Vatican to mark 10th World Day of the Poor with Mass, lunch, and donated hygiene kits
On Nov. 15, the Dicastery for Evangelization will celebrate the 10th World Day of the Poor with Mass for people in need in St. Peter’s Basilica. Lunch with Pope Leo XIV will follow a week later on Nov. 22, after his trip in South America.
According to the Vatican, lunch will include ice cream donated by Guttilla Gelateria and will be accompanied by music from the National Fanfare of the Italian Red Cross. At the end, participants will leave with a personal hygiene kit donated by Procter & Gamble.
With Pope Leo completing his tour of South America, he has designated Archbishop Luis Marin de San Martin, OSA, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, to celebrate the Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Nov. 15.
Free healthcare at the heart of the Vatican
Founded in 2015 under Pope Francis, the Madre di Misericordia Clinic, and, since 2025, the San Martino Clinic, continue to offer free medical consultations and medication to the poor and homeless in Rome. During the week of the World Day of the Poor, the clinics will be open for longer hours to provide general and specialist medical visits, cancer screenings, flu vaccines, and blood exams.
Dr. Massimo Ralli, undersecretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, noted that an additional examination room has been added to one of the Vatican health clinics, which are designed for people who “do not have documents and cannot access the Italian healthcare system.”
These two clinics are run by 120 volunteers, including doctors, pharmacists, technicians, and nurses covering 26 specialties. Other volunteers give their time welcoming and talking to those who come to use the services, providing comfort in a nonmedical capacity.
“These people don’t know where to go so they come here and can access specialists in cardiology, ophthalmology, or gastroenterologists,” Ralli explained to EWTN News. The clinics also cover dental problems, because everyone struggles with this, he said, but especially if they do not have the wherewithal to manage the pain, “those who wish to go for job interviews [will struggle getting hired].”
To tackle this, Ralli explained that “if they need new teeth we also help them by covering the cost of new dentures.” Another area the clinics cover is eyesight, because people who cannot see struggle to live a full life “so in this place they can get a visit, and we can also get the glasses.”
On this 10th World Day of the Poor, the Church remembers what St. John Paul II said: “The poor are not a problem to be solved but a people to be welcomed and loved.”
This statement rings true today as the Vatican prepares to welcome around 1,300 of those living on the street to a lunch with the pontiff on Nov. 22. In welcoming those living on the margins as honored guests rather than strangers, the Vatican seeks to embody the spirit of St. Francis and bear witness to the truth that the Lord remains the refuge of the poor.
Pope Leo XIV, back in his former diocese, says all Christians are called to be missionaries
CHICLAYO, Peru — Pope Leo XIV returned on Friday to his former diocese, where he received an ecstatic welcome and seemed equally moved to be back.
“What a joy it is to return to Chiclayo! It is a blessing for me to be with you once again,” Leo said at the start of his homily at an open-air Mass in an arid plain outside the city.
Then he added a poignant reminder that, despite the hectic pace of his 12-day trip to South America — which has left him seemingly unfazed a week into the journey — he had cancer surgery only a month ago.
“Thank you for your affection, support, and prayers, especially for my health during this time of trial which, with God’s help, I am overcoming,” the pope said.
Approximately 1 million people lined the pope’s route to the Mass site on the Pampas de Pimentel, and another 500,000 attended the liturgy, according to the Vatican.
Leo served as bishop of Chiclayo for eight years out of two decades in total as a missionary in Peru. He is the first foreign missionary in at least centuries to have been elected to the papacy.
But in his homily, he reminded his congregation that they were all called to evangelize.
“All Christians, whether ordained ministers or lay faithful — regardless of the degree of formation we have received in the faith — are missionary disciples,” the pope said.
For most laity, he said, the task of evangelization takes the form of “the witness of an authentically Christian and coherent life.”
The pope said achieving that life “is not merely the fruit of our own will, but it is also a grace for which we must implore the Lord and with which we are called to cooperate through our personal commitment and effort.”
Leo said that good works are a necessary concomitant to evangelization, “because the proclamation of the faith is linked to charity and the care of those most in need.”
