St. Peter’s Basilica completes mosaic restoration of ornate chapel dome
St. Peter’s Basilica, which is marking 400 years since its consecration, has completed a mosaic restoration in the dome of one of its most ornate chapels.
The Fabbrica di San Pietro — the Vatican institution responsible for maintaining St. Peter’s — announced the project’s completion on Sept. 17. The announcement described the project as necessary to conserve “one of the most significant decorative achievements of early seventeenth-century Rome.” The Italian Mannerist painter Cristofano Roncalli (also known as “Il Pomarancio”) created the mosaics between 1601 and 1604.
The Clementine Chapel, distinct from another of the same name in the Vatican Grottoes, contains the Altar of St. Gregory the Great (where he is buried), the monument to Pope Pius VII, the Altar of the Lie, and the Altar of the Transfiguration.
The restoration included preliminary inspections of the mosaics, cleaning and dust removal, removal of incompatible materials, and efflorescence treatment.
The Clementine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Clement VIII, who reigned from 1592–1605. It was begun and designed by the renowned Italian artist Michelangelo Buonarroti, who also designed the main dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. The Italian architect Giacomo della Porta completed the chapel’s dome in 1580, 20 years before the jubilee year of 1600.
The mosaics were restored as St. Peter’s Basilica marked the 400th anniversary of its consecration. In February, the Vatican announced that it will open new parts of the basilica — including the full terrace — and roll out a “SmartPass” digital entry system.
The basilica, which replaced an earlier Constantinian basilica, was consecrated by Pope Urban VIII on Nov. 18, 1626.
Vatican tells UN: Hate speech is poison that leads to violence and persecution
The Vatican has condemned hate speech to the United Nations (U.N.) as a threat to human dignity and a dangerous source of violence and division among peoples.
Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, the new permanent observer of the Holy See to the U.N., made these remarks on Sept. 17, delivering his first address since being appointed by Pope Leo XIV in July. He delivered the address in New York at the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech.
In his address, El-Kassis reaffirmed the Holy See’s position that all human beings possess inviolable human dignity that cannot be diminished. He also warned against threats to this dignity, including hate speech.
“Hate speech — whether directed against individuals or communities on the basis of their religion, ethnicity, nationality, or any other characteristic — contradicts the commandment to love one’s neighbor, poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution,” El-Kassis stated in his remarks.
El-Kassis also affirmed the Holy See’s recognition of the right to freedom of expression, provided that one be mindful of the responsibilities that accompany this freedom.
The archbishop also cited Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, reminding those present that the “first contribution we can make toward a more humane civilization is to be mindful of our words.”
“Pope Leo XIV insists, ‘… Disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different view of the world and to act in a manner consistent with our human dignity,’” El-Kassis concluded.
White House touts list of ‘victories’ for people of faith
The White House has released what it describes as “President Trump’s Top 250 Victories For People of Faith,” a list that highlights the administration’s accomplishments on issues of concern to Americans of various religious communities.
Discussing the administration’s efforts in an interview with EWTN News White House correspondent Owen Jensen, White House Faith Office Director Jenny Korn emphasized the importance of having “a White House Faith Office that the president put in the West Wing as a direct report to him to work on policy that affects religious institutions and people of faith in their daily lives.”
The list of accomplishments covers 25 categories, including the protection of religious liberty, defending houses of worship, securing conscience rights, ending the weaponization of government, expanding school choice, upholding parental rights, restoring biological truth, and defending life.
Among the most recent items, Korn highlighted the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) guidance to all federal departments and agencies, directing them to protect religious liberty in all programs, policies, and practices.
That guidance includes lifting restrictions that prevented federally-funded faith-based organizations from including prayer and the religious aspect as part of their programs.
“We canʼt take away those rights. We canʼt take your faith out. Your faith is the part of the whole reason why you are serving the community,” Korn said.
The White House listed several “victories” tied to conscience rights, including strengthening protections for healthcare providers who object to abortion, sterilization, or assisted suicide.
Among other measures, the Department of Health and Human Services has rescinded previous departmental guidance that could force pharmacists to stock and dispense abortion pills in violation of pharmacists’ religious beliefs.
The report also touts that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has conducted terminations and overseen resignations following an anti-Catholic memo authored by the FBI during the Biden administration.
