Fides News - English

To use AI wisely, first know what you want to preserve, G20 Interfaith forum highlights

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 19:48:39 +0200

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Salt Lake City - Before asking whether artificial intelligence will save humanity or endanger it, people need to answer a more intimate question: what, in their own lives, is worth preserving? During a session of the G20 Interfaith Forum in Salt Lake City, that question shifted the debate from the capabilities of machines to the clarity of human values.
“The more that we are clear about the values that we are trying to preserve, the better we’ll be able to confront this moment,” said DZ Kalman, a senior fellow at the Shalom Hartman Institute’s Kogod Research Center. AI, he suggested, is exposing something uncomfortable: people do not always know precisely what they value in their relationships, their schools or their encounters with one another.

Moderated by Medlir Mema, director of the AI Ethics and Governance Institute, the October 17 session asked: “Technology for Good: Is AI a Modern Miracle or an Existential Threat?” Kalman’s observation cut beneath that opposition. Responsible use requires more than understanding what a system can do. It also requires understanding what human beings should not surrender to it. “Sometimes the work we have to do around AI is not actually about AI,” he said. It is about articulating the value of engaging with others, of meeting in physical spaces, and of recognising the dangers of addiction. Religious communities, he argued, have a vital contribution to make to that work.

Beyond a machine’s apology

Kalman approached the distinction through an ordinary experience: receiving an apology from an AI system. Such apologies can be perfectly phrased, he noted. But users do not necessarily feel moved to reply, “That’s okay, I forgive you.” For him, that hesitation reveals an intuition that something is missing: the enduring moral subject whom a human being might forgive. The example illustrated why fluent language alone cannot settle questions of moral status, responsibility or personhood.

He also warned that treating AI as an independent agent could obscure the responsibility of its developers. What might otherwise be understood as a defective product could appear instead as an autonomous actor. Clarifying values therefore has practical consequences: it helps determine where accountability belongs.

A mirror of human intentions

Lamia Mekhemar, Egypt’s former ambassador to the Holy See, expressed a related conviction. “AI, to me, is a mirror of our intentions,” she said. “What it becomes depends less on the technology itself than on who we are when we use this technology.” She welcomed its possibilities in healthcare, education and communication between civilizations. But she warned that innovation was moving faster than rules and ethical reflection.

“Technology can tell us what is possible, but it cannot tell us what is right,” she said. Nor can it determine what deserves protection. Those judgments remain human responsibilities. Her argument also placed a limit on appeals to conscience alone. “Principles cannot guarantee conduct,” she observed. Ethics provides direction, but law must establish obligations and regulation must make them effective. Knowing one’s values is a starting point, not a substitute for institutions capable of defending them.

Changing the incentives

Tomicah Tillemann, CEO of the Pro-Human AI Coalition, carried that reasoning into the economics of technology. He rejected the impression that AI’s development follows an inevitable course. Its direction depends on decisions that people and institutions can still influence. He described the preceding generation of digital platforms as operating through addiction, the collection of personal information and the manipulation of behaviour. Repeating that pattern with more powerful systems, he warned, could further weaken human agency.

The challenge is therefore not simply to ask users to behave responsibly inside systems designed around different priorities. It is to change the incentives and structures shaping those systems. “We are accepting the current design of AI as a given,” he said. “It is not a given.” He pointed to alternatives that could give individuals greater control over their data and their interactions with AI.

For Muhammadou M. O. Kah, Gambia’s ambassador to Switzerland and permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva, responsibility cannot remain with a small circle of governments and companies. “Artificial intelligence is a test of our moral maturity,” he said. Religious traditions bring moral memory, ethical imagination and a commitment to vulnerable people. These should inform demands for transparency, fairness and human oversight. Countries of the Global South, he insisted, must help shape the rules rather than serve merely as sources of data or testing grounds.

The guidance offered by "Magnifica humanities"

The closing exchange returned to what individuals could do next. Participants were urged to take time to understand the guidance offered by religious leaders, notably the encyclical of Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas rather than leave those reflections at the level of institutional declarations.

In the final remarks, reading and understanding such guidance was presented as one immediate step towards avoiding harmful outcomes in everyday life. Another was to demand better technological alternatives: systems whose design and economic incentives reflect ethical commitments, rather than expecting consumers to accept whatever developers offer. The two proposals brought the discussion back to Kalman’s central insight. Moral reflection and technological choice cannot be separated. Before deciding what to delegate to a machine, people need to understand the purpose of the activity itself: what education should cultivate, why human presence matters, and what makes a relationship valuable. Preparing for AI, in that account, begins not with surrendering judgment to a more capable system, but with learning to name what must not be lost.

100th WORLD MISSION DAY: Being "united in mission" amidst a predominantly Muslim population

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 13:13:59 +0200

Ghinnir – On the occasion of the 100th World Mission Day, missionaries from the Villaregia Missionary Community, who are serving in a new mission in Ghinnir, in the East Bale area of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe , have shared a reflection on Pope Leo XIV’s message, “One in Christ, United in Mission”.
Their reflection draws on their own experience of moving from Robe to Ghinnir, in East Bale, a new frontier for their missionary presence in Ethiopia.

“The Pope’s words challenge us on two fundamental points: unity among the disciples and the need to proclaim Jesus Christ explicitly. But how can we live out this mission when direct proclamation is not possible, or perhaps the time has not yet come?
“Reading again Pope Paul VI’s Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi and the document Dialogue and Proclamation, an official text of the Catholic Church published on 19 May 1991 by the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, we discover that mission also takes place through listening, encounter, collaboration and the building of relationships of trust.
“Sharing tea on a mat, getting to know local communities, working together to uphold human dignity and promote the common good: these are simple gestures that do not replace the proclamation of the Gospel, but can help create the conditions in which Christian witness becomes credible. Dialogue is not the opposite of proclamation. It is the way in which proclamation can become an encounter.”

Watch the video below.

AMERICA/UNITED STATES - At the "G20 Interfaith Forum" Apostolic Nuncio Caccia points out that technologies and innovations "do not tell us what the good is”

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 11:24:58 +0200

by Marie-Lucile Kubacki

Salt Lake City – “What kind of human future are we building together?” Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, posed this question at the opening ceremony of the G20 Interfaith Forum on October 15 at the historic Tabernacle at Temple Square in Salt Lake City. Addressing representatives of different religious traditions, he called for economic and technological progress to be judged by its service to the human person. He also delivered a message sent on behalf of Pope Leo XIV by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State.
Taking place from October 15 to 17 under the theme “Resilient Hope, Shared Future,” the Forum brings together religious leaders, scholars, civil society representatives and policymakers to explore how faith communities can contribute to addressing global challenges. Its discussions seek to bring religious perspectives and practical experience to the international policy agenda in the lead-up to the G20 leaders’ summit. Established in 2014, when its first gathering took place on Australia’s Gold Coast, the Forum has brought religious perspectives into dialogue with the G20 policy agenda for more than a decade. Its most recent editions were held in Bologna , Abu Dhabi , Pune , Brasília and Cape Town
The opening ceremony, accompanied by the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square, included interventions of Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board; Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; Pujya Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, Secretary-General of the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance; Rabbi Mark Dratch, Executive Vice President Emeritus of the Rabbinical Council of America and Chair of the International Jewish Committee for Interreligious Consultations; and Francis Kuria Kagema, Secretary General of Religions for Peace. Dallin H. Oaks, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, welcomed participants.

Progress must serve the human person

In his address, Archbishop Caccia connected economic growth, energy security and the rapid development of new technologies, especially artificial intelligence, to a fundamental question: “Whether the progress we seek will truly serve the human person.” Recalling his years of service at the United Nations, the Nuncio stressed that technological possibilities cannot themselves determine what is good. “Technology offers extraordinary possibilities, but innovation alone does not tell us what is good,” he said. “We still need the kind of judgment that asks whom progress is serving and whether it is serving them well.”
Archbishop Caccia referred to Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical letter Magnifica Humanitas, recalling the Holy Father’s warning against imagining that everything, “even the mystery of the person,” can be reduced to data and performance. Each generation, he said, bears responsibility for shaping its own time in a way worthy of the human person and open to a more fraternal future. Religious communities have a distinctive contribution to make in this context, not because they possess technical solutions to every economic or technological problem, but because their traditions keep alive a deeper question: what it means to recognise every person as a neighbour and to shape common life accordingly.
Archbishop Caccia stressed that authentic interreligious dialogue “does not ask us to become less rooted in our own faith.” “On the contrary, if we know who we are and what we believe, we can meet others more honestly.” He described the hope invoked by the Forum’s theme as more than optimism: “It is the decision to build that future together, while never losing sight of the human person at its center.”

The Pope’s wish: dignity, religious freedom and the common good

Concluding his intervention, Archbishop Caccia read the message conveyed on behalf of Pope Leo XIV by Cardinal Parolin. The Pope expressed the hope that the gathering would be “a shining example of the solidarity of the human family” and encourage a deeper commitment among nations to “the universal principles of human dignity, religious freedom, and common good.”
The message also expressed the Pope’s prayer that deliberations conducted “with gentleness and respect” would inspire believers to find increasingly compelling answers to those who ask the reason for their hope, helping more people draw closer with confidence to the Creator. Assuring participants of his prayers for the Forum’s success, the Holy Father invoked upon them “an abundance of the Most High’s blessings.”