He also stressed that the welcome of the evangelist does not mean suspension of moral rigor, since Jesus “invites us to conform our lives to his in faithful obedience to his commandments.”
“Without truth, love degenerates into mere sentimentality, while truth without love becomes rigid and cold,” the pope said.
Austrian bishops adopt first rules for AI in the Church
The Austrian Bishops' Conference has adopted its first rules on the use of artificial intelligence in the Church, declaring that AI may never take the place of human relationships, pastoral conversations, or the rites of the Church.
“The use of AI in the celebration of the sacraments, preaching, liturgy, or pastoral care may only be supportive,” a core provision of the new framework states. “Replacing human relationships, pastoral conversations, community, or rituals with AI is inadmissible and is expressly rejected.”
The bishops published the provision in their press statement on Thursday, explaining: “Particularly in preaching, liturgy, and pastoral care, the irreplaceability of personal encounter and human relationship must be preserved.”
The full document section is titled “Framework Regulation on the Use of AI Systems in the Catholic Church in Austria and Its Institutions.” It takes effect once it is published in the next official gazette of the bishops' conference. The bishops met in Salzburg from Monday to Thursday.
“Artificial intelligence is reaching ever more areas of life. The opportunities it brings are matched by high risks,” the statement said. “AI also opens up new possibilities for the work and mission of the Church. Its use brings new ethical, legal, and social challenges and calls for responsible handling.”
“The rules are grounded in the Christian image of man, the inviolable dignity of every person, and respect for their freedom,” the bishops said. “AI should serve the human person and strengthen him in his responsibility, not replace him. Its use therefore requires critical review, human oversight, and orientation toward truth, justice, and the common good.”
The framework also sets organizational requirements. “Among other things, the rules provide that every diocese must appoint a person responsible for AI,” the bishops' conference said. “For cooperation across Austria, a new working group is being set up that includes all diocesan AI officers.” Experts in data protection, information technology, and theological ethics will also take part, as will the Austrian Conference of Religious Orders.
In November 2025 the bishops' conference set up a working group on the use of artificial intelligence in the Church. Led by Bishop Hermann Glettler of Innsbruck, it was tasked with examining legal and ethical questions as well as practical applications for the Church.
At their summer plenary in Mariazell in June, the bishops explicitly endorsed Pope Leo XIVʼs social encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.
“Pope Leo calls on us, even in the face of the promises of AI, to preserve the greatness of the human person, indeed the ‘beauty of being human,’ as a corrective and a standard,” they wrote at the time.
They quoted the encyclical: “It is not enough for artificial intelligence to make us more efficient or connected; it must also serve to build a universal human family, with shared rights and duties, where digital proximity becomes a real opportunity for encounter and mutual care.”
In the era of artificial intelligence, the encyclical says, “ours is the pressing duty to remain profoundly human.” The bishops added in June: “Precisely because it is the rich and powerful who develop AI systems and use them to their advantage, we need the perspective of the poor, the weak, and the disadvantaged that the pope has called for.”
“The future will not be decided by the performance of our systems but by whether we take responsibility — for the human person and for a culture of encounter, love, and peace,” they wrote.
This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, the German-language sister service of EWTN News, and has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
LIVE UPDATES: Pope Leo XIV visits chapel dedicated to St. Óscar Romero in Chiclayo, Peru
Lebanon’s president reassures Christians as they remain under pressure
On Oct. 28, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun told a delegation of French lawmakers who belong to a study group on Eastern Christians that “there is no danger to the Christian presence in Lebanon.” He pointed to the country’s tradition of Christian-Muslim coexistence and argued that what had happened in neighboring countries could not happen in Lebanon.
Aoun’s remarks come amid concerns about the security and future of Lebanon’s Christian communities, as families face violence, displacement, and pressure to emigrate.
Lebanon’s political system formally recognizes the partnership between its Christian and Muslim communities. Under its long-standing power-sharing arrangement, the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of Parliament a Shiite Muslim. Parliamentary seats are divided equally between Christians and Muslims. Christian participation is therefore part of the country’s founding political understanding. Aoun’s assurance is weighed against the experiences of Christian communities across the country.