In addition, the White House notes that the Department of Justice’s Weaponization Working Group released a report on how that department, under the previous administration, collaborated with pro-abortion groups to target pro-lifers and weaponize the FACE Act against pro-life defendants.
The Department of Justice has subsequently restricted “the misuse of the FACE Act against pro-life advocates, dismissing several cases aimed at persecuting pro-life Americans.”
Defending life
Nonetheless, pro-life leaders have also given some critical reviews during Trump’s second term.
While there has been praise for measures that include conscience protections and restrictions on abortion-related funding overseas, they have criticized the administration’s failure to sufficiently regulate abortion pills and completely defund Planned Parenthood, in addition to the administration’s support for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
The White House list indicates that the “Food and Drug Administration is conducting a review of the abortion drug mifepristone.” Korn said she has not had a specific conversation with Trump on where he stands on the abortion drug mifepristone.
IVF expansion on victories list
The list glaringly counts Trump’s expansion of IVF as a “victory,” stating Trump “took action to lower costs and expand access to IVF and high-quality fertility care.”
The Catholic Church strongly opposes the practice. “Techniques that entail the dissociation of husband and wife, by the intrusion of a person other than the couple (donation of sperm or ovum, surrogate uterus), are gravely immoral,” the Catechism of the Catholic Church states.
Addressing this issue, Korn said the “president is very pro-family. And so we want to be able to make sure that we are allowing Americans to be able to grow their family.”
“But we understand the nuances and we understand thereʼs some disagreements,” she acknowledged. Korn emphasized that “Catholics are at the table” as the administration’s policy deliberations continue and that she expects many additional favorable outcomes for people of faith during the rest of the president’s term.
UK bill proposes to lift historic restrictions on Catholic and Jewish prime ministers
The U.K. government has introduced a new bill seeking to end restrictions that prevent U.K. prime ministers from exercising their full constitutional responsibilities.
The Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill would allow Catholic and Jewish prime ministers to provide advice to the monarch on Church of England appointments, which is part of the prime minister’s role.
According to the U.K. government, amendments were brought into law in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to remove restrictions on Catholic and Jewish people in public life, but the restriction related to advising on Church appointments was left in place.
Up until recently there have been no Catholic or Jewish prime ministers, but Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who came to power on July 20, is a Catholic and has had to transfer this responsibility to the lord chancellor.
Inquiry into police collusion in death of Catholic father in Ireland concludes
An inquiry in Ireland has found that four Royal Ulster Constabulary officers “did not collude” with attackers who assaulted a 25-year-old Catholic father of three in 1997 in County Armagh, according to a report in RTÉ.
The inquiry into the murder of Robert Hamill found however that there were “multiple police failings in the investigation, including a tip-off to a suspect to destroy the clothing he wore that night.”
Hamill was walking home with friends when he was assaulted by a large crowd. To date, no one has been convicted of the murder.
Vatican official urges Asian Catholic digital missionaries to be ‘responsible’
In her plenary address at the Asian Catholic Digital Missionary Assembly 2026 in Manila, Philippines, on Sept. 11, Natasa Govekar, director of the Theological-Pastoral Department of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, said that Christian influencers online should treat their efforts “as a responsibility rather than a measure of status.”
According to LiCAS.news, Govekar said that “every Christian should be aware of his or her potential influence, regardless of the size of an online following, while responsibility grows as audiences expand.”
Govekar also said digital evangelization “should move away from individual-centered influence and toward communion, shared mission, and witness.” She warned against treating Christian communication as a form of marketing, saying: “We are not advertising, but communicating to live the life that was given to us.”
Archbishop says states should renounce nuclear weapons
At the 70th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Sept. 15 in Vienna, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the secretary for relations with states and international organizations, called for the responsible use of nuclear technology, which he said is “inseparable from the commitments and responsibilities that accompany it.”
His comments were made while marking the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster.
According to a report in Vatican News, Gallagher highlighted the Holy See’s “longstanding commitment—as one of the IAEA’s original signatories seventy years ago—based on the conviction that a technology with such vast potential as nuclear energy ‘must be guided by sound ethical principles, be used for the service of peace and integral human development, and be protected from any destructive use.’”
The archbishop urged “sound ethical principles” on nuclear energy, saying that nuclear technology may be used to benefit humanity, but its development should not “lead to the acquisition of nuclear weapons, protecting facilities in wartime, and applying artificial intelligence with an awareness of the associated risks and sound safety standards.”
