Marx opens a congress that proposes to "synodally renew" the episcopal ministry and increase the "democratic culture" in the Church

The Catholic Academy of Bavaria and the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising inaugurated this Friday, September 18, in Munich a two-day congress dedicated to rethinking the exercise of episcopal ministry from the perspective of synodality. 

The meeting, titled Der synodale Bischof — “The Synodal Bishop” — is being held on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the episcopal consecration of Cardinal Reinhard Marx and will feature this afternoon one of its central moments with an address by the cardinal himself on “synodality as a program for the future.”

The official presentation openly states that “a synodal Church needs a synodal bishop” and maintains that the episcopal ministry “will change” when it is integrated in a binding way, both within dioceses and beyond them, into structures of participation. 

The organizers also speak of a “clear increase in democratic culture,” although they specify that this would not involve introducing parliamentary votes, “much less on matters of faith.”

Reconsidering the potestas of the Bishop

The congress is not limited to a generic reflection on pastoral styles. The questions raised by its organizers go directly to the exercise of episcopal authority: how to place the potestas of the bishop in a “constructive relationship” with the dignity and rights of all the baptized, what models would allow a “synodal reformulation of episcopal authority,” what would need to be changed to achieve it, and what transformations can already be introduced within existing possibilities.

A first part of the program examines the issue from the tradition and origins of the episcopate. Thomas Söding, professor in Bochum, addresses the biblical lines of governing power and the “innovative potential” of the New Testament theology of ministries, while Christian Hornung studies how and why the episcopal ministry acquired its first forms.

Another block seeks to determine which elements constitute the essence of the episcopate and which functions should be maintained even under a “modified profile.” The program itself introduces a comparison with Protestant communities and asks what answers they gave to these questions “when they reformed the ministry.”

Michael Seewald, professor of Dogmatic Theology in Munich, speaks on the place of the diocesan bishop within the “synodal framework,” while Protestant theologian Friederike Nüssel analyzes the reconstitution and understanding of the episcopal ministry during the Reformation.

Marx: “Synodality as a Program for the Future”

The section expressly dedicated to “innovation” begins with a direct question: “What to do differently in the future?” 

The organizers maintain that, following the conclusion of the Synod on Synodality and the German Synodal Way, the Catholic Church intends to “permanently implement new synodal structures” and ask what “new contours” should derive from this for the episcopal ministry.

The program even formulates the questions of what it means to “become a synodal bishop” and what it entails to “be a synodal bishop.” The panel will discuss various ideas and proposals for the development of the episcopal ministry.

Marx will speak at 19:30 with the lecture “Synodality as a Program for the Future.” 

Also participating in the discussion are Charlotte Kreuter-Kirchhof, professor at the University of Düsseldorf and member of the Vatican Council for the Economy, and Annette Schavan, former Federal Minister of Education and former German Ambassador to the Holy See.

The choice of topic is directly linked to the cardinal’s episcopal anniversary. 

The Catholic Academy of Bavaria has organized the days on the occasion of his three decades as a bishop and has chosen to celebrate them precisely with a reflection on how the exercise of episcopal authority could be modified within synodal structures.

From the Synodal Way to New Permanent Structures

The second day will broaden the discussion from a supradiocesan perspective. The program proposes confronting the reflections arising in Munich with the experience of a diocese in another country, with the German Bishops’ Conference, and with the Synodal Way.

Among the participants are the Bishop of Antwerp, Johan Bonny; sociologist and social philosopher Hans Joas; and Frank Ronge, organizer of the Synodal Way on behalf of the German Bishops’ Conference and the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK).

The final part of the meeting aims to draw concrete pastoral and ecclesiological conclusions. 

Among the questions raised is explicitly “how should leadership be shared?” A group made up of pastoral leaders from Munich, the German Bishops’ Conference, and the Diocesan Council of Catholics will present the conclusions, advances, and open questions that emerged during the days.

From Wels to Munich

The congress begins just one day after the conclusion in Wels (Austria) of the European symposium Shaping Synodality in Europe: From Vision to Roadmap, which brought together from September 14 to 17 ecclesial representatives from 31 countries to address the practical application of synodality. 

Among the issues discussed were precisely the structures, ministries, and decision-making processes in the Church.

During the Austrian meeting, canonist Myriam Wijlens, consultant to the General Secretariat of the Synod, maintained that diocesan bishops and episcopal conferences do not need to “wait for Rome” to use the margins already offered by canon law. 

Wijlens noted that it is now up to them to take advantage of those spaces during the implementation phase of the Synod.

Munich now takes up some of those same questions, but focusing them specifically on the episcopal ministry: from the exercise of potestas and the integration of the bishop into participatory structures to the possibility of sharing leadership and permanently establishing new forms of synodal functioning. 

The congress program itself formulates the question that will run through the two days: what it means, in practice, to “become a synodal bishop” and to “be a synodal bishop.”

Pope Leo's visit to France to focus on faith, culture, Europe

From September 25 to 28, 2026, Pope Leo XIV will visit France, embarking on his fifth international Apostolic Journey since the beginning of his pontificate.

During a press conference held at the Holy See’s Press Office on Friday, September 18, the Director of the Press Office, Matteo Bruni, illustrated the Pope’s Journey, which will take him to Paris, Lourdes and the northeastern city of Metz.

France will be the ninth country Pope Leo visits (tenth if counting the Pastoral visit to San Marino in August 2026), and it will include meetings with the authorities and state representatives of the country, encounters with young people and the local clergy, visits to charity initiatives, a visit to UNESCO headquarters and more.

All his addresses, homilies and pronouncements will be in French, except his speech at UNESCO, which will be partly in French and partly in English, and his speech at the “To the roots of Europe for Peace and Unity” meeting in Metz, which will be entirely in English.

The program for Pope Leo XIV's fifth Apostolic Journey is published. During his time in France he will visit the cities of Paris, Saint-Denis, Lourdes, and Metz.