«On Fides & Considine» A reflexion by Rev. Lance P. Nadeau, M.M., Maryknoll Superior General

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 13:05:32 +0200

by Father Lance P. Nadeau

Rome – If the Catholic world knows what is happening in the mission field today, we can thank one man and one remarkable vision. I’m speaking, of course, of my Maryknoll brother, Father John Considine, M.M., and the landmark news agency he founded, Fides Agency.

As we celebrate this World Mission Sunday, we would do well to take note!

Those who knew him will tell you that Father Considine had the heart of a missionary and the worn-out shoe leather of a reporter. He wanted nothing more than to share the Good News of our faith wherever and however he could. In 1927, just four years after his ordination, he established Fides, “to raise awareness of the missions to the People of God via the press.”

Father Considine would spend most of his life and ministry engaged in a unique mission, a kind of vocation within a vocation, heralding the Gospel through Fides’ stories in newspapers, magazines and leaflets shared with millions around the world.

Before there was a World Wide Web or anything remotely resembling the internet, there was Father John Considine and Fides, ensuring that the faithful were made aware of the remarkable work being undertaken by missionaries in far-flung corners of the world. As a result, nuns in Brooklyn, housewives in Boston, schoolchildren in Wisconsin and shopkeepers in Chicago learned of what was happening in small Catholic outposts in Hong Kong, Nairobi and New Delhi. Here was the universal church, coming into the homes of people everywhere!

I cannot help but think he would be excited and delighted at the tools we now have at our disposal – podcasts, blogs, livestreams, and all sorts of evangelization on social media. Father Considine blazed the trail for all of these efforts – and Fides is proudly and passionately continuing the great legacy he left behind.

As the agency prepares to mark its centenary next year, it’s noteworthy that the missionary mandate of the Catholic Church is gaining renewed attention. Just days ago, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, who declared, “the world is my parish,” was beatified. And we now have a missionary pope, Leo XIV, who in his message for this 100th World Mission Sunday declared a recommitment “to the great work of evangelization, which is always a work of love.” It is a love that burned in the heart of Father Considine.
My prayer this Sunday is that we can continue to keep that flame, that love, enkindled, with the inspiration and closeness of the Holy Spirit and the great example of that devoted Maryknoll missioner, Father Considine to guide us. There are still so many great stories to tell!

ASIA/MYANMAR - Churches occupied by the military and Christian Communities struggling amid conflict: the story of a parish priest from Sagaing

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:51:52 +0200

by Paolo Affatato

Myitkyina – “The civil war remains intense, and the situation is very difficult. Armed groups continue to fight in various parts of our area and maintain their positions around the parish. I have been displaced and am now staying in a village, where I assist people who have been forced to flee their homes. We hope in God’s grace and pray for our parish.”
This is the testimony given to Fides by Father Stephen Sut Awng, parish priest of Katha, a town in the State of Sagaing and within the diocese of Myitkyina, in northern Myanmar, where the conflict continues to affect the civilian population and Christian communities.

Appointed to the parish in 2025, the priest told Fides that the situation in Katha District remains marked by intense fighting between the Kachin Independence Army and Myanmar’s armed forces. The presence of the military and armed groups in the town has made everyday life difficult and forced the parish priest himself to leave the parish premises.

Father Sut Awng clarified an important detail to Fides: St Joseph’s Catholic Church, located in Katha town, has not been occupied by the military, contrary to reports published in the media in recent days. St Michael’s Catholic Church, however, in the village of Bye Malut, about eight kilometres from Katha, remains occupied by the army.
“It is not possible to celebrate liturgical services in the building,” he explained, lamenting that “a sacred place, a place of God, a place of peace, is being used as a place for weapons and war”.
The priest is currently staying in the village of Napa, also within the Diocese of Myitkyina, about 26 kilometres from Katha, alongside internally displaced people who have been forced to flee their homes because of the fighting.
“Far from my parish church, I continue my ministry by remaining close to those who have lost the security and stability of their everyday lives. We stand alongside the displaced, seeking to offer them some consolation and bear witness to the presence of God, who is our hope,” he said.
Amid the hardships of daily life and a conflict that has now lasted five years, “as Christians, we continue to call for dialogue and peace,” he added.
“I entrust to the Lord and the Virgin Mary my hope that the fighting, which has affected the lives of the population for far too long, will come to an end, and that I will be able to return to my parish,” he concluded.

The situation in Katha forms part of a wider pattern of violence affecting Christian places of worship in various parts of Myanmar. In Kachin State, in the north of the country, Christian leaders have denounced the use of a Baptist church for an activity involving a militia allied with Myanmar’s military.
According to the Kachin news group, on 23 September more than 400 members of the Shanni Nationalities Army , a militia allied with the Myanmar military, attended a graduation ceremony at Nant Mun Baptist Church following a training course. The head of the Myanmar military’s Northern Regional Command was also present.
“Turning a sacred place of worship into a military site is a violation of religious freedom and an offense to Kachin Christians,” they said, urging United Nations intervention.
The incident took place amid widespread instability in a region where fighting has damaged both religious buildings and civilian infrastructure.

Another incident occurred in Chin State, in western Myanmar, where Baptist Pastor Dal Thawn Tuang, 49, was shot dead on 14 September. He was married and had two children.
An assistant pastor at Lamzang Baptist Church, he had served the community for 22 years. He was returning home after carrying out his ministry in a nearby village when he was shot near a bridge during a shooting. The circumstances of the incident remain unclear.

AFRICA/IVORY COAST - “Mission continues, always! Methods, pastoral approaches and available resources change… but the Spirit that inspired the pioneers 100 Years ago remains the same”

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:38:35 +0200

by Father Dario Dozio*

Korhogo – 1 October, the feast of Saint Therese: the perfect day to arrive in the mission. It has been ten years since I left Ivory Coast. It is a pleasure to find again its colours, music and smiles… and even the pungent, intense smell of the Ébrié Lagoon no longer bothers me. It feels like coming home!

So much has changed. First of all, the roads. As soon as I leave Abidjan airport, I find myself immersed in chaotic traffic, despite the four-lane roads in every direction, the new bridges and overpasses, and traffic lights and speed cameras operating at every major intersection. I am told that all this is thanks to AFCON, the Africa Cup of Nations, the continental football tournament hosted and won by Ivory Coast two years ago. And so, after seven hours I reach Korhogo in the north of the country before nightfall: my new mission.

Back in Italy, I was reminded to check my identity card from time to time. I am no longer 25, as I was when I first arrived; now it is time to think about retirement and finding a quiet little place to settle down… Yet I cannot hide my excitement. What a wonderful opportunity I have had! The chance to start almost from scratch, in a new place, with a language I do not know and a local culture and traditions that are rich and full of mysteries… In short, the opportunity I have been waiting for, for a long time, to keep me feeling alive.

Early in the morning, I arrive at the Catechetical Centre and take part in the opening of the pastoral year. I greet priests, religious sisters and lay members of parish councils. There are about fifty of us, gathered for several days with the Bishop to plan the diocese’s new pastoral guidelines together.
And I discover that I am the only white person there.
In 1980, when I arrived from Italy, freshly ordained, there were very few African priests. In the diocese where I lived, there was just one… and he was studying in France. The priests of the Society of African Missions , most of them French, numbered more than a hundred, while there were nearly thirty of us Italians.
Now the situation has reversed. The local Church has grown, both in numbers and in quality. The Christian faithful are actively involved and participate fully in parish life. Even the pastoral theme proposed for the next five years speaks of shared responsibility, autonomy and mission: “In fraternity and shared responsibility, we build autonomous communities at the service of mission.”

I give thanks to God for the work accomplished by the first missionaries, who had to walk for weeks through forests and savannahs to reach these lands, sowing the Word amid countless difficulties and facing dangers and disease.
Today, the fruits of their labour are there for all to see. I find myself in a diocese with a young, dynamic clergy and laypeople deeply committed to a Church they consider their own: a truly African Church.
In Korhogo, and throughout much of the north of the country, Muslims and animists make up the vast majority of the population. In the south, however, Christians are numerous, churches are filled almost every day, and there is an abundance of clergy.
Some bishops, therefore, have made a courageous decision: to send young priests as fidei donum missionaries to the north of the country for at least three years.
How wonderful it is that the mission continues, always! Methods, pastoral approaches and available resources change… but the Spirit that inspired the pioneers who arrived from Europe a hundred years ago remains the same. It shines in the faces of these young African priests who devote their lives to the service of the Gospel.
And I, too, with simplicity and surprise, seek to walk alongside them.

*Missionary of the Society of African Missions

AFRICA/NIGERIA - Priest from the Diocese of Otukpo kidnapped

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:22:06 +0200

Abuja – Another Catholic priest has been kidnapped in Nigeria. The victim is Father John Inalegwu Otache, parish priest of St Margaret’s Parish in Ajegbe Awume. According to a statement issued by the Diocese of Otukpo, the kidnapping took place on 13 October.
“Father John was returning home from Otukpo when he was intercepted by kidnappers along the Otobi Amejo–Ajegbe road, in the Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State,” the statement said. It was signed by the diocesan chancellor, Rev. Joseph Aboyi Itodo.
“The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Monsignor Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, deeply saddened by what has happened, invites all the faithful of the diocese and all people of goodwill to pray for Father John’s safe and speedy return home,” the statement continued.
“As efforts to secure his release intensify, united in heart and spirit, we entrust our confrere Father John, together with all others in the country who remain in the hands of their abductors, to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, praying that they may soon be freed and return home safe and sound,” the statement concluded.
Otukpo is located in Benue State, in north-central Nigeria, and lies within the so-called Middle Belt, where clashes between farmers and herders over control of land and water resources are frequent.
On 29 July, armed men abducted seminarian Kelvin Ochai from the residence of the Bishop of Otukpo, Bishop Michael Ekwoyi Apochi. The seminarian escaped from his kidnappers on 31 July .

