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LEO XIV IN PERU/VII - The Pope in the Peruvian Amazon. Missionary Father Luca Zanta: “May the Gospel bear fruit within the culture of Indigenous peoples, not outside it”

Sun, 15 Nov 2026 12:02:48 +0100

by Laura Gómez Ruiz

Pucallpa – “These are mission lands, where the Gospel is still being sown. We want to do this through dialogue with Indigenous peoples, so that the Gospel may bear fruit within their culture, not outside it.” Father Luca Zanta, an Italian Fidei donum priest from the Archdiocese of Milan, describes in these terms the missionary vision of the Apostolic Vicariate of Pucallpa, which welcomes Pope Leo XIV today, Sunday, November 15.
The visit, explains the priest, who is coordinating and overseeing the logistics of the Pope’s journey to the Vicariate, will also provide an opportunity to renew the Church’s commitment to walking alongside the peoples of the Amazon, beginning with an encounter with their lives and traditions.

One of the central moments of the day’s program will be the Pope’s meeting with representatives of Indigenous peoples in Yarinacocha. A traditional communal structure known as a maloca has been built to welcome the Bishop of Rome. As Father Zanta explains, it is a place where communities come together to listen, talk and make decisions. “The Pope will go there to listen to Indigenous peoples,” he says. The choice of this setting reflects the desire to allow the communities themselves to present their reality to the Successor of Peter.

The meeting has been in preparation for several months, in collaboration with Indigenous organizations and the Vicariate’s Indigenous Pastoral Ministry. Two representatives – a woman and a man – will address the Pope on behalf of the Indigenous peoples of Ucayali, giving voice to the concerns and challenges facing their communities in their territories, as well as to their hopes and aspirations.

All 21 Indigenous peoples living in the Ucayali region have been invited, together with delegations from the other seven Apostolic Vicariates of the Peruvian Amazon. Among them are representatives of the Shipibo-Konibo, Asháninka and Kukama peoples. After their speeches, everyone is eager to hear the Pope’s words. “This is a very important moment,” the priest says.
On March 2, the ecclesiastical circumscription celebrated its 70th anniversary. “We are a young Church,” Father Zanta recalls. Seven decades of presence in a territory where mission calls for “dialogue with Indigenous peoples, appreciating and accompanying them” and, above all, for an attitude of listening and understanding, drawing close to their lives and cultures. The challenge, he reiterates, is to ensure that “the Gospel may bear fruit” among them.
At Pucallpa Cathedral, at the request of the Vicariate’s bishop, Salesian Bishop Augusto Martín Quijano Rodríguez, Leo XIV will water a shihuahuaco tree, an emblematic species of the Peruvian Amazon and a symbol of memory, resilience and care for our Common Home. Elders and children will gather around the tree. The former, Father Zanta explains, safeguard the knowledge handed down by their parents and ancestors and pass it on to younger generations. The children, in turn, represent the future of the peoples of the Amazon.
The visit of Leo XIV, the priest adds, is a gift and a historic event for the local Church, but also an opportunity to strengthen the life of Christian communities by encouraging participation in the Eucharist, catechesis, the formation of young people and the pastoral life of the Vicariate’s 35 parishes.

The presence of the Successor of Peter is also an encouragement to renew the missionary commitment of a Church that seeks to grow with an Amazonian heart and face, deepening an identity capable of holding together faith and the land in which it is rooted.
“This event will help bring hope to the Amazon and promote a local Church with an Amazonian heart and face,” Father Zanta concludes.

LEO XIV IN PERU/VI - “Through the Cross, we see the sky”. The Bishop of Rome between Chiclayo and Santa Cruz in the Andes, “with a heart full of joy”

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 13:11:06 +0100

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Chiclayo – A crown placed on the head of the Virgin Mary in the cathedral where he took his first steps as a bishop, followed by a helicopter flight to the Andean highlands of the Cajamarca region, where he celebrated Mass with farming communities who had travelled from afar, on foot and along difficult roads. On Saturday, November 14, the ninth day of his Apostolic Journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru , Pope Leo XIV experienced one of the most personal days of his pilgrimage, in the Diocese of Chiclayo, which he led as bishop until 2023.

A return to “his” cathedral

Early in the morning, in the Cathedral of Saint Mary, the Pope presided over the coronation of the image of the Immaculate Virgin Mary.
“With a heart filled with joy, I give thanks to God for being here with you today to celebrate our faith as we have so often done, and in the same cathedral,” he said at the beginning of the ceremony, visibly moved and happy.
The cathedral, he recalled, had witnessed “the first steps” of his episcopal ministry. The Pope explained the meaning of the gesture: the crown is intended to symbolize “the tribute of gratitude and filial love,” offered by the Pope to the Mother of God, “together with you and the whole Church, as we acknowledge her as the loving Mother and Patroness of Chiclayo, exalted by God as Queen of heaven and earth”.

Commenting on the reading from Isaiah, Leo XIV spoke of the “darkness” that even today “seems to envelop us completely”: “the uncertainty of widespread violence” and “by the unspeakable suffering that continues to afflict so many of our brothers and sisters”.

His words touched on a pressing concern in a country where insecurity, extortion and organized crime have long been among the population’s main worries. Against this darkness, the Pope said, “God’s gift continues to shine before our eyes”: “a defenseless child is God’s answer to a humanity plunged into darkness, yet longing for unity and reconciliation”.
Devotion to the Immaculate Virgin, he stressed, “is part of the Christian roots that shape your identity and strengthen your faith”. He therefore encouraged the faithful to walk “as one family of God”, working towards “a world marked by love and compassion, forgiveness and the pursuit of justice”.

The most intimate moment was his personal prayer to the Virgin Mary: “At your side I learned to be the shepherd of Chiclayo. You accompanied me through its towns and cities. You taught me to meet its people and to be attentive to their needs, as you did at the Wedding Feast of Cana.”
He also entrusted to her “my life and my ministry as Successor of Peter”. Before leaving, he prayed with the assmbly, asking Mary to help them become “builders of peace and reconciliation, servants of the Kingdom of God and of our brothers and sisters”.

In the Andes, before the Señor del Costado

After the ceremony, the Pope travelled to the air base and flew by helicopter to Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, a town in the province of Santa Cruz, in the Cajamarca region, which belongs to the Diocese of Chiclayo.
Before Mass, he stopped at the parish church of the Immaculate Conception. He prayed before the Blessed Sacrament and then before the image of the Señor del Costado, which is deeply venerated in the area, and greeted several people with disabilities.

At around 11 a.m., he presided over the Eucharistic celebration in the town’s open-air square.
“We are in the mountain range of the Peruvian Andes”, “in a land with Andean roots, where the Inca Empire flourished and which is the cradle of a profound Christian faith”, he said in his homily, delivered in Spanish.
Many of the faithful came from rural communities, “leaving behind their families, farms and daily occupations”. Their journey, he said, “is not only a passage along difficult roads, but also a pilgrimage of faith.”

Drawing on the Third Letter of John and its invitation to welcome itinerant missionaries, the Pope recalled the missionaries who arrived in these mountains “five centuries ago”, “without provisions or letters of recommendation”. He referred to a long line of witnesses, “from Turibius of Mogrovejo to the Martyrs of Chimbote”.

Saint Turibius, Archbishop of Lima in the 16th century, travelled extensively throughout the vast territory of his diocese. This Saturday evening, the Pope will bring to a close the Jubilee Year dedicated to him.

The Martyrs of Chimbote are the Polish Franciscan friars Michał Tomaszek and Zbigniew Strzałkowski, and the Italian priest Alessandro Dordi, who were murdered by the Shining Path in 1991 and beatified in 2015.
In these lands, the Pope said, faith had grown “quietly”, “far from applause”. Citing Saint Paul VI’s Evangelii nuntiandi and Pope Francis’ Evangelii gaudium, he described popular spirituality as “a powerful force for evangelization” and “offers a healthy antidote to the superficiality and consumerism that are so widespread today”.

The Pope expressed his gratitude to catechists who, “in the absence of priests and not without sacrifice, provide pastoral care for the communities”. They guide the celebrations of the Liturgy of the Word, prepare people for the sacraments and visit the sick.
“Without them, evangelization in these remote regions would have proven very difficult,” he said.

The widow who seeks justice

Reflecting on the parable of the widow and the judge , the Pope observed that the plea, “Grant me justice against my opponent”, sadly “is sadly still heard today, unanswered, on the lips of so many men and women”.
He then highlighted three specific challenges facing the region: “the suffering of those who are forced to leave their homeland in search of a better future for themselves and their families in the great coastal cities”; “the difficulties surrounding generational succession due to the declining birth rates that are emptying villages”; and “the challenge of equitably distributing the land’s resources”.
The Cajamarca region, where Santa Cruz is located, is indeed marked by mining activities and serious social and environmental conflicts.

“In the face of so many difficulties, we may be tempted to give in to discouragement, resentment or even violence. Yet this will never lead to progress and peace,” the Pope warned.
The widow teaches us that selfishness, injustice and evil “are not overcome by brutality, but by prayer, patience and perseverance in denouncing what is wrong”.
“Then, as happens at the summit of Cerro Cotorumi, through the cross we see the sky,” he said. “Where there is faith, there is prayer; and where there is prayer, there is the capacity to commit oneself to others.”

Leo XIV also praised “farmers, shopkeepers, small business owners” who strive “to provide people with dignified jobs”.
He referred to his encyclical Magnifica humanitas, dated 15 May 2026, on integral human development.
“When the soul wanders aimlessly, he is the way. When strength is lacking, he is your nourishment. When discouragement arises, it is he who rekindles hope,” the Pope concluded, invoking the blessing of the Señor del Costado upon those present.
At the end of the celebration, the Bishop of Chiclayo, Monsignor Edinson Edgardo Farfán Córdova, thanked the Pope on behalf of the diocese.
In the afternoon, the Pope returned to Chiclayo.

