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Washington, D.C., Oct 28, 2025 / 15:25 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Timothy Broglio told investors at the Christian Institutional Investors Conference (CIIC) at The Catholic University of America (CUA) that investing should be "wise, prudent, and faithful."

Broglio, who serves as archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), welcomed guests as the keynote speaker for the annual conference, highlighting the faithful's place in investing.

Broglio asked that throughout the conference participants pray together, study together, and share tools and frameworks, because there needs to be an "integration of principle morals into how companies invest their funds."

The two-day conference hosted by Innovest, the Archdiocese of Denver, Alliance Defending Freedom, Catholic Benefits Association, CUA, and AmPhil welcomed more than 100 guests to the events Oct. 27–28.

The conference, which is usually held in Denver, is taking place in the nation's capital, and organizers called it a "transformative gathering of Christian institutional leaders, investors, and decision-makers dedicated to aligning financial stewardship with faith-based values." 

The CIIC is "designed to inspire, educate, and empower executives and board members to make impactful investment decisions that reflect their Christian beliefs," organizers said.

The group is set to hear from dozens of leaders from the financial field and discuss the theology of investing. Discussions will focus on aligning investments with values, faith-based approaches to finances, investing in human flourishing, and building a Christian investment movement.

As attendees participate in workshops and discuss the topics, Broglio said, they need to reflect on three guiding questions. Start by asking, "What is the truth?" and then, he said, discuss "What's the right next step?" Then plan: "How will we do it together?"

Christians' place in investing

Catholic and Christian investors "are not merely participants … we are controlling owners," Broglio said. He said Christian institutions hold nearly half of investments and assets in the United States, adding up to trillions of dollars.

Christians in "conversation about markets, capital, and stewardship is not new," Broglio shared. It goes back to the Latin West and moral theology and law. He added: "Finance was born from courage and prudence and justice and fidelity."

"'Fides,' or faith, should not be secularized," Broglio said. There should be a push for public life to be "shaped by the Gospels" and "harmonizing science culture with faith."

Within a culture that often "separates faith from life," Broglio reminded the crowd that Christians "do have a voice." Investors must keep faith at the center of their positions to one day enter the kingdom and be told: "Well done, good and faithful servant," Broglio said.

"United we will strengthen our service to God," Broglio said. The collaboration of Catholic and Christian companies and investors allows the faithful to "do more together than anyone can do alone."

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Victoria, Canada, Oct 28, 2025 / 15:55 pm (CNA).

The furtive establishment of a stand-alone, private euthanasia house in Victoria, the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, has sparked criticism from pro-lifers and exposed yet another way in which medical assistance in dying (MAID) is spreading throughout America's neighbor to the North.

A Toronto-based nonprofit called MAiDHouse opened the euthanasia facility at an undisclosed location in the provincial capital in February. It launched a Toronto MAID house in 2021.

Euthanasia opponents are troubled by the under-the-radar expansion of MAID facilities, especially since the unidentified houses may be in residential neighborhoods.

The MAID houses appear to have the full backing of the federal government. Not only has the Canada Revenue Agency granted MAiDHouse, also known as Assisted-Dying Resource Centres Canada, full charity status, but Health Canada lists it as one of 10 national "resources."

"I can't figure out how an organization that kills people can be a charity," said Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. "Every time you think Canada's MAID pandemic can't get worse, you learn that it's reached a new low."

Schadenberg said MAiDHouse portrays its facilities as comforting and friendly, "but it's actually pretty insane if you think about it because they exist solely to kill people."

MAiDHouse did not respond to repeated B.C. Catholic requests for comment about the Victoria facility's location, whether it received permits or zoning approval from the city, or whether nearby residents are aware of its operation.

According to information published by MAiDHouse, "those eligible for MAID, along with their supporters, come to MAiDHouse only on the day of their provision. Individuals meeting a potential MAiD provider for an assessment attend only on the day of that meeting and may rebook the space for their provision if found eligible. Anyone considering booking MAiDHouse is also welcome to schedule a tour of the space in advance."

The B.C. Catholic reached out to the city of Victoria for comment but received no reply. An online search did not show any Victoria business licenses for 2025 in the name of MAiDHouse, Assisted-Dying Resource Centres Canada, or any employees or board members.

The secrecy and the silence are disconcerting, said Christian McCay, spokesman for Choose Life Victoria.

