Catholic News

The University of Notre Dame's de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture on Oct. 4 announced that its 2027 Evangelium Vitae Medal would be awarded to the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne for what the center described as more than a century of "truth and love" serving poor and dying people.

The de Nicola Center said it would present the award to Mother Superior Marie Edward, O.P., during a special Mass and dinner at the university on April 24, 2027. This year's is the 16th annual award the center has presented.

Founded in 1900 by Mother Mary Alphonsa — born Rose Hawthorne, the daughter of famed novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne — the congregation is headquartered in Hawthorne, New York. The sisters there are devoted to caring for impoverished men and women dying from cancer.

Notre Dame President Father Robert Dowd, CSC, said in a press release that the sisters in their work "radiate the very mercy of God."

"Since their founding, they have proclaimed the Gospel of Life through direct service to God's beloved poor, fulfilling Christ's command to comfort the sick and give shelter to the homeless," Dowd said.

The sisters' ministry, he said, "highlights the inherent, God-given dignity of every human person, regardless of worldly success or social status."

Jennifer Newsome Martin, director of the ethics center at the school, likewise described the sisters as "a shining example of Christian charity in action."

The Evangelium Vitae medal is presented annually on Respect Life Sunday. It is named after Pope St. John Paul II's famed 1995 encyclical that testifies in part to the inherent dignity of human life and the need to care for and protect the most vulnerable.

Mother Mary Alphonsa died in 1926 and is buried at Rosary Hill Home at the congregation's headquarters. She was declared venerable by Pope Francis in 2024.

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Noah McKay was always "at least slightly" more confident than not that God existed.

The philosophy doctoral student at Princeton University recently announced his conversion to Catholicism, but he told EWTN News that he struggled for years with what he saw as uncertainties related to faith, including the problem of evil and the "problem of divine hiddenness."

McKay is the second Princeton philosophy scholar this year to convert to the Catholic faith; earlier in the summer Joe Schmid announced his own return to the faith after years of having run an agnostic-themed philosophy channel on YouTube.

"I was never an atheist, and I don't think I was ever agnostic," McKay told EWTN News. But he experienced profound uncertainties in high school and graduate school, some of which were also related to what he described as "difficulties with the reliability and interpretation of the Bible."

While he never fully abandoned belief in God, "what firmly convinced me of theism were, first, design arguments based on the fine-tuning of physics for the emergence of life, and, second, the empirical evidence for contemporary Christian miracles," he said.

"Arguments from consciousness, moral knowledge, and natural beauty also played a role," he added.

It is perhaps unsurprising that a philosophy scholar would be drawn into the Church in part by scholarly inquiry. Schmid told EWTN News shortly after his conversion, for instance, that "contingency arguments" helped convince him of God's existence.

McKay, meanwhile, cited "evidence for vindicatory Catholic miracles" as helping lead him to the Catholic Church specifically.

Those miracles "presuppose distinctive teachings of the Catholic Church," he pointed out, and the evidence for them, he argued, is "as good or better than the evidence for the more generically Christian miracles" in which McKay himself already believed.

He told EWTN News that out of the necessity of consistency he felt he needed to either accept all of those Catholic miracles or reject all of them. "And the evidence was too strong for rejecting all of them to be reasonable!" he said.

The evidence for those miracles wasn't the only thing that convinced him of the truth of the Catholic faith, he said, but "it did motivate me to look into the history and theology of the Church more carefully," and the evidence he found for Catholicism was "very strong."

He urged those considering Catholicism for the first time, or those who are considering returning to it, to start with researching those miracles.

Speaking to Catholic YouTube apologist Cameron Bertuzzi in a recent interview, McKay argued that "if you already accept that Christianity is true, the inference to Catholicism is irresistible."

He admitted that his decision to join the Church caused his close friends and family "distress" given his Protestant background.

But "I think Catholicism — if you're fully informed, if you're really considering all of the evidence — I think Catholicism is basically going to be irresistible," he said.

Speaking to EWTN News, he also urged potential converts and reverts: "Pray!"

"I found praying the rosary especially helpful when I was discerning Catholicism," he said. "Just ask God to help you earnestly seek the truth and make the means of discovering it available. Those who seek Christ, earnestly and prayerfully, will find him."

"I'm going to ask God to make himself known to everyone who reads this article!" he added.

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The Villaregia Missionary Community has established a new presence in Ghinnir, in Ethiopia's East Bale, seeking to reach communities where the Catholic Church has a limited presence.