Catholic Church Statistics 2026

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:12:03 +0200

Vatican City – The number of Catholics worldwide is increasing, and the number of priests is growing again, albeit slightly. Meanwhile, the number of women religious and major seminarians continues to decrease, while the contribution of lay missionaries and catechists is increasing.
As every year, in view of World Mission Sunday, which this year celebrates its 100th anniversary on Sunday, October 18, 2026, on the theme “One in Christ, united in mission”, Fides News Agency offers some statistics chosen to give a panorama of the Church in the world in the last year.

The data in the volume relating to the total world population reveal different trends. Africa recorded the largest increase in the number of Catholics and was the only continent to register an increase in both women religious and major seminarians.
All the data in the Dossier, compiled by Luca Mainoldi, are taken from the latest edition of the «Church’s Book of Statistics», published this year. It offers an overview of the Catholic Church’s presence worldwide, its pastoral structures, and its educational, healthcare and charitable activities.
Population and Catholic population data refer to 30 June 2024, while the other data are as of 31 December of the same year. variations are indicated in brackets, increase or decrease compared to the previous data .

The number of Catholics increases on every continent

To June 30, 2024 the world population was 7.995.573.000. Catholics in the world numbered 1.422.144.000 units with an overall increase of 16.690.000 Catholics compared to the previous year. The world percentage of Catholics remains unvaried, 17,8%.
The increase in the number of baptized was recorded on every continent. Increases were registered above all in Africa , and in America . Followed by Asia , Europe and Oceania .
Europe thus confirmed the increase already recorded in the previous survey.

More Catholics in Africa than in Europe

The Americas remain the continent with the largest Catholic population: 678,869,000, representing 64% of the continent’s population. Africa has 288,312,000 Catholics, surpassing Europe, where the total number is 287,240,000. Asia follows with 156,166,000 Catholics, while Oceania has 11,557,000.
The percentage of the Catholic population in all continents: 19.9% in Africa, 39.7% in Europe, 3.3% in Asia and 25.9% in Oceania.

Priests: a slight increase, with different trends across all continents

For the first time in five years, according to the dossier, the worldwide number of priests has increased, reaching 407,421, an increase of 425 compared to previous data.
The overall rise reflects increases in Africa , Asia and the Americas , that compensate decreases in Europe and Oceania . The numbers in the Americas increased after recording a decrease in the previous year.
The number of diocesan priests increased to 279,238 , while the number of religious priests decreased to 128,183 . Despite the slight overall increase in the number of priests, the average number of Catholics per priest also increased, reaching 3,491, or 38 more faithful per priest compared to previous data. This ratio increased in the Americas, Europe and Oceania, while decreased in Africa and Asia.

The number of bishops reached 5,525, an increase of 95 units: 4,365 diocesan bishops and 1,160 religious. The number of permanent deacons also continued to grow, reaching 52,102 , largely owing to increases in the Americas and Europe .

Women religious and seminarians: global decrease continues
The number of women religious worldwide is 580,131, a decrease of 9,292 compared to previous year data. Africa was the only continent to record an increase . Numbers decreased in Europe , the Americas , Asia and Oceania .
The number of non-religious priests is 48,511 . Numbers increased in Africa and Asia but declined on the other continents.
The number of major seminarians, both diocesan and religious, also decreased, falling from 106,495 in the previous data to 103,604, a decrease of 2,891. Africa was the only continent to record an increase , bringing its total to 35,710 major seminarians.
The most significant decline was registered in Asia , followed by Europe , the Americas and Oceania .
The number of minor seminarians fell to 94,041 while numbers increased in Africa and Oceania , but decreased in Europe , Asia and the Americas .

Growing contribution of lay missionaries and catechists

The dossier records an increase in the number of lay missionaries, which reached 463,079, 18,473 units compared to the previous year. An increase was concentrated primarily in the Americas . Increases were also recorded in Africa and Oceania, while numbers decreased in Asia and Europe.

The number of catechists reached 2,889,336 . The most significant increase was recorded in the Americas and Asia , with a further increase in Oceania .
Numbers decreased in Europe and, to a lesser extent, in Africa .
There are 3,047 ecclesiastical circumscriptions worldwide, six more than in the previous survey. Mission stations number 111,602 in total: 4,187 have a resident priest, while 107,415 do not. Compared to the previous year, the number of stations with a resident priest increased , while those without a resident priest decreased .
The Church’s educational, healthcare and charitable network

In the field of education, the Catholic Church runs 75.448 kindergartens with 7.480.373 pupils; 103.666 primary schools with 36.314.935 pupils; 51.810 secondary schools with 20.340.808 pupils. Furthermore, 2.685.027 pupils study in secondary schools and 4.091.087 in university institutes affiliated with the Catholic Church.
Compared to previous data, the number of kindergartens increased, although enrolment decreased. Both the number of primary schools and their enrolment increased, whereas secondary schools and student numbers both decreased. Africa has the largest number of pupils enrolled in Catholic primary schools, with 21,292,853 students.
Charity and healthcare centres run in the world by the Church are 101.110: 5.397 hospitals and 13.646 dispensaries, 468 Care Homes for people with Leprosy, 16.263 Homes for the elderly or the chronically ill or people with a disability, 8.138 orphanages, 10.352 creches; 10.624 marriage counselling centres, 3.194 social rehabilitation centers and 33.028 other kinds of institutes.
Africa has the largest number of hospitals and dispensaries, while Europe accounts for the majority of homes for the elderly, people with chronic illnesses and people with disabilities. Together, these institutes demonstrate how the Church’s pastoral structures are complemented by a daily presence in education, healthcare and social assistance.

The table regarding ecclesiastical circumscriptions entrusted to the care of the Dicastery for Evangelization shows that their total number is 1,130.

Link correlati :Catholic Church Statistics 2026

ASIA/INDIA - In the month of the Rosary, a prayer for peace in Manipur as new violence breaks out

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 17:07:04 +0200

Miao — “Manipur has been in turmoil for four years, with new outbreaks of violence reported almost every day. Most of the violence is directed against innocent villagers and women. The situation appears to be worsening by the day, with divisions and polarization deepening. What began as a conflict between two groups has evolved into a multidimensional conflict, with no solution in sight. In this context, we want to raise our voices to God: prayer, alongside concrete solidarity, is a resource to which we can turn.”
This is what Father Felix Anthony, Secretary for Social Communications in the Diocese of Miao, in the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, told Fides News Agency.

The relationship between the Diocese of Miao and the State of Manipur is extremely close, both geographically and institutionally, as well as in terms of humanitarian cooperation. The two lie within a remote macro-region of India that is isolated from the rest of the country and marked by a complex history. The Diocese of Miao, in Arunachal Pradesh, and the Archdiocese of Imphal, which covers the entire state of Manipur, belong to the same Bishops’ Conference of Northeast India. Moreover, many priests, missionaries—particularly the Salesians of Don Bosco—and religious sisters serving in Miao have received their formation or served in educational and theological institutions in Manipur. The bishops of the region work closely together to coordinate pastoral, social and educational initiatives.

Since May 2023, Manipur has been the scene of a bloody ethnic conflict between the Meitei majority and the Kuki tribal minority, with the Naga, the state’s third major ethnic group, subsequently becoming involved as well. The violence has claimed approximately 260 lives, destroyed hundreds of churches and displaced more than 60,000 people within the state. In response to the crisis, the Diocese of Miao has played an active role in providing support: through its social-service arm, Seva Kendra, the local Caritas organization, the diocese has helped collect and deliver humanitarian aid, medicines and essential supplies to camps for displaced people run by the Archdiocese of Imphal.

The Bishop of Miao, Salesian George Pallipparambil, is one of the most authoritative voices in northeastern India. He has repeatedly called for an end to the violence in Manipur and promoted reconciliation. The Miao community regularly organizes communal prayer initiatives. Recently, for the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, the entire diocesan community gathered for an online prayer vigil, placing the resolution of the crisis in Manipur and reconciliation among the Kuki, Meitei and Naga ethnic groups at the heart of their intentions.
The faithful prayed for peace through the online recitation of the Rosary. Representatives of various groups—including young people, priests, religious sisters, men and women—joined the virtual prayer, united in a common appeal for peace in Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India and the whole world.
Bishop George Pallipparambil reminded participants of the spiritual power of the Rosary in the face of evil and conflict. “The Rosary is our powerful weapon against the forces of evil. We do not pray the Rosary only today, but every day, and we should recite it as often as possible, especially during this Month of the Rosary,” he said.
The faithful prayed that, through the intercession and maternal guidance of the Virgin Mary, the peoples of northeastern India may rediscover the path to Christ—a path marked by peace, forgiveness and reconciliation.
In his concluding remarks, Bishop Dennis Panipitchai, SDB, Auxiliary Bishop of Miao, urged the faithful to continue praying for peace in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. “The Rosary is a powerful weapon for bringing peace to hearts,” he said, describing it as “a school in which Mary teaches us to contemplate Jesus.”