AFRICA/KENYA - Erection of the ecclesiastical province of Eldoret and appointment of first metropolitan archbishop

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 12:06:20 +0100

Vatican City - The Holy Father has erected the ecclesiastical province of Eldoret, Kenya, elevating the see of Eldoret to a metropolitan Church and assigning as suffragans the dioceses of Lodwar, Kitale, Kericho and Kapsabet.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Joseph Obanyi Sagwe, hitherto of the diocese of Kakamega and curently apostolic administrator sede vacante of the diocese of Eldoret, as first metropolitan archbishop of Eldoret.

“Alma Misionera”: The Song of those who find a new home (and moves the Pope to tears)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 19:12:10 +0100

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Lima – In Buenos Aires, as in Lima, Pope Leo XIV was visibly moved as he sang “Alma Misionera” together with the young people gathered in prayer.

“Oh Lord take my new life you gave me before my time of waiting takes many years from me. I'm here I'm ready when You need me: not matter where You lead me Lord, call me to serve You.” These are the opening lines of the song that accompanied several moments of the Pope’s journey, from his visit to the Cottolengo Don Orione to the conclusion of the prayer vigil at the National Stadium in the Peruvian capital.

In her biography of Leo XIV, journalist Elise Ann Allen recounts the Pope’s sensitivity to songs and hymns. “Alma Misionera” seems to resonate with his own story: that of a man who set out to share the life of another people, eventually coming to see himself as one of them.

Written in the final decades of the twentieth century, the song has become a classic of the Latin American Catholic repertoire, making its way from one community to another through Masses, retreats and youth gatherings. It is a prayer of self-offering, asking God to lead us wherever hope is lacking, wherever someone is waiting for a word that can restore their confidence and rekindle their hope.

Whose faces might have come to the Pope’s mind as he sang? The deepest reasons for his emotion belong to him alone. Yet the memories of his years in Latin America, evoked during the trip, offer a glimpse into the depth of those bonds. Even the memory of the “ceviche” served in people's homes, mentioned during his meeting with the civil authorities, representatives of civil society and the diplomatic corps, tells part of this story: an open door, a place set at the table, the joy of feeling welcomed. These are everyday gestures through which a distant land becomes home.
Missionaries set out to give, only to discover how much they have to receive. Called to become living dictionaries, they gradually learn to move from one point of view to another, embracing different perspectives in the light of Christ. They are bilingual by vocation. Learning the language of a people takes time; understanding their silences, their wounds and their hopes may take even longer. Meanwhile, the encounter transforms them, too.

This journey involves moments of bewilderment and fragility. Far from everything familiar, missionaries discover just how fragile they are and how much they need others. There are deserts to cross, hardships that shake their certainties. This, too, is part of a love story with a people: the willingness to be touched, challenged and converted by those with whom they share their lives. Then a friendship deepens. Someone is waiting for them; someone entrusts them with a personal concern, calls them by name or gives them a name in the local language. Day by day, a new sense of belonging takes shape, woven together with the affections and bonds of their homeland.

“Alma Misionera” can touch these deep feelings, especially when sung by thousands of young people: the experience of leaving everything behind, the gratitude, and the joy of discovering that one is loved by the people one has learned to love. “Loving a stranger as oneself also means learning to see oneself as a stranger,” writes Simone Weil in Gravity and Grace. This, too, is part of the missionary experience. The parable of the Good Samaritan invites us to see things differently: those who set out to help others discover that they, too, need someone to help them.

This is why the sight of Leo XIV visibly moved as he listened to and sang this song stands out as one of the most beautiful and evocative images of the journey. It is a powerful reminder of what mission truly means: a love that opens the heart to embrace an entire people.

LEO XIV IN PERU/V - Pucallpa prepares to welcome the Pope: Amazonian symbols take centre stage at historic papal Mass

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 10:58:58 +0100

by Laura Gómez Ruiz

Pucallpa – A chalice shaped like a traditional Amazonian vessel, a paten evoking the rivers of the region, and liturgical vestments inspired by the art of the Shipibo people will accompany the Eucharistic celebration to be presided over by Pope Leo XIV in Pucallpa on November 15. The local Church is preparing for the Pope’s visit as a historic event, but also as an opportunity to express, through the liturgy, how the Christian faith can take root in the history, culture and spiritual memory of the peoples of the Amazon.
“Preparing for the Pope’s visit is not simply a matter of organizing stages, routes and celebrations. Above all, it has been an experience of Church,” said Bishop Augusto Martín Quijano Rodríguez, SDB, Apostolic Vicar of Pucallpa, during the final press conference ahead of the Pope’s arrival.
Around one hundred people have taken part in coordination meetings held almost every week. “We have learned to work together, to listen to one another and to overcome difficulties,” the Bishop explained, highlighting the ecclesial nature of these preparations and their focus on serving the community. He also expressed his gratitude for the generous cooperation of parishes, communities, religious congregations, volunteers and authorities, as well as for the commitment of the choir, whose members have been rehearsing for months.
“There are still many challenges,” he acknowledged, referring, among other things, to providing meals for the approximately 5,000 pilgrims expected to arrive from various Amazonian communities. The Bishop is counting on the generosity of the local population to ensure that the pilgrims are adequately provided for . The Pope will attend two large-scale gatherings on Sunday. The first will be a meeting with the peoples of the Amazon and missionaries, scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Malecón Puerto Callao in Yarinacocha, with a capacity of 3,000 people. As Father Lucas Santa, general coordinator of the papal visit to Pucallpa, explained, “this will not be a liturgical celebration, but rather a space for dialogue and an exchange of gifts, where the peoples of the Amazon will be able to share their culture, their way of life and also their concerns with the Holy Father.”
The second event will be the Eucharistic celebration at the Villa Deportiva Regional de Ucayali, known as La Videnita, in the district of Manantay, which can accommodate 70,000 people. It will be the first Mass celebrated by a Pope in the Peruvian Amazon.

A liturgy that expresses an encounter

One of the most significant aspects of the celebration will be the array of symbols and vestments prepared for the occasion. Father Lucas explained that “the intention was to ensure that Amazonian identity would be present in the celebration, not as a decorative feature, but through signs expressing the history, culture and spirituality of the peoples of the region”.
This intention is reflected in the various liturgical items prepared for the Eucharistic celebration. The Pope’s mitre has been decorated with Amazonian motifs and features the logo of the Ecclesial Conference of the Amazon .” The chasubles for the bishops and the stoles for the priests have been decorated with designs created by Chonon Bensho, an artist from the Ucayali region who belongs to the Shipibo people. In a statement read during the press conference, the artist explained that the designs evoke “rivers, forests, the wisdom of medicinal plants” and the spiritual dimensions of her people.
These vestments take on particular significance in their encounter with the Christian cross. Father Lucas explained that kené, the traditional art of the Shipibo people, expressed through patterns and designs, can enter into dialogue with the Christian symbol of the cross. The aim is not to attribute the same meaning to both, but to show that the Christian faith and the spiritual memory of Indigenous peoples can meet and enrich one another.
This relationship also poses a challenge for evangelization in this land. “Can people live as Christians in the Amazon without having to abandon the spiritual memory of the Indigenous families and communities who have inhabited this territory?” Father Lucas asked. The challenge, he added, is to welcome the Gospel through the languages, affections, ways of thinking and sensibilities of Indigenous peoples.
This same relationship between the Amazon and the Catholic faith is expressed in the chalice and paten that the Apostolic Vicariate of Pucallpa will present to the Pope as a gift. Both items were crafted by artisans from Ucayali, members of the ‘Artesano Don Bosco’ association, using the traditional marqueteado technique, which combines different types of wood from the region. The chalice is designed to look like a mocagua, a traditional drinking vessel used by many communities in the Amazon. It is decorated with two symbols: a heart pierced by an arrow, which is an Augustinian symbol, and an otorongo , which represents strength and wisdom in Indigenous cultures and also recalls the image of the ‘Amazonian lion’.” The paten also carries an important message through its symbols. Its silver centre represents the rivers of the Amazon, while three ojé trees, traditionally known for their medicinal properties, surround the place where the host is placed. As Father Lucas explained, these trees symbolize how nature supports and embraces the Eucharist. In this way, elements of the Amazonian natural world become part of the Christian celebration, whose centre is the Body of Christ.

A Church with an Amazonian face, walking alongside its peoples

The preparations for the celebration have also involved cooperation from various sectors of society. Pucallpa prison has contributed to the making of 150 chairs for the bishops and concelebrating priests, as well as the chair for the Pope. The Bishop stressed that these gestures form part of a wider collaboration that has made the preparations a shared experience for the entire community.
“Pope Leo XIV is arriving,” the Bishop explained, “with a particular focus on the Amazon, to meet its peoples and listen to their voices, their hopes and their concerns.”
“The Church in the Amazon has much to share with Peru and with the world: its faith, its cultural diversity, its joy, its hospitality and its commitment to life.”
“We want the Holy Father to find a living Church, a missionary Church, a Church with an Amazonian face, walking alongside these peoples,” the Bishop concluded, welcoming the Pontiff with the words: “Pucallpa is waiting for you. Welcome to the Amazon.”