Security concerns
Security is the most immediate and tangible test.
On Oct. 29, Maronite Father Samir Daou was found murdered by a Syrian worker. Months earlier, Father Pierre al-Rahi was killed by Israeli shelling. In February 2025, Armenian Apostolic Archimandrite Anania Kojanian was killed at his home.
The losses extend beyond the clergy. In the past few months, Israeli strikes killed dentist James Karam and his children, Tony and Theodosia, as well as Pierre Moawad; his wife, Flavia Mourad; and Roula Matar.
In the past years, the killings of Pascal Sleiman and Elias Hasrouni, both associated with the Lebanese Forces, a Christian political party opposed to Hezbollah, have also deepened fears. Fadi Bejjani, a former bodyguard to a Christian politician, died in a separate incident: a 2023 shootout involving local residents and Hezbollah gunmen after a truck carrying the group’s ammunition overturned.
The circumstances of these deaths differ, but they highlight the most basic condition for remaining in Lebanon: personal security.
In the south, the danger also takes the form of uprooting entire communities. Christian villages near the Israeli border have been caught in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shiite political and armed movement designated by the United States as a terrorist organization.
In Qawzah, Father Antonios Hanna, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, recently told EWTN News that residents had been displaced as their village became a battleground. Homes and the parish church have sustained damage.
Christians who have stayed in Rmeish, Ain Ebel, and Debel, three villages near Lebanon’s border with Israel known as the “delta of resilience” face a different ordeal. Residents are cut off from jobs, universities, and hospitals, and are dependent on coordinated convoys to leave or return to their home. Despite their attachment to their land, insecurity makes staying difficult, while displaced families need safety and reconstruction to return.
Hezbollah has dragged Christian communities into a war they did not choose and cannot afford. Its disarmament is on the government’s agenda, and Lebanese authorities have intercepted explosives shipments and tightened financial restrictions. Yet these measures have so far had limited impact on the group’s ability to defy state authority and exert political and military influence.
The politics of land
Land is another part of the same question. Cardinal Bechara Boutros al-Rai, the Maronite patriarch, has warned of increasing land sales and urged Christian owners not to surrender the roots and future those properties represent.
Various politicians, media outlets, and research centers have alleged that Hezbollah and affiliated financiers are behind large land purchases in Christian areas. Buying and selling property is normal in any country. But reports of coordinated purchases, unclear funding, and offers above market prices have raised fears that these transactions serve a strategy to expand the group’s territorial and political control.
For minorities, land ownership is closely tied to survival.
Representation, employment, and emigration
Meaningful participation in national life is equally important. A Christian president does not answer every question about Christians’ access to public employment and responsibility within state institutions.
For example, as reported by the Lebanese newspaper Nidaa al-Watan, only three of 54 trainee accountants covered by a decree on transfers and appointments in public administrations were Christians. Lebanon’s constitution reserves Christian-Muslim parity for the highest civil-service positions while making qualifications and competence the standard for other public employment. However, certain figures warrant transparent answers about recruitment and access.
Then there is the future of the young. A 2024 Arab Barometer survey found that 58% of Lebanese people ages 18 to 29 wanted to emigrate. That figure concerns Lebanese youth generally, rather than Christians alone. Lack of opportunities, instability, and the difficult financial crisis are making it hard for youth to stay in their homeland.
Nonetheless, when young Christians leave in search of work and stability, their villages and parishes lose the families they might have formed and the skills they might have contributed. A parish’s future depends on whether the next generation can afford to build a life around it.
Like all Lebanese, Christians have the right to live in peace on their own land, free from war and the coercive power of Islamist militias. The guarantee they need is a state capable of making those rights part of everyday life.
This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
Alvernia University to acquire Marian University
Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania, will acquire Marian University in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the schools announced this week.
Pending institutional, canonical, and accrediting approvals from Church authorities and the U.S. Department of Education, the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes, which owns Marian University, said it plans to “gift” the school to Alverniaʼs founders, the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters.