A meeting with French culture, history, faith, society

Bruni spoke about some of the themes that may emerge from this Journey. He explained that the Pope will be meeting with the French society, “its people, its culture, its history,” but also with its “faith” and with a Church that has dedicated itself greatly “to the country’s most fragile sons and daughters, to the poorest.”

He spoke about a country that is asking itself questions about society, humanity and life and the relationship with science and technological progress and artificial intelligence. He also spoke about a country that is open to the world and said that one "can expect a reference to situations of conflict." 

Bruni also highlighted the role of the Church in French society as it tries to respond to today’s challenges. He noted the history and richness of the French Church, which has seen an increase in baptisms in recent years, with 13,000 adults baptized at Easter 2026.

The Director of the Holy See Press Office then explained how UNESCO is a place where “humanity reflects on itself, on its history, on its future,” with a focus on the value of art and education as a vehicle for peace. 

He also noted how the environment will be an important element, as it is closely related to culture. The Holy See and UNESCO will additionally be celebrating 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.

Lastly, Matteo Bruni underlined Europe, its future and its past, as an important theme in the last leg of the trip, the border city of Metz. Unity, diversity, peace and openness to other cultures are all important topics in this last sequence.

The papal delegation

Members of the papal delegation will include Cardinal José Tolentino de Mendonça, Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education; Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura; Cardinal George Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue; and Archbishop Filippo Iannone, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. 

The Vatican’s Secretariat of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin will not be able to attend as he will be at the United Nations in New York.

Previous papal journeys to France

Pope Leo XIV will be walking in his predecessors' footsteps with this Journey to France. Pope Francis visited Strasbourg (2014), Marseille (2023) and Corsica (2024) for specific events or moments; however, he never undertook an official state visit to France.

Pope Benedict XVI went to the country in 2008 for the 150th anniversary of the apparitions of Lourdes, while Pope John Paul II visited France 8 times, including one trip to the overseas territory of Réunion in the Indian Ocean in 1989.

Pope Leo XIV’s Polish predecessor is the only other Pope to have been to UNESCO. He spoke at the UN agency dedicated to education, science and culture in 1980.

New Holy See Permanent Observer to UN: Hate speech is not freedom of expression

The new Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, Archbishop Christophe Z. El Kassis, presented his letter of appointment to the UN Secretary-General António Guterres on 16 September.

A day later, on 17 September, Archbishop El Kassis gave his first address at the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech in New York.

Addressing the Chair, the Archbishop reiterated the Holy See’s position that each and every individual is made in the image and likeness of God and has an inalienable dignity that cannot be lessened by any expression or ideology of hatred.

He stressed that “from this foundational truth flows the moral imperative to reject every form of intolerance, discrimination, and hate speech that wounds the human family and undermines the conditions for peaceful coexistence.”

Any hate speech—directed at either individuals or communities because of their religion, race, nationality, or any other characteristic—goes against the commandment to love one’s neighbor. Moreover, it “poisons public discourse, inflames division, and too often prepares the ground for violence and persecution.”

Archbishop El Kassis turned to the words of Pope Leo XIV in his Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas: “The first contribution we can make toward a more humane civilization is to be mindful of our words.” Words have great power. The first step in weaving “the fabric of social peace and foster a culture of dialogue, tolerance and respect for differences” is taken when we disarm our words.

Yet, the new Permanent Observer argued that words are not enought to build peace. Authentic tolerance does not equal indifference or relativism. Rather, it means actively acknowledging each individual’s dignity and their own freedom of conscience. Patience in achieving dialogue, mutual understanding, and rejecting stereotypes is essential to true tolerance.

“In this spirit the Holy See promotes interreligious and intercultural dialogue as an essential path toward overcoming prejudice and building a better world for all,” Archbishop El Kassis explained.

A fundamental right

“Freedom of expression is a fundamental right that must be protected,” the Archbishop stressed. However, this freedom comes with responsibilities.

Any words or speech that intentionally provoke violence or hatred cannot “claim the protection of liberty; rather it erodes the very conditions in which genuine freedom can flourish.”

As the Pope’s encyclical urges, we must “disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred; let us free it from aggression. We do not need loud, forceful communication, but rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice. Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world. Disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different view of the world and to act in a manner consistent with our human dignity.”

About Archbishop El Kassis

Born on 24 August 1968 in Beirut, Lebanon, Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis was ordained a priest of the Archeparchy of Beirut of the Maronites on 21 May 1994. 

Six years later, he joined the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See and has been worked at the Pontifical Representations in Indonesia, Sudan, and Türkiye.

FILE PHOTO: Archbishop El-Kassis was appointed Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York in July 2026

In 2018, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Pakistan and on 19 January 2019, he received the episcopal consecration from Cardinal Pietro Parolin in St. Peter's Basilica.

On 25 July 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed Archbishop El-Kassis as Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York.

Fatima to keep Rupnik mosaic despite possible 2027 papal visit

Despite apparent papal approval for plans to cover mosaics by the disgraced Fr. Marko Rupnik in other cities, the international Marian shrine of Fátima, Portugal, does not plan to remove or cover a massive Rupnik mosaic.

While Church leaders in Fátima say they do not plan to cover the Rupnik mosaic, some Portuguese ecclesiastical leaders have told The Pillar that they believe that art from the allegedly sexual abusive Rupnik should be judged distinctly from the man who created it.

With the prospect of a papal visit to Fátima next year, it is possible the shrine will face ongoing questions over the controversial mosaics.

Rupnik is currently on trial in the Vatican, accused of multiple counts of sexual, spiritual, and psychological abuse of dozens of women. Some cases of abuse are alleged to have taken place as part of the creation process of his artwork, which has been featured prominently in numerous sites across the world.

The disgraced priest, who was expelled from the Jesuits in 2023, was previously briefly excommunicated for the canonical crime of absolving a sexual partner, though later reinstated.

Amid global outrage over the priest’s conduct, some shrines and churches have begun covering mosaics created by Rupnik and his studio, which can be found in churches around the world.

But last year, the Fátima shrine issued a statement saying it would not remove the Rupnik mosaic.

