Friday, October 23, 2026
Holy See signs agreement with Honduras
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The agreement, made up of 25 articles, “consolidates the existing good bilateral relations, safeguards the legal personality of the Church, and promotes fruitful cooperation between the Church and the State in advancing the common good and the spiritual, human, and cultural values of the Honduran people,” a statement released by the Holy See Press Office explained.
Contents of the Agreement
The agreement also seeks to further guarantee religious freedom – in line with the Second Vatican Council’s 1965 Declaration on this topic Dignitatis Humanae – including freedom of worship and the freedom of the Church to carry out its mission.
“The bilateral Agreement reaffirms the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, in accordance with international human rights instruments,” the statement emphasizes.
“The State recognizes the Church’s right to operate according to its own rules, to govern itself, and to freely appoint its ministers of religion. It also guarantees the right to conscientious objection and safeguards the inviolability of the sacramental seal, without conditions or limitations, as well as the confidentiality of pastoral workers, equivalent to that afforded to information disclosed in confession,” it continues.
“Furthermore, the Church’s right to establish educational and charitable institutions is recognized, as is its right to provide spiritual assistance and pastoral care to people residing in social care, educational, healthcare, and penitentiary institutions, whether public or private. Finally, pastoral care for members of the armed forces and police will be facilitated.”
The agreement will enter into force on the day the instruments of ratification are exchanged and is subject to the ratification procedures envisioned by both legal systems.
Signing ceremony in Apostolic Palace
Following the signing ceremony, those present held a meeting in which they discussed the Church’s positive contribution to the human, social, and cultural development of the country, as well as several matters of mutual interest at the regional and international levels.
Other attendees at the ceremony included, from the Holy See, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations; Monsignor Javier Domingo Fernández González, Chief of Protocol of the Secretariat of State; Monsignor Carlos Díaz Paniagua, Official of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations; and Monsignor Francisco Javier Díaz Tenza, Official of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations.
The Honduran delegation included Mireya Agüero de Corrales, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Juan Carlos García Medina, Minister of the Presidency; Gilliam Noemí Gómez Guifarro, Ambassador of the Republic of Honduras to the Holy See.
Fr Willie Doyle a model of ‘healthy masculinity’ for young men, says bishop
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The Bishop of Meath said Fr Doyle’s sacrifice and daily fidelity to the faith were resonating with young Catholics.
“I think we’re seeing something new in the Church at the moment with Gen Z. I think the relationship between Gen Z and religion is fascinating,” he said, pointing to the age profile of those attending. “I also think there’s a need for healthy forms of masculinity in society, in the Church and I think Doyle certainly is one of those.”
“I think Doyle has something powerful to offer so many young people of today’s age,” he added.
Fr Doyle, a Jesuit from Dalkey, was killed while ministering to wounded soldiers at Passchendaele in 1917.
Ahead of the ceremony, the postulator for the cause, Fr John Hogansaid that young men were drawn to Fr Doyle’s courage. “A lot of young guys, when they hear about Willie, they’re very attracted to him because he is this model, this heroic model,” he said. “They want good, wholesome heroes who inspire them.”
Fr Hogan stressed that this heroism was formed through years of prayer and small sacrifices. “Every day requires heroism”, he said.
Fr Luke DeMasi, who plays Fr Doyle in an upcoming film by the Home of the Mother, said young people today faced “a different kind of battle”.
“They’re bombarded with dark thoughts, with a lack of meaning in their life,” he said, adding that Fr Doyle’s example could encourage priests to seek out those in spiritual danger.
Bishop Deenihan expressed his confidence in the cause: “I believe in the cause of Willie Doyle. I believe he is a saint. And I think he has something to offer our time.”
The inquiry, opened in 2022, has gathered testimony and historical and theological assessments, expected to be brought to the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints next month.
SSPX announces upcoming documentary about July consecrations
“Through exclusive testimonies and previously unseen images, the film revisits the reasons for these episcopal consecrations, their preparations, the unfolding of the ceremony and the reactions it aroused,” FSSPX News announced Tuesday.
The consecrations of four new SSPX bishops on July 1 triggered the Vatican’s declaration of automatic excommunications of its new total of six bishops. The SSPX has defended the consecrations as necessary to preserve the essential work of the Society, in service of the salvation souls.
The film is titled Salus Animarum in honor of this “principle to which the SSPX intends to remain faithful: the salvation of souls is the supreme law,” the Society explained.
The documentary will air on November 1, All Saints Day, on the SSPX’s official YouTube channel.
The SSPX is rejected canonical regularization by the Vatican because it insists it has a duty to clearly call out Vatican II’s apparent contradictions of perennial Church teaching such as its statement that “the human person has a right to religious freedom.”
Canon lawyer Father Gerald Murray has pointed out that the Vatican’s document pronouncing the excommunications does not have legal effect in excommunicating any SSPX priests or laypeople attending their Masses.
In addition, the SSPX has filed a preliminary canonical appeal against the Vatican decree of excommunication issued on July 2, suspending its force under canon law.
Leo XIV-appointed nun again says women ‘may hear the call to priesthood’
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The nun, who is currently the superior general of the Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles, during an October 20 interview with EWTN News, stood by the previous erroneous remarks that she made during a 2024 Synod on Synodality assembly that women “may hear the call to priesthood.”
Barron also falsely claimed that some female saints heard this “call” to the priesthood.