ASIA/INDONESIA - Papua: Indonesian Bishops choose to be present: “Listening closely is the first step towards peace”

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 14:23:38 +0100

by Paolo Affatato

Jayapura – “The presence of the Bishops in Papua will be a great sign of hope.” For Father Alexandro Rangga OFM, a Franciscan friar and Director of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Office of the West Papua Province, the decision of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference to hold an assembly in Papua in 2027 is above all a gesture of solidarity with a population that continues to experience tensions and violence in some areas.
“The Church wants to listen directly, not just from a distance,” Father Rangga told Fides, expressing the local population’s full appreciation of the decision. Listening, he adds, can become the starting point for rebuilding trust: “Peace is a long process, but meetings like this help create a safe space for people to speak and build trust. And this is always the first step.”
The Bishops’ announcement came at the end of the second annual Assembly of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference for 2026, held in Jakarta from 4 to 10 November under the theme “Building a Sustainable Economy and a Common Home”. The meeting focused on economic justice, environmental protection and human dignity, with the Bishops pledging to turn these priorities into concrete action in their dioceses.

The Bishops’ Conference reaffirmed that the Church cannot “limit itself to issuing statements or drawing up programs”. In this perspective, it has once again placed the region of Indonesian Papua at the centre of its pastoral and social attention. The KWI announced its intention to organize an assembly in Papua in 2027 in order to gain a closer understanding of local communities and the challenges they face, and to work with the population and the authorities to safeguard human dignity and promote dialogue and peace.
According to Father Rangga, the decision has practical significance and could prove meaningful. “This is not simply an administrative meeting,” he emphasizes. The Bishops’ presence could serve as “a bridge for dialogue between the population, the government and all those who seek justice and peace”. In this way, Catholic communities in Papua will know that they “are not alone as they face their present and future difficulties”.

A decision rooted in closeness

The Indonesian Bishops’ decision is part of a broader process. In recent months, the Catholic Church in Indonesia has spoken out on several occasions about the situation in the western part of the island of New Guinea, which forms the Indonesian province of Papua.
In July 2026, the KWI, together with seven other major Christian denominations belonging to the “Indonesian Christian Community Forum” , voiced concern over the “structural humanitarian crisis” in the region, calling for dialogue to be given priority over the use of force.
Last October, Catholic and Christian leaders in Papua called for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to be granted access to the region. They considered an independent assessment necessary in light of reports of civilian displacement, tensions and violence resulting in loss of life.
The Bishops’ Conference has also drawn attention to environmental concerns. On October 29, the Bishops highlighted the need to “restore forests destroyed by fires”, rather than clear them to make way for commercial plantations, linking environmental protection to the safeguarding of the communities living in these territories.
The Indonesian Catholic Society Forum , which brings together lay associations, has also launched a five-year program for 2026–2031. This includes a task force dedicated to Papua, with the aim of supporting the rights of indigenous peoples and addressing the crisis in its various dimensions.

From Jayapura, Father Rangga tells Fides: “The situation here is calm at present. Church, school and pastoral activities are continuing as normal. However, reports of tensions continue to arrive from the central highlands and, in some cases, people have been forced to flee their homes and villages.” “We continue to pray and do our best,” says the Franciscan, explaining that the Franciscans’ JPIC Office in Papua continues to support those affected by the crisis.
“As members of the local Church, we continue to promote dialogue, raise awareness among young people and care for creation,” the friar explains, recalling the vision of Laudato si’. The work of the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Office focuses in particular on “assisting victims, peace education in parishes and dialogue with village leaders”. In this way, “the Church remains alongside communities, even when the situation is difficult”.

The Indonesian Bishops’ decision follows this same path. Bishop Antonius Subianto Bunjamin OSC, President of the Bishops’ Conference, has stressed that the commitments made by the Bishops must be translated into concrete pastoral initiatives in the dioceses and greater cooperation with people of goodwill for the common good. “Papua, a land marked by poverty, tensions, violence and environmental challenges, is one of the places where the Church continues to seek ways to foster dialogue and closeness,” Father Rangga observes.
The announced assembly of the Bishops, who have chosen to “leave” the capital, Jakarta, and travel to Papua, cannot be “an immediate solution to a complex crisis. But it will be the beginning of a journey in which people listen to one another, meet and gradually rebuild mutual trust”, in order to “build, step by step, the conditions for genuine peace”.

An unresolved issue

Indonesian Papua, the western part of the island of New Guinea, has a long history of conflict and tensions between indigenous communities and the central government in Jakarta. Following the end of Dutch colonial rule, the status of Papua remained disputed. In 1962, under the New York Accords, administration of the territory was temporarily transferred to the United Nations and then to Indonesia, pending a consultation on its future membership.

In 1969, the so-called “Act of Free Choice” took place. It was not a universal suffrage referendum, but a consultation entrusted to just over a thousand representatives selected by the Indonesian authorities, who voted unanimously in favour of integration into Indonesia. The result was formally accepted by the United Nations General Assembly. However, the consultation’s limited representativeness has remained one of the main issues underlying the demands of the local population.

Since then, the territory has been marked by conflict between armed independence groups and Indonesian security forces, amid frequent reports of human rights violations, arrests, violence and displacement. Following the fall of Suharto’s regime in 1998, demands for greater autonomy and self-determination continued. In 2001, the central government in Jakarta introduced a “Special Autonomy Law”, but tensions have persisted, fuelled also by disputes over resource management, economic development, the presence of the State and the rights of indigenous communities.

The central government has promoted development projects in Papua, plans to exploit natural resources and migration from other parts of Indonesia, alongside an increasingly massive military presence. All of this has fuelled discontent and a sense of marginalization among the indigenous population. Papua remains one of the poorest and least developed areas of the Indonesian archipelago, while the presence of the military, mutual accusations of violence, clashes and deaths continue to deepen mistrust between local communities and the government authorities.

AFRICA/KENYA - Appointment of coadjutor bishop of Kisii

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 13:56:13 +0100

Vatican City - The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Father Joseph Onyango Oduor, O.S.A., until now parish priest of Santa Monica in Nyamsaria, in the archdiocese of Kisumu, as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Kisii, Kenya.

Msgr. Joseph Onyango Oduor, O.S.A., was born on 2 may 1977. After joining the Order of Saint Augustine in 1998 in Kenya, he completed his studies in philosophy at the Consolata Institute of Philosophy and in theology at Tangaza University in Nairobi. He subsequently undertook his novitiate in Jos, Nigeria, and was awarded a licentiate in philosophy from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa , in Nairobi.

He made his perpetual vows on 16 October 2005, and was ordained a priest on 4 November 2006.

He has held the following offices: parish vicar and subsequently parish priest of the Sacred Heart parish in Baba Dogo, Nairobi , prior and formator at the International Formation House of the Augustinians in Nairobi , dean of the deanery of Kisumu , advisor of the Vicariate of the Augustinians in Kenya , parish priest of Saint Monica in Nyamsaria, Kisumu , and member of the College of Consultors of the archdiocese of Kisumu .

POPE LEO XIV IN PERU/IV - “Jesus, I trust in you”: The Pope embraces Peru’s young people

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 13:53:34 +0100

Lima – Joao Meza an 18-year-old medical student from Lima's Lince district, shared his personal testimony of faith with Pope Leo XIV during a youth vigil at the National Stadium of Peru. He spoke openly about being mocked at school, feeling isolated, and keeping his pain to himself. In the midst of that pain, he wondered: “Has God abandoned me?” No one in his family knew how to dance. During the pandemic, together with his friend Juan, the son of musicians, he learned the traditional dances of Cajamarca and the marinera, until his sister, who was involved in the parish of Santa Rosa, invited him to take part in a cultural activity. There he discovered “a God who also dances deep within our being, an eternal harmony of love”.

Emily Milagros, from the Diocese of Carabayllo, had drifted away from her parish after receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation, but then returning and getting involved in youth ministry. However, a rapid succession of family losses — including her grandparents, an aunt, an uncle, a young nephew, a cousin and her best friend — left her feeling broken while trying to lead others. In her pain, she realized that God’s love “accompanies me even when I’m afraid, have doubts and exhaustion.”

Sister Luzbinda Ramos Zurita, an Ursuline Sister, Daughter of Mary Immaculate, was 17 when she visited a woman in the final stages of cancer. She was deeply struck by “the light in her eyes”. Shortly afterwards, the sudden death of her mother plunged her into “a silent depression”. During that difficult period, she focused on other life plans. She dreamed of becoming a mathematics teacher, starting a family, and having two children. Noticing her struggles, one of her brothers invited her to visit him in Lima and introduced her to two Ursuline sisters. Seeing peace and tenderness in the gaze of one of the sisters sparked her interest in religious life. She accepted an invitation to a vocational retreat, where she felt welcomed by “the open arms of the Father” rather than “judgment.” Speaking on behalf of struggling youth, Sister Luzbinda asked Pope Leo XIV what he would say to her younger self and to young people today who feel their lives have “fallen apart” and wonder what they could possibly have to offer.

These are the stories that were shared on Thursday, November 12, at the National Stadium in Lima , during the prayer Vigil with young people and university students. In his opening address, Cardinal Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio, Archbishop of Lima, recalled the years Robert Francis Prevost spent in Peru as a “seminarian and Augustinian missionary”. He asked the Pope to “respond to these concerns” and offer young people “words of encouragement that will bear fruit in their journey of witness”.

The Pontiff began by greeting, one by one, the communities of greater Lima: “Good evening, Lima! Callao! Carabayllo! Those from Lurín and Chosica are here too!” These are the names of the Archdiocese of Lima and the dioceses surrounding it: the port of Callao to the west, Carabayllo to the north, Lurín to the south and Chosica to the east, towards the Andes, where many of the capital’s densely populated peripheral neighborhoods are located. By calling each of them by name, the Pope embraced the entire metropolitan area. He then added: “Someone told me that Peru needs a sign of hope; well, here today at the National Stadium, you are that sign of hope!”

The Pope drew inspiration from the Gospel of John, from Jesus’ question to the first disciples: “What are you looking for?” And told them: “Do not be in a hurry to answer.”