“The Shrine of Fátima categorically condemns the acts committed by Father Rupnik and has already expressed its solidarity with the victims,” the statement said. “We are not considering removing the mosaic panel by the Aletti Centre, which is located in the Basilica of the Holy Trinity. However, since we became aware of the allegations against Marko Rupnik, we have suspended the use of the image, both in its entirety and any details thereof, in our promotional materials.”

The decision to leave the mosaic untouched runs counter to that taken recently by the shrine in Lourdes, France. The bishop of Lourdes recently told a French magazine that he was following Pope Leo’s guidance in ordering the mosaics at the site to be permanently covered.

In an interview with Paris Match, published Aug. 31, Bishop Jean-Marc Micas of Lourdes said that Pope Leo asked him during an audience how the shrine was handling the Rupnik image at the site, and expressed approval for the decision to cover it.

The bishop said Pope Leo told him that he had personally ordered the Vatican to stop using Rupnik’s images in its communications materials.

After those statements, The Pillar asked the Fátima shrine whether its position about its own Rupnik mosaic had changed, but was told there is no update to the shrine’s stance.

The Pillar spoke with a number of bishops and influential Church figures in Portugal about the controversial mosaics. Several defended their continuing presence at the holy sites, saying the artist and the artwork should be viewed separately.

One cleric, who asked not to be identified because he holds positions of responsibility within the shrine, said destroying the artwork could be seen as “puritanism.”

The cleric suggested that maintaining the art might in fact be a way of honoring those who had worked on the project with Rupnik, and who were not responsible for his crimes, but may even have been victims themselves.

Bishop Virgílio Antunes, president of the Portuguese bishops’ conference and chairman of the National Council of the Fátima Shrine, said that in his view, “one cannot separate the artwork from the context and the circumstances in which it was created.”

Still, he continued, neither he nor the bishops’ conference “believe that, at this moment, there are reasons to propose any change to the position already taken by the shrine” — namely, keeping the mosaic in place.

Antunes acknowledged to The Pillar that the bishops’ conference has not held any specific consultations with victims on the matter.

The bishops’ conference “naturally recognizes the importance of listening to and supporting the victims, and of taking into consideration their suffering and dignity, and hopes that this is being done at the most local levels and within the framework of the canonical process reportedly underway at the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith,” he said.

Sofia Marques, part of the Portuguese Jesuits’ safeguarding team, told The Pillar that the presence of a 500 square-meter mosaic in the sanctuary of the Basilica in Fatima could very well be “a source of suffering for people who have been hurt, not only Rupnik’s victims, but any victim of abuse in a Catholic setting, be it sexual or spiritual in nature.”

But in her view, a top-down decision to remove or cover the mosaic may be an inadequate solution.

“My concern in this case is that any unilateral decision might not feel like a protection of the victims, but once again of disenfranchisement, an exercise of power in which their opinions are not taken into account,” she said.

Marques instead suggested the creation of a memorial sign or “trigger warning” near the mosaic to recognize the suffering of victims.

While the controversy over the Rupnik image continues, it is possible that the pope himself could take action ahead of a possible visit to Fatima for the anniversary of the apparitions.

The shrine’s own bylaws state explicitly that “as part of its specific oversight of shrines, it is the responsibility of the Apostolic See to issue guidelines, which will be followed by the Shrine.”

The bishops contacted by The Pillar confirmed that if the Vatican were to order the removal of the mosaic, the shrine would comply, though they were skeptical that the pope would exercise this option.

One bishop suggested that Leo could visit Fátima without entering the Basilica of the Holy Trinity, where the Rupnik image is located. Both Pope Francis and Pope Benedict held open-air masses in Fátima, without ever visiting the basilica, which was built in 2007.

New Eichstätter Bishop Würtz state sworn in

The appointed Eichstätter Bishop Christian Würtz was sworn in by the state on Friday. In front of the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), the 55-year-old Würtz swore in the Munich Prince Carl Palace "Germany and the State of Bavaria" the loyalty. 

Würtz put his right hand on a Bible. 

Behind the opened oath formula was a crucifix on the table. Würtz is to be introduced to the post as archbishop on 4. October in the Eichstätter Dom; he will then be the youngest local bishop in Germany. 

Würtz was appointed Bishop of Eichstätt by Pope Leo XIV in July, currently he is still auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Freiburg.

With the oath, a bishop in Bavaria and his priests commit themselves to respect for the constitutional order. 

In their speeches, Söder and Würtz committed themselves to a close cooperation between the state and the church. Söder said it was his wish that the Church remain close to the people and was also present in their everyday lives. 

But unlike a charity, it should not lose sight of the last questions of life. The most important task is to give hope. 

Würtz seems optimistic to him, this is already a good sign in times when some expected the end of the world for the next day.

The future Bishop of Eichstatt objected to the fact that the oath of allegiance was a sign of the subordination of the Church to the State or an inadmissible mixing of both spheres. 

"Fidelity to the Gospel and to the Church is not contrary to responsibility to our country and to the people who live here. In view of the Christian character of our country and the Free State, one is almost tempted to say: quite the opposite. 

Würtz emphasized: "Given the liberal and democratic system that is given to us in Germany and in Bavaria, I not only find it easy to assure me that everything that is in my limited power to avert damage from this state, but it is almost pushing itself up." 

The Church does not simply see itself as a profiteer of state and constitutional freedoms. “It binds itself in all freedom.”

Würtz sees himself in the tradition of Oli Kahn

Given his move from Baden to Bavaria, the 55-year-old drew some connecting lines to other prominent immigrants "who have moved to Bavaria and have suffered very well there." 

Würtz named Bayern's first queen Karoline, conductor Joseph Keilberth and goalkeeping legend Oliver Kahn. "Everything native of Karlsruhe like me." Würtz stated that his references to Bavaria were not exuberant, but there were some: "After all, my father's grandmother was born in 1917 in the Kingdom of Bavaria, as is noted on her birth certificate. However, this was in Königsbach near Neustadt an der Weinstraße." 

This part of the Palatinate belonged to Bavaria at that time. He also lived in Würzburg for a year during his priestly training.