“Who am I to say whether the door is open or closed (to ‘women priests’)?” the nun told EWTN News. “Women today may hear the call to priesthood. Some of the great women saints heard that call also. So for me, itʼs how do we within Church facilitate that discernment?”
“What do we do as a Church to accompany that discernment to see if, yes, this is what the Spirit is calling the entire Church to or not at this point?” she added. Then, “in the discernment, thereʼs always a choice at the end. Itʼs either yes or no.”
In his 1994 apostolic letter Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, Pope John Paul II reaffirmed the perennial Church teaching that it is impossible for women to validly receive the sacrament of Holy Orders:
Wherefore, in order that all doubt may be removed regarding a matter of great importance, a matter which pertains to the Church’s divine constitution itself, in virtue of my ministry of confirming the brethren (cf. Lk 22:32) I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful.
As previously reported by LifeSiteNews, during a 2024 Synod on Synodality assembly in Vatican City, Barron said we should not look at the question of women’s ordination in terms of whether they can be ordained “from a theological or a canonical point of view.”
“I think we have to look at the question very much from … the Spirit. ‘Is the Spirit calling women?’ Because some women do sense a call to priesthood or diaconate,” she said, according to EWTN News.
“I think one of the calls from this synod is to share the possibilities that are open to women for governance, leadership roles within the Church, and there are many good practices from all around the world,” she told a journalist at the time. “But we as Catholics are very ignorant of the possibilities that are there.”
The nun will assume her new position as adjunct secretary of the Dicastery for Evangelization on January 4, 2027. In this role, Barron will be president of the Pontifical Mission Societies.
Pieper Foundation admits mistakes in honoring U.S. bishop Barron
The Josef Pieper Foundation admits a mistake, but rejects political intentions and offers a new conference.
More than a year after the debate over the awarding of its prize to the US bishop Robert Barron, the Josef Pieper Foundation in Münster has admitted mistakes in dealing with the event at the time.
At the same time, it rejects the impression that the award of prizes is to be understood as a political statement or as closeness to the New Right.
In a letter to the Münster diocesan newspaper "Kirche+Leben", the foundation board of the Catholic Academy Franz-Hitze-Haus in Münster also offers a joint conference on Barron and his theology.
The foundation wants to preserve and make accessible the work of the philosopher Josef Pieper (1904–1997).
In July 2025, she awarded the Josef Pieper Prize to Barron and held a symposium on this occasion. There were protests against the award ceremony.
Critics accused Barron, among other things, of a proximity to the political environment of US President Donald Trump and a combination of tradition-oriented Catholicism with authoritarian-exclusive social ideas.
Criticism of a lack of culture of dispute
In a recent interview with "Kirche+Leben," the director of the Franz-Hitze-Haus, Johannes Sabel, had criticized, among other things, that the public controversy surrounding Barron had not been made the subject of the symposium.
Sabel spoke of a retreat into his own world of thought and feeling and advocated a more open culture of contention.
The foundation's board of directors now declares that it has underestimated the political dimension of the event.
The fact that parts of the press had been excluded from the symposium was a mistake in retrospect. At the same time, the foundation emphasizes that the decision for Barron as a laureate was theologically and philosophically justified and not political.
Foundation rejects political accusations
The foundation is thus opposed to a political classification of the US bishop, which is too strong from their point of view.
The awarding of the prize can and should be disputed.
Barron’s public statements and his socio-political references are also legitimate issues of critical discussion. But a proximity to new-right positions or even a co-responsibility for their political successes is not justified by the decision for the awardee.
Sabel had warned in the interview against an appropriation of Christian terms by the New Rights. This tries to use Christian ideas in order to make their own program as socially normal. He spoke of a normalization and trivialization strategy.
The Foundation is now proposing to continue the dispute publicly at a joint meeting.
According to the foundation, both sides could each appoint speakers for this purpose.
In particular, it should be clarified whether the accusation of a capture of Josef Pieper and an intellectual undercutting of his thinking in connection with the award ceremony rightly exists.
Controversial altar reconstruction in Weingarten: "Further talks to follow"
The dispute over the planned redesign of the altar room in the Basilica of Weingarten in the district of Ravensburg continues – despite a multi-hour information and discussion event on Wednesday evening.
Father Ekkehard Schmid and the parish council want a new altar, but an initiative wants to preserve the historic, baroque altar of 1931 – more than 5,800 signatures were collected in a petition.
At the invitation of the parish council, numerous faithful and citizens came to the Basilica on Wednesday evening to find out about the plans for the new altar. Supporters and critics spoke, it moderated the Ravensburg member of the Bundestag Axel Müller (CDU).
The result?
"Further formats of conversation follow before the parish council passes on its results as a vote to the bishop, who ultimately decides," the diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart announced on Thursday afternoon.
Bishop Klaus Krämer has been in office since December 2024.
Costs currently at 175,000 euros
In 2024, the parish of Sankt Martin, in coordination with the diocese, had organised an idea competition for the redesign of the altar room of the Weingartn Basilica. The design by the Austrian sculptor Albrecht Zauner won. The project is funded by the church community.
According to the current data, the costs for the redesign amount to 175,000 euros for ambo, altar, seating in the altar room (sedils), tabernacle and relic stele including artist fee, of which 100,000 euros would already be available through long-term, earmarked reserves.
"The validity of the decision of the parish council for Zauner's draft confirmed the diocese," the bishopric's notice said.
Diocesan master builder Thomas Schwieren had put himself behind the judgment of the diocesan art commission that it was an "iconographically and theologically successful design".