Ethiopia's East Bale region is in the Oromia region of the country and encompasses the eastern areas of Bale Mountains National Park.

According to a report on Sept. 29 by Agenzia Fides, the Villaregia Missionary Community has been visiting communities in East Bale where they have been raising awareness about femFRICA/ETHIOPIA, including the issues of female genital mutilation and early marriage.

Teresa Zullo, a missionary from the Community of Villaregia who has been in Ethiopia for seven years, following an invitation from Father Angelo Antolini, prefect of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe, said that missionary work is not permanent. She said it is about taking the Gospel and pastoral services to places in most need.

"There are moments when mission asks us to stay, to put down roots, and build relationships, and there are others when it asks us to set out again and cross new horizons. The time has come for us to begin again," Zullo said.

"We moved to Ghinnir, in the heart of East Bale. This decision was born from a journey of discernment and from the years of experience we gained in a territory that we have gradually come to know more closely."

The missionary described the relocation as a new stage in the journey, saying they are "leaving what is familiar, entering a new reality and learning how to be present where there is not yet a Catholic community," especially in Muslim-dominant areas where they are seeking to offer "a presence of relationship, listening, service, and fraternity."

The missionaries establishing a new presence in Ghinnir hope their decision will enable them to extend some of their services to remote areas of East Bale, especially those near the Somali Region in Ethiopia.

"The move is therefore not simply a change of place. It is a new step: a new reality to discover, new people to meet, and new roads to travel. A home to inhabit, but a tent in our hearts: ready to stay, to meet others, and, when the time comes, to set out again," Zullo said.

The move follows seven years of missionary service in Robe and Goba parishes, where the community has been involved in pastoral activities and gradually developed relationships with local communities.

"We began taking our first steps in this challenging context. The slow process of learning the language, our encounters with people, and the time spent traveling allowed us, little by little, to begin our pastoral activities and to become part of this new reality," Zullo said.

The missionary said the community's experience in other parts of Ethiopia has inspired them to move to East Bale, where many have fled due to extreme drought, and that this has encouraged them to support vulnerable communities there.

"Three years ago, a prolonged period of drought forced many people to leave the East Bale region and head towards Robe in search of opportunities. As we passed near the bus station in Robe, we noticed their presence. We approached them, asked some questions, and discovered that they came from East Bale. We thus found ourselves facing a vast territory that was almost completely neglected by the Church's missionary activity. For us, this became an insistent call to our identity as missionaries 'ad gentes,'" she said.

Zullo said the community sees its small numerical presence as an opportunity to build closer relationships with local people and spread the Gospel effectively.

"Being numerically insignificant can represent a great opportunity for the Gospel, a precious opportunity to draw close to others, not to frighten them, to recognize the positive forces within the local community and to build networks with them," she said.

"Mobility, therefore, is not merely a practical matter; it is part of the way we understand mission. A Church that moves, a Church that goes out, a Church that draws near. This choice concerns not only our fraternity but is part of the journey of the Apostolic Prefecture of Robe, which is called to grow and continually broaden the scope of its evangelizing mission," Zullo added.

Regarding the missionaries settling in Ghinnir, Zullo expressed hope that despite the challenges they are going to face, their focus will remain on their main agenda, which is to spread the Gospel and support the local communities in the region.

"We left Robe just a few days ago, and now here we are in Ghinnir, without knowing what awaits us. We would like to set out again with a home to live in, but with a tent in our hearts, ready to stay, to meet others, and, when the time comes, to set out again," Zullo said.

The Villaregia Missionary Community is a Catholic community made up of consecrated men and women, clergy, married couples, and single people of different nationalities, united by the same spirituality and the same mission: to be a community for the "ad gentes" "to the nations" mission.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.

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VATICAN CITY, Oct. 4, 2026 (EWTN News) — Pope Leo XIV on Sunday reflected on the Gospel parable of the tenants and the enduring witness of St. Francis of Assisi, saying that "the charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today" eight centuries after the saint's death.

Introducing the Angelus before pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, the pope noted that the Gospel recounts how Christ came to bring salvation but was rejected by those who should have welcomed him.

"The Son of God sent into the world is rejected by the very people who should have welcomed him with open arms. The One who came to bring salvation is condemned; the One who wishes to give life is put to death," the pope said.

While such realities lead Christians to reflect on "the many cruelties that plague the world and the history of peoples," he added, "Christ's teaching reveals the ever-greater mercy of his Father."

Despite humanity's rejection of God, Leo emphasized that divine providence continues to guide history toward redemption.