"I have also been to many areas of Bavaria for very different reasons: for a holiday in the Chiemgau and in Ottobeuren, for the pilgrimage in Altötting, for an acquaintance and museum visit in Munich, to retreats at Schloss Hirschberg, to the cultural trip in Bamberg and Nuremberg." His image of Bavaria therefore feeds not only from the common clichés, but also from his own experience.

"And I can therefore, at the beginning of my time in Bavaria, not only say: It could have been worse, but: I have caught it well or more correctly: the Holy Father meant well with me." Söder assured him: "You're not a native of Bayer, but that's not bad." 

The Munich Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the chairman of the Freising Bishops’ Conference, predicted that he had no worries that – as with him as a native of Westphalia – inculturation in the Free State will succeed. The Bavarian anthem at the end of the ceremony did not yet sing Würtz.

Survivors lose faith in Redress Scheme (UK)

MEMBERS of the Redress Scheme’s survivor advisory group have raised concerns about the scheme in a letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In the letter published on Tuesday, the members say that they can no longer endorse the scheme, which was established to offer meaningful recognition to victims and survivors of Church-related abuse.

“We have borne endless delays, apologies, and changes in staff to try to deliver a satisfactory scheme,” they wrote. “We have repeatedly heard representatives of the church claiming that the scheme is being developed in collaboration with survivors. This is only partially true. In key areas and especially in recent months, we have not been consulted at all and, where we have been consulted, our views have not been taken into account.”

Among their concerns is that, under current proposals, survivors who need funding for therapeutic support will be required to submit to a fresh psychiatric assessment. The letter also suggests that the maximum award of £667,000 is “effectively impossible with the current tariff” and laments an apparent lack of work on restorative justice and accountability.

The scheme, first announced in 2020, is set to be launched “in the latter part of 2026”, according to the latest online information. Over the years, members of the advisory group have played a part in shaping the scheme, meeting twice a month and sending representatives to the scheme’s board. Over the summer, more than 40 potential applicants participated in engagement events, as the scheme is was being prepared for delivery.

On Wednesday, a Church House spokesperson expressed gratitude for the advisory group’s “time, experience, and expertise they have contributed” and said that survivor involvement had “played an important role throughout the scheme’s development”.

“The Church of England remains committed to delivering a Redress Scheme that acknowledges harm and provides meaningful redress for those who have experienced Church-related abuse,” the spokesperson said.

The scheme’s rules, approved by the General Synod in July, are still awaiting final parliamentary approval. An online FAQ states that, once this is complete, “there will be a period of time where we will need to finish preparing readying systems, staffing, and communications so that the scheme can be delivered effectively and responsibly.”

St. Peter’s Basilica completes mosaic restoration of ornate chapel dome

St. Peter’s Basilica, which is marking 400 years since its consecration, has completed a mosaic restoration in the dome of one of its most ornate chapels.

The Fabbrica di San Pietro — the Vatican institution responsible for maintaining St. Peter’s — announced the project’s completion on Sept. 17. 

The announcement described the project as necessary to conserve “one of the most significant decorative achievements of early seventeenth-century Rome.” 

The Italian Mannerist painter Cristofano Roncalli (also known as “Il Pomarancio”) created the mosaics between 1601 and 1604.

The Clementine Chapel, distinct from another of the same name in the Vatican Grottoes, contains the Altar of St. Gregory the Great (where he is buried), the monument to Pope Pius VII, the Altar of the Lie, and the Altar of the Transfiguration.

The restoration included preliminary inspections of the mosaics, cleaning and dust removal, removal of incompatible materials, and efflorescence treatment.

The Clementine Chapel was commissioned by Pope Clement VIII, who reigned from 1592–1605. It was begun and designed by the renowned Italian artist Michelangelo Buonarroti, who also designed the main dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. 

The Italian architect Giacomo della Porta completed the chapel’s dome in 1580, 20 years before the jubilee year of 1600.

The mosaics were restored as St. Peter’s Basilica marked the 400th anniversary of its consecration. In February, the Vatican announced that it will open new parts of the basilica — including the full terrace — and roll out a “SmartPass” digital entry system.

The basilica, which replaced an earlier Constantinian basilica, was consecrated by Pope Urban VIII on Nov. 18, 1626.

Archbishop Costelloe discusses challenges facing Church in Australia

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe discussed the challenges of building structures and changing the culture to eliminate sexual abuse, and the Church’s commitment to being a synodal, missionary church in a country where multiculturalism, social cohesion and improving the situation of its Aboriginal peoples, are all works in progress.

About 20 per cent of Australia’s 28 million people are Catholic, and the same is true of Perth. 

The archdiocese has some 500,000 Catholics, served by 150 priests in 100 parishes. 

The religious orders of women “have been very significant in this archdiocese and in Australia generally,” Archbishop Costelloe said. He mentioned the Josephite, Good Samaritan, Presentation, Mercy and Dominican sisters.

“They have done extraordinary work, but their numbers now are diminishing and many are quite elderly.”

Archbishop Costelloe has played a leading role in promoting synodality in the Church in Australia, first as president of its Plenary Council (October 2021 and July 2022), and subsequently in assisting the Vatican prepare for the Synod on Synodality (2023-2024), to which Pope Francis appointed him as one of its presidents.

He is now engaged in its implementation as president of the conference and an elected member of the Synod Council.

Questioned about the role of lay people in the Church, Archbishop Costelloe said, “The involvement of lay people in the Church in Australia has been very significant for a long time, particularly in areas like education, healthcare, and social outreach.” 

Asked what he identifies as the main issues facing the Church in his homeland, Archbishop Costelloe said, “One of the main challenges and projects that the whole Church in Australia is engaged in is precisely this transformation into a more synodal missionary Church. That’s what the Plenary Council called us to do, and it’s what the universal Synod called us to do,” he said. 

“Australians tend to be a very practical sort of people, so we haven’t yet created massive structures around this synodal journey but in each diocese the bishops are reading the situation in their own context and responding appropriately.” 