"I am deeply disturbed that MAiDHouse has been quietly operating a stand-alone euthanasia house in Victoria," McCay said in an emailed statement. "Finding out that it has been here for half a year without the public being told is in itself deeply wrong, to say the least."

He noted that Victoria has long been seen as the euthanasia capital of the world, and MAiDHouse's operating "only makes it worse."

A spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Victoria referred questions about MAiDHouse's existence in the city to Bishop Gary Gordon's 2022 pastoral letter on MAID.

In that letter, Gordon wrote: "The ideology of euthanasia [MAID] is understandable on many levels in contemporary society, as the experience of loss and abandonment is a powerful force of fear and anxiety."

He said Catholics cannot judge the level of such fear and anguish in a person who chooses euthanasia.

"However," Gordon continued, "we can say unequivocally to the faithful Catholic people of God that choosing euthanasia [MAID] is never a choice that is the will of the Creator, as revealed in the sacred texts of divine revelation, the Word of God, and the constant teaching of the Catholic and apostolic faith."

In that letter, Gordon pointed to the parable of the good Samaritan as a model for Christian response to suffering.

He noted that the Samaritan "did not offer to alleviate the suffering of the nearly-dead robbed person with euthanasia." The commandment is clear, he said: "'Thou shalt not kill.' Our faith continues to clearly and unequivocally reject euthanasia and assisted suicide as a response to pain and suffering of body, mind, and soul."

At the same time, Gordon acknowledged the fear and anguish that can drive a person toward MAID.

"But leaving a person abandoned by the side of the road of existence when robbed of health and strength is never the choice of a good neighbor or a just and caring civil society. Choosing euthanasia is never a choice that is the will of the Creator," he emphasized.

Victoria pro-life advocate Marie Peeters-Ney, a member of Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, was saddened by the news of MAiDHouse's arrival in her community, but she called it predictable.

"Once you start killing, there's like a feeding frenzy, and it just gets bigger and bigger," said Peeters-Ney, whose husband, prominent pro-life child and family psychiatrist Dr. Philip Ney, died in January.

She said Canadians need to clear their heads of the "virtual reality" that allows them to condemn killing when it comes to the death penalty or genocide, while ignoring realities like MAiDHouse. "We are paying people to kill our loved ones."

Vancouver podcaster Kelsi Sheren, a critic of Canada's MAID regime, devoted a recent episode of her show to MAiDHouse, saying its business model "thrives on nothing but despair."

Sheren, a Canadian Forces combat veteran, said MAiDHouse operators are morally bankrupt and are "predators at best" who practice "death care," not health care.

McCay, who was elected leader of the Christian Heritage Party of B.C. on Oct. 18, called for the provincial government to provide better care for the sick and the dying, including MAID-free public hospices.

"True quality palliative care and medical care is being denied," he said. "Instead, patients are being coerced, abandoned, and pressured to see death as their only option. That is not dignity, that is despair."

According to the most recent Health Canada report, B.C. recorded 2,759 MAID deaths in 2023, 18% of Canada's 15,343 total. The report also stated that, at 37.8%, private residences were the most frequent location for MAID deaths, followed by hospitals at 32.7%.

This story was first published by The B.C. Catholic and has been adapted by CNA.

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ACI MENA, Oct 28, 2025 / 11:32 am (CNA).

In a sign of diversity and coexistence in post-transition Syria, Greek Orthodox Patriarch John X Yazigi of Antioch and All the East on Sunday received Ahmad al-Shar'a, the head of Syria's transitional administration, at the patriarchal residence in Damascus.

Al-Shar'a was accompanied by Maher al-Shar'a, secretary-general of the presidency, and Maher Marwan Idlibi, governor of Damascus, at the Oct. 26 meeting.

According to a post published on the official X account of the Syrian presidency, the purpose of the visit was to "learn about the situation of the Christian community." The presidency added that the visit "reflects the shared commitment to strengthen national values and foster unity among the people of the nation."

During the meeting, Yazigi presented to Al-Shar'a the so-called "Muhammadan Covenant" or "Prophetic Charter," a document attributed to the Prophet Muhammad said to guarantee the religious and social rights of Christians. Although scholars debate the authenticity of the text and whether it dates back to the seventh century, the patriarch's reference to it served as a symbolic call to renew efforts to protect Christians and build bridges of understanding between Muslims and Christians.

