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ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 8, 2025 / 13:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV led the Angelus prayer Dec. 8 from the window of the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on the occasion of the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.

Addressing the faithful and pilgrims in attendance in St. Peter's Square, the pontiff commented that on Dec. 8 we express our joy because the Father of heaven wanted her to be "preserved immune from all stain of original sin."

"The Lord has granted to Mary the extraordinary grace of a completely pure heart, in view of an even greater miracle: the coming of Christ the Savior," he added.

The pope also noted that the gift of the fullness of grace in the young woman of Nazareth "was able to bear fruit because she in her freedom welcomed it, embracing the plan of God."

He emphasized that "the Lord always acts in this way: He gives us great gifts, but he leaves us free to accept them or not."

For the Holy Father, this feast also invites us to "believe as she believed, giving our generous assent to the mission to which the Lord calls us."

In this way, he pointed out that the miracle that happened for Mary at her conception was "renewed for us in baptism: Cleansed from original sin, we have become children of God, his dwelling place and the temple of the Holy Spirit."

"The 'yes' of the mother of the Lord is wonderful, but so also can ours be, renewed faithfully each day, with gratitude, humility, and perseverance, in prayer and in concrete acts of love, from the most extraordinary gestures to the most mundane and ordinary efforts and acts of service. In this way, Christ can be known, welcomed, and loved everywhere and salvation can come to everyone," he emphasized.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 8, 2025 / 14:00 pm (CNA).

Bishop Michael Duca has granted a dispensation from Sunday Mass attendance for immigrants fearing deportation in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, the fourth U.S. diocese to do so.

News of the dispensation comes amid heightened presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Louisiana as part of the Trump administration's "Swamp Sweep," which has been reported to include the deployment of 250 Border Patrol agents to the region and plans to arrest 5,000 individuals across Louisiana and Misssissipi.

"With the recent publicized arrival of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers into south Louisiana and greater Baton Rouge, and since many of the faithful genuinely fear immigration enforcement actions, thereby making it untenable for them to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation, I hereby grant a dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass for those Catholics rightfully afraid to participate in Mass because of their fear," Duca said "with a heavy heart" in a pastoral letter dated Dec. 4.

The Baton Rouge bishop said the dispensation would remain "until the individual Catholic determines it is safe to attend Mass again" or until the dispensation is revoked. 

Duca instructed the faithful who chose to stay at home in accordance with the dispensation to gather as a family for prayer on Sunday. "Reading the daily Mass readings, praying the rosary, or reciting a novena for intercessory protection are all suitable alternative spiritual practices for those accepting this dispensation," he said. 

Duca joins bishops in the dioceses of San Bernardino, California; Nashville, Tennessee; and Charlotte, North Carolina, in granting such a dispensation in 2025.

"National security and the protection of human dignity are not incompatible," Duca continued in his letter, calling for "a just solution to this difficult situation in our country." He noted that deportation efforts have affected not only the Catholic Hispanic community but also refugees and immigrants across denominations. "These are our neighbors, coworkers, and parishioners," he said.

The bishop concluded: "For now, let us pray for those immediately affected, especially during this Advent season — a time in which we should be anticipating the joy of Christmas, surrounded by our family in celebration instead of the experience of anxiety and fear."

"Through our prayers and actions, may those who are suffering know that Jesus' words are addressed personally to each of them," he said.

Duca's letter comes after the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a special message condemning "the indiscriminate mass deportation of people" in November.

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Montreal, Canada, Dec 8, 2025 / 14:48 pm (CNA).

Vancouver Archbishop Richard Smith said the 62 Indigenous cultural items received from the Vatican marks "a gift freely given" and an important step in rebuilding trust between the Catholic Church and Indigenous peoples.

The artifacts, including a rare century-old Western Arctic kayak, were formally transferred to Indigenous leaders in Montreal as part of the Jubilee of Hope declared by Pope Francis. Before his death, the pope expressed his wish that the items be returned. Pope Leo XIV carried out that intention, gifting them from the Vatican Museums' Anima Mundi collection to the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) for immediate repatriation.

"This gesture is a gift freely given — an act of reconciliation rooted in the grace of the Jubilee Year of Hope," said Smith, a member of the Canadian Catholic Indigenous Council and one of the CCCB's key representatives during the repatriation process. "A gift, unlike restitution, is offered in freedom and friendship, as a sign of renewed relationship and mutual respect between the Church and Indigenous peoples."