Applications by mother and baby home survivors for redress boosted by awareness campaign

An additional 202 people have applied for the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme since the launch of a nationwide public awareness campaign on 24 August. 

This is a welcome increase and represents a 360% or fourfold increase in the weekly rate of applications, from an average of 14 per week prior to the launch of the campaign to 58 in the first week of the campaign.

It brings the number of applicants to the scheme to almost 7,600, with over 5,500 payments made under the scheme so far.

The Scheme has recorded marked increases in applications, calls to its new confidential Freephone service, requests for paper application forms and online enquiries.

The 12-week campaign is running across national and local print, radio, digital and social media. 

This phase builds on previous awareness-raising efforts undertaken since the Scheme launched in March 2024. 

The Scheme remains open for applications until 2029.

People who spent time in Mother and Baby Institutions are encouraged to find out more about the Scheme and whether they may be eligible for financial payments and / or health supports.

Applications are confidential, with information and support available throughout the process. Applicants do not need to provide institutional records, exact dates or detailed accounts of their experiences.

Anyone seeking further information can visit the Scheme’s dedicated website paymentscheme.ie or call the confidential Scheme’s Freephone service on 1800 843 354. 

Family members, carers and friends are also encouraged to support anyone who may be eligible to find out more.

Information is available nationwide through primary care centres, public libraries, post offices, nursing homes and Citizens Information offices.

Dorothy Day’s canonization cause shouldn’t be that controversial (Opinion)

Jesus wasn’t much of a Christian. Apparently, his commandments are “in acute conflict with key Church teachings.” 

This is the apparent conclusion of S.V. Arbogast in an essay titled “Dorothy Day’s Complicated Cause for Sainthood” for First Things earlier this year, in which the author proposes that Day’s canonization be stalled while we debate her heroic virtues.

Arbogast claims her cause of canonization has “rested” since Pope Benedict XVI spoke well of her. That is not the case at all. Pope Francis, in his 2015 address to the U.S. Congress, praised her for her work on behalf of the poor and social justice. In a forward to a new edition of one of her books, Pope Francis referred to Day as “a great witness to faith, hope and charity in the 20th century.”

Months before Arbogast’s article, Pope Leo XIV described Dorothy Day as “a small but great American woman who had fire within her.”

“Dorothy Day took a stand,” Leo told a gathering of Jubilee pilgrims last November. “She saw that the development model of her country did not create the same opportunities for everyone; she understood that the dream was a nightmare for too many of them, that as a Christian she had to become involved with workers, migrants, those discarded by a deadly economy.”

Since Arbogast’s article was published in April, Leo has again praised Dorothy Day … twice! In his May encyclical “Magnifica Humanitas” (“Magnificent Humanity”), the pontiff lists Dorothy Day, among others, “whose commitment has contributed to making history more humane.” (“Magnifica Humanitas,” #124).

July saw the publication of Pope Leo’s “Disarmed and Disarming,” a collection of his reflections on peace, disarmament, and nonviolence in a conflict-torn world. Among those cited for their exemplary resistance to corruption, solidarity with the poor, and dedication to peace and diplomacy is none other than Dorothy Day.

Since the First Things essay, news has emerged that the first part of the file of evidence submitted for Day’s cause for sainthood has been approved by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, and that the entire file may be delivered to Rome by the end of the year.

One of the reasons for Day’s papal attention was her work in Houses of Hospitality. The folks at the soup kitchen are ungrateful and smelly, their conversation taxes one’s patience and, perhaps worst of all, their clothes don’t match. To serve them once a month is an intense mortification. Day served them day in and day out for 50 years. Her writings of everyday life in this environment give witness to a heroic imitation of Christ in his most demanding requirements.

Heroic imitation of Christ isn’t sufficient for Arbogast, who builds his case for indefinitely deferring Day’s canonization on three violations of “centuries long Church doctrine”: State sovereignty, Just War Theory, and pacifism.

To my knowledge, Day never questioned the sovereignty of the United States vis-à-vis the sovereignty of other countries or the legitimacy of the Constitution. Her point was that individualism and consumerism had so corrupted the socio-economic system that she didn’t want anything to do with either party. Voting would only demonstrate an acceptance of this corruption.

Regarding just war theory, one of Jesus’ more pesky teachings — preceding any Church doctrine — is “love your enemies.” Just war theory is fine, as far as it goes, but does not enjoin anyone from abstaining from conflict. In fact, conflict avoidance through diplomacy seems to be the direction of papal instruction at least since St. Pope John Paul II.

Day’s experience with America’s entrance into World War I as a journalist for The New York Call and The Masses conforms with that of Major General Smedley Butler. After serving in the Spanish-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, the Banana Wars, and the five-year occupation of Honduras, Butler concluded that “War is a Racket” (the title of his 1935 book), promoting the interests of industrialists and inconsistent with foundational American principles.

Day’s pacifism was the reason she never became a communist. She refused to accept a violent overthrow of the system she loathed. Her anarchism was not the bomb-throwing kind, nor the affirmation of private judgment. 

After her conversion, it was an anarchism anchored to the authority of God; “the glorious freedom of the children of God” (Romans 8:21). Her “anarchy” was that one need not wait to be told what to do but take the initiative for improving one’s self and the world.

Arbogast further questions Day’s holiness for her endorsement of “giving up the right of self-defense.” Here again, was not Day obeying Christ’s instruction to “turn the other cheek”? Does such a witness not make a Christian wonder: Since when did the martyrs ever defend themselves?

It is no wonder that Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles praised Day as “one of the most gifted writers in Church history,” someone who “wanted to think like a saint and live like a saint.”

There is no need to debate Day’s virtues. We should all read her works and imitate her heroic virtues in the context of our own lives.

Aparecida shrine celebrates completion of Rupnik-designed western facade

While France’s Lourdes shrine moves to cover mosaics by Father Marko Rupnik, Brazil’s National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in São Paulo celebrated new installations by the artist, who faces decades of allegations of sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse.

Much like its elaborate inauguration ceremony in May 2025 for the shrine’s eastern facade, the celebration which included music, prayers, biblical dramatizations and fireworks was held Sept. 12 for the western facade.