The situation in Manipur remains extremely critical, with the ethnic conflict continuing to evolve in complex ways and recent spikes in violence adding to the instability. While the hostilities that erupted in May 2023 initially pitted the Meitei majority against the Kuki-Zo tribal minority, tensions have dangerously widened in 2026. In recent weeks, heavy armed clashes and ambushes have involved Kuki and Naga communities—the latter belonging to another major tribal group that had previously remained neutral. In the first half of October 2026, a new wave of shootings in the hill districts of Kamjong, Ukhrul and Kangpokpi left at least nine civilians dead, prompting renewed security concerns. At the institutional level, the state’s current Chief Minister, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, has condemned the violence and ordered a major deployment of security forces to the most sensitive areas.
Amid the ethnic crisis, local rebel groups have called a general strike for 15 October 2026, known as “National Black Day”, in protest against the 1949 annexation of Manipur to India. The strike has further paralyzed the region, where more than 60,000 people remain internally displaced, many still living in precarious conditions in relief camps.
The Archbishop of Imphal, Archbishop Linus Neli, is at the forefront of efforts to mediate the conflict. He has issued a strong appeal to leaders of all three main communities—Meitei, Kuki and Naga—to stop the cycle of revenge and sign a peace agreement. Civil-society organizations and religious leaders are stepping up talks with the local government in an effort to establish channels of dialogue and open humanitarian corridors to support the reconstruction of destroyed villages.

ASIA/CHINA - Consecration of bishop of Haimen

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:35:16 +0200

Vatican City - Today, Thursday 15 October 2026, the Reverend Ignatius Ding Zuyao received episcopal ordination. On 24 August 2026, the Holy Father appointed him bishop of Haimen, Jiangsu Province, China, having approved his candidacy within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China.
The Reverend Ignazio Ding Zuyao was born in August 1986 in Qidong, Jiangsu Province. Between 2001 and 2004, he studied at the Jiangsu Section of Sheshan Seminary, Shanghai. From 2004 to 2011, he studied philosophy and theology at the Beijing Theological Seminary, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree. On 27 October 2011, he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Haimen. From 2012 to 2013, he served as parish priest of Haimenzhen; from 2013 to 2017, he was parish priest at Linjiang; and from 2017 to 2023, he exercised his pastoral ministry as parish priest at Caojiazhen parish. In February 2023, he was appointed parish priest of Qingnian Donglu parish in Nantong, a post he has held to date.

New episcopal ordination in China: Ignatius Ding Zuyao ordained Bishop of Haimen

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:32:01 +0200

by Marta Zhao

Haimen — Today, Thursday 15 October 2026, the Reverend Ignatius Ding Zuyao received episcopal ordination. On 24 August 2026, the Holy Father appointed him bishop of Haimen, Jiangsu Province, China, having approved his candidacy within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, as announced in a statement issued by the Holy See Press Office.

The celebration took place at the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in Nantong, Jiangsu Province. Joseph Shen Bin, Bishop of the Diocese of Shanghai and Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Haimen, presided over the solemn ordination liturgy as principal consecrator.
The concelebrants included John Wang Renlei, Bishop of Xuzhou; Joseph Xu Honggen, Bishop of the Diocese of Suzhou; Francis Lu Xinping, Bishop of Diocese of Nanjing; and Ignatius Wu Jianlin, Auxiliary of the Diocese of Shanghai. Approximately 400 people attended the celebration, including priests, religious sisters and representatives of the lay faithful.

With Pope Leo XIV's appointment and today's episcopal ordination, the number of Chinese Catholic bishops ordained in full communion with the Bishop of Rome under the Provisional Agreement on the appointment of bishops has risen to 19. The agreement was signed by the Holy See and the People's Republic of China on 22 September 2018, during the pontificate of Pope Francis. It was renewed every two years, in 2020 and 2022, before being extended for a further four years in October 2024.

The entire process leading to Ignatius Ding Zuyao's appointment and episcopal ordination, from its earliest stages, also took place during the pontificate of Pope Leo XIV.

Meanwhile, the participation of Chinese bishops in ecclesial events held in Rome is becoming increasingly customary: in recent days, Matthew Zhen Xuebin, Coadjutor Bishop of Beijing, and Joseph Huang Bingzhang, Bishop of Shantou, took part in a meeting convened by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to mark the tenth anniversary of the Apostolic Exhortation “Amoris Laetitia.” The gathering also gave them an opportunity to establish contacts with heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of Episcopal Conferences from around the world.

The new Bishop

According to information reported in the statement issued by the Holy See Press Office, Ignatius Ding Zuyao was born in August 1986 in Qidong, Jiangsu Province. Between 2001 and 2004, he studied at the Jiangsu Section of Sheshan Seminary, Shanghai. From 2004 to 2011, he studied philosophy and theology at the Beijing Theological Seminary, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree. On 27 October 2011, he was ordained a priest for the diocese of Haimen. From 2012 to 2013, he served as parish priest of Haimenzhen; from 2013 to 2017, he was parish priest at Linjiang; and from 2017 to 2023, he exercised his pastoral ministry as parish priest at Caojiazhen parish. In February 2023, he was appointed parish priest of Qingnian Donglu parish in Nantong, a post he has held to date.

The Jesuits and the proclamation of the Gospel in Haimen

The modern history of evangelization in the Diocese of Haimen, in Jiangsu Province, dates back to the 17th century. A significant role in this history was played by the Italian Jesuit missionary Father Francesco Brancati .
In 1638, Father Brancati arrived on Chongming Island, at the mouth of the Yangtze River, and began missionary work in the surrounding area with the assistance of the Chinese physician Xu Qiyun and the family of Candida Xu, niece of the renowned Paul Xu Guangqi, who was a spiritual son of the great Jesuit missionary Matteo Ricci.

On 11 August 1926, Pope Pius XI promulgated the Apostolic Letter “Ut Aucto,” by which part of the territory of the Apostolic Vicariate of Nanjing was separated to officially establish the Apostolic Vicariate of Haimen. The Jesuit Simon Zhu Kaimin was appointed Apostolic Vicar of Haimen. He was one of the first six Chinese bishops consecrated in Rome in 1926.
On 11 April 1946, Pope Pius XII promulgated the Apostolic Letter “Quotidie Nos,” officially elevating the Apostolic Vicariate of Haimen to the rank of a diocese and establishing the Diocese of Haimen as a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Nanjing.

Following China's “reopening” in the 1980s, after the difficult years of the Cultural Revolution, Catholic communities in Haimen resumed their pastoral activities. In April 2010, Joseph Shen Bin was ordained ordinary Bishop.
In 2012, the diocese marked the 85th anniversary of its foundation with the unveiling of a bronze statue of Bishop Simon Zhu Kaimin. A museum dedicated to Catholic history, culture and art was also opened, with the aim of documenting and preserving the heritage of the local Church. In 2023, Bishop Shen Bin was transferred to lead the Diocese of Shanghai. The Diocese had remained vacant since then.

The Diocese of Haimen and the roses of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Today, the Diocese of Haimen has approximately 30,000 faithful, around 20 priests, 15 parishes and a diocesan congregation of the Sisters of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. Amid a vibrant range of charitable and cultural initiatives, the spiritual life of the diocese is marked by deep Marian devotion and a special love for Saint Thérèse of Lisieux.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Langshan, one of the 12 most important shrines in mainland China, was blessed by Pope Pius XII, who granted a plenary indulgence to pilgrims visiting the church during the months of May and October. The Diocese has designated 9 May as the annual feast day of the shrine.

Another church privileged to offer pilgrims the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence granted by the Pope is the church dedicated to Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus in Caojiazhen, a place known as “the Chinese Lisieux”. The new Bishop previously served as parish priest there.

Haimen Cathedral also houses an altar dedicated to the Saint of Lisieux, inaugurated in 2014. A relic of the Saint is venerated there. It was personally presented to Simon Zhu Kaimin by the saint's elder sister during his visit to Lisieux on 7 January 1927.
At the ceremony inaugurating the altar, Bishop Joseph Shen Bin, then Ordinary of the diocese, said: “The saint is not only the patroness of the missions; she is also the patroness of the Diocese of Haimen. We decided to build this altar so that, through her intercession, the petals of her roses may spread throughout China and reach the heart of every person.”

The first Bishop consecrated in Rome

The Chinese Jesuit Simon Zhu Kaimin, the first Bishop of Haimen, was among the first six Chinese bishops consecrated in modern times by Pope Pius XI, one hundred years ago, on 28 October 1926, in St Peter's Basilica. After receiving episcopal ordination from Pope Pius XI, known as Pope Ratti, Bishop Zhu travelled to Lisieux during a his journey through Europe.

In 2012, the diocese celebrated the 85th anniversary of its foundation. Bishop Joseph Shen Bin inaugurated a bronze statue of Bishop Simon Zhu Kaimin, and a museum dedicated to Catholic history, culture and art was opened, to document and preserve the heritage of the local Church.