Leaders from the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC), and the Métis National Council traveled to Montreal to receive the items. Local First Nations leadership held a ceremony to welcome the sacred items and bundles back to Canada.

For the Inuvialuit, the return of the rare kayak marks the culmination of a long-held hope.

"We are proud that after 100 years our kayak is returning to the Inuvialuit Settlement Region," said Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, chair and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation. "It is believed to be one of only five of its kind built more than a century ago… This is a historic step in revitalizing Inuvialuit cultural identity and values within our changing northern society."

Indigenous leaders noted that Elders and Residential School Survivors have worked toward this moment for decades. A 2017 Assembly of First Nations resolution mandated efforts to secure the return of sacred items taken abroad, while the IRC has pressed specifically for the kayak's repatriation.

"This step reflects the courage and persistence of the leaders, elders, and survivors who came before us," said Victoria Pruden, president of the Métis National Council. "But this is not the end of the journey… Reconciliation is ongoing work, grounded in relationships, responsibility, and the continued pursuit of truth, justice, healing, and dignity for our peoples."

National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak called the return "an important moment" for First Nations. "Our relatives are finally home," she said. "For First Nations, these are not only artifacts. They are sacred, living items."

Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, said Inuit are grateful to the institutions and partners who helped bring the items home. "We are at the very early stages of our reconciliation journey," he said, "but we are pleased to see these cultural items return to us."

According to the CCCB, the artifacts will be housed temporarily at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa, where national Indigenous organizations will lead the work to establish the provenance of each item and determine its final destination.

The handover in Canada follows a November audience in Rome, where Pope Leo XIV formally entrusted the artifacts to Bishop Pierre Goudreault, president of the CCCB; Archbishop Smith; and Father Jean Vézina, the conference's general secretary. The items — including an Inuit kayak, masks, moccasins, and etchings — had been held in the Vatican Museums for more than a century.

Smith said in an interview last month the transfer was "a milestone in the long journey of reconciliation and healing," and especially meaningful as the Jubilee Year of Hope draws to a close. "This jubilee, like previous jubilees, wants to emphasize the importance of healing relationships," he told America magazine.

A statement from the Holy See and the CCCB in November said the gift marks "the conclusion of the journey initiated by Pope Francis," who met Indigenous delegations repeatedly before his 2022 "penitential pilgrimage" to Canada and later directed that the items be returned. Pope Leo "desires that this gift represent a concrete sign of dialogue, respect, and fraternity," the statement said.

Smith said the bishops' role "has really been a facilitating one, just working with the Holy See, working with the Indigenous leaders to make this happen." He noted that the momentum "goes back to Pope Francis… it's really something that grew out of his heart."

Goudreault said Pope Leo's decision to entrust the items to the bishops — rather than to a government or directly to an Indigenous body — was "a tangible sign of his desire to help Canada's bishops walk alongside Indigenous peoples in a spirit of reconciliation during the Jubilee Year of Hope and beyond."

The artifacts originated from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities and were part of the ethnological exhibition organized for the Vatican Missionary Exhibition of 1925. Missionaries sent them to Rome between 1923 and 1925 for the display encouraged by Pope Pius XI, after which they were incorporated into the Vatican's collection. Documentation certifying their origins and transport was transferred alongside the items.

Canadian ambassador to the Holy See Joyce Napier called the return "an important and a right step." The Vatican has made similar gestures recently, including the return of three fragments of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece in 2023.

This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic, has been adapted by CNA, and is reprinted here with permission.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 8, 2025 / 15:58 pm (CNA).

Faith leaders called for the halt of state executions and a complete end to the death penalty in Tennessee.

"Together, the Catholics in Tennessee, led by the three bishops, the three dioceses of the Tennessee Catholic Conference, call for a halt to executions and call for an end to the death penalty in Tennessee," said Rick Musacchio, executive director of the Tennessee Catholic Conference (TCC).

Tennessee faith leaders urged Republican Gov. William Lee to stop all executions and support an end to the death penalty at a Dec. 8 press conference hosted by the Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (TADP). 

Opposition to the death penalty "is based on the Catholic Church's long-standing Gospel foundation, our Catholic social teaching, which respects the dignity of human life from its beginning of conception until its natural land," Musacchio said.

"The death penalty is simply an affront to that Gospel value. That has been a refrain of the last four popes of the Catholic Church," he said. "St. Pope John Paul II … began calling the death penalty 'simply unnecessary as a means to society reaching its goals.'"