The installation, which surrounds the entire basilica, is credited to the Centro Aletti, the art studio founded by Father Rupnik, whose canonical trial is still under review by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

However, a recent video posted online raised questions regarding the controversial priest’s participation in installing the mosaics despite the accusations of abusing women while working on similar projects in the past. 

In an interview with TV Aparecida, the diocese’s media channel, Father Fabio Evaristo, the shrine’s administrator, praised the latest installations, saying that those who visit “will remember the people who took part, who helped build them.”

“They will remember that one day, a wonderful family came together to accomplish this very special work,” he said. 

After the allegations were found credible, the Jesuits imposed restrictive measures on Father Rupnik. The priest’s refusal to obey prompted his dismissal from the Jesuits. However, less than two months after his dismissal, Father Rupnik was received into the Diocese of Koper in his native Slovenia. 

Since the allegations were revealed, calls to remove the priest’s artwork have grown, including from alleged victims who said the mosaics were a painful reminder of the abuse they suffered. 

While some shrines, like the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and the St. John Paul II Shrine in Washington, chose to fully or partially cover the artwork out of respect for alleged victims, the Shrine of Aparecida continued on with the massive installation of his mosaics. 

Redemptorists in Aparecida: last facade’s completion a ‘dream’

At the celebration, retired Archbishop Orlando Brandes of Aparecida blessed the west facade, saying the images depicting the history of salvation would be an “unwavering sign of hope and consolation for the pilgrim people.”

Addressing the crowds at the celebration, Father Evaristo thanked those who worked on and “all who made this dream a reality.”

“Thank you very much to all the people whose names will, from today onwards, be forever preserved behind these mosaics,” he said. 

It is unclear to what extent Father Rupnik participated in the project’s design and installation, or if there are any current restrictions in place while his case is decided by the DDF. 

In the video, which was published on TV Aparecida’s YouTube page Sept. 1, several people, including Archbishop Brandes, are shown placing the final stones in the mosaic. 

As one prelate placed a stone, a person standing next to him and giving instructions can be seen wearing a construction hat with the initials “MIR,” and bearing a strong physical resemblance to Father (Marko) Rupnik, whose middle name is Ivan.

OSV News reached out to the shrine’s communications office Sept. 17 to confirm whether the person was Father Rupnik, since the initials matched his full name. The office was also asked what guided its decision to allow the priest to continue despite pleas from victims and his ongoing canonical trial. 

Estimated cost of mosaics

The Centro Aletti, the art studio founded by Father Rupnik, did not publicly disclose the cost of the extensive mosaic pieces covering the shrine. 

However, at a May 20, 2025, press conference in Rome, Italian journalist Federica Tourn, who, along with fellow journalists Stefano Feltri and Giorgio Meletti launched the podcast “La Scomunica” (“The Excommunication”), told journalists that the priest and the art center he founded stand to make a significant profit off the mosaics in Aparecida.

According to Tourn, the first two completed facades cost “an estimated 6 million euros ($6.7 million).”

The cost can also be calculated based on the size of the mosaics in Aparecida and on the square-meter price of the mosaics designed by Father Rupnik, provided by Father Pietro Bortolini of Santa Maria delle Grazie Parish in the northern Italian town in Conegliano Veneto. 

Father Bortolini told OSV News that the mosaics installed by Centro Aletti in his parish church cost 160,000 euros, or 1,000 euros per square meter ($172,000 for 1,722 square feet).

The shrine in Aparecida said on its website that work on the west facade began in 2025 and was completed in 2026. 

“The nearly 4,000 square meters (43,000 square feet) of mosaics were conceived and executed by 39 mosaic artists from various religious denominations (Orthodox, Greek Catholic, Latin Catholic) and diverse nationalities, ages, and states of life (priests, consecrated religious, laypeople, and married individuals), all associated with the Aletti Center in Rome, Italy,” the shrine said.

“The work was funded by donations from the ‘Family of Devotees,’ an initiative that brings together the faithful to support the social, construction, and evangelization projects of the National Shrine of Aparecida,” the website said.

The estimated cost of the western facade calculated by OSV News according to information available, is $4.5 million.

The Family of Devotees, which posted pictures from the opening of the western facade on their Instagram, said that the images “will forever be part of the history of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida” and that a project, through art, “draws us closer to the Word of God and invites us to live out the Gospel, mercy, and hope.”

Catholic priest drafted into Belarusian army released after just two days

A Catholic priest in Belarus was drafted for military training—an unusual occurrence for the country. 

The summons were received by the rector of the parish of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Homiel, Father Aliaksandr Kananovich, leader of the Christian music project Step Project. 

A couple of days later, he was unexpectedly released. Believers learned about the conscription of Aliaksandr Kananovich into the army, as written in the Kataliki Belarusi community on Facebook.

According to believers, the priest was sent to a military unit in Asipovichy. Exactly where is unknown, but likely to an artillery brigade. 

According to press reports, it was there in recent days that residents of the Homiel region were massively summoned for military training to check the mobilization readiness of military units. The training lasts 60 days.

However, the rector stayed in the army for only a couple of days. He was suddenly released, and on September 17 he returned to Homiel.

Believers think that the bishop stood up for him: in conditions of an acute shortage of clergy, Father Aliaksandr remains the only priest in the large Homiel parish.

As a reminder: in May 2023, it became known that Catholic priests began to be drafted into compulsory service for the first time. 

Previously, there were no such cases—traditionally, both Orthodox and Catholic clergy were exempt from the obligation to undergo military service. 

However, on May 22, 2023, 26-year-old Father Dzmitry Malets, vicar of the parish of Saint Michael the Archangel in Navahrudak, was taken into the army.

It is revealing that the priest was drafted a month before reaching the maximum draft age — on June 18 he turned 27, after which Belarusians are exempt from compulsory service. 

Malets was sent to transport troops: likely because in this branch of the armed forces it is not mandatory to pick up weapons — servicemen there perform road work.