AFRICA/BURKINA FASO — A war within a war: the clash between JNIM and the Islamic State in the Sahel

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:31:57 +0200

Ouagadougou — A war within a war is being fought in the sands of the Sahara, in the tri-border area where Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso meet. Here, the two main jihadist groups operating in the region are facing each other: Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin and the Islamic State in the Sahel .
The former is affiliated with Al-Qaeda, while the latter is linked to the Islamic State. The two groups coexisted for a long time and, in some cases, even cooperated across the three Sahelian countries, despite clashes between jihadist groups with similar affiliations in other parts of the world, including Syria and several areas of Africa.
JNIM was formed in March 2017 through the merger of several katibas , under the leadership of Iyad Ag Ghaly. The Islamic State in the Sahel, previously known as ISGS , emerged between 2015 and 2016 around the figure of Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi, who was later killed.
Since 2019, tensions between JNIM and ISS have steadily escalated, leading to increasingly violent clashes. The latest reported incident occurred just a few days ago. According to an report published by Amaq, the Islamic State's propaganda agency, ISS fighters allegedly killed around 400 JNIM members during fierce fighting in Oudalan Province, in northern Burkina Faso, while also inflicting heavy losses in weapons and motorcycles. The report, however, has not been independently confirmed.
According to Amaq, the fighting began on 9 October in the village of Ganadaouri, where ISS militants reportedly repelled a large-scale JNIM offensive. The clashes are said to have lasted approximately an hour and a half.
Earlier, on 1 September, JNIM and ISS clashed in Mali near N'Daki, in the Timbuktu region close to the border with Burkina Faso. ISS emerged victorious, reportedly killing around 100 JNIM fighters, including a senior commander. These clashes followed the killing by JNIM, on 17 August, of Abou Zeid, the head of ISS in Burkina Faso, and commander Saad.
At the heart of the conflict lie political and doctrinal differences between the two jihadist organisations.
JNIM adopts a relatively pragmatic approach and is deeply rooted in local communities. It primarily targets state institutions and their symbols, negotiates with local elites and, in areas under its control, imposes a relatively flexible system of governance. This includes mechanisms such as zakat , dispute mediation and corrective sanctions, rather than exemplary public punishments. It also tends to avoid practices such as beheadings and public stonings, partly in an effort to preserve a degree of popular support.
ISS, on the other hand, follows a more hard-line approach. It is more inclined to declare Muslims whom it considers insufficiently aligned with its ideology to be unbelievers, targets civilians accused of collaborating with the enemy, and relies on exemplary and punitive violence as a central instrument of control.
Alongside their confrontation with one another, both groups continue to fight the security forces of the three Sahelian countries. The heaviest price is paid by local populations, who remain exposed to violence perpetrated by all sides in the conflict.

WORLD MISSION DAY — Father Luigi Codianni, Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries: “Mission means being present alongside those who are vulnerable; it means saying: You matter to me”

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 12:20:30 +0200

by Paolo Affatato

Rome — One night in 1988, several young people were killed in the Parque Santa Madalena neighborhood on the eastern outskirts of São Paulo, Brazil. Comboni missionary Father Luigi Codianni, who was living in the neighborhood at the time, found himself confronted with an act of violence that would leave a profound mark on his life. In that place, a vast favela scarred by drug trafficking and marked by the vulnerability of countless children and adolescents, mission took on an even more tangible meaning for him: standing alongside those at risk of being abandoned, sharing their lives and defending their dignity.

Today, Father Codianni, 62, is Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries. He recognizes in that experience one of the wounds that can transform into a calling.
“Faced with that violence and the deaths of those young people, I felt even more strongly the urgency of standing alongside the most vulnerable children and young people — those whom society often regards as a problem to be eliminated rather than as persons to be welcomed, protected and loved.”
That episode helped decisively to shape his commitment to young people living on the streets. It was not enough simply to denounce the violence: it was necessary to share those young people's lives, walk alongside them and listen to them.
“I felt that I had to try to restore their dignity, hope and future,” he tells Fides News Agency.
The conviction he developed at the time has remained at the heart of his missionary vision. Those young people, he says, “did not need to be judged or pushed away, but to find someone willing to stand by their side, recognize their humanity and believe in them, even when no one else seemed willing to do so”.
That night gave rise to a conviction that runs throughout his reflections on mission: “Before even speaking about God, we must make those young people feel that their lives have value, that they are not ‘invisible’, and that someone believes in them.”
The Christian message, he explains, finds expression in concrete closeness and relationships of love. “Charity does not replace proclamation, but gives it credibility; proclamation does not replace charity, but gives it its foundation.”

From the “geography” of mission to a “culture” of mission

His experience in Brazil also helps explain how Father Codianni views the Church's mission in today's world. World Mission Day, which marks its centenary in 2026, offers an opportunity to reflect on a century of change without losing sight of the essential core of the missionary vocation.
“Over the past hundred years, the heart of mission has certainly not changed: the Church continues to be called to proclaim Jesus Christ and bear witness to his love. What has changed, however, is the way we understand and live out mission.”
“For a long time,” he recalls, “mission was understood above all as a movement that began in Europe and reached out to other continents. The Second Vatican Council brought a decisive change of perspective, affirming a vision in which all Churches are called both to give and to receive. This journey was further developed through the teaching of Pope St Paul VI, in Evangelii Nuntiandi; Pope St John Paul II, in Redemptoris Missio; and Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium and his call for a ‘Church that goes forth’.”
“We could say that we have moved from the ‘geography of mission’ to a ‘culture of mission’,” observes the Comboni Superior General. “Mission is no longer ‘something that happens in distant places’; it is the very reason for the Church's existence, wherever in the world it may be.”

The missio ad gentes — the Church's mission to peoples and communities who have not yet received the Gospel — remains fully relevant, but is taking on new forms. Distance from the Gospel cannot be measured in kilometres alone: it can be found in the same city, the same diocese, the same parish or even within a family.
“For me, ad gentes above all means going towards those who do not yet know the Gospel, those who are far away, those who are excluded, those who cannot find a place in society, and even those who believe they have nothing left to hope for,” he says.
Mission, therefore, “means going out towards others, especially wherever wars, migration, poverty, loneliness, exclusion and a loss of meaning undermine human dignity”.
Among the most painful situations, Father Codianni points that of children and young people growing up in deprived and violent contexts, deprived of opportunities until they become convinced that they are destined to fail.
“Today, I believe that one of the greatest and most serious ‘existential peripheries’ is precisely that of young people whose hope has been stolen from them,” he says.
The missionary response is not an occasional intervention. Rather, it becomes “a presence that communicates, even without many words, that no one has been abandoned”.
“The missionary,” Father Codianni says, “tells them: ‘You matter to me; you are close to my heart! Your life possesses an inherent dignity. God has not forgotten you.’”

A Church that goes forth and allows herself to be evangelized

This perspective speaks directly to Christian communities.
“World Mission Day cannot simply be an annual occasion for collecting offerings to support the missions. It is an opportunity to examine how genuinely open our parishes are to those left on the margins, to young people, the poor, migrants and all those in need of a word of consolation,” he observes.
“I believe we need to move beyond the idea of a Church that ‘has missionaries’ and recognize the Church as ‘missionary by its very nature’,” the Comboni missionary says.
“A community becomes missionary,” he continues, “when it does not simply wait for others to reach it, but chooses to go out, meet people, listen to them and accompany them. Mission is no longer a commitment undertaken by a few on behalf of the many who live far away; it is something the entire community is called to live out, always and everywhere.”
“Going forth” also means allowing oneself to be encountered by people and cultures that are different from one's own, recognizing that mission does not proceed in only one direction.
“For a long time,” the Superior General recalls, “a model prevailed in which some Churches gave while others received. That distinction no longer works. All Churches are called both to give and to receive.”

African, Asian and Latin American missionaries arriving in Europe bring with them not only their skills and willingness to serve, “but also their own faith, spirituality, culture and way of living in community”.
The Comboni charism itself has become increasingly universal, multinational and multicultural, in keeping with St Daniel Comboni's desire for an authentically Catholic — that is, universal — institute, not tied to a single nation, he notes.
“Here, fraternity does not mean eliminating differences, but learning to live with and appreciate them without allowing them to become divisions,” he adds. “Unity does not mean that we must all be the same, but that we must learn to love one another in our diversity.”

The same principle applies to interreligious dialogue. Dialogue does not mean renouncing one's own faith, but rather “recognizing the other as a person with whom we can build relationships based on respect, mutual understanding and collaboration”.
Peace, service to the poor, the promotion of young people and the defence of human dignity are all areas in which believers from different religious traditions can work together, he points out.
“The other person, the one who is different from me, is not an obstacle to mission, but someone to be encountered. And when you truly encounter that person, you discover that they have something to teach you.”
Father Codianni will celebrate World Mission Day on 18 October in Italy, taking part in meetings aimed at raising missionary awareness and proclaiming the Gospel. He does so with the experiences and faces of the people he has encountered over the years through his service as head of the Institute and his visits to its various missionary communities.
The celebration, he says, is “an opportunity to remember that mission does not belong to the past, nor is it confined to distant lands: it continues wherever a Christian community knows how to foster encounter, fraternity and hope”.

Today, the Comboni Missionaries number approximately 1,450 priests and brothers worldwide and are present in more than 40 countries across four continents: Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.
Their work ranges from first evangelization and formation to education and healthcare, as well as human development, justice and peace, integral ecology and communication. Following in the footsteps of St Daniel Comboni and remaining faithful to his charism, they combine the proclamation of the Gospel with a tangible commitment to stand alongside local communities, particularly the most vulnerable and forgotten.