For his part, Al-Shar'a wrote in the patriarchal guest book the Quranic verse "You will find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, 'We are Christians.' That is because among them are priests and monks, and because they are not arrogant."

He concluded with the inscription: "Damascus is the cradle of the first coexistence known to humanity… Preserving it is a covenant, a pledge, and a duty… With all love."

Although it was not the first encounter between Al-Shar'a and Christian religious leaders, the meeting was significant because it was his first official visit to a church since taking office in January. It also marks his second meeting with Yazigi, the spiritual leader of Syria's largest Christian community.

Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, head of the Syriac Orthodox Church worldwide, was the first patriarch to meet with Al-Shar'a in April. Aphrem recently described that meeting as "constructive and positive," saying: "We were able to understand from President al-Shar'a his direction and vision. He certainly provided us with reassurances about Syria's future, a Syria that embraces all its sons and daughters."

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 27, 2025 / 15:53 pm (CNA).

The St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology is launching a new Bible study program to help Catholics prepare for the Advent and Christmas seasons. 

The Bible study, titled "Bible Across America," is set to begin Nov. 5 and aims to gather Catholics "around God's Word to prayerfully study Scripture, grow in discipleship, and build one another up in the Lord," the organization announced. The course represents the latest addition to the St. Paul Center, whose offerings include online courses, academic books on Scripture and theology, and in-person events for clergy and laity across the country.

Based in Steubenville, Ohio, the St. Paul Center is an independent, nonprofit research and educational institution dedicated, according to its website, to promoting "life-transforming Scripture study from the heart of the Church" and through its programming seeks "to raise up a new generation of priests who are fluent in the Bible and laypeople who are biblically literate."

The initiative builds on the center's previous "Journey Through Scripture" video Bible studies, which have as their goal empowering "Catholics and Christians across North America to experience an 'Emmaus moment,' encountering Christ in the pages of sacred Scripture and through the doctrine of the Catholic Church."

In preparation for Advent and Christmas, the new course will help Catholics understand "who Christ is as 'Teacher and Lord' (Jn 13:13)." The Bible study will include seven weekly sessions starting Nov. 5 that will each focus on a different theme including the Infancy Narratives, exorcisms, the Sermon on the Mount, the healing of the synagogue ruler's daughter, Martha and Mary, the Lost Sheep and Luke 15, and the Transfiguration of Jesus. 

The center's "Bible Across America" initiative is billing itself as "a nationwide Catholic Bible movement," encouraging Catholics to create and organize Bible study groups with their families, friends, or fellow parishioners. Leaders can register with St. Paul Center to receive a guide to help conduct discussions with their groups. Use of the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, which was released last year and whose general editor is St. Paul Center founder Scott Hahn, is also being promoted as part of the initiative.

As "Bible Across America" is expected to simultaneously welcome thousands of participants, St. Paul Center anticipated it will be the "largest Bible study" in the United States. The organization is working in partnership with other Catholic organizations on the project, including Hallow, FOCUS, and Mount St. Mary's University. The sessions are slated to include insights from Benedictine Father Boniface Hicks, Heather Khym, Shane Owens, Katie McGrady, and Alex Jones, the CEO of Hallow.

"By witnessing the transformative power of studying Scripture in community, 'Bible Across America' will inspire Catholics across the nation to introduce communal Scripture study in their own homes and parishes," the center noted.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 27, 2025 / 17:08 pm (CNA).

Russian President Vladimir Putin is voicing concern about the ongoing internal problem of "falling birth rates" in his own country and suggesting state action to address the issue.

Putin said in an Oct. 23 meeting with the Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy that drops in birth rates have become "a global trend and a global challenge in the modern world" that is especially affecting economically developed countries, "and Russia is unfortunately no exception."

Russia, he noted, has had "demographic pitfalls" from losses in World War II and problems that coincided with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Though he did not mention the ongoing war with Ukraine, Russia has also lost between 137,000 and 228,000 soldiers in the war approaching its fourth year, according to an analysis by The Economist.

Putin said some countries respond to falling birth rates with "uncontrolled, and even chaotic migration to replace the native population" but that Russia's approach would be different.

"Our choice is unequivocal," the president said. "We support the family as the fundamental basis of Russian society and aim to protect and preserve genuine family values and traditions, which have united and strengthened our country for centuries."