"St. John Paul recognized that … modern American society has the ability to punish those who commit grave acts and yet achieve that goal of protecting society without resorting to executions," he said.

Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis "also echoed that" message, Musacchio said. "Most recently, Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope, spoke very clearly that one cannot call themselves 'pro-life,' opposing abortion, but allowing for the death penalty in executions. This is simply an incompatible arrangement, an inaccurate understanding of Gospel teaching."

Capital punishment is legal in the state of Tennessee. TADP "works to honor life by abolishing the death penalty, preventing violence, and supporting those who experience harm," organizers said. TADP accomplishes this through education, grassroots organizing, and public witness, organizers said at the ecumenical event.

Rev. Sherard Edington, executive presbyter for the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee, said we must "seek reconciliation through the belief that all can be saved" rather than seek "vengeance."

"I believe that our God calls us to reject brutality and instead strive to develop communities of compassion and mercy, communities that believe in restoration and salvation, communities that not only love their neighbors, but their enemies as well," he said.

"A person may be in prison for life, but even there, their life has value. Even in prison, there remains the opportunity for change and salvation. But when we choose to impose the death penalty, that possibility is taken away forever and leaves no possibility for change," Edington said.

Jasmine Woodson, director of Tennessee Conservatives Concerned About the Death Penalty, detailed a number of risks of the death penalty. 

"The death penalty expands government power, risks irreversible mistakes, and consumes far more taxpayer dollars in alternative sentences, and cuts off the very possibility of repentance and rehabilitation that our faith teaches us to honor," Woodson said.

Harold Wayne Nichols 

Faith leaders specifically called for halting the execution of Harold Wayne Nichols scheduled for Dec. 11. 

Nichols was convicted of the 1988 rape and murder of 21-year-old Karen Pulley, a student at Chattanooga State University. During the trial, he admitted to the crimes, expressed remorse, and said he would have continued his violent behavior had he not been arrested. 

"For more than 35 years, Harold has demonstrated the very transformation we say our system should encourage," Woodson said. "He took responsibility for his actions, pled guilty, and expressed genuine remorse. And in an extraordinary act of faith, the mother of Karen Pulley … forgave Mr. Nichols, gave him a Bible, and urged him to change his life, which he has worked to do every day since then." 

Pastor Davie Tucker, a pastor of the Beach Creek Baptist Church, acknowledged the Pulley family and the "tragic loss over three decades ago of their loved one."

"But what we know emphatically, clinically, universally, is that killing Mr. Nichols is not going to take away the loss, and the hole, and the pain, and trauma that not only Karen's family, but the subsequent generations will have to deal with."

J.R. Davis, Nichols' spiritual adviser, shared an apology letter written by Nichols. He wrote: "I'm sorry for all the pain and hurt I've caused in my life. To each individual who became a victim of my hate, I'm sorry. You did not deserve to be hurt by me."

"It has troubled me knowing that I caused you to have to live with this hurt that I caused. There was nothing you did or did not do that caused me to hurt you. It was me. I'm the only one responsible," he wrote.

Call from bishops

In November, Tennessee's three bishops, Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville, Bishop David P. Talley of Memphis, and Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville, issued a joint statement with the Tennessee Catholic Conference calling for Tennessee to end the death penalty. 

"The Catholic Church upholds the sacredness of every human life, even the life of one who is guilty of serious crimes," the statement said. "To take a life in punishment denies the image of God in which every person is made. The Gospel calls not for vengeance but for mercy." 

"The death penalty extinguishes the chance for repentance and redemption," they continued. "It closes the door that mercy would open. True justice protects life, even as it punishes wrongdoing. A culture of life cannot coexist with the machinery of death."

"The execution of Harold Wayne Nichols, who was convicted of raping and murdering 21-year-old Karen Pulley in 1988, is scheduled for Dec. 1," they wrote. "We pray for Karen and for her family and friends. With even more executions planned for 2026, we call for a moratorium on the practice and for the abolition of the death penalty under state law."

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Rome Newsroom, Dec 7, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The Vatican's gardeners have a new tool for maintaining the papal grounds: a custom-designed electric lawn mower bearing the Holy See's coat of arms.

Pope Leo XIV received the white Electra 2.0 mower during a general audience in mid-November, a gift from Czech manufacturer Swardman.