Marian will be renamed Alvernia University Marian Campus and will retain its mascot and most of its branding.
According to Alvernia president Glynis Fitzgerald, “the future of Catholic higher education will be shaped by institutions willing to work together, and steward their resources wisely.”
Notre Dame adds bioengineering department
The College of Engineering at the University of Notre Dame announced the opening of a bioengineering department on the heels of the recent establishment of the Bioengineering & Life Sciences Initiative and a $275 million investment into biomedical research at the university.
Research priorities will center on using tissue engineering and engineered disease models to lessen reliance on animal testing; the development of new medical devices and diagnostic tools to expand access to better healthcare; and biocomputing and research conducted in the microgravity environment of space.
“This new department is an exciting step in advancing Notre Dame as the leading global Catholic research university,” provost John McGreevy said. “It will enable us to do even more and better research and to train students in an area where many of the most important questions facing both engineering and science are going to be addressed.”
Catholic school students in 3 NYC boroughs outpace public school counterparts on 2026 state tests
Students in Catholic schools across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island scored higher than their New York City public school counterparts on 2026 state assessments, according to the Archdiocese of New York’s 2025-26 Impact Report, “Renewed for Growth,” released Nov. 10.
Compared with 48% of public school students, 66% of Catholic school students reached proficiency in English. In math, the Catholic school proficiency rate stood at 69%, compared with the 53% public school rate, the report states.
The findings, based on an Oct. 1, 2025, census, included 46,958 students enrolled in 146 schools across the three boroughs and seven surrounding counties.
Across the archdiocese, 65.3% of students in grades three through eight were proficient in English language arts and 67.4% were proficient in math on tests administered by the New York State Education Department.
The Catholic University of America one of 5 schools in nation awarded federal grant
The Center of Excellence for Veteran Student Services (CEVSS) has awarded a three-year, $627,000 grant to The Catholic University of America.
The university will use the award to develop a model program that serves the academic, financial, and social needs of military affiliated students and veterans, promoting their retention, enrollment, and graduation rates, and preparing them for life post-graduation. The CEVSS is a U.S. Department of Education program administered by the Labor Department.
Diocese of Pittsburgh reports growth, perfect graduation rate
In 2026, 100% of high school seniors graduated at the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s 10 high schools, according to a new report. In addition, 100 new families enrolled in diocesan schools last year.
Of the 2026 graduates, 94.5% went on to college, and 5.5% went straight into the workforce, joined the military, or entered trades. The graduates received more than $100 million in scholarships, the diocese said.
“Our schools provide students with a strong academic foundation while helping them develop a relationship with Jesus Christ and discover how their faith can guide them throughout their lives,” Bishop Mark Eckman said.
10 things to know about St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
On Nov. 13, the Catholic Church celebrates the life of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian-born missionary who served poor Italian immigrants in Chicago. The city plans to erect a statue of Cabrini in Arrigo Park, in Chicago’s Little Italy, replacing a Christopher Columbus statue.
Here are 10 things to know about St. Frances Xavier Cabrini:
1. She was the first American citizen to be canonized.
Though born in Italy, Frances Xavier Cabrini became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1909. In 1946, she was canonized by Pope Pius XII, becoming the first American citizen to be declared a saint.
2. She originally wanted to be a missionary to China.
Inspired by St. Francis Xavier, Cabrini hoped to evangelize in China. Instead, Pope Leo XIII directed her westward, telling her to serve immigrants in the United States, “not to the East, but to the West.”
3. She arrived in New York with almost nothing.
In 1889, Cabrini landed in New York City with six fellow sisters and limited resources. What awaited her was not a warm welcome but housing instability and overwhelming poverty among Italian immigrants.
4. She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart.
In 1880, she established the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a religious order dedicated to education, healthcare, and missionary work. The order continues its work worldwide today.
5. She built an empire of schools and hospitals.
By the time of her death, Cabrini had founded nearly 70 institutions, including orphanages, schools, and hospitals across the United States, Europe, and Latin America.
