Saint Joseph Catholic Church

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Pope Leo XIV received David Axelrod, senior advisor to President Barack Obama (2009-11) and chief political analyst for CNN, at the Vatican today.

As is customary, the Vatican did not release a statement on the topics discussed during the private audience. Axelrod did not discuss the audience on his X account, where he posts frequently.

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced today that Pope Leo has chosen “Even just one of these children” as the title of his forthcoming message for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

The Church will commemorate the next World Day of Migrants and Refugees (background) on September 27. The dicastery explained that “Even just one of these children” is a reference to Christ’s statement that “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Matthew 18:5).

Pope Leo XIV today received athletes from the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games (video) and told them that “sport, if lived well, becomes a workshop for a reconciled humanity, where diversity is not a threat but a wealth.”

“Sport contributes to the maturing of our character, requires a steadfast spirituality and is a fruitful form of education,” Pope Leo said. “Through sport, we learn to know our own bodies without idolizing them, to control our emotions, to compete without losing our sense of fraternity, to accept defeat without despair and victory without arrogance.”

The Commission for Justice and Peace of the Episcopal Conference of Rwanda issued a statement marking the 32nd anniversary of the Rwanda genocide.

“The genocide perpetrated against the Tutsi is an indelible stain on humanity and particularly on the Rwandan nation,” the bishops said. “Remembering our painful history is not meant to fuel hatred or revenge but to preserve the memory of those who died and to affirm that death does not erase the deep bonds that unite us.”

The prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine said that the order has experienced a “Leo effect” in 11 months since the election of the Pontiff.

“We’re seeing a growth in interest,” said Father Joseph Farrell, O.S.A. “We hope it continues for a long time.”

The Midwest Augustinians, to which the future Pope Leo belonged, reported a steep rise in vocation inquiries, from the typical 50-60 per year to over 300.

The Free Press reported that Defense Department officials summoned Cardinal Christophe Pierre, then the apostolic nuncio to the United States, to the Pentagon in January and delivered “a bitter lecture warning that the United States has the military power to do whatever it wants.”

Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby reportedly told Cardinal Pierre, “America has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side.”

“I would actually like to talk to Cardinal Cristophe Pierre and, frankly, to our people, to figure out what actually happened,” Vice President JD Vance said in response. “I think it’s always a bad idea to offer an opinion on stories that are unconfirmed and uncorroborated, so I’m not going to do that.”

A spokesman for the Defense Department described the report as “highly exaggerated and distorted” and said that “the meeting between Pentagon and Vatican officials was a respectful and reasonable discussion. We have nothing but the highest regard and welcome continued dialogue with the Holy See.”