The specially commissioned model features leather-lined handles and was hand-assembled at the company's facility in Šardice, Czech Republic. "It was an incredibly powerful experience full of humility and respect," Jakub Dvorák, the company's sales manager who personally presented the gift, told CNA. "The pontiff appreciated the Vatican's coat of arms placed on the appliance, listened with interest as we explained how it functions, and thanked us very politely."

The quiet, precision-cutting mower is destined for use in the Vatican Gardens or possibly at the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, according to a press release from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which facilitated the presentation.

Founded in 2013, the company manufactures lawn care equipment that it describes as combining functionality with "timeless elegance" suited to historic settings. The Czech Embassy to the Holy See played a key role in arranging the gift, which Dvorák called "a moment of unmistakable magic."

Vatican gardeners will put the electric mower to work maintaining the manicured lawns that provide green respite within the world's smallest state.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 7, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

While teaching an ethics and culture course, Heidi Bollich-Erne was looking for a journal featuring the work of Catholic women for her students to read. After being told that it simply didn't exist, she decided to create one herself.

With the help of a team of women, Bollich-Erne has founded what she calls the "first intellectual Catholic women's journal." Its purpose is to not only define the feminine genius but also to show how faithful women can embody its beauty in their daily lives. 

"I want women to find a home, a place that values their work. The journal itself is edited, written, and published solely by Catholic women," Bollich-Erne told CNA. "The way that women write, the way that we express ourselves is very different. That's just who we are. That's part of the genius of women."

The Better Part Journal is intended to give women of the Church "hope" by discussing issues that are relevant to them. The first edition of the journal will be released in April 2026. 

Before starting the journal, Bollich-Erne studied theology at the University of St. Thomas, where she "fell in love with philosophy." She went to the Center for Thomistic Studies for her master's degree in Thomistic philosophy but took a break from her doctorate and started teaching. 

She is now based in Texas where she has taught high school, college preparation, college, and adults. While teaching, she tried to find content to help guide discussion on gender complementarity but couldn't find much written by Catholic women.

"I thought, 'I want to read more intellectual women,' but it was a struggle… So I found a friend who works at a university and I said: 'Can you recommend … an intellectual Catholic women's magazine? She got back to me a few days later and said, 'It doesn't exist.'"

Bollich-Erne started The Better Part Journal by first launching a company called JBG Publishings as "a home" for the journal. She wanted to ensure the publication would not be independently published but be part of a company that would help it to grow.

Bollich-Erne named the company with the initials of her father, who passed away a few years prior. His passing "was a realization that 'life is too short,'"  Bollich-Erne said. "I need to love what I do; I need to really work to find meaning.'"

The Better Part Journal's mission

"The purpose of the journal is to bring together the voices of intellectual Catholic women who are faithful to the magisterium," Bollich-Erne said. "I want voices of all backgrounds. I want women of all areas of discipline. I want academics. I want nonacademics. I want all women contributing to this conversation."

"We all throw around the 'feminine genius,' but when you ask someone to stop and give an actual definition, most people can't," Bollich-Erne said. Most people define it with a quote by St. John Paul II who coined the term in his apostolic letter Mulieris Dignitatem to describe the unique gifts and qualities women possess, but, she said, "that's a quote, not a definition." 

"There's a lot of work that needs to be done in this area, and I know there's room for it to be done on a theological, philosophical level. So the idea was that we would … define the feminine genius and then show it. Live it. It's not a theology journal and it's not a philosophy journal. It's truly interdisciplinary."

The first issue of the journal is called "Uncharted" and will tackle a number of topics.

"As soon as women realized that I was serious about truly hearing their voices and not editing them out or telling them what they can and can't write about, they gave us some really amazing work. I've just been blown away. I'm only so creative, but I have a great team."

The journal will feature articles covering neuroscience and theology and apply it to Mary and the Incarnation. It will have columns by doctors and scientists to look at "faith in the formula" and "applying science to religion."

There will be discussion of issues women face including body image, infertility, and violence. Articles will explore "the psychology of fairy tales and what that does to young girls growing up, whether that be positive or negative," Bollich-Erne said. It will look into "what we are exposed to …from the media and what it does to us."

"The beauty behind the journal has been the women that have come forth to lend their voices," Bollich-Erne said. "It's been really amazing to see how excited they are about freedom of voice. It's been something I wasn't expecting."

A print journal in a digital era

Despite a shift in media from print to online formats, The Better Part Journal will only be released in print copies because, Bollich-Erne said, "I want it to be lasting."

