Catholic News
"What a joy it is to return to Chiclayo!" The pope spent Friday in his former diocese with a Mass for 500,000, a rose for Our Lady and a talk to students, before ending the day with priests.
Back at the Chiclayo university he once oversaw as grand chancellor, the pope warned against transhumanism and urged students to seek the light of faith.
CHICLAYO, Peru — Pope Leo XIV offered a mission statement for Catholic higher education as a bastion of truth-seeking and humanity in a world increasingly dominated by soulless technocratic utilitarianism.
Speaking Friday, Nov. 13, in his former diocese, the pope said a university is called to be "a forge of talents and a laboratory of meaning: a space where intelligence does not bow to utility but serves the truth faithfully" — above all, he added, "the Truth with a capital T, who is Christ, the Savior of the world."
"The Catholic university works to foster the fruitful encounter between faith and reason, and between religion and science," the pope continued. "This academic approach frees us from the temptation to produce only a skilled workforce for an exclusive and highly competitive market."
Leo made his remarks during a visit to Santo Toribio de Mogrovejo Catholic University in Chiclayo, where as bishop he also served as the university's grand chancellor. Friday was his first time back in the city since his election as pope in May 2025.
The institution is named for St. Turibius of Mogrovejo, a Spanish missionary who served as archbishop of Lima from 1581 until his death in 1606 and who promoted the use of the Indigenous languages Quechua and Aymara in evangelization.
Leo has a particular devotion to St. Turibius and was scheduled to take part in a celebration closing the jubilee year for the 300th anniversary of the saint's canonization on Saturday, Nov. 14.
"Saint Turibius' great cultural work in this part of the world continues to inspire us," the pope said on Friday. "A university modeled on his example is called to use scientific innovation to bridge social divides and heal society's wounds."
He said such a university could be effective in dispelling what he called the mirage of transhumanism and posthumanism: "ideological currents according to which, sooner or later, technology will eliminate all disease and pain, as well as aging and even death itself."
Against such ideas, Christian anthropology "reminds us that a limitation is not a manufacturing defect, but rather the very condition of human grandeur," Leo said. While "the myth of self-sufficiency locks us in selfishness and leads us to discard the weak," he added, "recognizing our fragility makes us attentive to the needs of all."
Turning to the students, the pope urged them to see the opportunities of their time in the light of faith, which he called a bright beacon in "the confusion and darkness of loneliness, boredom and pain" and "a force that gives wisdom and strength, leading to what is essential."
Pope Leo returned to Chiclayo, Peru, the diocese where he served as bishop, for a full day of encounters, witness and a message of hope.
In recent decades, support for the death penalty has declined the most with Democrats but has also seen declines among independents and Republicans.
Public support for the death penalty in the United States has dropped below 50% for the first time since 1971, according to a new survey from Gallup.
The survey of 1,200 adults between Oct. 1–19 found that a plurality of Americans still support the death penalty, but the number sat at 49%. It found that 45% oppose the death penalty and 5% did not have an opinion. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Gallup's findings show a continued decline in public support for the death penalty since 1994 when 80% of Americans supported it. The last time support for the death penalty was at 49% was in 1971, after which public support steadily climbed up to the 1994 peak.
Only three surveys published by Gallup over the last 70 years found public support lower than 49%. This was in 1957 when support was 47%, in 1965 when support was 45%, and in 1966 when support was 42%.
From 1994 to 2026, a substantial decline in support for the death penalty came from Democrats and independents; however, Republican support has gone down as well. In the past 32 years, support of Democrats decreased from 75% to 28%, support of independents decreased from 79% to 50%, and support of Republicans decreased from 84% to 73%.
"We know that the death penalty is a life issue, not a political issue, which is why it's particularly encouraging to see that support for capital punishment has decreased among both Republicans and Democrats," Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, the executive director of the Catholic Mobilizing Network, told EWTN News.
The Catholic Mobilizing Network works closely with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on efforts to oppose the death penalty.