"This is how the Almighty guides history, coming to our aid in all our falls: God never discards our lives!" he said.

Drawing on the Gospel image of the vineyard, the pope said the Church is entrusted to Christians' care and can be built up or damaged by their choices.

On the eighth centenary of St. Francis' death, Leo highlighted the saint's role in renewing the Church after Christ called him to "repair" it.

"Inspired by the Crucified One, Francis first and foremost built his own life upon the foundation of Christ, sharing in his poverty, joy and sufferings, even to the point of receiving the mystical sign of the stigmata," the pope said.

The saint, he continued, "repaired the Church by virtue of his faith in the Lord Jesus, healing the rifts of discord through the witness of fraternal love."

Leo said the Franciscan spiritual legacy remains alive today.

"The charism of Saint Francis continues to bear fruit even today," he said. "This is attested to, not only by the great and vibrant Franciscan family but also by the many gifts that his spiritual legacy bestows upon the People of God."

As Catholics celebrate the Franciscan Jubilee Year, the pope encouraged the faithful to persevere in prayer for peace and to work actively for reconciliation among nations.

After praying the Angelus, Leo renewed his appeal for peace during the month of October, highlighting the "A Million Children Praying the Rosary" initiative organized by Aid to the Church in Need from Oct. 1-7.

"I wholeheartedly thank all the boys and girls who are joining in this prayer in so many parts of the world," he said. "Let us all follow their example, invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary so that peoples may be freed from the scourge of war."

The pope asked in particular for prayers for the Holy Land and for innocent victims of violence.

Leo also announced a Vatican gathering marking the 10th anniversary of Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis' apostolic exhortation on marriage and family life. The meeting will bring together the heads of the Eastern Catholic Churches and the presidents of bishops' conferences from around the world.

"It will be a time of synodal discernment for identifying the steps to be taken in order to proclaim the Gospel today among families and the younger generations," he said.

The pope entrusted both the meeting and families worldwide to the prayers of the faithful, describing families as "a sign of hope and an inestimable treasure for the Church and for society."

He concluded by greeting participants in celebrations marking the 800th anniversary of St. Francis' death, including commemorations held in Assisi attended by Italy's highest civil authorities.

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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On Sept. 25, one day after the beatification of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, members of the media and entertainment world as well as the Church at large gathered in Peoria, Illinois — the hometown of now-Blessed Fulton Sheen — for the inaugural Sheen Awards.

Among the notable figures in attendance were Bishop Louis Tylka of the Diocese of Peoria; Bishop John Barres of the Diocese Rockville Centre, New York; Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota; Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in "The Chosen"; David Henrie, host of EWTN's travel series "Seeking Beauty"; and Siobhan Fallon Hogan, host of the EWTN podcast "Catholics and Cappuccinos."

Seven awards were presented including the Radio and Podcast Impact Award, the Evangelization Impact Award, the Mission and Humanitarian Impact Award, the Innovation Impact Award, the Digital Creator Impact Award, the Television and Streaming Impact Award, and the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mother Angelica, EWTN's foundress, posthumously received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was bestowed on Mother Angelica in recognition of her lifetime of service to the Church and her pioneering use of television to proclaim the Gospel through the Eternal Word Television Network. EWTN Studios President Peter Gagnon accepted the award on her behalf.

"On behalf of Michael Warsaw, CEO, and myself, we want to thank Bishop Tylka and the Archbishop Sheen Foundation for honoring Mother Angelica with this award," Gagnon said in his acceptance speech.

Gagnon worked with Mother Angelica for many years and pointed out that "one of her favorite expressions was to say, 'This is awesome!'"

He said: "When there would be a papal event, she would say, 'Wasn't that awesome?' … I think tonight she would say, 'This is awesome.'"

A little over one year after the death of Sheen — on Dec. 12, 1980 — EWTN was officially incorporated by Mother Angelica. Reflecting on this, Gagnon said: "I don't think it's a coincidence."

"Mother Angelica took the torch from Archbishop Sheen because she saw the power of reaching people through the media, through television," he said. "She, like Archbishop Sheen, could reach through that camera lens and talk to you. And when she was talking to you, she was talking to you directly."

Gagnon added: "Also like him [Sheen], she had just an incredible love for the Church and a zeal for souls. I never knew anyone who loved Our Lord as much as Mother Angelica did. Her impact on many throughout the world is truly humbling and amazing."

EWTN has aired "Life Is Worth Living," Sheen's popular television show, for over 20 years. Gagnon emphasized that the network is "proud to share his words and message throughout the world."