"I am a tactile person. I like to hold a book. I wanted it to be something that is kept. So obviously that's print," Bollich-Erne said. "But then if you want to keep it has to be high quality."

The journal will use original photographs and crafted artwork to accompany the written works. 

"It is stunning. It looks like a book," Bollich-Erne said. "The idea is that you read it, you keep it, and you put it on your bookshelf and you never get rid of it because the topics are lasting."

For an article to be included, it has to be "something that I think women will find valuable, whether you're an academic or a high school student," Bollich-Erne said. "It has to be something that all women find valuable, or we cannot print it."

"Many women have said they're excited to hold their work and see it in print as opposed to scrolling past the work. There's nothing wrong with online formats; it gives voices to a lot of people, but this is just different."

"I had an author tell me, 'I don't write anymore for anyone,' because, she said, 'I am so tired of my work just disappearing. It's online for a week. I spent all this work, all this time, and it was something substantial that I really cared about, and it's just gone.'" 

"She signed up with us for a column specifically because we are in print. The idea is that this work is kept forever."

The print journals will be published twice a year only, because "I want it to be something that takes a while to digest," Bollich-Erne said. "Beautiful things take time."

Looking to the future

JGB Publishings has "goals to expand substantially over the next five to 10 years," Bollich-Erne said. The company will "take care of" the journal to ensure its message can "grow and expand."

"To be able, as women in the Church, to truly have a serious conversation about all of these things … we are going to forge our future," Bollich-Erne said. "We're going to step forward in hope and show the world this is what an intelligent Catholic woman looks like."

"We're not stifled. We're not sad. We're not miserable people. We are happy. We are excited about life, and we are treated with respect. We are loved and we love who we are," Bollich-Erne said. "I want people, especially women, of all ages to see that and to understand that."

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Vatican City, Dec 7, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday said his apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon showed that "peace is possible," pointing to renewed steps toward Christian unity and powerful encounters with the Lebanese people still seeking justice after the 2020 Beirut port explosion.

Speaking after the Angelus to pilgrims gathered in St Peter's Square on Dec. 7, the pope recalled praying in Iznik, ancient Nicea, with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, considered first among equals among Eastern Orthodox bishops, and representatives of other Christian communities on the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea.

Marking Sunday's 60th anniversary of the Common Declaration between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras, Leo said, "We give thanks to God and renew our dedication to journeying towards the full visible unity of all Christians."

In Lebanon, the pope said he encountered a "mosaic of coexistence" and met people who serve the most vulnerable by welcoming refugees, visiting the imprisoned, and sharing food with those in need. He was especially moved by meeting relatives of the victims of the Beirut port blast. "The Lebanese people were waiting for a word and a presence of consolation, but it was they who comforted me with their faith and their enthusiasm," he said.

The pope also expressed closeness to communities in South and Southeast Asia struck by recent natural disasters, praying for victims and urging international solidarity.

Earlier, in his Advent catechesis before the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on John the Baptist's call to prepare the way of the Lord. John's severe tone, he said, still resonates because it carries God's "plea to take life seriously" and to ready the heart for the God who judges "not by appearance, but by deeds and intentions."

The pope said the Kingdom manifests itself gently, in the meekness and mercy of Christ described by Isaiah as a shoot rising from a seemingly dead tree trunk. He linked this surprising newness to the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, which closed 60 years ago and continues to guide the Church on its journey toward unity and renewal.

"This is the spirituality of Advent, very luminous and concrete," he said. "The streetlights remind us that each of us can be a little light, if we welcome Jesus, the shoot of a new world."

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CNA Staff, Dec 6, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is mobilizing Catholics this Advent to pray the St. Andrew Christmas Novena prayer 15 times daily for a single intention: the reconciliation of the 83% of baptized Catholics in the archdiocese who no longer participate in the sacramental life of the Church.

The "St. Andrew Novena for the 83%," organized by the archdiocese's Office for the New Evangelization, is running from Nov. 30 through Dec. 24. Participants are asked to recite the traditional prayer 15 times each day while praying specifically for the grace of reconciliation for loved ones currently disconnected from the faith.

"The novena is an opportunity for practicing Catholics to pray intentionally for their loved ones who are currently disconnected from their Catholic faith. It's also an opportunity to pray in communion with hundreds of fellow Catholics who share the same heartfelt desire for the 'homecoming' of their loved ones," Meghan Cokeley, director of the Office for the New Evangelization, said to Philadelphia's archdiocesan paper this week.