The country's fertility rate is less than 1.5 children per woman — which is far less than the 2.1 births per woman that's needed to simply maintain a nation's population. It's less than half of what Putin sees as his ideal, which is that "families with three or more children should be seen as a standard and natural way of life in our country."

Russia is the ninth most populous country in the world, but it has dropped from 147.6 million people in 1990 to about 146.1 million today, according to The Independent. The latter number includes 2 million people gained from the annexation and occupation of Crimea.

Putin said "no pressure should be exerted" to force couples to have children, because it is "a private and personal matter." Yet, he said Russia should ensure young people "would sincerely aspire to a happy motherhood, would aim to effectively raise their children, and that they would feel confident that the state will support them whenever necessary."

"It is now very important … to promote and uphold the internal attitude that I have mentioned … so that the desire to create a family, to marry and to have many children becomes prevalent in the public mentality," Putin said.

State solutions to incentivize families

Putin sees the government as an essential partner in addressing the falling birth rates. He noted Russia's low-interest mortgages and flat-rate benefits for low-income families and an initiative scheduled for early next year to reduce income tax for low-income families raising at least two children.

Another concern Putin noted is that young people postpone starting families when they focus on studying or their early career. He said young people should "not have to choose one path over another" and highlighted the country's increase in pregnancy and childbirth benefits for full-time students, along with some universities offering day care. 

"Fatherhood and motherhood are a source of joy, and there is no need to postpone happiness," Putin said. "That is what truly matters."

Putin noted that housing expansions and better infrastructure are also needed, along with the promotion of "fundamental value-based attitudes" and engagement with cultural figures and the mass media.

Concerns of Orthodox and Catholic leaders

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has similarly expressed concerns about the declining birth rates in the country. Last year, he highlighted the "tragedy" of abortion as a contributing factor.

Putin did not mention abortion at last week's meeting. In Russia, elective abortion is legal up to the 12th week of pregnancy, but the government has banned promoting "child-free propaganda," and many regions have banned people from pressuring women to have abortions.

Last year, Kirill sent letters to encourage women early in their pregnancies to carry their unborn children until birth. He wished them "good health, peace of mind, and many blessings from Christ, the giver of life" and discussed the blessing of children.

Earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV expressed concern about declining birth rates in Italy when he met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. He urged a "concerted effort" to promote family and protect life "in all its phases."

"In particular, I wish to emphasize the importance of guaranteeing all families the indispensable support of dignified work, in fair conditions and with due attention to the needs related to motherhood and fatherhood," Leo said. "Let us do everything possible to give confidence to families — especially young families — so that they may look to the future with serenity and grow in harmony."

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Vatican City, Oct 27, 2025 / 17:49 pm (CNA).

In separate audiences on Monday, Pope Leo XIV received two political leaders with very different views on the migration issue. In the morning, he met with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and in the afternoon he met with Magnus Brunner, European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration.

Orbán maintains a restrictionist stance on migration and has repeatedly criticized the migrant redistribution policies promoted by the European Union. For his part, Brunner defends a common migration policy and supports the implementation of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum, an agreement the Hungarian leader firmly rejects.

Orbán arrived promptly at 9 a.m. at the Courtyard of San Damaso in the Apostolic Palace for his first official meeting with the Holy Father. He later met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with states and international organizations.

The Vatican did not provide details on the content of the private audience with the pope nor did it specify whether the migration issue was among the topics discussed. For his part, the Hungarian prime minister stated on his X account that he requested the pope's support in his country's efforts for peace.

During the meeting at the Secretariat of State, the strong bilateral relations and appreciation for the Catholic Church's commitment to promoting social development and the well-being of the Hungarian community were highlighted.

According to the Vatican, special attention was paid to the role of the family and the formation and future of young people as well as the importance of protecting the most vulnerable Christian communities.

The discussions also addressed European issues, especially the conflict in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East.

Last Thursday, during his meeting with delegates from popular movements, Pope Leo XIV defended each state's right and duty to protect its borders, which he said must be balanced with "the moral obligation to provide refuge" and warned against "inhumane" measures that treat migrants as if they were "garbage."

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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Vatican City, Oct 27, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV drew laughter and applause on Oct. 24 when he recalled asking his mother in the 1970s whether she wanted equality with men. "No," she replied, "because we're already better."

The pope shared the memory during a discussion on the role of women in the Church at the opening of the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies, a three-day gathering for representatives involved in implementing the global synodal process.