The first word he entrusted to the young people was “passion”. It is a word used to speak of what we love deeply, but, he observed, it also “reminds us of suffering”. The Pope spoke of young people “who feel lonely, even when they are surrounded by others”, and of those who carry “the pain of loss”. He recalled that Jesus, too, “knew the anguish and darkness of suffering” and from the cross he cried out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” “He did not desire the cross; he desired our salvation,” he said. “Dear young people, when you suffer, turn to Jesus,” he urged, because “suffering never has the final word”. He added: “Be passionate about everything that is worthwhile, about what is true, good and beautiful!”

Speaking about vocation, Leo XIV addressed a widespread fear: that following God's will means giving up one's dreams. This can lead to the suspicion “that God is depriving us of something and that, in order to enjoy life fully, we also need to experience sin”.
Quoting Benedict XVI, he recalled that “evil is always poisonous”. “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”.

“Perhaps some of you think that you have made too many mistakes or that it is too late to begin anew. I would like to say to you: Look to Jesus,” he observed. He then continued: “You do not need to have your entire future worked out before you answer him. Take the step you can take today.” And added, “often, the Lord shows us the way as we travel along it”.

The third word was “friendship”. Taking up Emily’s experience, without explicitly mentioning her name, the Pope addressed those who lead others: “Do not think that you must always appear strong, especially if you lead groups or accompany others. Allow yourselves to be cared for.” Jesus, too, in Gethsemane, “wanted his friends close to him in the hour of anguish”.

Finally, following the example of Andrew, who brought his brother Simon to Jesus, the Pope invited young people to do likewise, because “a gesture of friendship can change the course of a life”. Moving from words to deeds, Leo XIV embraced those who had shared their testimonies during the vigil and, through them, all the young people of Peru. The Prayer Vigil concluded with a prayer repeated by the entire stadium: “Jesus, I trust in you.”

AFRICA/BURUNDI - CECAB President voices concern over economic situation during meeting with Head of State

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 12:26:58 +0100

Bujumbura – Fuel and fertilizer shortages, a scarcity of foreign currency and problems with electricity supplies. These were the main concerns regarding Burundi’s economic and social situation raised by Msgr. Joachim Ntahondereye, Bishop of Muyinga, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burundi , during an audience with President Évariste Ndayishimiye on November 12, at the Ntare Rushatsi Palace.
The CECAB President thus reiterated the concerns already outlined in June in the final document of the bishops’ Plenary Assembly.

On that occasion, the bishops had expressed concern over poor agricultural yields, caused by insufficient rainfall in some regions of the country and rising prices for fertilizers and fuel. The increase in the cost of these two commodities, which are essential to modern agriculture, is also linked to the shortage of foreign currency needed to purchase them on international markets.

The already worrying situation could soon be further compounded by the effects of the El Niño climate phenomenon on Burundian agriculture. According to the World Meteorological Organization, between October and December this year, several areas of Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Uganda could experience rainfall levels up to 40 per cent above the average.

While above-average rainfall could improve the availability of pastureland and water for livestock, it would also significantly increase the risk of flooding. Floods could cause loss of life, destroy crops and damage essential infrastructure, while also increasing the risk of epidemics linked to waterborne and vector-borne diseases. Further consequences could affect access to healthcare and nutrition services.

In response to the concerns raised by Bishop Ntahondereye, President Ndayishimiye urged Burundians to rely more on domestic resources, given the significant reduction in foreign aid. To address the shortage of foreign currency, he stressed the need to develop income-generating activities, with particular emphasis on export crops, the mining sector and tourism.

By way of example, he cited Tanzania, which, in his view, is building its development in a climate of peace, unlike Burundi, where, according to the President, certain individuals are undermining the positive results achieved so far.

Finally, the Head of State praised the Catholic Church’s contribution to the country’s development, urging it to step up efforts to raise awareness among the faithful about work and personal growth. He also stressed the importance of meetings of this kind in strengthening relations between the State and the Church, particularly in the run-up to the elections.

ASIA/MONGOLIA - From the letters of Giovanni da Montecorvino towards an ecumenical Bible: Ulaanbaatar marks 720 years of Scripture in Mongolian

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 12:11:18 +0100

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Ulaanbaatar – “I have an adequate knowledge of the Tartar language and script, which is the usual language of the Tartars, and now I have translated into that language and script the whole of the New Testament and the Psalter and have had it written in beautiful characters.” These lines were penned by the Franciscan Giovanni da Montecorvino in a letter sent to Europe from Khanbalik, present-day Beijing, in the early 14th century.

The text is included in the anthology “Mission to Asia”, edited by the historian Christopher Dawson. Having reached the city in 1294, the friar built a church there “with a bell tower and three bells” and reported having baptised “about 6,000 persons”. His account contains, writes Bible translator Bayarjargal Garamtseren in a history of Mongolian Bible translations published in 2009 in The Bible Translator, “the very first written mention” of a translation of the Scriptures into that language. In another letter, the Franciscan expresses his loneliness and his longing to receive even a single greeting from his fellow friars.
Centuries later, on the borders of the Russian Empire, Garamtseren explains, a new chapter opened. In 1815, the Gospel of Matthew was published in St Petersburg in Kalmyk, translated by the Moravian missionary Isaac Jacob Schmidt. Working with two Buryats, Nomtu and Badma, Schmidt subsequently produced a Mongolian New Testament, published in 1827.

In Selenginsk, Buryatia, London Missionary Society missionaries Edward Stallybrass and William Swan worked for years on biblical translation with the help of local collaborators, including learned lamas. The Old Testament was printed in 1840; a New Testament followed in London in 1846. Together, they constituted the first complete Bible in Mongolian. Its language sought a middle ground between everyday correspondence and the more difficult style of Buddhist scriptures, as the missionaries explained in 1833, in a passage quoted by the historian Charles Bawden.
In the modern era, a New Testament in Cyrillic appeared in 1990, followed, through a separate translation project, by a complete Bible in 2000.

It is this long history that Ulaanbaatar is commemorating on 12 and 13 November, with a conference marking two anniversaries chosen by the organisers: 720 years since the first translation of the Scriptures into Mongolian and 180 years since the publication of the first complete Mongolian Bible.
The conference is organised by the Mongolian Union Bible Society , whose General Secretary is Bayarmagnai, together with departments at the National University of Mongolia and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, and the National Library of Mongolia. The sessions were held on November 12 at the Chinggis Khaan National Museum. The conference moved to the conference hall of the National University of Mongolia Library on November 13. An exhibition on Bible translation is also on display at the BlueMon Center.

Catholic participants include Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, and Father Jan J. Stefanów SVD, General Secretary of the Catholic Biblical Federation . They are being hosted by Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar.

The Federation’s participation builds on contacts established in July 2025 in Ulaanbaatar. On that occasion, the Catholic Affinity Group of the United Bible Societies brought together its Catholic contacts from Asia in the Mongolian capital. “At first I only wanted to join online, but Cardinal Marengo insisted that I come in person,” says Father Stefanów. “I travelled from the United States to spend two days in Ulaanbaatar, and it was worth it: we established a contact with the Bible Society of Mongolia, and that meeting has borne fruit.”

In March 2026, a delegation from the Bible Society visited Rome. It asked the CBF to help arrange a meeting with Cardinal Koch and visits to the Vatican Apostolic Archive and the Vatican Library, in search of documents relating to the first translation of the Bible into Mongolian. The delegation was already preparing the conference for the two anniversaries.

In his contribution to the conference, Archbishop Pace addressed the Catholic understanding of divine revelation through the teachings of the First and Second Vatican Councils. He also presented manuscripts relating to the Bible and lectionaries from the Vatican Apostolic Library and the Ambrosian Library in Milan, opening up possibilities for further study and collaboration with the latter institution.

The Apostolic Prefecture’s programme combined the conference with opportunities to encounter the country’s social and religious life. “Cardinal Marengo prepared the visit very well,” observes Father Stefanów. “He let us see the social and religious reality of Mongolia up close: a family living in a ger, the cathedral, a home for children, a Buddhist monastery and its leaders.”
On the morning of Friday, November 13, Archbishop Pace also visited the House of Mercy, blessed by Pope Francis during his Apostolic Journey to Mongolia and established also thanks to the support of Catholic Mission Australia, the Australian Pontifical Mission Societies .
He described it as “a very beautiful, very moving reality, in which the meaning of being Church as charity is truly expressed”. This charity, he explained, “is not simply doing good, but doing good by restoring people’s dignity”, through the way they are welcomed and helped. The visit also provided an opportunity to consider possible forms of collaboration.
Biblical work was at the heart of the discussions. The Catholic Church has collaborated with the Bible Society since the episcopate of Wenceslao Padilla, and in February 2024 the two institutions reached an agreement to translate the deuterocanonical books, which are not included in the edition based on the Protestant canon. A working meeting at the Prefecture on 11 November reviewed the progress of this translation, which is intended to make an ecumenical edition possible.

For Archbishop Pace, this cooperation also explains the significance of his presence at the conference: “Collaboration on the Bible is one of the areas in which ecumenism can be taken forward.” In Mongolia, he noted, translations are principally undertaken by evangelical or Protestant communities, while the Catholic Church is also involved and wishes to deepen its participation in this shared work.

Father Stefanów also says that the Federation will make its resources available for the formation of biblical scholars and local people. The discussions also addressed the development of biblical pastoral ministry in Mongolia. The Apostolic Prefecture has been a full member of the Federation for several years. The outlook already extends beyond Mongolia. Cardinal Marengo, president of the Bishops’ Conference of Central Asia, has invited the CBF General Secretary to return for the regional bishops’ meeting in Ulaanbaatar in 2027, to present the Federation’s work and its approach to biblical pastoral ministry. Outside Mongolia, the Federation currently has no members in Central Asia.
“It has been a very positive and very fruitful meeting,” concludes Father Stefanów. “We hope it will bear fruit in the development of biblical work in Mongolia and in all of Central Asia.”