Missing Zimbabwean priest found dead at Harare hospital mortuary
The Archdiocese of Harare in Zimbabwe announced the death of Father Regis Chikuni days after appealing for prayers and assistance in locating the priest.
According to ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, the archdiocese said Chikuni was found deceased at the mortuary of Parirenyatwa Hospital and relesed a death notice on Sept. 9.
Chikuni is believed to have been involved in a hit-and-run road accident in Harare while attempting to cross the road. He reportedly had no identification with him at the time of the accident, making it difficult for authorities to establish his identity. Police are expected to issue an official statement on the circumstances surrounding his death.
Archbishop of Westminster issues statement urging 2-state solution in Holy Land
The archbishop of Westminster and president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Archbishop Richard Moth, issued a statement on Sept. 15 condemning violence in the Holy Land, stating that the two-state solution should “remain the goal of all people of good will.”
“The Church in England and Wales has a particular concern about the Holy Land. With the encouragement of the Holy See and the support of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we have organized the Holy Land Co-ordination, an annual pilgrimage of bishops from around the world to support Christians in the region through presence, prayer, pilgrimage and persuasion,” he said.
“However, violence continues to engulf the Holy Land, pushing people apart while undermining hopes for peaceful co-existence in a two-state solution. It has also led to a polarisation of views and even despair, which make the necessary bridge building for forgiveness and reconciliation so much more difficult.”
The archbishop called violence a “stain on humanity,” and cited both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV, who have called for “the international community to work toward advancing the two-state solution, for a just and lasting peace.”
Syrian town revives its distinctive traditions for feast of the Holy Cross
This year’s feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Maaloula, Syria, drew thousands of residents, returning families, and visitors, bringing what local clergy described as a renewed sense of life to the historic Christian town, ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported.
Father Fadi Barqil, superior of the Melkite Catholic Monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, said preparations began nearly a month before the feast. Residents carried a cross to the mountaintop on Sept. 12 and illuminated it, while the eve of the feast included evening prayer, traditional processions, and the lighting of fires on the mountains. On the feast itself, processions moved through the town with banners, poetry, dabke (a traditional folk dance), and visits to homes followed by a communal meal.
Barqil stressed that the religious meaning of the celebration must remain at its center, warning against reducing the feast to its outward customs. He also encouraged Maaloula’s families to continue returning, visiting their homes and keeping them illuminated, saying their presence is what restores the town’s spirit.
Bishops in Australia seek married couples’ input for support programs
The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s Commission for Life, Family, and Public Engagement announced funding for a research project that responds to concerns raised in the late Pope Francis’ 2016 apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love).
“Pope Francis had a particular concern for the newly married,” Auxiliary Bishop Tony Percy of Sydney said. “He recognised that as a Church we have tended to focus on preparation for marriage and then, after the wedding, have more or less left couples to fend for themselves.”
The bishops want to hear from married couples so they are funding a professional survey, which has already collected 440 responses. “We hope to reach 1,000 respondents over September for best research results,” project manager Jessica George said.
Oregon officials back off ‘gender ideology mandate’ for mom seeking to adopt
Oregon officials have agreed they will not “categorically disqualify” a Christian woman from adopting or fostering children based on her religious beliefs about gender and human sexuality, which settles a three-and-a-half-year legal battle.
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) agreed to a legal settlement with Jessica Bates, who was represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). It affirms the department will not consider her religious beliefs when evaluating her application for a certification to adopt children and will not attempt to regulate her speech about gender and sexuality.
“Every child deserves a loving home, and children suffer when the government excludes people of faith from foster care because of the state’s own ideological crusade,” ADF Senior Counsel Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse said in a statement following the Sept. 9 settlement.
“Oregon officials turned Jessica away just because of her common-sense belief that parents should help children become comfortable with who they are instead of pushing them down a path of confusion and medicalization,” he said. “We believe this settlement is a win-win that protects constitutional rights and puts children’s interests first.”
In September 2022, the ODHS denied Bates’ application because she would not comply with a state policy that requires applicants to agree they will “respect, accept and support the … sexual orientation, gender identity [and] gender expression … of a child or young adult” who is placed in the home, which ADF has characterized as a “gender ideology mandate.”