Holy blood relic in focus
In his design, Zauner draws on historical circumstances when he provides a second, more intimate place for worship for the Holy Blood Relic kept in the altar in a stele in front of the northern side altar, where it was kept from 1724 to 1731.
The new altar, like the previous one, also contained a shrine in which the relic is usually visible.
According to legend, it contains earth mixed with the blood of Christ. Zauner had already stated that the focus was still on the relic, which would be more visible in the simple, white altar than in the reddish altar of 1931.
French State bans FSSPX processions in Lourdes citing terrorist threat and lack of police personnel
The decision affects the traditional Christ the King pilgrimage, which this year had already been forced to modify its program after the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, Monsignor Jean-Marc Micas, withdrew the Fraternity’s authorization to celebrate publicly inside the Marian sanctuary.
The prefect of the Hautes-Pyrénées, Sibylle Samoyault, signed the administrative order on October 20 that prevents both processions from taking place through the city streets.
According to the French local press, the resolution is based on the current level of anti-terrorist alert in France, the high expected attendance, and the difficulties in mobilizing sufficient security personnel.
The situation presents a contradiction: while civil authorities consider that the processions should take place inside the sanctuary for security reasons, the ecclesiastical authority has already prohibited the FSSPX from organizing public acts of worship there.
The terrorist threat as a reason to prevent the processions
The two processions had been officially reported to the prefecture on August 27 by Father Loïc Duverger, on behalf of the Fraternity. The first was scheduled for Saturday, October 24, between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., and the second for Sunday, October 25, between 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
In the resolution, the French authorities recall that the country maintains a high level of anti-terrorist vigilance and acknowledge that the Catholic community has been and continues to be one of the targets of jihadist terrorism.
Precisely because of this risk, the prefecture considers that processions through the streets of Lourdes could expose participants to possible violent actions. The document states that the visibility of religious processions increases their vulnerability and that protecting several thousand pilgrims would require significant police resources.
These circumstances are compounded by the disturbances recorded in France in recent weeks, especially student mobilizations and the demonstrations of October 17, which have required the intervention of security forces.
The order does not mention any specific threat against the Christ the King pilgrimage. The ban is based on a preventive assessment of risks and the availability of police personnel.
The argument has sparked criticism in French Catholic media. Le Catho has questioned the authorities’ response to the danger of possible attacks, which is to prevent religious demonstrations rather than provide the necessary protection to hold them.
The publication recalls that France is a country whose history, culture, and traditions are deeply linked to Catholicism, and considers it especially concerning that two processions are banned precisely in Lourdes, where the Blessed Virgin appeared to Saint Bernadette Soubirous in 1858.
The issue goes beyond the existing differences with the FSSPX. The right of Catholics to publicly manifest their faith does not depend on whether they share the Fraternity’s positions, just as threats from third parties should not automatically become a reason to restrict religious celebrations.
The prefecture proposes holding the event inside the sanctuary, but the bishop has already banned it
The prefecture considers that the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes offers greater security guarantees thanks to its access controls, surveillance cameras, protection devices, and specialized personnel.
For this reason, it maintains that the processions could take place within the religious enclosure and that banning them in the streets does not constitute a general restriction on freedom of worship.
However, this alternative directly conflicts with a previous decision by Monsignor Jean-Marc Micas.
On August 13, the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes withdrew the authorization that until then had allowed the Fraternity to publicly celebrate Mass, administer sacraments, and organize prayers inside the sanctuary.
Micas justified his decision by the episcopal consecrations carried out without papal mandate on July 1 in Écône, Switzerland, and by the excommunication decree published the following day by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Those consecrations aggravated the canonical situation of the FSSPX and led to sanctions against the bishops involved. The Fraternity subsequently filed appeals in Rome, the procedure for which remains open.
The prelate maintained that, as a result of the Holy See’s provisions, he could no longer authorize “the celebration of Mass or the other sacraments, nor even the public prayers of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X inside the Sanctuary.”
The measure allows priests and faithful linked to the FSSPX to visit the Grotto of Massabielle and other places within the enclosure individually to pray in private, but excludes any public celebration organized by the Fraternity.
The prefecture’s order now places pilgrims under two different restrictions: they cannot organize their processions inside the sanctuary by episcopal decision, nor hold them in the streets by civil authority order.
Religious freedom and the responsibility of the Bishop of Lourdes
The civil ban introduces a different issue from the canonical controversy facing the FSSPX with Rome.
The decision made in August by Monsignor Micas refers to religious celebrations inside a sanctuary under his episcopal authority. The October resolution, on the other hand, comes from the French administration and limits the holding of religious processions in public spaces.
Both decisions respond to different grounds, but their consequences accumulate on the same pilgrimage.
Until Thursday, October 22, no public request from Bishop Micas for the prefecture to reconsider the ban on the processions has been made public.
The absence of episcopal intervention is especially striking when the French authorities themselves acknowledge that Catholics may be victims of terrorist attacks. The safety of participants is a legitimate concern, but it is also the responsibility of public authorities to protect the exercise of fundamental freedoms.
The situation raises a pastoral responsibility for the Bishop of Lourdes. Canonical differences with the Fraternity do not prevent distinguishing between authorizing celebrations inside the sanctuary and defending the right of Catholic faithful to publicly manifest their religion.
In August, Micas acknowledged the “pain and perhaps the incomprehension” that his decision would cause, but the new civil ban adds a difficulty that was not present then.