AFRICA/SIERRA LEONE - Returning to the place where it all began, the Society of African Missions renews its missionary commitment

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 08:47:14 +0100

Freetown – A return to its roots in order to renew its missionary commitment, meet confreres and look to the future together with the local Churches. This is the significance of the visit by Father François du Penhoat, Superior General of the Society of African Missions , to its Delegation in Sierra Leone, the Institute’s first mission territory and the place where its founder, French missionary bishop Melchior de Marion Brésillac, died and was buried.

“It was a great joy and a source of gratitude for me to be able to visit this land,” Father du Penhoat said. It was his first visit to the country since his election as Superior General. Among the aims of his journey were meeting the missionaries, listening to their experiences, learn about the pastoral realities and paying tribute at the founder’s tomb.

Father Hospice Atchokossi, a Beninese SMA missionary serving in Sierra Leone, recounted the highlights of the visit to the Fides News Agency.
The day after his arrival, the Superior General went to the tomb of Bishop de Marion Brésillac, where he led a moment of prayer together with members of the Delegation. The visit took on particular significance in the year marking the bicentenary of the birth of Father Augustin Planque, who is buried alongside the founder. Planque succeeded him and bore witness to the continuity of the SMA’s missionary work.

After a lengthy interruption, the Society of African Missions resumed its presence in Sierra Leone, where it has now been serving continuously for more than twelve years. Its missionary work is currently carried out through three communities: Kwama, in the Archdiocese of Freetown; Buedu, in the Diocese of Kenema; and Zimi, in the Diocese of Bo, near the border with Liberia. These are territories where the Gospel is being proclaimed for the first time, and the missionaries are committed to proclaiming the Gospel and supporting the growth of Christian communities.

During his visit, Father du Penhoat met with the missionaries and pastoral teams in all three communities, as well as holding individual conversations with his confreres to hear about their experiences, difficulties and future prospects. He also met with the bishops of the dioceses in which the SMA is active, expressing his gratitude for their welcome and cooperation in the work of evangelization.
The meetings also provided an opportunity to reflect on prospects for expanding the missionary presence in the country and on the challenges facing the Delegation.

The visit provided an opportunity to renew the Institute’s bond with its origins and reaffirm its commitment to continuing its missionary service in close collaboration with the local Churches.

At the national level, the country is preparing for a population census scheduled for December 1, 2026. The census represents an important step towards updating demographic and socioeconomic data and providing a sound basis for public policy planning, particularly in the fields of education, healthcare, infrastructure and social services.
In this context, Christian Churches continue to play a significant role in public life through educational and social initiatives, the promotion of human dignity, and the development of dialogue and solidarity.
Particular importance regard the efforts to support the most vulnerable sectors of the population and local communities, through educational assistance and infrastructure improvements.
Education remains one of Sierra Leone’s key priorities for the future, alongside the need to expand learning opportunities and improve school facilities. Particular attention is also being paid to child protection and gender-related issues. Safeguarding minors and the most vulnerable, promoting the dignity of women, and preventing all forms of abuse and discrimination remain major challenges for Sierra Leonean society. In this regard, religious communities are called upon to make their contribution through awareness-raising activities and initiatives aimed at fostering a culture of respect for human rights.

LEO XIV IN PERU/III - Pope to Bishops: Along the Inca Trail, following in the footsteps of the Saints

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 20:29:14 +0100

Lima – “The roads that crisscross a country’s landscape also run through the soul of its people.” Drawing inspiration from the Qhapaq Ñan, the Great Inca Road, Pope Leo XIV outlined for the Bishops of Peru a mission that calls them to reach even the most remote communities.

In his address delivered on Thursday, November 12, in the chapel of the Archbishop’s Residence in Lima, the Pope drew a parallel between the image of the ancient Andean network and the lives of the saints who have left their mark on the Church in Peru.
Developed in part along routes dating back to pre-Inca times, the Qhapaq Ñan connected the territories of Tawantinsuyu, the Inca Empire, through a network of roads stretching for approximately 30,000 kilometres. It served both trade and the administration of territories characterized by extreme geographical conditions. A selection of its sections, spread across six countries, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014. For the Andean communities, it remains a living heritage, to which practices of the shared stewardship of Creation and knowledge passed down through the generations are linked.
“We may also consider that, just as this Trail is the heir to the ancient paths used by pre-Incan cultures, the bishop is a servant in his Diocese of the history of salvation that began before him and will continue after him ,” Pope Leo XIV explained.

It was along those roads that the chasquis travelled – messengers whom the Pope likened to the bishop, “the messenger who bears the Good News of the Gospel, safeguards the treasure of the word of God and administers the sacraments as those indispensable gifts which are necessary to sustain the Christian life.” Getting to know one’s diocese, therefore, means entering people’s homes and drawing close to those who, because of geographical remoteness or social vulnerability, are rarely able to make their voices heard : “The shepherd is called to go out and meet everyone.”

Toribio de Mogrovejo: The Gospel in the languages of the peoples

The Pope first gave concrete expression to this image by recalling Saint Turibius of Mogrovejo. Born in Spain in 1538, he was a jurist before being called to the episcopate and arrived in Lima as Archbishop in 1581. He travelled extensively throughout his vast ecclesiastical territory during his pastoral ministry and died in 1606 in Zaña, during one of these journeys.
Leo XIV recalled his commitment to ensuring that the Gospel was proclaimed in indigenous languages, as reflected in the catechism in Aymara, Quechua and Spanish prepared in the context of the Third Provincial Council of Lima. The Pope also cited his example when addressing the difficulties inherent in pastoral ministry: “Pastoral charity does not consist in avoiding problems ,” he stressed, “but in remaining faithful to Christ and seeking the greatest possible good for people.”
Another aspect of the bishop’s journey, the Pope explained, is that it is undertaken together with his priests. Drawing on another image from the Andean world, the Pope described him as an “itinerant Yachay Wasi”, a “house of knowledge”, where the shepherd shares the burdens of his priests and ensures that no one is left behind.
The Quechua expression yachay wasi means “house of knowledge” and referred to a place where members of the Inca nobility received their education. There, young people were prepared for government responsibilities by teachers known as amautas. Their education included history and religious traditions, as well as the knowledge required to administer the empire.

The adjective “itinerant” was introduced by the Pope to describe the journey shared by the bishop and his priests. In this image, that journey becomes a place of formation through sharing in their struggles and aspirations. He then encouraged Peru’s synodal process to continue in an atmosphere of mutual trust, “so that authority is not exercised autocratically nor is obedience mere servility.”

Saint Rose of Lima and the charity of the Dominican brothers

The Saints, too, walk along the Qhapaq Ñan. In recalling Saint Rose of Lima, Leo XIV drew attention to the spiritual life of shepherds. Having lived between 1586 and 1617, this Dominican tertiary welcomed the sick and abandoned into her family home. In 1671, she became the first saint from the New World to be canonized.
Her prayer and dedication to those in need remind bishops, the Pope observed, that apostolic fruitfulness depends on union with the Lord. In recalling Saint Francis Solano, the Pontiff emphasized the joyful missionary spirit that characterized his life. From Saint Francis Solano we learn “to cross borders to proclaim the Gospel” especially to those living on the human and geographical peripheries.
Service to the poorest was a common thread in the lives of Saint Martin de Porres and Saint Juan Macías, Dominican brothers who devoted themselves in Lima to those whom colonial society had left on the margins. Martin cared for the sick, providing them with food and medicine. Juan, who had arrived from Spain, served as porter at the convent of La Magdalena, where he welcomed those in need every day. John XXIII canonized Martin in 1962; thirteen years later, Paul VI proclaimed Juan Macías a Saint.
Their example teaches us, Leo XIV stressed, that charity begins with “a simple gesture, a listening ear” and that “no person can be judged by their rank, their origins or their social status.”
The reminder of every person’s dignity introduced the Pope’s remarks on abuses perpetrated by members of the clergy or within the context of the Church, “a reality that has caused us so much pain”. The Pope called for a response “as Jesus would”, “with truth, justice, forgiveness and making amends” and an ever more resolute commitment to fostering a culture of prevention and protection for the weakest in light of such crimes.

“The Church belongs to Christ. We are messengers who will one day complete our journey”

These lives of the Saints form a “school of holiness” that bears witness to the unity of the Church in Peru, the Pope said with enthusiasm. A unity for which the bishops also bear responsibility.

Since the beginning of the Peruvian leg of his South American journey, Leo XIV has shared personal memories. On this occasion, he recalled a special moment during Pope Francis’ visit to Peru in 2018:
“Dear brother bishops, in 2018 I was seated there in the back among you in this very place, and we received from our beloved Pope Francis a passionate exhortation to work for unity. I recall that he told us: “Do not remain prisoners of divisions that create cliques and hamper our vocation to be a sacrament of communion… That was — and is and always will be — the best way to evangelize.’”
Division, in fact, undermines witness, whereas communion makes it credible. “Communion among you, among us,” Pope Prevost insisted, “is the foundation of the credibility of the Gospel you proclaim.”
He further explained: “In and through communion, the bishop will be an instrument in preventing social or political polarization from weakening his prophetic and evangelizing mission.”

The image of the Inca Trail ultimately returned as a challenge to the present day: “An ancient path retains its value when it continues to enable people to reach their destination.” For this reason, he pointed out, we must constantly ask ourselves “which paths truly lead to Christ, and we should denounce false paths.”
T oday, Peru needs shepherds “capable of listening to the questions of our time and illuminating them with the clarity of the Gospel. In this way, you will be able to accompany families, support young people, defend the life and dignity of every person, promote justice and commit to the care of creation, helping in a particular way those who suffer from poverty, exclusion, corruption, violence and a lack of opportunities.”