6. She served Italian immigrants during a time of intense prejudice.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Italian immigrants faced widespread discrimination in America. Cabrini advocated fiercely for their dignity, education, and healthcare.
7. She became a U.S. citizen in 1909.
Cabrini’s naturalization reflected her long-term commitment to serving American communities, particularly in cities like New York and Chicago.
8. She died in Chicago in 1917.
Cabrini passed away on Dec. 22, 1917, in Chicago after years of tireless travel and work. The doctor attributed her death to chronic endocarditis, or heart disease. Her body is preserved for veneration at the National Shrine of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini.
9. She is the patron saint of immigrants.
In 1950, Pope Pius XII officially named her the patron saint of immigrants, recognizing her lifelong dedication to displaced and marginalized communities.
10. Her legacy remains visible across the U.S.
Hospitals, schools, and institutions bearing her name continue her mission of faith-driven service and education.
This story was first published on Feb. 28, 2026, and was updated on Nov. 11, 2026.
Pope Leo XIV to 60,000 young Peruvians: Christ’s passion shows the way to your calling
LIMA, Peru — Pope Leo XIV drew an exuberant crowd of young people to Peruʼs national stadium on Thursday and told them that friendship with Christ was the key to discovering their path in life.
“Learning to recognize the Lordʼs voice is essential,” Leo said Nov. 12 at a youth prayer vigil, his third such event during his tour of South America. “… Speak to him about your plans and allow his word to question you. Do not be afraid to ask him what he expects of you. He will call some to the priesthood or the consecrated life, others to marriage and to forming a family. All are called to put their abilities at the service of others.”
According to local authorities, some 60,000 people attended the event in the stadium, and another 300,000 followed the proceedings in the surrounding area.
The pope spoke after hearing the testimonies of three young adults who had experienced bullying, depression, or the loss of loved ones before finding roles in the Church.
Leo noted the ambiguity of the word “passion,” which young people are commonly encouraged to discover and pursue.
“We use it to speak of what we love deeply, what awakens our enthusiasm and moves us to give the best of ourselves. But the word also reminds us of suffering, of experiences that seem to extinguish our desire to keep going,” he said.
The pope pointed to Christʼs passion as the model for distinguishing between the distinct but linked senses of the word.
“He did not desire the cross; he desired our salvation. Out of love for us, he accepted it and bore it to the end. Thus, through his self-giving, that instrument of death became the place where his passionate love was revealed, a love capable of conquering death.”
Leo acknowledged that the Christian path can be a forbidding one.
“At times, we wonder whether following Godʼs will means giving up our dreams. This fear can give rise to an even more dangerous suspicion: thinking that God is depriving us of something and that, in order to enjoy life fully, we also need to experience sin,” the pope said.
“Do not be deceived. How could something that harms us make us happy? God knows our deepest desires, even better than we know them ourselves. He has placed within us the desire to love and to be happy, and he wants to bring that desire to fulfillment,” he said.
PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV returns to Peru where he once served as bishop
Pope Leo XIV spent his first full day in Peru on Nov. 12 meeting with Church leaders and Peruvian citizens, marking an emotional return to the country he called home for years prior to his papacy.
The Holy Father first began serving in Peru in 1985 as Father Robert Prevost. He would remain in the country for years in various roles, eventually being named as the bishop of Chiclayo in 2015.
Leo will spend several days in Peru, concluding his historic South American papal trip there before returning to Rome. He previously visited Uruguay and Argentina as part of the journey.
Here are photos of Pope Leo’s activities in Peru:
Republicans demand more progress in halting Christian persecution in Nigeria
As Christians continue to suffer persecution and the death toll from ethnoreligious conflicts keeps rising in Nigeria, some Republican lawmakers are urging the Department of State to demand more accountability of the Nigerian government.
“I really question, along with many others, as to whether enough has been done,” Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Michigan, said during a Nov. 12 hearing by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa.
“My question is, has any work been done?” he asked. “Has any real work been done?”