The bishop can maintain his position regarding the canonical situation of the FSSPX and, at the same time, demand that civil authorities study the necessary measures to allow a peaceful religious demonstration. So far, there is no public record that he has made such a request.
If his silence continues, a response from the pastor of Tarbes and Lourdes to a restriction on religious freedom affecting thousands of Catholic pilgrims will remain pending, regardless of their relationship with the Fraternity.
A new restriction following bans at other sanctuaries
The ban on the processions adds to the difficulties the FSSPX has faced in recent months in carrying out its traditional pilgrimages.
After the episcopal decision in Lourdes, the authorities of the Austrian sanctuary of Mariazell also did not authorize the Fraternity to publicly celebrate its annual Rosary pilgrimage. In September, participants in the Assisi pilgrimage had to end their journey at the doors of the Basilica of St. Francis, without being able to enter as a community to sing the Creed.
In Lourdes, the Fraternity has maintained the call for its Christ the King pilgrimage and has reorganized the liturgical celebrations at Casa San Ignacio, owned by the Little Servants of St. John the Baptist, who have made their facilities available to the organizers.
Given the expected attendance of several thousand faithful, a covered space has been prepared for the celebrations, and attendees have been divided into different groups. The program includes eight Masses between Saturday and Sunday, as well as confession times and other religious activities.
The prefecture’s order affects the two processions planned on public roads, but does not imply the cancellation of the entire pilgrimage or the celebrations organized on private premises.
Pilgrims will thus arrive in Lourdes this weekend with a program considerably modified from previous years. The celebrations planned at the sanctuary have had to be moved to private facilities, and the two traditional processions have been banned by the French administration, which considers its resources insufficient to guarantee the safety of participants.
There are now more Catholics in Africa than Europe, says Vatican
Agenzia Fides, the news agency for the Pontifical Mission Societies of the Vatican, released the comprehensive report ahead of the 100th World Mission Sunday just gone.
The report, compiled by Luca Mainoldi from the latest Statistical Yearbook of the Church, found that in 2024, the Catholic Church counted 1.422 billion members, making up 17.8% of the world’s population.
Between 2023 and 2024, Africa registered an increase of 7.58million Catholics, bringing the continent’s total to 288.312million, ahead of Europe’s 287.24million.
Africa’s Catholic population accounts for 19.9% of the continent’s approximately 1.4billion inhabitants.
It is the only continent where the number of women religious and major seminarians increased during the reporting period.
Europe saw an increase of 911,000 Catholics, accounting for 39.7% of the European population. However, the number of clergy and seminarians continues to decline.
The Americas is still the continent with the most Catholics, with 678.869 million which is 64% of the population, and added nearly seven million Catholics in one year.
Asia gained 968,000 more Catholics, bringing the total to 156.166million which is only 3.3% of the continent’s population.
Oceania’s Catholic population is now 11.557million Catholics after an increase of 239,000.
For the first time in five years, the number of priests worldwide increased, by 425 to 407,421.
This was mainly driven by Africa, with 1,676 new priests, and Asia with an added 1,065. The Americas increased by 199.
Europe, however, lost 2,483 priests and Oceania lost 32.
The number of bishops also rose by 95 to 5,525.
The number of women religious worldwide decreased by 9,292 to 580,131 as well as non-ordained male religious which reduced by 237 to 48,511.
However, the number of lay missionaries increased by 18,473 to 463,079 and lay catechists also rose by 22,370 to 2,889,336.
Permanent deacons also saw an increase, adding 669 making the global number 52,102.
Polish parliament approves two bills liberalizing abortion
One bill would seek to allow abortions for fetal abnormalities, which passed by 233 to 203, while the other bill would decriminalize helping a woman have an unlawful abortion, which passed by 217 to 213.
However, even if the bills pass the senate, it is expected that President Karol Nawrocki will veto both bills as he previously suggested he wouldn’t sign a bill decriminalizing abortion into law.
The bill allowing abortions for fetal abnormalities would reverse the ruling from the constitutional tribunal in 2020 under the Law and Justice party.
That judgment, which came into force in January 2021, removed fetal abnormalities as a ground for abortion leaving it legal in two instances: When the mother’s life or health is at risk or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.
That ruling led to protests in Poland.
On Tuesday, Nawrocki’s chief of staff said that Nawrocki “supports the protection of life from conception to natural death.”
The current ruling coalition, headed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, considered more centrist, with a range of parties from left to center-right, pledged to soften abortion laws when it took power in December 2023.
However, up until now it has failed to do so, primarily due to in-fighting within the coalition.
Bishop speaks out
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, Bishop Artur Ważny of Sosnowiec wrote on X (formerly Twitter), calling for the defense of life in the country.
“The defense of the defenseless, especially the unborn human being, is for me an absolute foundation that I cannot and do not wish to abandon,” he said.
“At the same time, with immense concern, respect, and empathy, I bend down to every woman experiencing the dramatic fear of giving birth to her sick or unwanted child. The firm defense of the life of the smallest does not mean numbness to your pain,” he added.
Ważny said he had listened to over 200 confessions from women who had had abortions, which only strengthened his opposition.
“The tragedy of this irreversible step is painfully known to me. Precisely in the name of genuine concern for the good and safety of women, I will always oppose this drama,” he said.
“Convincing about the supposed “post-abortion relief” is a profound distortion of reality—the wound on the soul heals very slowly,” he stated.
