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National Catholic Register

Latin Patriarchate Mourns Two Christian Women Killed in Gaza City Strike

Mourners gather at the funeral of Maysa Khader Ibrahim Abu Dawood and her daughter Mary Hafez Michel Al-Najjar in the Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza City, Oct. 3, 2026. | Credit: Courtesy of the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza
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Mourners gather at the funeral of Maysa Khader Ibrahim Abu Dawood and her daughter Mary Hafez Michel Al-Najjar in the Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza City, Oct. 3, 2026. | Credit: Courtesy of the Church of the Holy Family in Gaza
The two women had reportedly stayed at Holy Family Catholic Church before moving into the apartment where the strike was carried out.

From Civil Union to Sacred Bond: California Diocese Celebrates Marriage Convalidations

Couples gather at the altar alongside the bishop during a communal convalidation ceremony held as part of the Diocese of San Jose’s Radiate Love initiative.
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Couples gather at the altar alongside the bishop during a communal convalidation ceremony held as part of the Diocese of San Jose’s Radiate Love initiative.
Led by San Jose Bishop Oscar Cantú and program director Jose Soto, the “Radiate Love” initiative accompanies dozens of couples home to the sacraments.

Disabled Child’s Papal Blessing in Lourdes Gives Family ‘Strength and Hope’

Pope Leo XIV blesses 3-year-old Olivia Hamelin, held in the arms of her father, Alexandre Hamelin, during the pope’s meeting with the sick on Sept. 27, 2026, at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France.
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Pope Leo XIV blesses 3-year-old Olivia Hamelin, held in the arms of her father, Alexandre Hamelin, during the pope’s meeting with the sick on Sept. 27, 2026, at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France.
Pope Leo XIV blessed Olivia Hamelin, a 3-year-old with a rare genetic condition, during his visit to Lourdes, France.

Vatican Observatory Scholar Says Earth May Be Rarer Than Once Believed

Pope Leo XIV visits the Specola Vaticana (Vatican Observatory) at Castel Gandolfo on July 20, 2025. The Vatican Observatory is an astronomical research and educational institution supported by the Holy See.
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Pope Leo XIV visits the Specola Vaticana (Vatican Observatory) at Castel Gandolfo on July 20, 2025. The Vatican Observatory is an astronomical research and educational institution supported by the Holy See.
“The universe is certainly not full of worlds like Earth,” said Christopher Graney, a scholar at the Vatican Observatory.