The story, he explained, came from a time when debates about equality between men and women were just beginning to take hold in his native United States. His mother's response, he said, was not a joke but an affirmation of women's distinctive gifts. "There are many gifts that women have," he added, recalling their vital roles in family and parish life.

Pope Leo then described a community of sisters in Peru whose charism is to serve where there are no priests. "They baptize, assist at marriages, and carry out a wonderful missionary work that is a testimony even for many priests," he said.

But the pope warned that in many parts of the world, cultural barriers still prevent women from exercising their rightful roles.

"Not all bishops or priests want to allow women to exercise what could very well be their role," he said. "There are cultures where women still suffer as if they were second-class citizens."

The task of the Church, he added, is to help transform those cultures "according to the values of the Gospel," so that discrimination can be eliminated and "the gifts and charisms of every person are respected and valued."

Turning to the wider synodal process, the pope insisted that synodality "is not a campaign, it is a way of being and a way of being for the Church." He said the goal is not to impose a "uniform model" but to foster a spirit of conversion and communion through listening and mission.

Responding to questions from representatives of the Church in Africa, Oceania, and North America, Pope Leo emphasized the importance of patience and formation.

"Not all things move at the same rhythm or speed," he said. "Oftentimes, the resistances come out of fear and lack of knowledge." Without proper formation, he warned, "there are going to be resistances and a lack of understanding."

On the environment, he called for courage in responding to the "cry of the earth," urging Catholics not to remain passive but to "raise our voice to change the world and make it a better place."

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ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 26, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Jonatan Medina Espinal is a young Catholic influencer who, as the son of evangelical pastors, was considered unlikely to embrace the Catholic faith, but he did so five years ago after a long and intense spiritual journey.

Now, with clearer ideas about the faith, the young Peruvian has become a defender of Catholic doctrine, promoting it on his social media as well as in his Spanish-language book "Toward the Barque of Peter: My Journey from Protestantism to the Catholic Church."

For Dante Urbina, a Catholic author, teacher, and lecturer who also influenced Medina's conversion, the book is "a testimony of profound conversion and intellectual depth that invites us to enter and persevere in the Catholic Church."

Medina is a professional audiovisual communicator and describes himself as "a truth seeker." In an interview with "EWTN Noticias," the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News, he shared that he had already felt Catholic "at heart" since 2017, when he "began this journey that took [him] about two or three years."

On Dec. 8, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and on the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Medina received the sacrament of baptism, officially becoming part of the Catholic Church.

Medina pointed out that it was necessary for him to receive the sacrament in the Church, considering that the one he had received in his Christian group might not have been entirely valid.

The entire process that led to his conversion, continued Medina — who is part of the Catholic Advancement Movement — began "paradoxically, with a period of agnosticism ... I was agnostic for a good few years of my life, then tried to embrace a more reasonable faith, one based on evidence."

Guided by various Christian figures such as Protestant C.S. Lewis and Catholic G.K. Chesterton, Medina questioned his affiliation with an evangelical church. "I began to embrace a more historical faith, with greater cogency."

After "discovering all the fragmentations … of Protestantism, I said: How can the Gospel be so divided? And I saw that the Church appears with its unity, although obviously that doesn't imply that there aren't tensions or certain divisions, but there is a teaching that helps us to be bound together and gives us that guarantee of unity."

Professor Scott Hahn's influence

"I earned a master's degree in theology at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. I was with Professor Scott Hahn. I remember hearing his conversion testimony… He was converted by starting to pray the rosary, because he was practically convinced by all the arguments, but he didn't know what he was missing until someone gave him a rosary," Medina recounted in the interview with "EWTN Noticias."

"He prayed it, an impossible situation was resolved for him, and then he forgot about the issue. Then he realized he had been ungrateful and began praying it regularly, and that cemented his conversion," he explained.

"Without a doubt, the subject of Mary is always important, because as a Protestant by birth, I've never had any affection for her," Medina emphasized.

Hahn grew up in the Presbyterian Church, eventually becoming a theologian and minister in that Christian denomination. His journey of conversion began after he and his wife, Kimberly, became convinced that contraception is contrary to God's law, a concept abandoned by many Protestants during the 20th century but always upheld by the Catholic Church.

Hahn converted to Catholicism at Easter 1986. His wife followed him four years later, in 1990. They have six children, one of whom, Jeremiah, has been a Catholic priest since 2021.