This mission, the Bishop of Rome clarified, “requires us to combine doctrinal fidelity with pastoral closeness; the celebration of the sacraments with a commitment to our neighbor; and the formation of consciences with a concrete witness of charity.”
Before the Blessed Sacrament, he recalled, we regain “the correct perspective on our ministry”.
Then, carefully emphasizing each word, he concluded: “The Church does not belong to us; it belongs to Christ. We are messengers who will one day complete our journey. Only God remains!”

AFRICA/NIGERIA - Catholic priest attacked and robbed in Benue State

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:38:14 +0100

Abuja – A Catholic priest was attacked by armed men in Benue State, central Nigeria. The incident took place at around midnight on November 6, as Father Peter Kwen, a priest of the Diocese of Gboko and headmaster of St Anthony’s Catholic Secondary School in Zaki Biam, was returning from Makurdi, the state capital.
Along the road linking Makurdi to Zaki Biam, in Ukum Local Government Area, the priest was ambushed by a group of armed men. After robbing him, the attackers fled, leaving him injured and unconscious on the side of the road.
According to initial reports, the attackers may have belonged to a gang of Fulani herders, although their identity and the precise nature of the attack have yet to be established.
The assault took place against a backdrop of persistent insecurity in Benue State and, more broadly, across Nigeria’s central region, known as the Middle Belt. For years, the area has been plagued by violence, mainly linked to conflicts between settled farming communities and nomadic herders, particularly over control of land and water resources. These tensions are compounded by the activities of armed gangs responsible for killings, kidnappings for ransom and attacks on villages.
According to a report by the European Union Agency for Asylum , 406 security incidents resulting in 1,338 deaths were recorded in Benue State between January 2024 and August 2025. Violence affected numerous local government areas across the state, including Ukum, where Father Kwen was attacked. The same agency estimates that, in February 2025, more than 457,000 people were internally displaced in Benue, mainly as a result of intercommunal clashes and conflicts between farmers and herders.
Members of religious communities are also exposed to this insecurity. Just a few weeks before the attack on Father Kwen, on 13 October , Father John Inalegwu Otache, a priest of the Diocese of Otukpo, also in Benue State, was kidnapped. He was released on 18 October .
However, Nigeria’s security crisis takes different forms in different parts of the country. In the North-East, the jihadist insurgency led by Boko Haram and its splinter group ISWAP has been active for years, while armed criminal gangs and groups involved in kidnappings, raids and territorial disputes are particularly active in the North-West and the central area.

AFRICA/MOZAMBIQUE - New developments in the investigation into the murder of Quelimane Bishop Osório Citora Afonso

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:32:13 +0100

Quelimane – New details have emerged in the investigation into the murder the Bishop of Quelimane Osório Citora Afonso, IMC, who was killed last June at the diocesan episcopal residence. The National Criminal Investigation Service has arrested a former member of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique in Zambézia Province. He was dismissed from the force in 2015 and is suspected of involvement in the murder.
According to information released by the authorities, the man, who had served with the Border Guard in Massingir, in the southern province of Gaza, is believed to have fled to Zambia after the bishop’s murder. Investigators have also reportedly uncovered links between the suspect and one of the alleged masterminds behind the killing. In particular, they are said to have traced several money transfers made to the former police officer by a Catholic priest, who has also been arrested in connection with the investigation.

Following his first judicial interrogation, the suspect was remanded in custody. Other individuals suspected of involvement in the murder remain at large.

The case continues to cause dismay and deep concern throughout society and the ecclesial community. The investigation raises questions not only about individual responsibility, which must be established through the judicial process, but also about the protection of human life and public trust in civil and religious institutions.

The killing of a bishop inside his own episcopal residence is a wound for the local Church. It underscores the need to establish the full truth about the crime and bring all those responsible to justice. At the same time, the Church is called to renew its Gospel witness and remain a point of reference for the entire population.

AFRICA/SOUTH AFRICA - Appointment of bishop of Keimoes-Upington

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:16:28 +0100

Vatican City - The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Enrico Valentino Parry, of the clergy of Oudtshoorn, until now director of the Secretariate of the Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe, as bishop of the diocese of Keimoes-Upington, South Africa.

Msgr. Enrico Valentino Parry was born on 28 December 1968 in the diocese of Oudtshoorn. After studying philosophy at Saint Peter’s Seminary in Hammanskraal and theology at the Saint John Vianney Major Seminary, archdiocese of Pretoria, he was awarded a degree in education and sociology from the University of South Africa .

He received priestly ordination on 17 April 1995, and was incardinated into the diocese of Oudtshoorn.

After ordination, he first held the role of parish vicar of Mossel Bay, in the diocese of Oudtshoorn . He obtained a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University of Rome , and went on to serve as formator and teacher and rector of Saint John Vianney Seminary in Pretoria. He was awarded a doctorate in systematic theology from the University of South Africa , and then held the offices of interim rector of Saint Peter’s Seminary in Pretoria , teacher at Saint Augustin College in Johannesburg , parish priest of the parish of Christ the King in Worcester, in the diocese of Oudtshoorn , diocesan chancellor, director of the diocesan Finance Committee and member of the College of Consultors , administrator of the Cathedral of Saint Saviour, in the diocese of Oudtshoorn , diocesan director for catechesis , coordinator of the pastoral department , and director of the Secretariat of the Inter-Regional Meeting of Bishops of Southern Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe.

AFRICA/SENEGAL - Appointment of bishop of Thiès

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:13:38 +0100

Vatican City - The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Martin Boucar Tine, S.S.S., until now bishop of Kaolack, as bishop of the diocese of Thiès, Senegal.
Bishop Martin Boucar Tine, S.S.S., was born on 16 September 1966 in Koudiadiène, diocese of Thiès. He received his religious formation in the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and studied philosophy at the Centre Saint Augustin in Dakar. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he carried out his novitiate in Lonzo and was awarded a bachelor’s degree in theology from the Theologat Saint Eugène de Mazenod in Kinshasa.
He made his perpetual vows on 6 October 1995, and received priestly ordination on 6 July 1996.
After ordination, he first held the roles of parish vicar of Saint-Pierre des Baobabs, archdiocese of Dakar , and head of the Foyer Eymard in Dakar-Liberté . He was awarded a licentiate in dogmatic theology from the Faculté Catholique in Kinshasa , and went on to serve as director of the Inter-African Emmaus Scholasticate in Kinshasa , regional superior of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in Senegal , president of the Conference of Men and Women Religious in Senegal , parish vicar of Saint Joseph de Médina in the archdiocese of Dakar , general counsellor of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in Rome , head of the Formation Commission of the Sacramentine Fathers in Africa, and first counsellor and vicar general of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament .
He was appointed bishop of Kaolack on 25 July 2018, receiving episcopal ordination the following 24 November.

ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - WORLD YOUTH DAY Seoul 2027, “Making the world a garden”: a message of peace to the world from Korea

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:10:20 +0100

by Paolo Affatato

Vatican City – “Making the world a garden”. According to Bishop Paul Kyung-sang Lee, General Coordinator of the Local Organizing Committee, this is the mission of the next World Youth Day , which will be held in Seoul in August 2027. It is not a matter of “escaping from a wounded and divided world”, but of “committing ourselves to transforming it, recognizing the dignity of every person and rebuilding relationships based on fraternity”. Speaking at the conference “WYD Seoul 2027: A Global Festival of Hope”, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Holy See on November 11 at the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Bishop Lee recalled that, in a Korea still bearing the wounds of division and a war that has never formally ended, WYD takes on particular significance as an event dedicated to peace and reconciliation.
The theme chosen for WYD, “Take courage! I have overcome the world” , is closely connected with this vision. The Korean Church is preparing to welcome young people from across the world to a country whose history has been marked by division, war and an unfinished process of reconciliation.

Bishop Lee spoke of “making the world a garden”, using the term “Edenization” , to describe a task entrusted to young people: not to imagine an abstract world, but to transform the reality around them, marked by loneliness, inequality, conflict and division, through encounters that recognize in every other person someone endowed with the same dignity. “When we pray, ‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’ – this is Edenization. This is the prayer we are seeking to put into practice,” Bishop Lee observed.
“WYD Seoul 2027,” he continued, “can become an opportunity for young people to recognize something of themselves in one another. Many come from places where the Church is small, where the faith is silently handed down quietly by people whom the world may never notice. But Seoul can bring this experience together. It can make it visible. In one place, at one moment. And grace can work in ways we do not immediately recognize. Perhaps Seoul can help us discover that the signs of enduring grace can sometimes appear where we least expect them.”

In this context, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the Holy See, Shin Hyung-sik, who organized the event, described WYD Seoul as “an opportunity to bring different people and worlds together”. “Seoul will become a great meeting place, overcoming divisions between Korea and the world, between different religions and cultures, and between generations and regions,” he said. He added: “Hope will radiate from Seoul to the world, and from the world to Seoul.”
The young people arriving in Korea will be invited to “meet one another, engage in sincere dialogue, pray side by side and become true companions of peace”. This vision places WYD within a broader perspective: an encounter between generations and cultures capable of becoming a tangible experience of fraternity.
Emphasizing Bishop Lee’s remarks, Shin pointed out that WYD Seoul will be “the first World Youth Day to be celebrated in a country where Catholics are not the majority and in a non-European language”. For this reason, he said, it will also bear witness to how “the Gospel has taken root in the cultural richness of Asia”.
One further theme emerged clearly from the various speakers: peace. Ambassador Shin described Seoul as a place from which “a universal message of peace can be sent from the Korean Peninsula to the world”, expressing the hope that the presence of young people and the Pope will help open a new chapter for peace in East Asia. The context of WYD is, in fact, a peninsula that remains divided between North and South Korea. The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice, but no peace treaty has ever followed. The division therefore continues to shape the lives of millions of people.