“That is why I fervently appeal: instead of escalating tension on the streets, let us direct our common energy toward concrete, rational help for women and men who, with terror, face a tragic diagnosis,” Ważny said.
Ważny also drew a comparison to how society reacts to a miscarriage versus an abortion.
“When a miscarriage prematurely takes away the long-awaited little one, parents immersed in pain weep, feeling with their entire being that they have lost a living, beloved person—Someone,” he said.
“And yet, when at the same stage of pregnancy defenseless life is ended, we are told that only a problem has been gotten rid of—something. Our will has no magical power to create or take away someone’s humanity,” he added.
Pope invites young Catholics to Seoul as registration opens for World Youth Day 2027
“This is not merely an invitation to see a new city; it is a call to set out on a pilgrimage of faith, friendship, and hope,” Leo said in a video message.
The Vatican released the pontiff’s message on Thursday, coinciding with the liturgical feast of St. John Paul II, who established WYD in 1985. In his message, Leo referred to his predecessor, who invited the young to “open wide the doors for Christ.”
“Providentially, today we celebrate the liturgical memory of St. John Paul II, who continuously proclaimed to all peoples, 'Do not be afraid, open wide the doors for Christ.’ These words also apply to each one of you," Leo said.
The pope, who is expected to attend, also reminded young Catholics what to look forward to as they register for WYD 2027: unity in diversity.
“In Seoul, you will meet young people from all across the world, representing a beautiful and rich variety of languages and cultures,” the pope said.
“Yet, despite these differences, and indeed because of your God-given diversity, you will experience an even greater sense of unity, for we are all members of the one body of Christ.”
WYD 2027 registration
The next World Youth Day will take place in Seoul from Aug. 3–8, 2027.
In a press release accompanying the pope’s message, the WYD 2027 organizers urged those registering to do so as groups. As explained in the press release, registration takes place in two phases: first, the group leader creates a group account, and second, the group leader adds each member’s information. Registration is complete once payment is made.
Pilgrims are offered 11 packages to choose from, ranging from $70 to $340, depending on the type of stay, and including public transportation and a pilgrim kit.
Registrations can be made on the WYD 2027 website.
Theme song, patron saints, and Korean hospitality
The theme of WYD 2027 is taken from the Gospel of John 16:33: “Take Courage! I Have Overcome the World.”
On Aug. 3, the WYD 2027 countdown began with the premiere of its official theme song, “Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum” (“Take Courage, I Have Overcome the World,” in Latin), on YouTube. The song was composed by Korean composer Francis Jiyoon Kim.
St. John Paul II and four other saints are patrons of WYD 2027: St. Andrew Kim Taegon and his companion martyrs, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, St. Josephine Bakhita, and St. Carlo Acutis, the first millennial saint to be canonized.
In a July press release ahead of the countdown, Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul, president of the local organizing committee, expressed hope that the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims expected in Seoul will experience the hospitality of the South Korean people.
“Over the past three years, we have concentrated on laying the foundations for the event. The year ahead will be the time to complete our preparations and welcome young people from every part of the world,” Chung said.
Indianapolis to host National Eucharistic Congress in 2029
“When I look back on the journey that brought us to the 10th National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, I am in awe at what the Lord did to bring us to 2024 and what he continues to do,” Bishop Andrew Cozzens, chair of the board of the National Eucharistic Congress Inc., said in an Oct. 21 press release. “Today, I am filled with gratitude and excitement to announce that Indianapolis will once again host the National Eucharistic Congress in 2029.”
Organizers cited “careful consideration of potential host cities and venues across the country,” the release said, noting Indianapolis’ central location and existing infrastructure as key reasons behind the decision.
The 2029 congress was announced in February with Jason Shanks, CEO of the National Eucharistic Congress, saying at the time that the location would be revealed later.
“The Lord has already shown us what can happen when we place Jesus Christ in the Eucharist at the center and surrender our lives to Him,” said Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston, Minnesota. “I believe the Lord wants to do even more than He did before. I believe He is bringing about a great movement of evangelization in our country. 2029 in Indianapolis will be a powerful moment to invite the Holy Spirit to unite and strengthen us. God has already shown us He will not be outdone in generosity when the Church gathers to worship Him. See you in Indy in 2029!”
Organizers said they later will release information about dates, registration, programming, and participation.
The 2024 National Eucharistic Congress, the first such event to take place on U.S. soil since World War II, attracted tens of thousands of people for several massive sessions of Eucharistic adoration in Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium, numerous talks and workshops related to the Catholic faith, and a Eucharistic procession through downtown Indianapolis.
Data following the event also showed “renewed participation in Eucharistic adoration and Confession, greater reverence at Mass, increased confidence among clergy in preaching about the Real Presence, and growth in parish evangelization and service,” according to the press release.
Colombian justice closes the investigation against Jesuit Francisco de Roux for alleged cover-up of abuses
The 64th Criminal Court of the Circuit with Knowledge Function of Bogotá decreed the preclusion of the process after concluding that there were no elements to attribute to him conduct constituting a crime.
The decision, adopted on October 16 and made public on Tuesday the 20th, responded to a request from the Attorney General’s Office.
According to the Colombian magazine Semana, the judge considered that «there is no evidence of non-compliance with a functional, religious, or institutional duty» on the part of the priest, who had acted in accordance with the procedures established by canon law.
A complaint for abuses committed in the 1970s
The investigation was opened in November 2024, after Luis Fernando Llano Narváez publicly denounced that Fr. De Roux, then provincial superior of the Jesuits in Colombia, had not reported to civil authorities the abuses committed by priest Darío Chavarriaga.