VATICAN - On the eve of the 100th World Mission Day, Pope Leo XIV entrusted to the Virgin Mary’s care during the International Missionary Rosary

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 11:49:08 +0200

Rome – On Saturday, 17 October, at 3 p.m., prayers will be offered for the Church’s mission throughout the world, as well as for Pope Leo XIV’s health and recovery. These intentions will be interwoven during the International Missionary Rosary promoted by the Pontifical Mission Societies on the eve of the 100th World Mission Day , inspired by Pope Prevost’s message entitled “One in Christ, United in Mission.”

World Mission Day is celebrated every year on the penultimate Sunday of October.

The communal Rosary, a moment of prayer originally scheduled to mark the significant milestone reached by World Mission Day this year , now takes on an even deeper meaning.

Pope Leo XIV, a missionary who became Pope, and his health will be entrusted to the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the prayer of the Rosary, which will be led by Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization . Participants will recite the Hail Marys from the terrace of the International Centre for Missionary Animation , located on the campus of the Pontifical Urbaniana University, Via Urbano VIII, 16, overlooking St Peter’s Square.

The Missionary Rosary was created in February 1951 by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, recently proclaimed Blessed , who at the time served as national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, now known as the Pontifical Mission Society for the Propagation of the Faith. It was created to broaden hearts and prayer, embracing not only personal needs but also those of the entire human family and the Church’s evangelizing mission throughout the world.

Particular prayers will be offered for the ad gentes missionaries of our time, both men and women, who, as Pope Leo XIV recalled in his message for World Mission Day 2026, “like Saint Francis Xavier, they have left their homeland, their families and all sense of security in order to proclaim the Gospel and bring Christ and his love to places that are often challenging, poor, conflict-ridden or culturally distant. Despite adversity and human limitations, they continue to give themselves joyfully, because they know that Christ himself, and his Gospel, are the greatest treasures we can offer.”

During this missionary “crown” of prayer, the announcement of each mystery will be made in Italian, English and Spanish. The fifty “Hail Marys” recited in contemplation of the five Glorious Mysteries will be dedicated, in turn, to the five continents—Africa, the Americas, Europe, Oceania and Asia—and recited in two local languages for each continent.

The readings selected for meditation have been drawn, for the first three mysteries, from messages delivered by Pope Francis for previous World Mission Days; the readings for the final two mysteries come from a homily by Pope Leo XIV and from his first “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, when he said: “We have to look together how to be a missionary Church, building bridges, dialogue, always open to receiving with open arms for everyone, like this square, open to all, to all who need our charity, our presence, dialogue, love.”

People around the world will be able to join the prayer spiritually, as the event will be broadcast on EWTN television and YouTube, as well as streamed on Play2000, Tv2000 and InBlu2000.

Link correlati :EWTN ENG EWTN SPA EWTN ITA PLAY2000 POSTER

ASIA/INDIA - Attack during Bible Conference: Catholic lay Association calls for an investigation

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:45:04 +0200

Calcutta – “We express our solidarity with the faithful of the Diocese of Krishnanagar, the Archdiocese of Calcutta and all Christian communities in West Bengal. We stand with the Santhal Christian community, whose right to worship in their own language is a constitutional right that must be protected.”
This is the statement issued to Fides News Agency by the “All India Catholic Union” , an organization representing Catholic laypeople in India, expressing dismay over a mob attack on St. Louis Parish Church in Jalalkhali, on the outskirts of Krishnanagar, in the State of West Bengal, on 9 October 2026.

The attack brought a four-day bible conference organized by the local Santhal community of the Diocese of Krishnanagar to an abrupt halt. More than 1,900 faithful from various parts of the State were attending the event.
According to eyewitness accounts, a group of about 200 people gathered near the church, chanting slogans before some entered the premises carrying bamboo poles and bricks, vandalizing decorations and banners, throwing stones at the prayer hall and assaulting those present. The glass protecting a statue of Jesus Christ was broken and at least six people were injured. Local Catholics who came out to protest were also attacked.

Bishop Nirmol Vincent Gomes of Krishnanagar described the assault as “premeditated” and “the worst violence his diocese has known”.
The diocese filed a complaint with police, invoking Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practise and propagate one’s religion. The diocese stressed that all those attending the event were already baptized Christians and that any allegations of “proselytism” or attempts to convert people were therefore unfounded.

In response to the serious incident, the AICU has called on the government to launch an investigation and disclose the status of all First Information Reports filed in connection with violence against Christian communities.
The organization has also recommended consulting parish priests, dioceses and churches, and introducing preventive measures wherever credible threats have been identified. It has further urged the National Human Rights Commission, the National Commission for Minorities and the West Bengal Human Rights Commission to launch an independent investigation to ensure that religious freedom is protected in every state of the Union.

According to the AICU, the incident in Jalalkhali forms part of a climate of hostility that has intensified, according to the organization, since the Bharatiya Janata Party took office in West Bengal in May 2026.
“We must ask whether the police and the state administration are able or willing to protect the constitutional rights of Christians and other communities,” said Alexander Anthony, the AICU’s national vice-president, announcing that the organization plans to hold a public demonstration in the State.
Anthony warned that West Bengal could join Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh on the list of states “characterized by frequent incidents of anti-Christian violence”. He called for “a public statement by the State’s Chief Minister, making it clear that such violence will not be tolerated”.
“We are particularly concerned,” he added, “that those responsible for the violence referred to the recent change of government in the state. In Barasat, on 12 July , members of radical Hindu groups threatened Salesian Sisters, saying that their activities would no longer be permitted now that the Bharatiya Janata Party was in power in West Bengal.”
The AICU representative concluded: “We recall that Articles 14, 21 and 25 of the Constitution protect the right of every religious community in India to profess and practise its faith.”

VATICAN - Ten years of Amoris Laetitia: Pope Leo XIV urges families to nurture love, prayer and welcome

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:11:36 +0200

Vatican City – Emotion was palpable among those attending Mass celebrated this morning in St Peter’s Square, as their thoughts turned to Pope Leo XIV, who underwent surgery yesterday at the Gemelli Hospital.

According to the program, the Mass was to be celebrated by the Pope, marking the conclusion of a gathering held at the Vatican since 7 October to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the publication of the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia. At 10 a.m., the Eucharistic liturgy was instead presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, recently elected Dean of the College of Cardinals.

During the Prayer of the Faithful, the assembly also prayed “for our Pope Leo, may he feel the consolation of the Lord’s presence and the support of the prayers of the whole Church, and have a peaceful convalescence and make a prompt and complete recovery”.

During the Mass, the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization delivered the homily prepared by the Pope, inviting the faithful to rediscover the family as the first school of love and to embrace the image of a Church that accompanies, supports and welcomes, especially those experiencing vulnerability.

“The joy of love experienced by families is also the joy of the Church.” With these opening words of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, dated 19 March 2016, Cardinal Tagle began reading Pope Leo XIV’s reflection. Ten years later, the celebration offered the Pope an opportunity to reflect on the work accomplished since the document’s publication, to take its riches to heart and put its pastoral guidance into pastoral life.

At the heart of the homily was Saint Paul’s “hymn to love”, to which Amoris Laetitia devotes an extensive reflection in chapter four. The Pope highlighted the joy of love as the fruit of a journey in which the presence of another person enables each individual to mature. “The true joy of love is a gradual deepening of union, in which each person’s uniqueness blossoms through the gift of self and the presence of the other,” Pope Leo XIV wrote. Communion does not erase differences; rather, it welcomes them into a relationship sustained by grace and a willingness to give oneself.

The Apostle addressed his words to a community rich in gifts and charisms, yet still in need of growth in charity. Without love, the homily recalled, a person risks becoming “a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal”.
It is charity that Amoris Laetitia invites the faithful to recognize as the source of family life and of accompaniment for young people preparing for marriage. The homily highlighted the importance of virtues, including chastity, described in the exhortation as “invaluable for the genuine growth of love between persons”. It also acknowledged the value of formation programs offered in parishes and pastoral areas, while warning that these alone are not enough. Marriage preparation programs must be preceded and supported by an education in love that accompanies a person’s growth from childhood. “Learning to love someone does not happen automatically,” Pope Francis observed, nor can this gift be expected to emerge simply from a marriage preparation course.
Pope Leo XIV called for families who live out their vocation in cities and towns “without fanfare, yet at times with heroic fidelity” to be valued and supported. Their daily lives provide a first, precious and irreplaceable apprenticeship in the “joy of love”.

The Gospel’s proclamation of liberation and healing reaches the world through the daily witness of parents, children, grandparents, young people and the elderly. This witness is inseparable from the Church’s mission. The text linked it to Jesus’ command in the Gospel of John: “This is my commandment: you love one another as I have loved you.”

From this follows the invitation to grow as a Church that is a “family of families”, fostering mutual care and supporting newly married couples, parents overwhelmed by the many demands of raising their children, and older people, who should be gratefully recognized as witnesses of wisdom and virtue, even as their physical strength declines.

Those facing difficult circumstances and moments of crisis must also find support within this network of relationships. The homily called for them to be surrounded by affection and shielded “from judgments and prejudices”, recalling the words of the final report of the Synod of Bishops: “as wounded as the family may be, it can always grow beginning with love.” Fragility, therefore, does not rule out the possibility of moving forward; rather, it calls the community to take responsibility.

Family charity is also the foundation of openness and respect for life, from conception to natural death. The Pope linked this responsibility to the future of society, emphasizing the value of strong families that are open to life.