Bates sued ODHS in March 2023, arguing that the policy violated her First Amendment rights to free speech and the free exercise of religion. The lawsuit stated she told the certification officer she would love any child as her own but would not facilitate a child’s gender transition through hormone therapy, use pronouns inconsistent with a child’s biological sex, or encourage gender expression inconsistent with the child’s biological sex or same-sex attraction.
A federal district court initially ruled in favor of ODHS in December 2023, but an appellate panel of judges ruled in July 2025 that ODHS likely violated her constitutional rights and blocked the department from enforcing the rules against her while the lawsuit continued.
Legal settlement
Per the legal agreement, ODHS will allow Bates to apply for a certification and will not consider her religious views in any way.
It states ODHS will not deny the application “because of her religious beliefs that sexual activity should occur only within the confines of a marriage between one man and one woman, and a person should identify and seek to live consistent with his or her biological sex.”
The settlement adds that this extends to her “desire to respectfully speak about, live out, parent, and make day-to-day caregiving decisions consistent with these sincerely held religious beliefs.”
Under the agreement, ODHS also cannot require her to “agree to use prescribed words or language, including chosen pronouns, to express views about sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression inconsistent with her religious beliefs described above as a condition of certification.”
“[The] ODHS may not enforce any per se standard, rule, or policy that precludes Bates from being considered for any particular placement, based in whole or in part based on her religious belief,” the settlement agreement states.
It further prohibits ODHS from disqualifying Bates from consideration for any particular child placement based on her religious beliefs.
Yet, the settlement does not prevent ODHS from “deciding a child’s placement based on its individualized consideration of the child’s needs and of a foster parent’s concerns or limitations (including where religiously motivated) on their ability or willingness to meet the child’s specific needs, including with regard to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.”
The Oregon attorney general’s office referred EWTN News to the Oregon Department of Human Services for comment. The department did not respond to a request for comment.
Mexican bishops demand ‘thorough investigation’ of priest’s murder
Mexico’s bishops are demanding that authorities conduct “a thorough investigation” to clarify the circumstances surrounding the murder of Father Román de la Cruz Hernández, pastor of Santa Cruz in Huejutla, Hidalgo state.
In a Sept. 16 statement, the Mexican Bishops’ Conference (CEM, by its Spanish acronym) expressed its indignation and sadness over the crime as well as its solidarity with the Diocese of Huejutla, Hidalgo, to which De la Cruz belonged
According to the bishops' conference, the priest’s murder took place on Sept. 15. The newspaper El Universal reported that the body of De la Cruz was found with gunshot wounds along a stretch of the Tolago-Tetlapaya highway in the Lolotla district of Hidalgo.
“We stand in fraternal solidarity with José Hiraís Acosta Beltrán, bishop of Huejutla, his priests, consecrated religious, and the entire people of God of this local Church,” the CEM stated while “calling upon the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to clarify the facts and ensure that justice is served swiftly.”
The Mexican bishops also prayed “for the eternal rest of Father Román,” asking God “to grant strength and comfort to his family, friends, parishioners, and all those who shared in his ministry and his life.”
The CEM statement joins that of Acosta, who urged against speculating about the crime “to allow the relevant authorities to conduct the investigation and report on the tragedy.”
At the same time, the bishop of Huejutla denounced “the alarming situation of violence going on in our country.”
The prelate asked the faithful to work to build “a culture of peace and reconciliation, seeking the eradication of violence, and not to lose respect for the life of any person.”
“Let us allow God, in his infinite goodness, to help us root out from the human heart every destructive sentiment of resentment, vengeance, and hatred that threatens the most precious gift he has bestowed upon us: life,” he emphasized.
According to the Catholic Multimedia Center, 28 incidents of violence against Church members, including the murders of four priests, have been recorded during Claudia Sheinbaum’s term as president of Mexico so far.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Caritas Cuba to receive more humanitarian aid from U.S. in coming weeks
The U.S. Embassy in Cuba announced that more humanitarian aid will arrive in the coming weeks for distribution by Caritas to the most vulnerable people in five of the countryʼs provinces.
The embassy made the announcement following a meeting between U.S. Chargé dʼAffaires Mike Hammer and the director of Caritas Cuba, Carmen María Nodal Martínez.
In a post on X, the embassy stated that the additional aid will be directed to the provinces of Camagüey, Ciego de Ávila, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, and Pinar del Rio.