In an additional statement commenting on the significance of the award, Michael Warsaw, chairman and CEO of EWTN Global Catholic Network, noted: "Among the great Catholic evangelists of the 20th century, Blessed Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, and our own Mother Angelica, stand out for the extraordinary ways they embraced media to proclaim the Gospel, defend the dignity of the human person and speak the truth to a world desperately in need of Jesus Christ."

"It is especially meaningful to see Mother Angelica honored in the name of Archbishop Sheen, whose pioneering use of radio and television demonstrated the power of media in service of the Gospel," Warsaw pointed out. He said the recognition is "particularly poignant as we mark the 10th anniversary of Mother Angelica's passing."

"She would have been deeply honored to be recognized at the inaugural Sheen Awards and counted among the innovators and communicators carrying forward Archbishop Sheen's legacy," Warsaw added.

Broaching the topic of Mother Angelica's own potential cause for canonization, Warsaw indicated: "While I remain mindful of the Church's careful discernment regarding any potential cause for sainthood, I can say personally that I pray and hope that one day Mother Angelica might be numbered among the saints of the Church she loved and served so faithfully."

Warsaw concluded: "On behalf of the entire EWTN family, I am profoundly grateful for this recognition of Mother Angelica and, more importantly, for the opportunity to remember what animated both Mother Angelica and Blessed Fulton Sheen: the desire to bring souls to Jesus Christ. May their example inspire us all to use the gifts God has given us to proclaim the Gospel with courage, creativity and joy."

Additional Sheen Award recipients included Katie McGrady, who received the Radio and Podcast Impact Award; Roumie, who received the Television and Streaming Impact Award; and Barron, who received the Evangelization Impact Award.

The Mission and Humanitarian Impact Award went to the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States, while Hallow received the Innovation Impact Award. Paul J. Kim was awarded the Digital Creator Impact Award.

Watch EWTN's livestream of the red carpet at the Sheen Awards here.

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Two Christian women were killed early on Oct. 3 in an Israeli strike on a residential apartment in western Gaza City, according to Palestinian and Church sources. The women had recently moved into the apartment after spending a prolonged period sheltering at Holy Family Catholic Church during the ongoing war.

The victims were identified as Maysaa Khader Ibrahim Abu Dawoud and Mary Hafez Michel al-Najjar. They had been living in an apartment in the Institutions area of western Gaza City.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the strike.

In a statement to ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News, George Anton, the director of operations for the Latin Patriarchate in Gaza, said the two women had stayed at Holy Family Catholic Church throughout the war before recently moving into a rented apartment in an effort to resume a more stable life after months of displacement and sheltering at the church.

Anton said the apartment was struck early on Oct. 3, killing both women. He said their deaths had "left deep sorrow among Christian families in the Gaza Strip."

In a statement of mourning issued by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa expressed his "profound sorrow and grief" over the deaths of the two women in the strike on Gaza City.

Pizzaballa in the statement offered his condolences to their families and to Gaza's Christian community, praying that God would grant their loved ones consolation and strength during the painful time.

Holy Family Catholic Parish and the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius in Gaza also mourned the two women and offered condolences to the Abu Dawoud, Ayyad, and al-Najjar families.

Anton pointed to figures recently cited by Pizzaballa showing a sharp decline in Gaza's Christian population since the outbreak of the war, as members of the community have either died or left the Gaza Strip.

In September, Pizzaballa said the number of Christians remaining in Gaza — Catholics and Orthodox combined — had fallen to 541, down from 1,017 before the war.

Churches in Gaza have sheltered hundreds of displaced people during the conflict, Anton said, including people who lost their homes or were forced to flee them.

Holy Family Catholic Church and St. Porphyrius Greek Orthodox Church have provided shelter to Christian and non-Christian families, while some families later moved into alternative housing as the war and widespread destruction continued.

The deaths of the two women underscore the precarious situation facing Christians who have remained in the Gaza Strip. Like other Palestinians in Gaza, they continue to endure displacement, the loss of relatives and homes, and deteriorating humanitarian conditions while seeking to preserve their Christian presence and religious life under extremely difficult circumstances.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

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A new movie is bringing the transformative power of Eucharistic adoration to the big screen. "Adore Him: He Is Here" uses firsthand accounts of real encounters and transformation and depictions of salvation history to portray the powerful love of God that is found in the Blessed Sacrament.