It's particularly encouraging to see that support for capital punishment has decreased among both Republicans and Democrats."
Krisanne Vaillancourt MurphyCatholic Mobilizing Network
"The decline is consistent with what we see traveling across the country and speaking with people in the pews and people of goodwill: More and more people realize that capital punishment neither deters crime nor brings healing for victims," Vaillancourt Murphy said.
"As the American public becomes less tolerant of this barbaric practice, God willing, more resources and attention can be focused on murder victims and their families to create pathways toward healing and possibly even forgiveness," she added.
According to the survey, younger people are less likely to support the death penalty than older people. It found support for the death penalty among those aged 18-29 at 39%, among those aged 30-49 at 49%, among those aged 50-64 at 54%, and among those aged 65 and older at 53%.
Although Gallup's survey suggests a strong decline in public support, a separate survey from Pew Research Center from July found that 66% of Americans support the death penalty for people convicted of murder, as do 65% of Catholic Americans. Gallup's survey did not break down results by religion.
The Holy Father led the Chiclayo Diocese from 2015–2023.
Pope Leo XIV returned to Chiclayo, Peru, on Nov. 13, visiting the South American diocese he led for nearly a decade and celebrating Mass there as pope for the first time.
The Holy Father led the Chiclayo Diocese from 2015 to 2023 before then-Pope Francis appointed him as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops. The pope has referred to Peru as his "homeland"; prior to leading the Diocese of Chiclayo he served as a missionary there for years.
Here are photos of Pope Leo in Chiclayo on Nov. 13:
Pope Leo returned to Chiclayo, Peru, the diocese where he served as bishop, on Friday and celebrated Mass in the Pampas de Pimentel. Later he will meet with religious leaders and university students.
About 1.5 million members of his former flock turned out to greet the pontiff.
CHICLAYO, Peru — Pope Leo XIV returned on Friday to his former diocese, where he received an ecstatic welcome and seemed equally moved to be back.
"What a joy it is to return to Chiclayo! It is a blessing for me to be with you once again," Leo said at the start of his homily at an open-air Mass in an arid plain outside the city.
Then he added a poignant reminder that, despite the hectic pace of his 12-day trip to South America — which has left him seemingly unfazed a week into the journey — he had cancer surgery only a month ago.
"Thank you for your affection, support, and prayers, especially for my health during this time of trial which, with God's help, I am overcoming," the pope said.
Approximately 1 million people lined the pope's route to the Mass site on the Pampas de Pimentel, and another 500,000 attended the liturgy, according to the Vatican.
Leo served as bishop of Chiclayo for eight years out of two decades in total as a missionary in Peru. He is the first foreign missionary in at least centuries to have been elected to the papacy.
But in his homily, he reminded his congregation that they were all called to evangelize.
"All Christians, whether ordained ministers or lay faithful — regardless of the degree of formation we have received in the faith — are missionary disciples," the pope said.
For most laity, he said, the task of evangelization takes the form of "the witness of an authentically Christian and coherent life."
The pope said achieving that life "is not merely the fruit of our own will, but it is also a grace for which we must implore the Lord and with which we are called to cooperate through our personal commitment and effort."
Leo said that good works are a necessary concomitant to evangelization, "because the proclamation of the faith is linked to charity and the care of those most in need."
He also stressed that the welcome of the evangelist does not mean suspension of moral rigor, since Jesus "invites us to conform our lives to his in faithful obedience to his commandments."
"Without truth, love degenerates into mere sentimentality, while truth without love becomes rigid and cold," the pope said.
Papal health clinics will provide free medical care to the poor ahead of a lunch between Pope Leo XIV and 1,300 people in need on Nov. 22.
On Nov. 15, the Dicastery for Evangelization will celebrate the 10th World Day of the Poor with Mass for people in need in St. Peter's Basilica. Lunch with Pope Leo XIV will follow a week later on Nov. 22, after his trip in South America.