According to the complainant, in 2014 he informed the provincial of the sexual abuses that he and his seven sisters had suffered between 1976 and 1979, when they were minors.
After learning of the facts, De Roux initiated a canonical investigation that culminated in the imposition of ecclesiastical sanctions on Chavarriaga, including the prohibition of publicly exercising priestly ministry and his confinement in a residence of the Society of Jesus. The religious died in September 2015.
However, the case was not referred to the Attorney General’s Office. De Roux later explained that the canon law in force at the time did not impose that obligation on him and that, after consulting with lawyers, he had received the opinion that the crimes were time-barred under Colombian legislation at that time.
The judge rules out criminal liability
During the investigation, the Attorney General’s Office examined the actions carried out by De Roux and concluded that there were no grounds to keep the criminal proceedings open.
The judge accepted this position, considering that the priest had activated the institutional mechanisms provided by the Church to investigate the complaints and adopt the corresponding disciplinary measures.
The resolution establishes that criminal responsibility could not be attributed to the Jesuit for not having promoted an investigation before the civil justice system. The court concluded that his conduct did not meet the necessary elements to configure the crime of favoritism under investigation.
The preclusion puts an end to the proceedings against De Roux, without altering the facts of abuse that gave rise to the complaint. The decision became final after the victims present at the hearing did not file appeals.
Francisco de Roux thanks the judicial decision
After the resolution became known, the priest published a statement in the Colombian magazine Cambio, in which he expressed his solidarity with those who suffered sexual abuse during their childhood at the hands of priests, as well as with members of the Church who have been unjustly accused.
De Roux also expressed his respect for the victims and journalists who publicly questioned his actions in this case. He assured that he holds no resentment toward those who doubted him and thanked the support received during the process.
The Jesuit, who presided over Colombia’s Truth Commission, also expressed his recognition of the judge for the independence and rigor with which, in his opinion, he examined the case.
«This decision allows me to close this chapter with the hope that one day justice will also embrace all victims,» the priest stated, who assured that he wishes to dedicate the years he has left to working for peace and reconciliation in Colombia.
«Hunky Jesus», a blasphemous documentary that sexualizes Jesus Christ and mocks the Catholic faith
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This is the content of Hunky Jesus, a documentary by American director Jennifer M. Kroot that turns the blasphemous performances of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence into a cinematic product—an activist collective that for decades has used Catholic Church symbols for their provocative shows.
The film was recently screened in Geneva, where its programming sparked protests from Catholics who demanded its withdrawal and requested to publicly pray the Rosary in reparation for the offenses against Jesus Christ.
Despite the controversy, the documentary will continue its international tour and will be presented in November at the Chéries-Chéris LGBTQIA+ film festival in Paris.
The Resurrection of Christ turned into a mockery spectacle
The documentary captures the celebration that the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence organize every Easter Sunday in San Francisco, United States. While millions of Christians celebrate Easter, the collective stages a show in which the figure of Jesus Christ is used for sexualized performances, religious parodies, and cabaret numbers.
One of the central events is the Hunky Jesus contest, in which participants compete to represent the «sexiest» Jesus. For this, they use crowns of thorns, crosses, and other elements linked to the Passion of Christ, combined with provocative costumes and sexual content performances.
The film, approximately 85 minutes long, focuses especially on the 2023 celebration and presents the show along with interviews with members of the collective and testimonies about their trajectory.
The blasphemous nature of the performances is not an interpretation exclusive to those who have denounced the film. The Swiss festival Everybody’s Perfect itself promoted the documentary by highlighting its «blasphemous cabaret numbers.»
Far from critically examining these representations, the film presents them as an expression of creativity and social advocacy. The parody of Jesus Christ and religious life is thus framed as cultural celebration, while the offense to Catholics is pushed to the background.
The production turns the image of the crucified and risen Christ into a resource for entertainment and sexual provocation. The celebration of Easter, the center of the Christian faith, becomes the stage for a spectacle built on the mockery of its most sacred symbols.
False nuns and decades of attacks on Catholic symbols
The protagonists of the documentary are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an organization founded in San Francisco in 1979 whose members use caricatured versions of Catholic nuns’ habits, theatrical makeup, and names that parody convent life.
The collective presents itself as an LGBT activist organization and also engages in charitable activities. However, its public performances have for decades included blasphemous representations of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, popes, and consecrated nuns.
Among its precedents is a performance presented as an exorcism of Pope John Paul II in 1987.
The religious habit, a sign of a life consecrated to God, becomes in their performances a cabaret costume. Convent names, sacred images, and references to the liturgy are used to construct parodies that distort central elements of the Catholic faith. The collective presents these performances as humor and advocacy, but their content constitutes a public mockery of what Catholics venerate.
Religious provocation is therefore not an accidental element of their shows, but one of their most recognizable features. The controversies led by the organization are also not new: their performances have repeatedly sparked protests from Catholics who denounce the ridicule of consecrated persons and the offensive use of Christian symbols.
American bishops have already denounced the collective’s mockery
In June 2023, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were at the center of a major controversy when the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team decided to honor a section of the group during an LGBT Pride celebration.
The decision provoked rejection from numerous faithful and several American bishops, who denounced the mockery of Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and nuns.
The Archbishop of Los Angeles, José Gómez, spoke out against the public recognition of the collective. Other prelates also did so, including Timothy Broglio, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In the face of the controversy, the Dodgers initially withdrew the invitation, although they later reversed course and maintained the tribute.
