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Pope Leo XIV in Africa

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Belarus Supreme Court upholds liquidation of 3 Greek Catholic parishes (Forum 18)

The Supreme Court of Belarus upheld a lower court’s decision to liquidate three Eastern Catholic parishes.

“The three parishes first gained state registration in the 1990s,” Forum 18 reported. “Like all religious communities that wanted to continue to exist under the new Religion Law that came into force in July 2024, they were forced to seek re-registration. Officials of Brest Regional Executive Committee rejected their applications in 2025 and lodged the liquidation suits to court.”

The Eastern European nation of 9.5 million (map) is 82% Christian (63% Orthodox, 17% Catholic). An autocratic president, Alexander Lukashenko, has led the nation since 1994.

USCCB launches America 250 video series (USCCB)

The United States Conference of Catholic launched a video series devoted to the 250th anniversary of the American founding.

In the first episode, Dr. Michael Breidenbach, a history professor at Ave Maria University, discussed Catholics and the founding.

Technology should not replace the family, Vatican diplomat says at UN meeting (Holy See Mission)

Addressing a UN meeting devoted to “Population, technology and research in the context of sustainable development,” a Vatican diplomat said that “particular vigilance is required to ensure that technology complements authentic human encounters rather than substituting them.”

“Care, education and the transmission of values cannot be fully delegated to digital technology,” said Chargé d’Affaires of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. “They are rooted in presence, responsibility and love.”

Msgr. Murphy added:

These realities are most fully expressed within the family, which remains the primary place of care, education and solidarity, even as technology evolves. Therefore, efforts should be made to ensure that technology complements, rather than replaces, the family and authentic human relationships.

Journalist explores shift to 'conversation in the Spirit' at January consistory of cardinals (Diane Montagna's Substack)

In an article on the extraordinary consistory of cardinals in January, Vatican journalist Diane Montagna explored the unexplained shift from the expected traditional format—in which each cardinal can speak freely to the whole group at some length—to the “conversation in the Spirit” format, in which cardinals sat at 20 separate tables.

“What is not widely known is that Pope Leo XIV’s first extraordinary consistory was initially planned to follow the classical format,” Montagna reported. “But it was later reconfigured under somewhat mysterious circumstances, with no official explanation as to why the format changed, who was involved in the decision, or who ultimately organized the meeting.”

Papal message to Italian Church officials: Respect freedom to prevent abuse (CWN)

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of His Holiness, sent a message in Pope Leo’s name to a meeting of Italian Church officials devoted to abuse prevention.

Pope meets with several Muslim leaders in Cameroon (Vatican News)

The director of the Holy See Press Office announced that Pope Leo XIV met with twelve Muslim leaders at the apostolic nunciature in Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital, on the evening of April 16. The leaders have collaborated with the nation’s bishops in assisting the poor.

The Pope “encouraged those present to continue along this path of dialogue and to bring the same message and dream to others, to Muslims, and to all those who do not understand but can learn to see the beauty of fraternity, bringing great benefit to all of Cameroon,” according to Vatican News, the news agency of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication.

The central African nation of 31.8 million (map) is 58% Christian (28% Catholic), 22% Muslim, and 19% ethnic religionist.

'Bring the bread of life to your neighbors,' Pope preaches in Cameroon's largest city (CWN)

Pope Leo XIV traveled today from Cameroon’s capital city of Yaoundé (video) to its largest city, Douala (video), where he celebrated Mass in Japoma Stadium.

Apr. 17 Friday of the Second Week of Easter, Weekday

The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Robert Molesme (1027-1110), traditionally considered to be the founder of the Cistercians, the reform that developed at Citeaux, France.