Along the same lines, Father Marco In-kook Kim, representing the Catholic Priests' Association for Justice, reflected on the history of the Korean Church and its close connection with the pursuit of justice, freedom and peace. The memory of the martyrs and the experience of a Christian community that has endured persecution, authoritarianism and division constitute a valuable resource for understanding the mission of young people in today's world.
Father Marco In-kook Kim recalled how the community-centred ethic of Uri , the ancient philosophical wisdom rooted in human dignity , and the transformation of the historical suffering of Han into Heung provided fertile ground for the inculturation of the Good News.
“Like a grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies in order to bear much fruit ,” he emphasized, “the legacy of a Church that has given its life for its brothers and sisters will become, for the young people gathering in Seoul, an inexhaustible source of moral strength and spiritual vitality, enabling them to reject every compromise with injustice and bear witness to the Kingdom of God.”

In his concluding remarks, Seong-hoon Lee, Ambassador for Human Rights, Peace and Democracy at the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that “WYD Seoul is called to become an authentic kairos, proclaiming a ‘peace that is unarmed and disarming’”, echoing the expression used by Pope Leo XIV.
“Authentic reconciliation,” he said, “does not come to an end when hostilities cease. Rather, it takes root when we disarm our hearts, freeing them from resentment, fear, distrust and hateful language, and recognize in the other not an enemy to be defeated, but a brother or sister with whom we share our journey.”
The border along the 38th parallel and the Demilitarised Zone , which divides the Korean Peninsula between North and South, should therefore be transformed from a symbol of division into “a pilgrimage sanctuary and a ‘school of peace’ for young people from around the world, where they can remember the wounds of war and learn to care for creation and forgiveness”.
Dialogue, solidarity and fraternity, together with the commitment of young people through WYD, can offer renewed hope and make Korea “a prophecy for the world”, he said, helping to build a future of peace and reconciliation.
The significance of WYD Seoul, then, will lie not merely in the scale of a major international event, expected to draw hundreds of thousands of young people, but in its potential to transform a land marked by division into a place of encounter. This is precisely the meaning of the expression “Making the world a garden”: the younger generations become promoters and builders of a peace rooted in listening, solidarity and fraternity.
In this sense, as Ambassador Shin observed, Korea can become the place from which “hope radiates” towards the world, offering a human and spiritual experience in which young people from every continent can discover that borders are not necessarily destined to become walls, but can instead serve as channels for exchange, human, social and spiritual connection, friendship and fraternity.

LEO XIV IN PERU: "I return as the Successor of Peter" and "also to my homeland." A shared history, listening to the people, and peace in everyday life

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 14:00:25 +0100

Lima – “Today I understand how much of this land remains with me and how much of my own story also belongs to you.” In his address to the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps, delivered on November 11, at the Gran Teatro Nacional in Lima, Pope Leo XIV began by reflecting on his personal bond with Peru before turning to the country’s history and the theme of peace. He has returned as the Successor of Peter to the land where, through sharing the life and faith of its people, the Lord shaped his heart as a shepherd.
In his address, the Bishop of Rome recalled the homes that had welcomed him, the meals shared, “and, of course, some good ceviche”, the concerns people had shared with him and the many signs of affection he had received and still continue to accompany him.
He also highlighted the importance of the Peruvian citizenship he received in 2015, the fruit of a shared history with the people, which had taken shape over the years, even before he was entrusted with the Diocese of Chiclayo. These are years he says he would gladly relive, if given the opportunity, embracing both their happy moments and their difficulties. “That is why I can tell you, with deep gratitude, that I am also returning to my homeland,” he stressed.
Starting from his own personal story, Leo XIV broadened his perspective to encompass the history of the country. “Peru has a history stretching back thousands of years, shaped by peoples of diverse languages and traditions. Part of that history continues to be told in Quechua, Aymara, and the languages of the Amazon,” he explained. Over the centuries, other heritages have been woven into it, including the Afro-Peruvian and Asian-Peruvian traditions, which have also helped shape the country’s identity. Along this journey, nearly five hundred years ago, the proclamation of the Gospel opened “a decisive chapter,” taking root in local traditions and giving rise to countless works of charity. The Pope recalled this heritage by invoking Saint Rose of Lima, the first flower of Latin American holiness.
This plurality, Pope Prevost continued, is also relevant to the present life of the country’s institutions. The unity of a people is strengthened when these differences find their place and each person contributes from their own history and convictions. In a country where so many languages are spoken, “listening also requires ensuring that everyone can make themselves understood”. For public decisions to reach people who live far from the places where they are made, it is essential never to forget that behind the files, routine paperwork, or the abstract national census number there are “real people awaiting answers on which much of their peace of mind depends”.

Loving a people, the Pope reiterated, means wanting everyone to be able to live with dignity. “It is a sentiment that I have come to understand better thanks to you, and which I wish to share today with those who hold public office,” he explained. He therefore called on the authorities to cultivate honesty, integrity and a willingness to engage with others, “qualities that sustain trust among people and give strength to the life of institutions”. The painful events of the past, particularly the suffering caused by violence, must also be addressed “with justice and sensitivity”. For families, he explained, peace has a very concrete meaning: “going out to work without fear, caring for one’s children, and returning home with peace of mind”.

The Church, the Pope assured those present, knows the suffering caused by violence and wishes to remain close to those who endure it, supporting all those who protect life, dignity and rights “through law and justice”. The Pontiff also addressed the participation of women, who run soup kitchens and community meal programs, and of those who, through their professions and public responsibilities, contribute to the good of the country. He expressed the hope that they may participate fully in the life of their communities and live “free from violence and any form of exploitation”.
Leo XIV concluded his address with an image deeply rooted in the country’s spiritual history: “At the well of Saint Rose of Lima, generations of Peruvians have placed their petitions and hopes,” he recalled. He then added: “Today, from here, I too would like to place my prayer into that blessed well. Through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Rose, and all the saints and blessed of this land, I ask the Lord that the love of Christ may help you to recognize in every Peruvian a brother or sister, and in each one, yet another reason to love your homeland.”

Following his first address in Peru, Leo XIV travelled to the Apostolic Nunciature in Lima, where he greeted the people from the balcony. Urging those gathered outside to become builders of peace and thanking them for their warm welcome, he imparted his blessing to those present and their loved ones. He then invited the crowd to observe silence so that their neighbors could “sleep in peace”.

LEO XIV IN PERU: Mission, Augustinian fraternity and the bond with his people, as recounted by Father Lam

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 11:15:57 +0100

by Domitia Caramazza

Rome – “People are looking forward to welcoming the Pope from Rome, but they are also eager to see the man they know and remember, the man who inspired them, moved them, challenged them to reflect and encouraged them to keep moving forward.”

These words by Father Alexander Lam, Vicar General of the Order of Saint Augustine, capture a significant part of the expectations surrounding Pope Leo XIV’s Apostolic Journey to Peru. The country that welcomed him as a young missionary, and to which he later returned as Bishop of Chiclayo, is preparing to welcome him as the Successor of Peter. He is a Pope who knows Peru’s rich and complex reality from within, its wounds and its hopes, and whom many people still affectionately call “Father Robert”.

For Father Lam, a native of Lima and former Provincial Prior of the Augustinian Province of Our Lady of Grace of Peru, Leo XIV’s return also represents an encounter with a shared history.

The Augustinian religious looks back on some of the key moments in his longstanding relationship with Robert Francis Prevost, whom he first met during his years of formation and encountered again in the exercise of leadership within the Order and later in his episcopal ministry.

Meeting Father Robert and the experience of Chulucanas

The two first met when Father Lam was still a novice and took part in an international gathering of young Augustinians in Ecuador. “I came from Lima and had received a different formation from the one offered in Trujillo. Despite those differences, I found in him a warm welcome, affection and the ability to understand me as a young man who was growing and maturing.” This openness to listening was something Father Lam would recognize in him in the years that followed. “He respected our individual paths of formation and accompanied us through both our successes and our mistakes.”
In those years, Robert Prevost had already experienced missionary life in the young Church of Chulucanas, in northern Peru, where the Augustinians had helped establish an ecclesial community deeply shaped by the renewal brought about by the Second Vatican Council.

“I believe that drawing on that experience, together with the religious spirit and culture of solidarity of the Peruvian people, left an indelible mark on the young Father Prevost,” Father Lam says.

A new missionary responsibility for the Augustinian Province of Peru

The relationship between the two religious grew stronger particularly during the years when Prevost served as Prior General of the Order. In 2010, Father Lam was elected Provincial Prior of the Province of Our Lady of Grace of Peru, one of the oldest Augustinian presences in Latin America, dating back to the sixteenth century.

“I was the first Peruvian to be called to this service in more than a hundred years,” he recalls. “Our Province gave rise to those of Ecuador, Colombia and Chile. Following Peru’s independence in the early nineteenth century, we were left with very few religious and received assistance from a Spanish Province. We hadn’t had a Peruvian Provincial Prior since then, until 2010…” He smiles.
His election marked the beginning of a transitional period, accompanied by expectations and complex decisions. “Together with my council, we embarked on several projects and made difficult decisions that also gave rise to misunderstandings. At the end of 2010, the Prior General summoned the newly elected Provincials to Rome. I was able to explain the reasons behind our decisions and was met with great attention and support, which helped us to move forward with confidence.” Father Lam stresses that this support continued to accompany the Province’s work in the following years, enabling it to fulfil its responsibilities with serenity and confidence.