Cokeley said the idea came to her as she prayed during Eucharistic adoration. "I wasn't looking for it and it filled me with a lot of joy, so I thought that perhaps it was Jesus who was asking for this."

She emphasized Advent's special grace for reconciliation and St. Andrew the Apostle's role as a "fisher of men." "By joining our prayer with the saint, we are asking him to 'go fishing' for our loved ones and catch them for Jesus," Cokeley said.

More than 400 people have already signed up, submitting initials of family members and friends. Everyone who registers receives a secure link to the full list, allowing them to pray for all individuals by their initials.

The initiative is part of the archdiocese's broader "Trust and Hope" campaign to adjust to changing realities and bring about "parish renewal" in the Church in the Pennsylvania Archdiocese. 

Cokeley noted the widespread sorrow many feel over loved ones away from the Church. "In my travels around the archdiocese, I often hear from people who ache on behalf of their loved ones who are away from the Church. I sense that it is a widespread and shared sorrow for many," she said.

"Time spent in prayer is the most fruitful investment of one's life," Cokeley added.

Here is the full prayer (which is also available in Spanish on the website): "Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold. In that hour vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of his blessed Mother. Amen."

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Ann Arbor, Michigan, Dec 6, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed cautious hope for peace in Gaza, calling on people of the region to combat hatred and "think differently" about each other. 

Pizzaballa, whose authority extends over Latin Catholics in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Cyprus, also holds the office of grand prior of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. He began a four-day pastoral visit to metro Detroit on Dec. 4, celebrating Mass with the Chaldean community at St. Thomas Chaldean Catholic Church in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger and Chaldean Bishop Francis Y. Kalabat joined him. Throughout the visit, the cardinal offered a sober yet grounded message of hope for Christians in the Holy Land.

At a press conference on Dec. 5, Weisenburger welcomed the cardinal and praised his efforts to promote a "just and lasting peace" in Gaza. Asked by CNA what hope remains for Holy Land Christians amid what he had described as some of the worst devastation in decades, Pizzaballa cautioned against equating hope with immediate political solutions.

"Hope is a complicated word," he said. "You must not confuse hope with a political solution, which will not arrive soon, not in Gaza, the Holy Land, or the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. If you put your hope in this, you will be frustrated." He emphasized that both political and religious institutions must work to nurture hope.

"Hope," the cardinal continued, "is a word that cannot remain alone. It has to put roots in something else," namely, faith and desire. He added, "There needs to be a desire for it to be realized. A second consideration is that if institutions fail, we need people to think differently, to act differently, both Israelis and Palestinians. This may not resolve all the problems, but it says to people, 'All is not lost.'"

Christians represent only about 1% of Gaza's population—roughly 500 people—and about 2% of the population in both Israel and the West Bank, where there are about 190,000 and 45,000 Christians, respectively. Many continue to emigrate, raising fears about the future of Christianity in the region. Gaza has only one Catholic parish, for example.

The patriarch described the increasingly dire conditions in Gaza since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. Most infrastructure—homes, hospitals, and schools—has been reduced to rubble, he said, leaving families in tents as winter approaches and food remains scarce. During a visit after Hamas and Israel concluded a ceasefire this fall, he brought food, including chicken, to Christians sheltering at the Holy Family parish compound. "It was the first meat they had seen in nine months," he said. Although food enters Gaza, much of it ends up in markets, where many have no cash to purchase it, he said.

Despite the devastation, sacramental life continues. Hosting some 500 displaced Gazans, the parish has school activities and daily liturgies, including Mass, Vespers, the Rosary, and Eucharistic Adoration. First Communions and even a wedding have taken place. The parish's sacramental life has emboldened solidarity among those taking shelter at the church, but has been a spiritual aid, Pizzaballa said. 

"Every time I speak with them, I never hear a word of anger; never," Pizzaballa said. "And one person, I can't even say the name, he was the director of the hospital. One evening, in Gaza, between the bombs falling not far from the compound, he said, 'You know, bishop, we Christians have a problem. Amidst all the violence, we are not able to hate them.'"

While Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire on Oct. 9, Pizzaballa said Gazans are only now emerging from "survival mode." He said, "They ask, 'What do we do now? When will rebuilding start? What governance will there be? Who will decide? What about our children?' There was no emotional space for these questions before, but now they are coming out."