The docudrama features several prominent Catholic figures including Archbishop Paul Coakley of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City; Archbishop José Gómez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; Father Chris Alar of the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception; Curtis Martin, the founder of FOCUS; evangelist Chris Stefanick; and many more.

The film will be in theaters across the United States Oct. 4–8.

The inspiration for the film came as a response to the docudrama "Jesus Thirsts: The Miracle of the Eucharist," which was released in theaters in 2024. Created by the same filmmakers as "Adore Him," "Jesus Thirsts" was made in response to a poll that showed that roughly 70% of Catholics don't believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

"We wanted to demonstrate that Jesus is real in the Eucharist," Deacon Steve Greco, the filmmaker behind both films, told EWTN News in an interview. "So the people who saw that movie, many of them were inspired to say, 'OK, now that Jesus is real, I have to do something different. My life has to be different.' And in changing your life and your world, it really comes down to 'I need to really be connected with him.'"

He added: "So "Adore Him: He Is Here" is really meant to be a continuation, almost like a sequel, to the very first movie in which in order to activate Jesus, to activate the Holy Spirit in our hearts, we need to understand how to worship him. And Eucharistic adoration changes our entire life."

Greco also believes this film is necessary for today because "the Church is really being led back to Eucharist in a way like never before."

"We have this great activation going on in which people are really desiring the Blessed Sacrament and the Eucharist and going before the Blessed Sacrament in a way like never before," he said. "We see more and more churches going to 24/7 adoration. They're expanding their hours of adoration. More and more people are going before the Blessed Sacrament to really be energized and to receive graces."

For those who are feeling called to go to Eucharistic adoration, potentially for the first time, Greco would advise them to "start with 10 minutes and just talk to the Lord. Just have a conversation like with your best friend and just be quiet."

Then those 10 minutes can turn into 20, then half an hour, and finally a full hour. But, the most important thing you need to do, he said, is to "open up your heart to his love."

"You will find that when you go before the Blessed Sacrament, if you open your heart and you're silent before the Lord and you're listening before the Lord, … God will come to you in a powerful way and show you that you are his beloved," Greco added.

With this in mind, he said he hopes viewers of the film will take away "that first of all, Jesus is real; the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist is real. The Blessed Sacrament is there for us to allow us to get to really experience his love in a way like never before. We hope that people go to the Blessed Sacrament, to the chapel."

"When they see this movie [we hope] they just start going and believing and get into the habit of going a few times a week if not every day and just let God love you and that will transform their life. That will give them hope and joy."

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LOURDES, France — One of the most moving moments of Pope Leo XIV's visit to France was his meeting Sept. 27 with 5,000 sick people and their caregivers at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes.

There, after defending the inalienable dignity of those who are suffering from illness or infirmity, he strongly criticized a trend toward the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide under the guise of "false compassion."

"It is impossible to regard causing death as something normal. What is legal is not necessarily moral," he said to loud applause from those listening.

Immediately following his speech, Leo broke from his schedule to go into the crowd and greet the sick and disabled, many of whom had waited hours in the hot sun to take part in the meeting.

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He also took time to bless a few people as he approached the Accueil Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame Home), a residential accommodation classified as a healthcare facility that hosts sick, disabled, and frail pilgrims to Lourdes.

Olivia Hamelin, a girl with the rare genetic neurological condition CDKL5 deficiency disorder, was among those Leo blessed.

"Seeing the pope bless Olivia was truly a moment of grace," Olivia's father, Alexandre Hamelin, told EWTN News afterward.

After Leo blessed Olivia, her father embraced her with a look of pure joy and happiness.

"The fact that he blessed Olivia, in a special way gives us so much strength and hope for her future. This pope radiates kindness and grace. I am certain he will leave a lasting mark on the history of the Church," Hamelin said.

It was 3-year-old Olivia's first time in Lourdes, alongside her parents, Alexandre and Bérénice, and her siblings, 5-year-old Alba and 6-month-old Raphaël.

Raphaël was also blessed by Pope Leo in Lourdes.

The family traveled almost four hours by car from their home in Périgueux, a town in southwestern France, to Lourdes for Leo's visit.

"For us, it was important to come to Lourdes to see the pope and hear his message of peace. It is a true sign of hope for our children," Hamelin said.

CDKL5 deficiency disorder affects brain development and causes severe epilepsy. Those with this condition can have difficulty with movement and speech, alongside other challenges.

Hamelin said when they learned Olivia's condition is not degenerative, it brought him and his family "enormous relief."