The American bishops then called for a day of prayer and reparation coinciding with the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
That episcopal reaction made clear the rejection that the group’s performances provoke among Catholics. The controversy was not limited to the costumes or the provocative nature of their performances, but to the use of sacred images and religious life as instruments of public mockery, now also disseminated through a documentary that favorably presents the trajectory of its protagonists.
In Geneva the film was allowed, but a gathering to pray the Rosary was rejected
The screening of Hunky Jesus at the Everybody’s Perfect festival, held in Geneva from October 9 to 18, has sparked a new controversy.
The film was scheduled for October 10, 14, and 17 at the Grütli Cinemas. In response to its inclusion, the Catholic association Civitas Switzerland requested its withdrawal, considering it a grave offense against Jesus Christ and the religious convictions of the faithful.
The organizers rejected the request and maintained the screenings.
Subsequently, Civitas requested authorization to organize a gathering in front of the cinema and publicly pray the Rosary as an act of reparation for the blasphemies depicted in the documentary.
However, the cantonal authorities denied the permit, citing restrictions established for religious demonstrations in public spaces in Geneva.
The result was a striking contradiction: the screening of a film that presents Jesus Christ as an object of sexual parody went ahead, while Catholics who sought to gather to pray the Rosary in reparation were not granted authorization to do so. The artistic freedom invoked to defend the documentary thus contrasted with the restrictions applied to a public demonstration of prayer.
The controversy is especially significant because the festival organizers themselves had described the performances as blasphemous. Despite this, they defended its screening as an expression of artistic freedom, while the Catholics’ initiative to publicly express their rejection was blocked by an administrative decision.
The president of Civitas Switzerland, Alain Späth, announced his intention to appeal the prohibition and raised the possibility of filing a criminal complaint for offense to religious convictions.
For their part, the festival organizers defended the screening of the film by appealing to artistic freedom of expression and rejected the accusations made by the Catholic association.
The film will reach Paris despite the protests
The Geneva controversy has not interrupted the international distribution of Hunky Jesus.
The documentary has been selected for the 32nd edition of the Chéries-Chéris festival, which will be held in Paris from November 14 to 24 and is dedicated to LGBTQIA+ cinema.
The film has also been part of the programming of the BFI Flare festival in London.
Its selection at international festivals not only expands the reach of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence‘ performances, but also provides them with a cultural showcase.
The parodies of the Passion, the sexualization of the figure of Christ, and the caricature of consecrated nuns cease to be a local activist spectacle and are presented to new audiences as a cinematic proposal worthy of celebration.
Argüello denounces the silence of the laity in the face of the advance of "bioideologies" in Spain
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The prelate believes there is an excessive dependence on interventions by priests and bishops, while many faithful avoid speaking out on matters that directly affect society.
Argüello made these statements on Tuesday, October 20, during a conference on the Social Doctrine of the Church held at the headquarters of El Debate, in Madrid, before the leaders of the pharmaceutical cooperative Bidafarma.
During his speech, he also warned about the influence of gender ideologies, certain reproductive health policies, and radical environmentalism, which he referred to as three major “bioideologies” that are transforming the conception of the human being.
The silence of the laity in public debate
The archbishop lamented that many issues generating social controversy end up being addressed almost exclusively by members of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, when it is also the responsibility of the lay faithful to intervene from their respective professional, political, and institutional responsibilities.
In his view, Catholics working in the media, businesses, or public institutions should actively participate in debates on human dignity, marriage, the family, and the organization of society.
“There is too much of a habit that it is the priests or bishops who speak,” lamented the president of the CEE, who pointed out the lack of more regular participation by Christian laypeople in these matters.
As an example of public commitment, he recalled the figure of Ángel Herrera Oria and his promotion of the Catholic Association of Propagandists (ACdP), conceived to encourage the presence of Catholics in Spanish social, political, and cultural life.
Argüello defended that belonging to a particular political current does not prevent believers from expressing their religious convictions and acting in accordance with the principles of the Social Doctrine of the Church, especially on matters related to the dignity of the person and the common good.
Three “bioideologies” that question the Christian conception of man
A large part of the speech was devoted to what the archbishop called the three major “bioideologies” developed during the second half of the 20th century and the first decades of the 21st.
The first is gender ideology, which, he explained, began with a legitimate demand such as equality between men and women and ended up questioning the meaning of sexual difference.
In this context, he criticized Spanish laws on abortion, “homosexual marriage,” and transsexuality, considering that they respond to an anthropological conception promoted by the State in which the body is subordinated to individual will.
The second is related to certain sexual and reproductive health policies, which, according to Argüello, have served to promote legislative reforms favorable to abortion and to spread the contraceptive mentality. The prelate recalled the scientific advances that allow us to better understand the development of human life during gestation and questioned why this knowledge has not led to greater protection of the unborn.
The third is radical environmentalism, which he linked to transhumanist and posthumanist currents. Argüello argued that these three ideological orientations have come to occupy a central place in the program of the political left, displacing traditional demands related to the world of work.
The president of the CEE distinguished between the legitimate objectives that may be found at the origin of these currents—the equality between men and women, the protection of health, and care for the environment—and the anthropological approaches that, in his view, have developed from them.
The Social Doctrine of the Church and the defense of human dignity
During the conference, Argüello also reviewed the historical development of the Social Doctrine of the Church, from the first Christian communities to the teachings of contemporary pontiffs.