Weisenburger acknowledged the complexity of the situation, saying it cannot be "simplified into sound bites." He reflected on the human cost of the war: "Too many of those bombs that killed some 70,000 people, wiped their homes from the face of the earth, and destroyed their cities, schools, and hospitals, were from us. I think we in America must accept some responsibility for rebuilding." He expressed gratitude for the cardinal's message of hope, adding that generous Detroiters had already pledged about $500,000 for needs in the Holy Land. "By doing something, we can nurture hope," he said.

In his homily at the Chaldean community Mass, Pizzaballa compared Isaiah's vision of restoration with present-day devastation in the Middle East, including the suffering of Chaldeans in Iraq at the hands of ISIS. He stressed the Church's mission of fostering peace. Regarding the Hamas attack, he said, "We have to say this very clearly: it is not acceptable at all." He added, however, that Israel's "retaliation, what happened after in Gaza, is an even more difficult answer." He emphasized, "We are not against Israel," while insisting that "The situation will never change as long as the Palestinians are not recognized as people with their dignity and a right of self-determination."

On Dec. 5, the cardinal visited fellow Franciscans at St. Bonaventure Monastery and prayed at the tomb of Blessed Solanus Casey. He received a first-class relic of Blessed Solanus to bring to Jerusalem. The Chaldean community also presented him with relics of four Chaldean martyrs. The next day, he visited Sacred Heart Seminary and spoke with seminarians and faculty.

About 500 people attended the Dec. 5 fundraising dinner held at St. John's Resort, the former seminary campus dedicated to charitable hospitality. Weisenburger said the resort's owner, the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, donates 100% of its net profits for such events to charity.

Pilgrimages to Holy Land to resume

Holy Land Christians continue to feel the economic repercussions of the war, particularly in Bethlehem, which is located in the West Bank area of Jordan that is administered by Israel and where tourism has plummeted. Author and filmmaker Steve Ray, who has led more than 200 pilgrimages, plans to guide a group of over 50 pilgrims from Dec. 28 to Jan. 6. 

"I've heard that 70% to 80% of the revenue of Christians comes from pilgrims. To have all the tour buses parked for two years is financially devastating," he said. On the question of safety, he added, "Social media blows things way out of proportion. No pilgrims have ever been hurt. We are not concerned." He plans four more pilgrimages in 2026, including one for Ave Maria University students.

Concluding his sweep through Detroit, Pizzaballa is set to celebrate Mass at the Shrine of the Little Flower, which treasures the relics of St. Therese de Lisieux.

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CNA Staff, Dec 6, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

American actor Chris Pratt, best known for his roles in "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Jurassic World," is currently filming a documentary on the Vatican Necropolis, which lies underneath Vatican City containing tombs dating from the first to fourth century A.D., at depths varying between 16 and 39 feet below St. Peter's Basilica. 

The film, which is being produced by Vatican Media, the Fabric of St. Peter, and AF Films, will be released in 2026 for the 400th anniversary of the inauguration and dedication of the basilica. 

Pratt will guide viewers on a journey to discover the tomb of St. Peter through stories of faith, history, and archaeology.

"It is an extraordinary honor to partner with Pope Leo and the Vatican on this project. St. Peter's story is foundational to the Christian faith, and I'm deeply grateful for the trust and access granted to help bring his legacy to the screen," Pratt told Vatican News in an interview. 

While Pratt is not Catholic, he and his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger, a practicing Catholic, attend Mass regularly and are raising their children Catholic. Pratt speaks openly about his faith and the importance he places on praying daily. He has also partnered with Hallow, a Catholic prayer and meditation app, on multiple occasions and been featured in its Lent, Advent, and daily prayer challenges. 

Through historical evidence and archaeological discoveries, viewers of the new film are invited to discover St. Peter's burial place in the Vatican Necropolis, which was officially announced by Pope Pius XII in 1950. 

In 1939, Pope Pius XII had workers begin excavations under the basilica in order to try to find the location of the beloved apostle's burial place. In 1950, the pope officially announced that the location of the tomb was found, along with bone fragments likely belonging to the saint. In 1968, Pope Pius XII announced that the bone fragments found were indeed those of St. Peter. 

St. Peter's bones were publicly displayed for the first time in 2013 by Pope Francis. The late pontiff held the relics during a Mass at St. Peter's Square, which marked the end of the Church's Year of Faith.

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