According to the Vatican, lunch will include ice cream donated by Guttilla Gelateria and will be accompanied by music from the National Fanfare of the Italian Red Cross. At the end, participants will leave with a personal hygiene kit donated by Procter & Gamble.
With Pope Leo completing his tour of South America, he has designated Archbishop Luis Marin de San Martin, OSA, prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, to celebrate the Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Nov. 15.
Free healthcare at the heart of the Vatican
Founded in 2015 under Pope Francis, the Madre di Misericordia Clinic, and, since 2025, the San Martino Clinic, continue to offer free medical consultations and medication to the poor and homeless in Rome. During the week of the World Day of the Poor, the clinics will be open for longer hours to provide general and specialist medical visits, cancer screenings, flu vaccines, and blood exams.
Dr. Massimo Ralli, undersecretary of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, noted that an additional examination room has been added to one of the Vatican health clinics, which are designed for people who "do not have documents and cannot access the Italian healthcare system."
These two clinics are run by 120 volunteers, including doctors, pharmacists, technicians, and nurses covering 26 specialties. Other volunteers give their time welcoming and talking to those who come to use the services, providing comfort in a nonmedical capacity.
"These people don't know where to go so they come here and can access specialists in cardiology, ophthalmology, or gastroenterologists," Ralli explained to EWTN News. The clinics also cover dental problems, because everyone struggles with this, he said, but especially if they do not have the wherewithal to manage the pain, "those who wish to go for job interviews [will struggle getting hired]."
To tackle this, Ralli explained that "if they need new teeth we also help them by covering the cost of new dentures." Another area the clinics cover is eyesight, because people who cannot see struggle to live a full life "so in this place they can get a visit, and we can also get the glasses."
On this 10th World Day of the Poor, the Church remembers what St. John Paul II said: "The poor are not a problem to be solved but a people to be welcomed and loved."
This statement rings true today as the Vatican prepares to welcome around 1,300 of those living on the street to a lunch with the pontiff on Nov. 22. In welcoming those living on the margins as honored guests rather than strangers, the Vatican seeks to embody the spirit of St. Francis and bear witness to the truth that the Lord remains the refuge of the poor.
Canadian bishops urge change to euthanasia bill, Mosul honors two martyrs, Irish archbishop highlights how AI affects human trafficking, and more in this week's Catholic world news roundup.
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has called on the Canadian government to revise Bill C-41, the proposed Medical Assistance in Dying Safeguards Act, arguing that its provisions on advance requests for euthanasia raise serious ethical, legal, and human rights concerns.
In a parliamentary brief released Nov. 12, the bishops urged members of Parliament to separate two distinct issues in the legislation: the permanent exclusions of mental illness as the sole underlying medical condition for eligibility for medical assistance in dying (MAID) and the proposed authorization of advance requests for euthanasia.
Bill C-41 was introduced in Parliament on Oct. 27 and is at its second reading in the House of Commons.
The CCCB also called for greater investment in palliative care, healthcare, and practical supports for people living with serious illnesses, disabilities, and declining independence.
Mosul honors 2 Christian martyrs as questions remain over return of displaced families
Two streets in Mosul, Iraq, now bear the names of Christian clergy killed during years of violence against the city's Christian community.
ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, reported that the latest dedication honors Syriac Orthodox Father Paul Iskandar, who was killed in 2006, with the street outside St. Ephrem Cathedral named in his memory. A nearby street was previously named after Chaldean Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho, who died following his abduction in 2008.
Archbishop Nicodemus Daoud Matti Sharaf welcomed the recognition but cautioned that symbolic gestures alone cannot encourage displaced Christians to return. He stressed that genuine security and stability are essential for rebuilding trust and restoring the Christian presence in Mosul.
Irish archbishop draws attention to 'threat of digitally enabled human trafficking'
The archbishop of Armagh and primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, has called for "renewed and collective action against human trafficking" in the face of "advances in digital technology [that] are creating new opportunities for the exploitation of vulnerable people."