In the homily read by Cardinal Tagle, Pope Leo XIV observed that in many parts of the world the practice of praying together at home has weakened, whether before meals, at the beginning and end of the day, or on special occasions. Referring to Amoris Laetitia, he urged families to rediscover family spirituality, participation in Sunday Eucharist and gatherings with other families, so that they may support one another in faith and in their practical needs, experiencing prayer and the sacraments as “solid nourishment and a healing medicine”.

The celebration also included the public expression of ecclesial communion granted by Pope Leo XIV to His Beatitude Polis III Nona, Patriarch of Baghdad of the Chaldeans, who was present at the Eucharist. As the text emphasized, this was not a mere formality but a living reality rooted in Eucharistic communion. The entire Catholic Church expressed its affection for the faithful entrusted to the Patriarch’s care, who have “long been tested but remain steadfast and often heroic” in their witness to the faith.

The concluding prayer to the Holy Family of Nazareth entrusted families and the whole Church to God. Echoing the words of Pope Francis, it asked that homes become places of communion, schools of prayer and small domestic churches. It also invoked protection and healing for those who suffer: “May families never again experience violence, rejection and division; may all who have been hurt or scandalized
find ready comfort and healing”.

AFRICA/ETHIOPIA - Renewed conflict in Tigray raises fears of a new humanitarian emergency

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 14:16:53 +0200

Adigrat – Nearly a month has passed since fighting resumed in Ethiopia, where an alliance of rebel groups led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front has launched a new offensive, reigniting a conflict that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives between 2020 and 2022.

Almost four years after the Pretoria peace agreement was signed in November 2022 , with the aim of ending the devastating war in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, renewed hostilities, reported in recent weeks, are escalating . The Ethiopian federal army now controls much of eastern and central Tigray. According to local sources, government forces have also captured Zalambessa, a town of around 15,000 inhabitants on the Ethiopian side of the border with Eritrea.

“As an ecclesial community, we are living under the weight of many pressures, tensions and anxieties. But, by the grace of God, we move forward. The situation does not look particularly promising. In our outposts, however, everything is under control, while sporadic gunfire has been reported in some towns.” This is what a local source told Fides News Agency, requesting anonymity for security reasons.

The renewed fighting is unfolding against a regional backdrop of increasingly tense relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea. After decades of conflict, the two countries signed a peace agreement in 2018. During the Tigray war, Eritrea supported the Ethiopian federal government against TPLF forces. Since then, however, relations between Addis Ababa and Asmara have deteriorated once again.
One of the main sources of tension is Ethiopia’s quest for access to the sea. Addis Ababa lost its direct access to the coast when Eritrea gained independence in 1993, after Ethiopia had enjoyed it for decades. The Ethiopian government regards regaining access to the sea as a strategic and vital national interest, while reiterating its intention to pursue this objective through dialogue and peaceful means. The geographical position of the two countries further heightens the significance of the dispute. Control of areas overlooking the Red Sea and the trade routes crossing the Bab el-Mandeb Strait gives the region considerable geopolitical importance.

Beyond the renewed fighting, the humanitarian situation is a major cause for concern. Hundreds of thousands of people displaced from western Tigray have still been unable to return home, leaving around 44 per cent of the region’s most fertile agricultural land inaccessible. In north-western, central and eastern areas where some farmers have managed to return, they have found farms and communities devastated by years of war.
Adverse weather conditions have compounded the crisis. The first seasonal rains ended almost a month earlier than usual, compromising seed germination and causing crops to wither in numerous districts. The rains needed for the spring harvest, meanwhile, arrived more than five weeks late in eastern and southern areas, with some areas experiencing periods of drought lasting more than a month.

The agricultural toll has been severe: more than 252,500 hectares of crops have been destroyed, while 140 districts are facing conditions described as catastrophic. More than 3.5 million livestock are also at risk of dying from hunger and disease following the disappearance of seasonal grazing lands and the depletion of groundwater reserves.
The failure of the September harvest and the collapse in the livestock-to-cereal terms of trade have further exacerbated the crisis. According to the September humanitarian report issued by the Tigray Disaster Risk Management Commission , 3.9 million people—more than half the region’s population—were in immediate need of emergency food assistance. The threat of another famine is once again looming over Tigray.

The situation was made even more desperate by events in Mekelle during the first weekend of October. As federal forces advanced towards the regional capital, coalition forces abandoned government buildings and police stations across the city. For around 24 hours, Mekelle was left in the grip of a serious power vacuum.
Armed groups, reportedly made up largely of prisoners released after a nearby prison was abruptly abandoned, stormed and looted government buildings, post offices, art galleries and facilities providing assistance to the population.
Particularly serious was the looting of infrastructure dedicated to the humanitarian response. Armed groups ransacked DRMC offices and warehouses belonging to the regional body responsible for coordinating relief operations and ensuring the provision of essential goods and services to the population.

AFRICA/NIGERIA - Diocese of Gboko closes four facilities in Ihugh for security reasons

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:52:17 +0200

Abuja – St Winifred Secondary School, also known as St Winifred Girls’ Secondary School; St Winifred Nursery and Primary School; St Thomas Hospital, which includes the Salus Mind Care Centre and the hospital chaplaincy service; and St Winifred Parish. These are the four facilities run by the Diocese of Gboko in Benue State, in north-central Nigeria, whose indefinite closure has been announced for security reasons.
The decision was made public by William A. Avenya, Bishop of Gboko, in a pastoral letter and decree dated 12 October and countersigned by the diocesan chancellor, the Rev. Marcellinus Wende. The measures order the closure of the four Church facilities located in Ihugh, in the Vandeikya Local Government Area. The suspension of activities took effect on 12 October and will remain in force until lasting peace has been restored and credible security guarantees are in place.
The decision was taken “with a heavy heart, after much prayer, reflection and consultation”, Bishop Avenya writes. “Since its foundation, the Church of Gboko has walked in the land of the Tiv people as a servant of the Gospel, building schools, caring for the sick and nourishing the faithful with the Word of God and the Sacraments. In Ihugh, as in many other places, this mission has been carried out with joy, sacrifice and love,” the Bishop recalls.
However, “because of repeated harassment, attacks and acts of destruction”, the diocese has been forced to suspend its activities in the area.
Among the incidents cited by Bishop Avenya are “the repeated burning of the dormitories at St Winifred Secondary School in Ihugh”, which occurred on 28 October 2025, 10 and 15 May 2026, and 11 October 2026. These acts, the Bishop states, destroyed accommodation for students entrusted to the school’s care, undermined years of work and sacrifice, and seriously endangered the lives and safety of students, teachers and staff.
Bishop Avenya also recalls repeated thefts at St Winifred Parish, criminal incidents at St Thomas Hospital and riots that occurred during the hospital's reopening on 21 June 2024. On that occasion, some members of the community displayed placards and chanted slogans to express their opposition to the presence of the religious sisters in Ihugh.
The Bishop described these incidents as part of a recurring pattern of hostility and destruction targeting Church property, stressing that they had caused losses, fear and uncertainty among employees and local residents who depend on the services provided by the facilities.
According to the Bishop, the diocese made repeated attempts to resolve the disputes peacefully through dialogue and reconciliation, involving community leaders, traditional authorities, elders, government officials and law enforcement agencies. These efforts, however, failed to achieve any meaningful improvement in security conditions.
The decree orders the withdrawal of all priests, consecrated persons, including religious sisters, catechists, pastoral workers, teachers, healthcare personnel and other employees. No one may resume duties at the facilities without the Bishop’s prior written authorization.
Students attending the affected schools will be able to continue their education at other Catholic institutes within the diocese, while patients will be referred to other healthcare facilities, while ensuring assistance in urgent cases.

ASIA/KAZAKHSTAN - Sowing the seeds of the future in the Steppe: the educational mission of the “Shepherd’s School”

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:41:58 +0200

by Paolo Affatato

Korneewka – In a small village in northern Kazakhstan, a school continues to invest in the future: the St Lawrence School in Korneewka, an educational project launched thirty years ago on the initiative of a German priest and which has grown into a point of reference for more than 200 students. Here, education is also a way of giving children and adolescents the opportunity to imagine a different life, discover their talents and grow into people capable of taking responsibility within their families and society.
Father Leopold Kropfreiter, a priest of the Servants of Jesus and Mary and headmaster of the school since 2018, spoke to Fides News Agency about this experience. Having arrived in Kazakhstan in 2008, after his first years of pastoral ministry and a period serving as national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies, Father Leopold is well acquainted with the challenges of a vast territory, marked by long distances and social change. The school is located in a small community of around 2,500 inhabitants in the country’s northern region, approximately 120 kilometres from Petropavlovsk. In a rural context, providing a quality education means offering young people the tools to build their own future, even when opportunities close to home are limited.