Collaboration between the U.S. government and the Catholic Church in Cuba began in November 2025, when the bishops announced they had received an offer of $3 million in aid for those affected by Hurricane Melissa.
This initial humanitarian assistance began arriving in January 2026, and since then, the United States has made further offers of aid, which have been distributed by Caritas Cuba without the involvement of the Cuban communist regime.
On Feb. 5, the U.S. State Department announced a new shipment of humanitarian aid worth $6 million, “following the successful collaboration” with the Catholic Church in Cuba in distributing the initial $3 million in aid.
On May 13, the State Department announced its intention to provide $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Cuba, $60 million of which would be distributed through Caritas.
The first shipment of this aid package arrived in late July.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Postpartum depression: New e-book offers hope and healing for Catholic mothers
In response to growing national attention surrounding maternal mental health, Catholic psychologist and popular EWTN Radio host Gregory Popcak has released a free e-book designed to offer clinical guidance and spiritual support to women suffering from postpartum depression (PPD).
Popcak told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, why he felt compelled to add a Catholic voice to this headline-making conversation.
“I created it because Catholics aren’t immune from either physical or emotional illness, and, as Catholics, we have a unique, holistic perspective on healing that encourages us to use the medical, psychological, relational, and spiritual tools available to us to promote our healing and well-being."
Popcak emphasized the need for a faithful voice in a conversation that affects approximately 1 in 7 new mothers.
“As much as we might like to think otherwise, people of faith are just as affected by mental-health problems as anybody else,” Popcak emphasized.
“Research really does show that faith plays a protective element ... but we are still afflicted with these things. Being able to respond to this in a way that is reflective of our Catholic faith and the Catholic view of the person I thought was important.”
Breaking the stigma of guilt
A central focus of the e-book is addressing the unique layer of spiritual guilt that Catholic mothers often experience when struggling with mental health post-childbirth.
Popcak explained that many Catholic mothers internalize their symptoms as a personal or spiritual failing, incorrectly believing their distress signals a lack of gratitude for their child or a weak prayer life.
“These feelings are not the mom,” Popcak said during an interview on EWTN Radio. “They are the illness attacking your feelings. ... You’re not failing any more than you would be failing if you had the flu. You didn’t make yourself get postpartum depression either. It’s your body’s reaction to the normal crash of hormones that occurs after birth, plus a lot of other factors.”
The book opens with an urgent disclaimer encouraging mothers experiencing severe crisis or self-harm thoughts to seek immediate medical intervention, reminding them that “these feelings are not you; they are the illness talking.”
Distinguishing ‘baby blues’ from clinical needs
During the broadcast, Popcak outlined the critical differences between common short-term mood shifts — often referred to as the “baby blues” — and clinical postpartum depression or psychosis. While the “baby blues” typically peak around day five post-delivery and resolve within two weeks, symptoms lasting longer require professional medical evaluation.
Popcak advocated for routine screening at OB-GYN and pediatric visits, comparing mental health checkups to baseline physical assessments.
“When we go to the doctor, even if we’re not feeling lightheaded, they take our blood pressure,” Popcak noted. “A postpartum depression screening tool takes about four minutes to complete. ... It should be just as standard as getting your blood pressure taken.”
He also emphasized that treatment should address both physical and psychological dimensions, recommending psychological counseling alongside medical treatments like SSRIs (common prescription medications for depression and anxiety) to help mothers develop coping strategies and process underlying stressors.
Self-sacrifice vs. self-destruction
Addressing spiritual questions surrounding maternal sacrifice, Popcak distinguished between healthy, Christlike self-giving and harmful self-neglect.
“There is a difference between self-sacrifice and self-destruction,” Popcak warned, urging husbands and extended family to step up support for new mothers. “God gives us our body to work for the good of others. In a sense, it’s a tool, but it can only do the job it was created to do if we take care of it. ... It’s not irresponsible or selfish or self-indulgent for the carpenter to sharpen his saw.”
The new e-book is available as a free public service download for mothers, families, and pastoral care providers.
This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
600,000 sign up for Pope Leo’s Paris Mass as organizers expand route
As France puts the finishing touches on preparations for Pope Leo XIVʼs visit, excitement is building across a nation that one French cardinal says is resisting secularization.
Nearly 600,000 people registered for the open-air papal Mass at the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées before sign-ups closed on Sept. 16, according to Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris. Registration was encouraged but not required. The huge response forced organizers to expand the security perimeter well beyond the original footprint.