Martin made the comments in a keynote address at the 20th anniversary conference of Act to Prevent Trafficking on Nov. 10 at the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in Dublin. He drew attention to Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and "the growing threat of digitally enabled trafficking and new forms of modern slavery."
Indonesian bishops call for Church to address poverty, other major challenges
Following their plenary assembly Nov. 4–10, the Indonesian bishops called on the Catholic Church to "move beyond pastoral statements and programs and take concrete action to address poverty, environmental degradation, and other challenges facing the country," LiCAS News reported.
The bishops made the statement at the Indonesian Bishops' Conference, which focused on the theme "Building a Sustainable Economy and Our Common Home." The bishops also stressed the need to translate Church teachings and pastoral commitments into practical initiatives that respond to the needs of communities.
Catholics join network urging EU to create new agriculture policy
A coalition of faith-based organizations working on food systems across the 27 European Union member states has called on European policymakers to strengthen environmental protections, support small-scale farmers, and promote sustainable food production in the next Common Agricultural Policy for 2028–2034.
In its position paper titled "A Christian Vision for the New Common Agricultural Policy," published in October, the Our Daily Bread Network argues that EU agricultural policy should reflect Christian principles of justice, stewardship of creation, and solidarity with farmers and consumers. It describes the relationship between farmers, the land, and animals as a covenant that must be protected through responsible agricultural practices.
The report identifies three priorities: justice for farmers, justice for all the living world, and justice for the people of Europe, and also stresses that greater flexibility for EU member states in implementing agricultural policy must be accompanied by accountability, transparent spending, and measurable environmental outcomes.
Oman's first Catholic church celebrates 50 years
A house of prayer established in 1977 in Oman for international workers is now a parish serving tens of thousands and is getting ready to celebrate its 50th anniversary.
LiCAS News reported that an inaugural Mass at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Ruwi, Muscat, celebrated by the apostolic vicar of Southern Arabia, Bishop Paolo Martinelli, OFM Cap, on Nov. 6 opened the celebrations, which will run through Nov. 5, 2027. The golden jubilee marking the parish's service in the Arabian Peninsula will highlight "the history and missionary role of the country's Catholic community, which includes migrants from different nations."
Iraqi Christian political blocs clash over migration ministry
A dispute between Iraq's Christian political blocs, Sowayana and Babylon, has intensified over control of the Ministry of Migration and Displacement, a cabinet portfolio traditionally allocated to the Christian community, according to ACI MENA.
Although Babylon holds only two of the five parliamentary seats reserved for Christians, it argues that its alliance with the powerful Coordination Framework (the primary ruling political coalition) gives it sufficient political influence to secure the ministry. Its opponents question whether such alliances reflect the independent political will of Iraqi Christians.
The controversy raises a broader concern: whether political leaders will prioritize competition for government positions or address the emigration, displacement, property rights, and declining population threatening Iraq's historic Christian communities.
135-year-old Catholic school in England shuts down
A Catholic school that opened in 1891 and has been at the heart of a rural town in Dorset, England, has shut down suddenly, citing the Labour government's VAT (value-added tax) on private education. Parents, families, and teachers have formed a working group to reopen the school.
Implemented at the start of 2025, the Labour budget confirmed plans to apply VAT, an indirect consumption tax added to most products and services sold by registered businesses, to private school fees, as well as the plan to end charitable rate relief for private schools.
The school is known for some of its famous alumni, including actress Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and Baroness Dido Harding. The closure has affected 600 pupils and 180 members of staff.
The company's chief executive, Hugh Dickinson, said they had not been able to overcome mounting financial pressures despite every effort to turn it around. The Catholic Schools Trust, a charity that holds the school's land and buildings, called the closure is "deeply concerning."
Isabella Reed contributed to this report.
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday met with Peruvian bishops and faithful outside Lima's cathedral, then told some 60,000 young people at a stadium vigil: "You are the sign of hope!"