The subcommittee convened to assess the ongoing crisis of terrorism, banditry, kidnappings, and mass casualty attacks rooted in ethnoreligious violence, in which Christians make up a disproportionate share of the victims. Much of the violence is perpetuated by Fulani Ethnic Militias but also includes attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
Two Department of State assistant secretaries — Frank Garcia and Riley Barnes — along with specialists in religious freedom and international relations delivered testimony slightly more than one year after President Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC) for its toleration of “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
The CPC designation and cooperation between the U.S. and Nigeria has not reduced fatalities from this violence. According to the Nigeria Risk Index, Nigeria saw a slight decrease in security incidents from January through June 2026 when compared with the same period in 2025 but saw an increase in fatalities.
The number of security incidents decreased from 2,242 to 2,199, but the fatalities from those incidents increased by nearly 37%, from 2,242 to 4,435. The average fatality rate per incident rose from 1.45 to 2.02.
CPC designations must be reviewed annually, and the decision is left to the executive branch. Many of the Republican lawmakers expressed concern that the intended goals are far from being completed.
Both Garcia and Barnes argued there has been some progress with the Nigerian government acknowledging the crisis and working with the American government after the designation, but they warned that many problems persist and the Department of State’s work is ongoing.
“We are engaging the Nigerian government through direct, results-driven diplomacy,” Garcia told the lawmakers.
He pointed to the U.S.-Nigeria Joint Working Group, which was created to address the security issues and efforts to protect Christian communities through increased Nigerian security and law enforcement deployments, more timely responses to impending attacks, and biometric sharing with the government to help catch and prosecute those who perpetuate violence. The U.S. has also worked with the Nigerian government to target terrorist financial networks.
However, Garcia said the “pace” of the progress has been “insufficient,” acknowledging that “the violence has not stopped.” He called the crisis “an ongoing atrocity.”
Barnes said “the levels of violence and atrocities committed against Christians in Nigeria are appalling” and warned that attacks from the Fulani Ethnic Militias are often rooted in religious persecution.
“Nigerians I have spoken to on the ground have underscored the depth and breadth of suffering for many and ample witness testimonies over even the past year have stated plainly that perpetrators use religious language during their attacks, specifically identifying Christians for killing and abduction,” he said. “President Trump shined a light on these atrocities and made clear we must work to protect these vulnerable communities.”
Barnes also said the administration is pressing the Nigerian government to halt its enforcement of anti-blasphemy laws, which he warned are used to target Christians who speak about Islam.
Ongoing concerns
Republican lawmakers who questioned the assistant secretaries highlighted that significant work must still be done to address the crisis.
Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, said “there are certainly some positive signs” and cited Nigerian cooperation with the United States to target Fulani militants and detain suspected terrorist leader Mahmoud Adam.
“These steps followed sustained American engagement, and they are welcome,” he said. “But steps are not results. The … communities whose suffering prompted the designation are still waiting for protection and justice.”
“Success here means a definitive end to the genocidal murder of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and the peaceful return of [internally displaced persons] to their ancestral lands,” Moore said. “By that measure, [Nigeria] is falling short.”
Huizenga also expressed concern that the Nigerian government is “out of touch with what’s really happening,” which he called a “tragedy.”
“What needs to happen?” he said. “When are they going to take it serious and when are they going to do something about it?”
Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, who chairs the subcommittee, said during the hearing that CPC designation “is the beginning” but “not the end” of what is needed.
Speaking to EWTN News after the hearing, Smith praised the work of the Department of State in Nigeria, saying that without the CPC designation, “it would be far worse” because Nigeria “would have no incentive or pressure to try to mitigate the violence.”
“These are people, unfortunately, who are so radicalized that the only good Christian is a dead Christian,” he said. “And to me, thatʼs disgusting. All people, Christian, Jewish, Muslim should be allowed to thrive on their faith and believe as they would like freedom of religion.”
Smith also said the pace of progress has been “slow” and needs to “accelerate.”
“The Christians are disproportionately being slaughtered and abducted,” he said. “We want a free and prosperous Nigeria. … The CPC is like a mirror. Weʼre holding it up to you and saying … friends donʼt let friends commit human rights abuses. We donʼt want you to enable it or look the other way or deny it.”