged participants in a Vatican conference to work to build a different planet.

In his keynote address to the Pontifical Academy of Theology’s conference on “Creation, Nature, Environment for a World of Peace,” Cardinal Parolin said that “the current worrying historical context is, unfortunately, characterized by conflict, selfishness, indifference, and the inability to listen to others, to see the great opportunities that open up to us through the simple act of collaborating together, interacting with mutual respect and in the responsible awareness that, as clearly stated in Laudato Si’, everything is interconnected.”

“The harmony between the Creator, humanity, and all of creation has been destroyed because we claimed to take God’s place, refusing to recognize ourselves as limited creatures,” he continued. “What we need is a new perspective on a new world, capable of carefully reading the challenges and signs of the times that can contribute to peace by stimulating social dialogue.”

Following his September 11 address to 192 recently ordained bishops, Pope Leo XIV fielded questions. The Vatican published a summary of the Pope’s answers the following day.

Synodality is “a style of Church, of listening and of a common search for the mission to which we are called,” Pope Leo said, as he advised bishops to “be builders of bridges,” rather than closing oneself off in one’s own group.

The Pontiff also addressed questions about mercy, social media, formation, mission, and youth, according to the summary of his remarks. Pope Leo told the bishops that the spiritual thirst of youth is not satisfied “in the typical experiences of our parishes.”

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops removed “DEI Means God,” a reflection by Auxiliary Bishop Roy Campbell of Washington, from its website after Catholic World News published an article on it.

Chieko Noguchi, the USCCB’s executive director of public affairs, told The Pillar that the essay was “a draft of a personal reflection from Bishop Campbell that is yet to be discussed and given to a definitive publication plan.”

“It was mistakenly posted to the website, and has been taken down,” she said.

Pope Leo XIV received Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica on September 12. Skerrit subsequently met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

The parties “touched upon some current regional and national socio-political issues, such as societal challenges and the consequences of climate change, including the renewal of the mutual commitment to promote cooperation for the good of the Dominican people,” according to the Holy See Press Office.

Skerrit stated:

I believe every step of our nation’s journey is ordered by God, and this encounter is no exception. Our talks touched on the Church’s contribution to Dominica in social assistance and education and on shared concerns over socio-political challenges, particularly the consequences of climate change.

The occasion was a blessing for me personally, but also important for Dominica, reminding us that even as a small nation, our voice matters in the global community of faith.

The Caribbean nation of 75,000 (map) is 94% Christian (50% Catholic), 3% Spiritist, and 2% Baha’i.

Pope Leo XIV received President Maia Sandu of Moldova on September 12. Sandu subsequently met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

The parties discussed “the situation of peace and security at the local, regional and international level, with particular reference to the recent developments in Ukraine,” the Holy See Press Office said in a statement.

Sandu, whose nation borders Ukraine, tweeted that she and the Pope

discussed peace, faith, and Moldova’s path to a better future. I shared how, with a war at our doorstep, Moldovans have shown kindness and generosity, rooted in Christian values. May peace prevail in Europe and unite us all.

Moldova, an Eastern European nation of 3.6 million (map), is 96% Christian (91% Orthodox).

In his Angelus address on September 14, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

“God saves us by showing himself to us, offering himself as our companion, teacher, doctor, friend, to the point of becoming bread broken for us in the Eucharist,” Pope Leo told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square. “In order to accomplish this task, he used one of the cruelest instruments that human beings have ever invented: the cross.”

The Pope added, “That is why today we celebrate the ‘exultation’: for the immense love with which God has transformed the means to death into an instrument of life, embracing it for our salvation, teaching us that nothing can separate us from him and that his love is greater than our own sin.”

L’Osservatore Romano devoted the most prominent article in its September 11 edition to children’s malnutrition in Afghanistan.

In an article with the headline “Nemmeno la forza per piangere” [Not even the strength to cry], Sara Costantini reported that “there are children who no longer cry because malnutrition has made them too weak even to ask for help. This is the most silent wound in Afghanistan.”

“Nearly five million children, equal to 20 % of children in Afghanistan, face ‘crisis’ or ‘emergency’ levels of food shortages,” she added. “For them, every day is an invisible struggle to stay alive. If concrete help doesn’t reach them, Afghanistan risks losing its most fragile and precious asset: the future of its children.”

Pope Leo XIV presided at an ecumenical commemoration of 21st-century martyrs at the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls on September 14.

“Despite the end of the great dictatorships of the twentieth century, to this day the persecution of Christians has not ended; on the contrary, in some parts of the world it has increased,” Pope Leo preached.

“Just as in the first centuries, so too in the third millennium, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of new Christians,” he continued. “We want to keep this memory alive alongside our brothers and sisters of other Churches and Christian Communities. I therefore wish to reaffirm the commitment of the Catholic Church to safeguard the memory of the witnesses of the faith from all Christian traditions.”

During his homily, the Pope cited the witness of Sister Dorothy Stang, Father Ragheed Ganni, and Anglican Brother Francis Tofi.

commentary

The Vatican has signed new agreements with the government of Azerbaijan, promoting cooperation in the fields of medical training, and the preservation of historical documents.

The deals have drawn scrutiny from Armenian leaders, who charge that Azerbaijan’s “caviar diplomacy” is designed to mute the Vatican’s criticism of Azeri suppression of the Armenian Christian heritage.