The St Lawrence School was founded on the initiative of Catholics. Inspired by a Christian vision of education, it is a private school operating under an agreement with the Kazakh state, which recognizes its educational program. “We cannot call it a Catholic school,” Father Leopold Kropfreiter explains, “but we seek to convey a Christian vision of the human person through education, ethics and personal development.” This identity is open to encounter: students and staff include Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Protestants and Muslims of different nationalities.
The story of St Lawrence School began in 1996, as Father Leopold tells Fides: “After the collapse of the Soviet Union and the reorganization of the country, Father Lorenz Gawol, a German priest who had arrived in Kazakhstan in 1991, was faced with a choice. Many families of German origin lived in the region, including a large number of Catholics. The priest had contributed to the life of the community and the establishment of parishes, but during the 1990s many Germans returned to Germany. Should he stay or leave? The answer took shape as he looked at the children and young people who remained.”
“One option was to return to Germany himself; another was to try to help the country and its local children and young people by providing them with a good education, a solid moral foundation and a form of Christian formation.” It was this second path that gave rise to the school, which opened in September 1996 with just eleven children. Within a few years, enrolment had grown to more than 200 students aged between five and eighteen.

Education and opportunities for young people

The St Lawrence school is part of Kazakhstan’s education system and places particular emphasis on character formation, responsibility and personal growth. Alongside the state curriculum, students can take part in sports, artistic, musical and craft activities. The school also includes a kindergarten and a boarding facility for students from distant communities.
“One of the school’s distinguishing features is language teaching,” Father Leopold explains. “German, in particular, has played a central role since the school was founded, partly because of the region’s historical ties with the ethnic German community. Since 2009, the school has participated in the DSD program, which enables students to prepare for the German Language Diploma examinations, with qualifications recognized in Germany and Austria. This offers a concrete opportunity to pursue further studies abroad and broaden their career prospects.”
“Families send their children here because they appreciate what the school offers,” the priest observes. “First of all, I believe it is because the fees are very affordable, as this is also a social project. And then because of the quality of education.” The results can be seen in the young people who have continued their studies in Europe: according to the headmaster, around 25 to 30 former students are currently studying in Germany and Austria.
Yet the value of these opportunities goes beyond the possibility of studying abroad. For Father Leopold, “the most important result is that young people can discover abilities and opportunities that might otherwise remain hidden. Education broadens their horizons, strengthens their self-confidence and helps them choose their own path with greater freedom.”

Christian witness that welcomes everyone

The school’s missionary dimension is evident in everyday life. Its teaching staff comprises laypeople from different religious backgrounds: Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Protestants and Muslims. The students, in turn, come from families with diverse traditions. “The school thus becomes a tangible place of encounter, where Christian witness is expressed through hospitality, the quality of education and the sharing of everyday life,” he explains.
“The most important thing is that they do not see me merely as the school’s headmaster. They call me ‘Father’,” Leopold says. “The students recognize and describe the institute as ‘the Shepherd’s School’, and that is what it is: a place where education is rooted in a Christian vision of the human person.”
“Throughout the year, we celebrate various Christian feast days together, from St Martin’s Day to Christmas,” the headmaster recounts. St Martin’s Day is marked by a procession on horseback, while the Christmas pageant, featuring the Nativity, involves the entire school community and is also appreciated by the village. These occasions allow students to become familiar with Christian traditions and symbols without those belonging to other religions having to give up their own identity.

Father Leopold recalls the experience of a former Muslim student who moved to Austria. “When her Catholic boyfriend suggested that, because she was Muslim, she might have been treated with hostility at a Christian school in Kazakhstan, she described a completely different experience. She had taken part joyfully in the Christmas celebrations and had even played Mary in the Christmas Eve pageant. She proudly defended the education she had received at our school and explained its spirit of openness and intercultural understanding.”
For the headmaster, such experiences show that a school inspired by the Gospel can provide a space for dialogue and mutual respect. “We have the opportunity to meet people who are not Christians, to engage in dialogue with them and perhaps speak to them about Jesus. Or simply to set them a good example, a Christian example, which is very important.”
“In this context, missionary witness means making visible a vision of the human person that recognizes everyone’s dignity, freedom and potential for growth. Education thus becomes a meeting point between faith and life, where the Christian faith can be experienced through concrete human relationships,” he explains.

Preparing for the future, even through Technology

The St Lawrence School is also looking to the future through innovation. In 2026, as part of a program aimed at extending computer education to rural areas of Kazakhstan, the school introduced courses in digital skills, equipped itself with computers and organized training seminars on Artificial Intelligence. Father Leopold enthusiastically explains that “students are beginning to learn programming and are experimenting with creating apps and games using AI tools.”
The project has particular significance in a small village, where access to new technologies can help bridge the gap with urban centres. Offering young people with digital skills means preparing them for a rapidly changing world of work and knowledge, helping ensure that they are not excluded from future opportunities.
Korneewka, however, is experiencing a gradual migration of young people to other places. “Many families leave because they cannot find sufficient opportunities, and the number of school-age children is tending to decline,” Father Leopold acknowledges. The school’s future will also depend on its ability to sustain the project and maintain student enrolment.
The institute is supported by the communities of the Servants of Jesus and Mary and the Franciscan Sisters of Vöcklabruck, together with Church and missionary organizations such as Aid to the Church in Need and the Pontifical Mission Societies. The project relies on donations and on the work of an educational community in which religious and laypeople share responsibility for the formation of young people.

Father Leopold hopes that similar initiatives may be established elsewhere in Kazakhstan, “in the capital, Astana, or in other cities, where a school of this kind could become a centre for intercultural and interreligious dialogue.”
“Despite its modest size and the challenges of a rural context, the St Lawrence School demonstrates that an educational project can make a real difference in people’s lives and offer Christian witness that is open to society,” he explains.
The school continues to sow the seeds of the future in the steppe through languages, culture, technology, personal formation and encounters between different traditions: a missionary work that helps young people in Kazakhstan imagine and build their own future.

Mission beyond the illusions of efficiency: following in the footsteps of Venerable Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:12:56 +0200

Algiers – “The Lord took me by the hand and I followed him blindly.” With these words, which capture the essence of a life entirely devoted to the Gospel, Diego Sarrió Cucarella, Bishop of Laghouat-Ghardaïa, has published a new and moving pastoral letter entitled Marcher à la suite du Christ .

Issued in the heart of the Algerian Sahara, the Letter marks the fifth anniversary of the recognition of the heroic virtues of Venerable Little Sister Magdeleine of Jesus, foundress of the Little Sisters of Jesus, on 13 October 2021.

Born in Paris in 1898 as Élisabeth Marie Magdeleine Hutin, the future Little Sister Magdeleine left a lasting mark on the history of the 20th-century Church through her charism of universal fraternity and her radical closeness to the poorest and to the Muslim world. Her cause for beatification took a major step forward five years ago, when Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing her heroic virtues, acknowledging the extraordinary depth of her spiritual witness.

The primacy of relationship over pastoral efficiency

At the heart of Bishop Sarrió Cucarella’s reflection lies a profound insight that challenges the Church today: the true fruitfulness of mission does not depend on the pursuit of “measurable” efficiency, activism or strategies for success, but on encounter and deep union with Christ.
In his pastoral letter, the Bishop of Laghouat-Ghardaïa recalls how, from her earliest steps in the Algerian desert in Sidi Boujnan, near Touggourt, where the first fraternity was established in 1939, Little Sister Magdeleine understood that the Lord was not calling her to build an immense work or impose herself through human power. Rather, she was called to allow the Gospel to bear fruit through silence, prayer and the sharing of everyday life.

In an age that exalts speed, productivity and measurable results, the Venerable’s witness leads us back to the school of Bethlehem and Nazareth. In Bethlehem, God chose the smallness and vulnerability of a child to reveal his salvation, teaching us that Christian strength lies in self-giving love, not in the desire to dominate reality. In Nazareth, the Son of God shared the ordinary, hidden life of human beings for many years.
From this springs the charism of the Little Sisters: presence comes before action; listening before teaching; fraternal love before any pastoral project.

In the footsteps of Charles de Foucauld in the Sahara

The pastoral letter highlights the unbreakable spiritual bond between Little Sister Magdeleine and St Charles de Foucauld. Although they never met in person—Brother Charles died in 1916—the young Magdeleine recognized in his writings the Gospel ideal that burned within her heart. She discovered them through René Bazin’s book Charles de Foucauld, explorateur du Maroc, ermite au Sahara .
Like a grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies in order to bear much fruit, Charles de Foucauld left behind no large-scale or highly efficient structures, but rather a witness to radical abandonment to God, expressed in his famous prayer of abandonment.

Drawing on this spiritual legacy, Bishop Cucarella stresses that the Church in the Sahara, though small in numbers and rooted in a land where the majority of the population is Muslim, must not measure its vitality according to the logic of power or worldly efficiency. Mission is fulfilled by drawing near to others, forging bonds of genuine friendship and mutual respect, following the example of Jesus, who chose to dwell among humanity.

A joy that blossoms in the desert

This vision finds its fulfilment in Christian joy, the joy that Little Sister Magdeleine witnessed through the light in her eyes and her smile. It is a joy untouched by superficiality, one that does not ignore trials or loneliness, but springs from the experience that the Lord always precedes his disciples.

In commemorating the five-year anniversary of the recognition of her heroic virtues, the Diocese of Laghouat-Ghardaïa once again draws upon the Venerable's teaching to rediscover how following Christ gives rise to genuine humility and docility: entrusting oneself to the hands of the Father: “Dieu m’a prise par la main et, aveuglément, j’ai suivi” .
This is a blind trust not in the sense of renouncing inner freedom or the ability to discern, but rather as a way of seeing things and the world through reason enlightened by faith. It means recognizing that life bears its richest fruit precisely when entrusted to God’s will.
A message that, from the sands of the Sahara, continues to illuminate the path of the universal Church.