Ludmila Javorová, Czech woman secretly ordained as priest, dies at 94

Ludmila Javorová, a prominent member of Czechoslovakia's underground Catholic church who was secretly ordained as a priest during communist rule, has died at the age of 94.

Javorová died at a hospice in Rajhrad near Brno, according to Czech Christian news outlet Christnet. The Brno bishopric also paid tribute to her Thursday.

Her life represented an extraordinary chapter in Czech religious history. 

In December 1970, underground bishop Felix Maria Davídek secretly ordained Javorová first as a deacon and then as a priest as clandestine Catholic structures attempted to operate outside institutions controlled by the communist regime.

One reason for the controversial decision was the need to provide pastoral and sacramental care to imprisoned women, including nuns, who could not be reached by male priests.

A controversial place in Catholic history

Born in Brno in 1932, Javorová became one of Davídek's closest collaborators in the 1960s and helped build Koinótés, an underground Catholic community established in response to communist persecution.

Her ordination was controversial even within the clandestine church. The Roman Catholic Church does not permit the ordination of women to the priesthood and later formally told Javorová that her ordination was invalid.

In 1996, church authorities informed her that she could not exercise priestly ministry. Javorová nevertheless maintained throughout her life that she regarded the priesthood as her calling.

After the Velvet Revolution, she worked as a religious education teacher and increasingly spoke publicly about her experience and the role of women in the Catholic Church.

Brno Bishop Pavel Konzbul remembered Javorová as an "extraordinary woman" who dedicated her life to serving others and the church, praising her education and long-standing work in the diocese.

Her story was documented in books, interviews and a 2023 Czech Radio documentary titled Ona je kněz (She Is a Priest).

U.S. bishops create an AI group and head to the Capitol to request limits

The Administrative Committee of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops unanimously approved on September 16 the creation of a working group on artificial intelligence, chaired by the Bishop of San José, California, Oscar Cantú. 

The decision was made on the same day that the bishops received representatives from technology companies and sector specialists at the conference headquarters, and subsequently more than a dozen of them traveled to the Capitol to ask legislators for safety limits on artificial intelligence.

The body is called Bishops’ Task Force on Preserving Human Dignity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, which can be translated as “Bishops’ Working Group to Preserve Human Dignity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Cantú himself confirmed that its creation was approved unanimously.

The official note from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops specifies that it has not yet been determined who will join the group alongside Cantú. It does define its scope of action: to promote policies and practices that protect human dignity, religious freedom, democratic institutions, workers, families, and vulnerable populations.

From Technology Companies to the Capitol

The meeting with the technology sector was held at the headquarters of the episcopal conference. The Administrative Committee is led by the Archbishop of Oklahoma City, Paul S. Coakley, president of the USCCB.

The conference has not made public the list of companies or attending representatives. According to its statement, the dialogue addressed how to keep any artificial intelligence system “at the service of humanity” and the urgent need to confront the real dangers posed by this technology.

The bishops hope that these conversations will help determine how the Church can contribute to the moral foundation of AI models, what measures companies can adopt to prevent improper uses of their products, and how to ensure human oversight of the technology.

After the meeting, more than a dozen bishops traveled to the Capitol to meet with members of Congress. The USCCB identifies two objectives: to demand “meaningful safety guarantees” for artificial intelligence and to support legislation aimed at protecting minors online. The conference has not publicly specified which specific bills it supported or with which congressmen it held the meetings.

“Time is of the Essence”

Cantú explained the meaning of the decision in terms of urgency. When speaking about artificial intelligence initiatives already emerging in parishes and dioceses, he argued that it is not necessary to try to control them from above because “time is of the essence.”

The bishop pointed out that the issue requires awareness and meaningful dialogue at all levels. The Church’s concern, he explained, encompasses the consequences of artificial intelligence on the person, human dignity, the family, society, and, in particular, the most vulnerable.

The initial mandate of the new group responds to that breadth: it is not limited to calling for regulation, but aims to intervene in the policies and practices that affect the use of this technology.

From Magnifica humanitas to the American Initiative

The doctrinal framework invoked by the conference is Magnifica humanitas, the first encyclical of Leo XIV, published in May and dedicated to the anthropological and social challenges of the technological revolution.

The USCCB itself presents its initiative as a response to the Pope’s call to “build forms of cooperation” and cultivate a culture of shared responsibility. The encyclical warns, among other things, that artificial intelligence tends to amplify the power of those who already have economic resources, specialized knowledge, and access to data.

The American conference thus creates a specific structure to translate that magisterium into its own action, four months after Leo XIV established an interdicasterial commission in the Vatican dedicated to the study, coordination, and oversight of issues related to artificial intelligence within the Holy See.

There is a difference in method worth noting. The Vatican commission works primarily on internal coordination within the Holy See. The American group incorporates from its inception a public and political dimension: on the same day of its creation, the bishops engaged in dialogue with industry representatives and brought their request for guarantees for artificial intelligence to Congress.

It is a more exposed position and also more useful, because the United States concentrates a large part of the companies developing this technology and federal decisions will condition the limits under which they operate.

Engaging with Industry and Requesting Limits from Congress

That position carries a risk, and the bishops assume it by maintaining simultaneous conversations with industry and with legislators. Sitting with those who develop the systems and then asking Congress for guarantees about their operation requires preserving independence between both spheres.

The USCCB has explained what it intends to obtain from dialogue with companies—protection against misuse, human oversight, and person-centered technology—but has not identified which companies participated nor detailed what role sector representatives will be able to play in the subsequent work of the new body.

The conference only indicates that it will promote policies and practices to protect human dignity, religious freedom, democratic institutions, workers, families, and vulnerable persons.

López Romero sets his departure for May 2027 and says Rome has still not listened to him

Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero has informed the Catholics of Rabat that he will submit his resignation upon turning 75 in May 2027, and that he is still awaiting a hearing from the Dicastery for Evangelization in the investigation concerning him. 

Both statements appear in a document dated September 12, which the archbishop drafted from Spain.

The relevant detail is not the timeline, which follows canonical norms, but the second statement. 