In Chiclayo, a parish to reach the outskirts of the city

An episode from his years as bishop in Chiclayo provides a concrete picture of his pastoral and missionary concern. The Augustinian Province had been present in the city since 1965, initially with a seminary that later became Saint Augustine College. Shortly after taking up leadership of the diocese, Bishop Prevost asked Father Lam to place himself at the service of the people by establishing a new parish.
“He said to me: ‘Why don’t we open a parish?’ I replied: ‘Your Excellency, we don’t have that many friars.’ But he insisted: ‘I would like the Order to have a presence in the diocese. Send one more friar to the college community so that he can take care of the surrounding areas, the outskirts of the city. Whatever you manage to do will be far more than what we are able to do now.’”
Father Lam recalls the far-sighted and confident pastoral determination with which Bishop Prevost wanted to launch this mission in a vast diocese such as Chiclayo. “He had been a bishop for barely a year and was already concerned with reaching as many people as possible, so that no one would be left out.”
That request led to the establishment, in 2016, of Saint Augustine Parish, which still uses the college chapel as its parish church and serves five other chapels in the outlying areas of the city.
This concern for ensuring that no one was left on the margins, the Vicar General observes, went hand in hand with a spirit of fraternity that was also evident in everyday life. “He had no problem getting up, setting the table, cleaning or doing anything else. He did it all quite naturally. I believe this way of relating to others was enriched by Peru, by the spontaneous way our people have of showing affection, of making you feel part of their family, their lives, their problems, dreams, sorrows and hopes.”

The Peruvian experience and the universal Church

When Robert Prevost returned to Rome in 2023 as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he brought with him almost nine years of episcopal ministry in Chiclayo, twelve years as Prior General and extensive missionary experience in northern Peru.
“I believe Peru shaped his concrete understanding of the life of the Church and the spirit of renewal brought about by the Second Vatican Council,” Father Lam observes. This experience was complemented by his international leadership of the Order, through which he came into contact with different cultures and ecclesial realities.
“His Augustinian identity, lived and promoted in multicultural contexts, also left a particular mark on him. When he arrived in Rome as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, he brought with him a profoundly pastoral outlook, matured through his experience of leadership, but also shaped by conciliar renewal and by his contact with the human reality of the Church at every level.”
In Rome, his bond with the Augustinian community remained close. “Even when he had his own apartment, he would come to the General Curia every day to celebrate Mass with us and have lunch with the community,” Father Lam recalls.
On the day of his election, May 8, 2025, Father Alexander was in St Peter’s Square. “When I heard his name announced, even though it seemed unbelievable, I began shouting a loud ‘yeah!’ for so long that I could not even hear the name he had chosen as Pope.”
A few minutes later, Leo XIV addressed his “querida diócesis de Chiclayo” in Spanish. “There was tremendous emotion, great affection, a great deal of cariño, as we say in Peru. There was gratitude and a desire to share that joy with people he loves and who are part of his life. His words spoke of the experience of a people, of fraternity and solidarity, of a living Church that seeks to remain faithful to Jesus, that believes, accompanies and loves its pastors. I believe those words spoke deeply of Peru.”

The wounds and hopes of the Peruvian people

The Peru awaiting Leo XIV is a country marked by social, political and economic difficulties, yet one in which faith continues to be an essential point of reference for many communities.
“Many emotions come together: joy, pride, respect and the hope that the Pope may be an instrument capable of inspiring everyone to bring about moral, social and institutional improvement, guided by the simple yet powerful logic of the Gospel,” Father Lam observes.
Expectations also concern the words the Pontiff will address to the country, which is called upon to face challenges affecting Church life, education, employment, healthcare and its institutions.
“Peru is a country inhabited by a religious people. For the vast majority, God is the One in whom they place their trust amid difficulties, as they tirelessly strive to move forward and provide for the well-being of those they love. I believe Peruvians certainly expect an appeal to faith, but also an invitation to live their work and their commitment to the community and the country with honesty and responsibility, enlightened by the Gospel of love and fraternity, and in pursuit of the common good.”

Father Lam also links this hope to the character of his people: “We Peruvians always say that we are a resourceful, resilient people. Even when it seems as though the world is
collapsing around us, we keep moving forward.”

Returning to Chiclayo to celebrate and give thanks

During the Apostolic Journey, Leo XIV’s return to Chiclayo holds particular significance for Father Lam, recalling the years in which Prevost shared the lives of local communities and accompanied the journey of the local Church.
“I believe returning to Chiclayo means returning to celebrate and give thanks. For an Augustinian, life is to be given and shared with others. For him, this will mean celebrating with those he has loved, with those who have loved him and continue to love him, and giving thanks for all he has received, because all of this helped make him who he is today.”

According to Father Alexander Lam, this experience also holds significance for the universal Church: “In Peru, Bishop Prevost encountered and shared gifts that he now wishes to pass on to the world. It is an experience that continues to give him strength, because in those communities he saw the ideal of the Church promoted by the Second Vatican Council embodied in everyday life.”

LEO XIV IN ARGENTINA - From Devoto to Luján: Grace enables our limitations to blossom, opens the way to reconciliation and mission

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 15:47:47 +0100

Buenos Aires/Luján – The final day in Argentina of the apostolic journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru brought together two places that bear witness to the same mystery: the Buenos Aires Federal Penitentiary Complex, known as Devoto Prison, and the National Shrine of Luján.
The common thread running through both encounters was grace and reconciliation: the call of Jesus, which reaches people in the most difficult moments of their lives, precisely through their limitations and wounds.

In the prison gymnasium, Pope Leo XIV met around seventy inmates, together with their family members, prison officers and members of the prison chaplaincy. He was welcomed by the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Ignacio García Cuerva, who recalled that Pope Francis came to visit the prison every Holy Thursday to celebrate the Eucharist and wash the inmates’ feet.
Two prisoners and a former inmate then shared their personal testimonies.

Cristian, 29, who has been deprived of his freedom since 2025, recounted how addiction had driven him away from everything: “I lost my job; I lost everything.” In the prison chapel, however, “I felt that I was not alone, that Jesus was accompanying me and inviting me to encounter Him again.” Today, he asks forgiveness “from everyone I have hurt in some way.” He offered a message to those trapped in addiction: “There is always a way out, and God listens. There is a new life to be lived, and that life is in Jesus.”
Maximiliano, 32, spoke of his regret over the time he had lost with his daughters, “time that will never come back”, and of his discovery of inner freedom while in prison: “I felt once again that I was a son loved by God... Only love will change the world, and God is love.”
Reinaldo, 44, a father of four, recalled the embrace he had received in the prison chapel: “A new life is possible. Regardless of our circumstances or the mistakes we have made, He loves us and is always waiting for us, with open arms.”

The Pope offered those present a reflection on the “experience of limitations”. While society tends to regard limitations as “a defect to be corrected”, the truth, he explained, is quite different: “Human beings do not flourish in spite of their limitations, but often through them.”
“Even when persons dehumanize themselves and bring about tragedy, a small light continues to shine […] one that can be rekindled, with God’s grace, along paths of conversion and reconciliation,” he said.
Prison, he continued, is also “a witness to profound changes and conversions”, where some have learned to “transform the desert of their own existence into a fruitful garden”.
Addressing the families, the Pope recalled that, when speaking of charity, Jesus “identified Himself with a prisoner”, and that He too, before giving his life to save us, “was deprived of his freedom despite being entirely without sin”.

During the exchange of gifts, the prison chaplain, Father Matías De Martini, thanked the Holy Father, his voice breaking with emotion: “Your visit to this prison reminds us once again that God never gives up on anyone—that He rejoices over the sheep that is found, over the son who returns home... We feel the embrace of the Father, an embrace that makes no distinctions on account of the past and reminds us of our dignity: we are beloved children.”

A few hours later, in the heart of the Pampas, the Pope presided over Mass in the square outside the Basilica of Luján, where the statue of the Virgin Mary, just 38 centimetres high is housed, which, according to tradition, arrived in 1630 on a cart that mysteriously came to a halt. Venerated as the Mother and Patroness of Argentina, Our Lady of Luján draws around seven million pilgrims every year.
Following the welcoming hymns, sung by the crowds under the sun, the Archbishop of Mercedes-Luján, Jorge Eduardo Scheinig, greeted the Pope on behalf of the Argentine episcopate.
“Here, in the house of our Mother of Luján, the home of all Argentinians, your Apostolic Journey comes to an end. The annual pilgrimage here helps us become aware that we share a common destiny and that we make this journey together,” he said.
He recalled that 2030 will mark the four hundredth anniversary of the Virgin’s presence in Argentina. Addressing the Pope, who was elected on May 8, the feast of Our Lady of Luján, the Archbishop added: “Whenever you need to feel the embrace of this people, remember that you also have a Mother here.”

In his homily, after recalling “our beloved Francis” – at whose tomb he had gone to pray on November 2 – and noting that he “always carried the little Patroness in his heart”, Pope Leo XIV outlined a four-stage spiritual journey: reconciliation, enlightenment, communion and being sent forth on mission. He then entrusted Argentina with a message of hope:

“Many of our brothers and sisters — or even we ourselves and our families — may currently be living through moments of Calvary, suffering from illness, poverty, unemployment, discrimination or family breakdown, among other problems,” he said.
“In those dark moments, we understand Mary’s experience at the foot of the Cross, with her mother’s heart torn with grief. In that most terrible moment of her life, Mary received a new mission from her Son, embracing all humanity in her mother’s heart. We are likewise called to receive God’s grace and to undergo processes of forgiveness and reconciliation that renew peace, hope and charity within us.”

“We also need to reconcile ourselves with our past and present, in order to build a new future where love has the final word,” he urged, and quoted an Argentine popular song 'La Zamba del Perdón': “Forgiveness for that beggar, for that tear I caused to fall; forgiveness for those eyes that, when they met mine, I refused to look at.”
Before presenting the Golden Rose to the Virgin Mary and entrusting the Argentine people to her protection, the Pope recalled that her white and sky-blue mantle bears the same colors as the Argentine flag.