"Since then, our sole goal has been for Olivia to have the most beautiful and happiest life possible. Of course, we live with her disability, but we try not to let it limit us, especially in everything we do as a family," he said.

While his family had faith before the trial of Olivia's illness, now, he said, it has "an even more important place in our lives."

"It helps us keep moving forward, maintain trust, and not lose hope, even in the more difficult moments," he said. "Above all, we are convinced that Olivia is a blessing in our lives. We believe that the Lord entrusted her to us and that, through her, he also brings us an abundance of beautiful gifts."

The father noted how Olivia is teaching many people around her, even beyond their family.

For their oldest daughter, Alba, growing up with Olivia teaches her consideration for others, patience, kindness, and acceptance of differences, he said.

"These are beautiful values that Olivia passes on to her simply through her presence," Hamelin noted.

"Olivia profoundly touches the people around her. She creates deep connections and brings a very special joy wherever she goes," he said. "In the end, where some might see only the difficulties associated with her disability, we also see all the beauty she brings into our lives and into the lives of others. That, too, is what nourishes our hope and our faith."

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A Vatican Observatory scholar said modern astronomy suggests Earth may be far less ordinary than scientists once believed, saying decades of research have revealed a universe filled with diverse world rather than countless Earth-life planets capable of supporting intelligent life.

Christopher Graney, an adjunct scholar at the Vatican Observatory, told "EWTN News Nightly" anchor Veronica Dudo on Oct. 2: "From a modern astronomy perspective, Earth is not an ordinary place. Doesn't mean that there's no other planets like Earth elsewhere in the universe, but the universe is certainly not full of worlds like Earth."

Graney asks readers to look at Earth in the context of the vast universe in his new book "A Universe of Earths: Our Planet and Other Worlds, Copernicus to NASA" (Oxford University Press, 2026).

For much of modern history, astronomers believed Earth was unremarkable and that many Earth-like worlds populated the universe, Graney said. However, Graney debunks this theory and argues for a more realistic approach to our solar system.

"Not long ago, at least in terms of Church history, astronomers thought Earth was very ordinary," he said. "They thought that there were lots of places like Earth. You will find this in historical writings from the 19th century especially."

For example, Jesuit Father Angelo Secchi, a pioneering Italian astronomer in the 19th century considered one of the founders of astrophysics, favored the idea that the universe contained many inhabited worlds. He wrote that stars were suns distributing "life and goodness" to "innumerable beings blessed by the hand of the Omnipotent," reflecting a common 19th-century belief that life existed throughout the cosmos.

In modern astronomy, "we know that Mars is completely lifeless, or at least there's so little life on there if it has any that we haven't found it yet … we've observed planets orbiting other stars. The universe is so diverse. Those star systems, those planets seem very different from Earth," he said.

At the Vatican Observatory, Graney focuses his research on the history of science by studying asteroids, galaxies, and cosmology.

When asked whether the Vatican was aware of any extraterrestrial sightings or signs elsewhere in the solar system, Graney dismissed theories that the Vatican is concealing evidence of alien life, saying such stories are "a lot more dull" in reality and that any life elsewhere in the universe is likely too far away to have reached Earth.

"It's more boring, I guess, than the Vatican hiding space aliens. But that's the way it is," Graney said.

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Pope Leo XIV has appointed Italian Cardinal Mauro Gambetti to serve as the archbishop of Chieti-Vasto, the Vatican announced on Oct. 3.

Gambetti will leave his post as the archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, where he has served for the past five years after being appointed by Pope Francis in 2021.

He will take over the position in Chieti-Vasto from current Archbishop Bruno Forte, who has served there since 2004. Forte turned 77 in August, making him two years past the customary retirement age for prelates.

In a statement after the announcement, Forte described Gambetti's appointment as "a special sign of the Lord's benevolence."

"I am certain that [Gambetti] — rich in both academic background and pastoral experience — will give new impetus to the care of the faithful and the work of evangelization, efforts that have been sustained in recent years through the collaboration of so many," Forte said.

The outgoing archbishop said he would retire to Naples, his hometown, where he would pray for both Gambetti and the Church.

Born in Castel San Pietro Terme, Italy, Gambetti took his final vows with the Order of Friars Minor Conventual in 1998 and was ordained to the priesthood on Jan. 8, 2000.

He has served various leadership roles in his order in Italy and also served as the episcopal vicar of the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi in Umbria.

Pope Francis named him a cardinal in 2020; he was consecrated a bishop the same year. The late Holy Father also named him a member of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State in 2021.

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