He recalled that the Church’s concern for social issues did not begin with the encyclicals of the 19th century, but has its roots in the Gospel, the Acts of the Apostles, and the writings of the Church Fathers.
The archbishop also referred to the transformation of relations between the Church and the State since the French Revolution, as well as the tensions that accompanied the recognition of the autonomy of temporal realities. On this point, he defended the legitimate distinction between both spheres, without this implying the exclusion of Christian principles from the organization of social life.
For Argüello, issues related to life, the person, and the family occupy a fundamental place in the Social Doctrine of the Church because they directly affect the structure of society.
The president of the CEE insisted that the defense of human dignity must also guide the activity of Catholics in business, politics, the media, and institutions—areas in which he considers greater involvement of the lay faithful necessary.
Vatican calls for recovering the beauty of the liturgy and the "different sensibilities" of the Catholic tradition to transmit the faith
The text, conceived under the pontificate of Francis, signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández Saraz, and approved by Leo XIV, addresses the Church’s difficulties in transmitting Christianity to new generations amid contemporary cultural transformations.
Under the title Considerations on the Transmission of the Faith in an Age of Change, the document devotes several sections to the family, evangelization, new technologies, and Christian formation. Among its proposals, it highlights the need to restore the centrality of the proclamation of Jesus Christ and to recognize the role of the liturgy as one of the principal means of transmitting the faith.
The Dicastery calls for showing the richness of the liturgical tradition
In number 94, the document states that special attention must be given so that the faithful of all dioceses, including those who approach or return to the Church, may come to know the different liturgical sensibilities present in the Catholic tradition.
“With due respect for the currently valid liturgical norms, pastors are called to highlight the richness of the Catholic liturgical heritage,” the text affirms, citing as an example the variety of musical styles that form part of that heritage.
The Dicastery considers that the liturgical celebration must preserve the symbolic richness of the Church and, at the same time, be comprehensible to the faithful. In this regard, it speaks of maintaining a tension between fidelity to tradition and understanding of the message being celebrated.
This reflection appears in a section that presents the liturgy as an essential element for the transmission of the faith, especially in an age marked by the loss of religious references and the weakening of Christian practice.
The liturgy cannot be reduced to an external ceremony
The document insists that the liturgy should not be understood as a mere ritual framework of ecclesial life, but as a privileged place of encounter with Christ.
According to the Dicastery, through gestures, words, silences, and symbols, the faithful participate in the mystery being celebrated and receive a faith that has been lived and transmitted by previous generations.
The text recovers the traditional principle lex orandi, lex credendi, which expresses the relationship between the Church’s prayer and its faith, and underscores the importance of forming believers to understand liturgical language.
It also cites Saint Augustine, who recalled the deep impression made on him by the hymns and chants of the Church, and the theologian Romano Guardini, who described his experience before the solemn celebrations in the cathedral of Monreale, in Sicily.
Through this latter testimony, the document acknowledges that there are different forms of prayerful participation, including silent contemplation of the rites. Guardini highlighted the capacity of the faithful to welcome the sacred through sight and contemplation, even during prolonged celebrations.
The transmission of the faith has been interrupted in numerous families
Beyond the liturgical question, Venite ad me addresses the crisis of faith transmission between generations. The Dicastery echoes the concern expressed by Leo XIV upon noting that, in some regions of the world, this transmission “has been almost completely interrupted.”
The text recalls that the family has historically been the first setting where children received the Christian faith. Domestic prayer, participation in Sunday Mass, Marian devotions, and religious celebrations were part of a daily life that allowed Christianity to be passed from parents to children.
However, it acknowledges that this continuity has weakened in numerous countries, especially in the West. For this reason, it raises the need to recover the first proclamation of the Gospel, directed both to those who have never known Christ and to those who have drifted away from the Church.
Fernández acknowledges that the document does not intend to close the debate
In its introduction, the Dicastery clarifies that Venite ad me has the character of “Considerations” and not of a doctrinal note.
Its purpose is to stimulate ecclesial reflection and pastoral commitment, examining different perspectives on the transmission of the faith without intending to close a question that, according to the text itself, remains open to new analyses.
The document expressly acknowledges that these considerations are not characterized by terminological precision or by a systematic treatment like that of other doctrinal texts of the Dicastery, but rather adopt a more discursive style.
The drafting began during the pontificate of Francis, who had requested a reflection on this issue. Subsequently, the work continued under Leo XIV, with contributions from numerous episcopal conferences.
The text was deliberated by the Dicastery on June 24, 2026, and approved by the Pope on August 21. It is signed by the prefect, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, and by the secretary of the Doctrinal Section, Monsignor Armando Matteo.
Popular piety, art, and beauty as paths of evangelization
The document also affirms the value of popular piety and traditional expressions of the Catholic faith. The Dicastery recalls that these practices have made it possible to preserve and transmit Christianity even in adverse cultural contexts.
Alongside them, it highlights the role of art, beauty, sacred music, and personal witness as means capable of drawing people closer to the Gospel.
The reflection extends to the challenges of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. Although it recognizes the new possibilities for evangelization offered by these means, it warns of the risk of constructing a faith adapted to individual preferences and disconnected from the Church’s teaching.
Venite ad me concludes with an invitation to recover the proclamation of Jesus Christ as the center of Christian life, evoking the image of the light of the Paschal candle that is passed from one candle to another during the Easter Vigil, a symbol of the faith received and communicated from generation to generation.
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