“You responded in great numbers to the Holy Fatherʼs invitation to come and pray with him,” Ulrich said in a statement.
Demand built fast: When registration opened Aug. 10, more than 200,000 people signed up for the Paris Mass in the first few hours. All 80,000 places for the youth vigil at the Stade de France on Sept. 25 were claimed within hours. Nearly 300,000 registrations were recorded across both Paris events in the first 24 hours, according to Zenit.
Gen. Hervé Wattecamps, the general coordinator appointed by the Archdiocese of Paris, told French media that 8,000 new registrations were arriving daily in the final stretch.
The diocese has set up a gigantic overflow zone for people to gather, running from the Place de lʼÉtoile along Avenue de la Grande-Armée toward Porte Maillot.
The official papal visit site confirms the Mass is still scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sept. 26. The gates will open at 9 a.m., and Pope Leo is expected to arrive at the Champs-Élysées at 1:45 p.m. local time.
Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, president of the bishops' conference, told reporters that the level of interest showed France “resists secularization,” citing what he called a “new momentum of neophytes and catechumens.”
Passing the plate to pay the bill
The French bishops' conference (CEF) has put the total cost of Pope Leoʼs Sept. 25–28 visit at 27 million euros (about $31 million), well above early estimates.
A national fundraising campaign was launched in summer and has raised 5.5 million euros so far, leaving a shortfall of 21.5 million euros. The bishops' conference said the campaign will continue throughout the visit.
The French state is providing security forces and public services but no direct financial support or funding.
Instead, according to Vatican News, funding sources include corporate sponsorships, the sale of merchandise, and donations from the faithful through the bishops' conference website pape-france.fr.
The funding model contrasts with the financing of World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul: South Koreaʼs Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism is leading a cross-agency government support task force alongside the Church-led local organizing committee. In France, prelates are passing the plate.
Beyond Paris, a European legacy
Outside the capital, the apostolic visit includes two stops: Lourdes and Metz.
In Lourdes, the pope will celebrate Mass at the Marian shrine on Sept. 27. He will also meet privately with seven survivors of abuse, according to Vatican News.
The visit closes Sept. 28 with a Mass in Metz, a historic town in Lorraine in northeastern France that changed hands between France and Germany through three wars and two annexations.
Archbishop Philippe Ballot of Metz told Vatican News: “The border is no longer a place of separation, but a place of encounter.”
Pope Leo will speak at the Robert Schuman Centre, named after the Catholic statesman Pope Francis declared venerable in 2021.
Cardinal Parolin says nations should work together to face the threats of AI
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, said nations should work together to face the challenges of artificial intelligence (AI).
Parolin expressed his concerns about AI on the sidelines of the conference “Faith and Reason in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” held Sept. 16 in Rome at the Palazzo Montecitorio, the seat of the Italian Parliament.
As originally reported by Vatican News, Parolin also delivered a keynote address at the conference, focusing on both the potential and the threats of AI. In his address, he thanked Italian President Sergio Mattarella for his recent appeal for greater collaboration among states on AI governance and said he hoped nations would respond.
“My concern is that there are countries which, in fact, want to go it alone,” Parolin said in his address. “Let us stop and genuinely reflect on what the consequences of artificial intelligence and its use might be.”
‘I try to put a little heart into my homilies’
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines, Parolin stated that he did not use AI to draft his homilies, preferring to “put a little heart” into them.
“Artificial intelligence is all head and no heart. I try to put a little heart into my homilies,” Parolin said to the journalists.
“Today artificial intelligence is imposing itself, because when you open your computer and read something, it already gives you a summary.”
His discouragement of using AI to draft homilies echoes that of Pope Leo XIV. During a Q&A session with priests of the Diocese of Rome in February, he warned priests against this practice.
Holy See diplomacy in Russia-Ukraine conflict
Parolin also responded to journalists’ questions about the Holy See’s advocacy of Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia. He expressed hope that it would reach a peaceful resolution.
“The diplomacy of the Holy See, the diplomacy of sowing, does not produce a harvest. So we hope that, by continuing to sow, one day, when God wills it, we may also reap,” Parolin said.
His comments follow recent interventions by the Holy See in pursuing a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organizations, traveled to Russia from Aug. 25–27 to meet with its leaders to discuss potential resolutions to the war.