Two months after the accusations became public and more than a month after the apostolic visitation to his diocese, the cardinal maintains that he has still not been heard by the dicastery handling the case: “I am still awaiting a hearing from the Dicastery for Evangelization of Peoples, to which our diocese belongs, in order to provide explanations in the investigation concerning me.”

According to the information published about the case, his appearance was scheduled for September and was postponed, among other circumstances, due to the death of the father of Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, pro-prefect of the Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who traveled to the Philippines. Manuel Tagle Sr. died on September 6, at the age of 96.

An investigation opened since July

The accusations became known in early July, when the AFP agency reported that at least five women attributed to López Romero non-consensual touching and abuse of spiritual authority between 2009 and 2024 in Morocco, Paraguay, and Bolivia. 

The cardinal then denied having committed “any violence, aggression, or sexual harassment” and withdrew from public pastoral activity.

None of the accusations have led to any known criminal proceedings in Morocco. The Moroccan Prosecutor’s Office and Police told AFP that no complaint had been filed before the country’s courts.

The apostolic visitation took place between August 5 and 7 and was led by Bishop Hyacinthe Dione and Father Augustin Chako-Yodi. 

According to the archdiocese itself, the visitors heard members of the Pastoral Coordination Council and the Presbyteral Council, the individuals who had made accusations against the archbishop, and those who requested to testify. They returned to Rome on August 8 to continue the investigation and work on their conclusions.

The report of that visitation has not been published, nor is there any deadline for doing so. In August, the archdiocese also received an apostolic administrator.

A coadjutor with right of succession

On September 12, the same day López Romero dated his letter, Leo XIV appointed Mario León Dorado, an Oblate missionary and until then apostolic prefect of Western Sahara, as coadjutor archbishop of Rabat.

The figure of the coadjutor carries the right of succession: when López Romero’s resignation is accepted, Dorado will assume governance of the archdiocese without the need for a new appointment.

López Romero himself explained in his message that he must submit his resignation “no later than upon turning 75, in May 2027,” and that at that time León Dorado will become the titular archbishop of Rabat.

The sequence leaves an unusual order. First the succession is secured, then the departure date is set, and in the meantime the procedure that was meant to clarify the facts continues, according to López Romero himself, without the accused having been questioned. 

If the resignation comes in May 2027 and the investigation has not concluded before then, López Romero will have left the governance of Rabat without any public pronouncement from the Holy See on the accusations, and his status as cardinal will not be affected by his departure.

This is the weakness that this type of case continues to show. Departure due to age resolves the governance issue and leaves the question of accountability untouched. 

Nothing prevents the dicastery from concluding the case afterward, but there is also no publicly known deadline for its conclusion nor any commitment to make the result public.

Neither the Holy See Press Office nor the Dicastery for Evangelization have publicly reported on the specific status of the investigation. 

The claim that López Romero has still not been heard comes from the cardinal himself; the postponement of his appearance and the circumstances that motivated it have been reported by media outlets following the case. Rome has not publicly confirmed these details.

More atheists than practicing Catholics: Spain's new religious map

Spain records a new indicator of the advance of secularization. 17.1% of Spaniards declare themselves atheists, compared to 15.9% who define themselves as practicing Catholics, according to the September 2026 Barometer of the Sociological Research Center (CIS). 

The survey, conducted on a sample of 4,042 people, thus places atheists 1.2 points above practicing Catholics.

The data, however, does not mean that atheists are more numerous than Catholics in Spain. 

Another 38.5% define themselves as non-practicing Catholics, so practicing and non-practicing together account for 54.4% of respondents. Added to these are 3.2% of believers of other religions, while agnostics represent 12.2% and the indifferent or non-believers, 11.3%.

17.1% declare themselves atheists and 15.9% practicing Catholics

The classification comes from a self-definition question. The CIS directly asks the interviewee if they consider themselves «practicing Catholic, non-practicing Catholic, believer of another religion, agnostic, indifferent or non-believer, or atheist.» It does not, therefore, establish a prior criterion of Mass attendance to decide who belongs to the category of practicing Catholic.

The complete distribution reveals the magnitude of the distance between Catholic identity and religious practice. Of the 4,042 interviewees, 642 declared themselves practicing Catholics and 1,556 non-practicing Catholics, compared to 692 atheists, 495 agnostics, 458 indifferent or non-believers, and 129 believers of other religions.

The barometer also offers a marked difference according to ideological self-placement. Among those who place themselves on the far left of the scale, 28.6% declare themselves atheists and 8% practicing Catholics. On the far right, the percentages are 9.9% and 47.6%, respectively.

More than half of believers never or almost never go to Mass

The CIS subsequently asks those who have defined themselves as Catholics or believers of another religion about their attendance at Mass or other religious services, excluding weddings, communions, funerals, and other ceremonies of a social nature. 

Of that group of 2,327 people, 26.2% respond that they never attend and another 26.4% that they do so almost never. 23.6% attend several times a year and 8.8% two or three times a month. Only 10.4% say they attend every Sunday and holiday and 3.8% several times a week.

The breakdown by religious identification is particularly significant. Among those who define themselves as practicing Catholics, 33.4% claim to attend every Sunday and holiday and 10.3% several times a week. Another 22.9% do so two or three times a month and 23.7% several times a year. Even within this group, 3.6% admit to never attending and 5% almost never.

Among non-practicing Catholics, on the contrary, 34.8% never attend and 35.8% almost never. Barely 1% claim to attend every Sunday and holiday.

Practicing Catholics have a more aged profile

Age shows another considerable difference between the different groups. Those over 75 years of age constitute 27% of all respondents who declare themselves practicing Catholics, despite representing 13.5% of the total sample. Among atheists, that age group accounts for only 5.6%.

The relationship is reversed among the youngest. People aged 18 to 24 represent 7% of the total practicing Catholics and 12.5% of the total atheists. Among those aged 25 to 34, the percentages are 7.4% and 16.4%, respectively.

The new barometer therefore paints a Spain in which Catholic identity continues to be the majority, but with a considerable gap between belonging and practice.