Medina also explained that another milestone in his conversion was overcoming the Protestant concept of "sola Scriptura" ("Scripture alone"), which postulates that the Bible is the sole source of Christian faith and practice, ignoring tradition, a source of revelation that is accepted by the Catholic Church.

"I had discovered the error of sola Scriptura: I remember when I discovered it and realized that obviousness, that lack of logic, was so clear," he recounted, and he understood "that Scripture itself was already tradition, only written down. That's when I said, 'Hey, this makes sense to me.' Sola Scriptura began to fall apart for me."

Medina, also the author of the short Spanish-language film "Neighbors" about guardian angels, is grateful for having come to love the Virgin Mary through the example of another convert, Urbina, a Catholic professor and lecturer and author of several Spanish-language books such as "Does God Exist?" and "What Is the True Religion?"

"He also worked at the university where I work, and it was providential that we met one day, and I started asking him questions about Mary specifically, and he helped me a lot. I definitely believe that Mary has been key in my conversion," Medina 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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Vatican City, Oct 26, 2025 / 08:10 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV said at a Mass on Sunday that no one in the Church "should impose his or her own ideas" and asked that tensions between tradition and novelty not become "ideological contrapositions and harmful polarizations."

"The supreme rule in the Church is love. No one is called to dominate; all are called to serve," Leo said in St. Peter's Basilica on Oct. 26.

"No one should impose his or her own ideas; we must all listen to one another," he continued. "No one is excluded; we are all called to participate. No one possesses the whole truth; we must all humbly seek it and seek it together."

The pontiff celebrated Mass on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time for the closing of the Jubilee of Synodal Teams and Participatory Bodies, part of the Church's wider Jubilee of Hope in 2025. 

In a call for communion, Pope Leo addressed all the participants in the synodality meeting and asked for their help to expand "the ecclesial space" and make it "collegial and welcoming."

Leo also spoke about synodality with the jubilee pilgrims during an Oct. 24 event at the Vatican.

The Holy Spirit transforms 'harmful polarizations'

"Being a synodal Church means recognizing that truth is not possessed but sought together, allowing ourselves to be guided by a restless heart in love with Love," he emphasized.

The pontiff called on Christians to live "with confidence and a new spirit amid the tensions that run through the life of the Church: between unity and diversity, tradition and novelty, authority and participation. We must allow the Spirit to transform them, so that they do not become ideological contrapositions and harmful polarizations." 

It is not a question of resolving these tensions "by reducing one to the other, but of allowing them to be purified by the Spirit, so that they may be harmonized and oriented toward a common discernment," he said.

He also made it clear that, "prior to any difference, we are called in the Church to walk together in the pursuit of God, clothing ourselves with the sentiments of Christ."

Resolving tensions in the Church

In his homily on the day's Gospel passage, the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector, the pope warned of the danger of spiritual pride displayed by the pharisee: "The pharisee is obsessed with his own ego, and in this way, ends up focused on himself without having a relationship with either God or others."

Leo pointed out that this can also occur in the Christian community.

For example, "when the ego prevails over the collective, causing an individualism that prevents authentic and fraternal relationships," he said.

He also criticized "the claim to be better than others, as the pharisee does with the tax collector, [because it] creates division and turns the community into a judgmental and exclusionary place; and when one leverages one's role to exert power rather than to serve."

The pope highlighted the tax collector's humility as an example for the entire Christian community: "We too must recognize within the Church that we are all in need of God and of one another, which leads us to practice reciprocal love, listen to each other, and enjoy walking together."

Leo urged Catholics to dream of and build a more humble Church, capable of reflecting the Gospel in its way of living and relating.

"A Church that does not stand upright like the pharisee, triumphant and inflated with pride, but bends down to wash the feet of humanity; a Church that does not judge like the pharisee does the tax collector but becomes a welcoming place for all," he said.

He also invited the entire ecclesial community to commit itself to building a Church that is "entirely synodal, ministerial, and attracted to Christ," dedicated to serving the world and open to listening to God and to all the men and women of our time.

Angelus

After the Mass on Oct. 26, Pope Leo led the Angelus prayer in Latin from a window of the Apostolic Palace, which overlooks St. Peter's Square.

In his message following the Marian prayer, he expressed his closeness to the people of eastern Mexico, who were hit earlier this month by devastating floods and landslides, leaving 72 dead and dozens still missing.

"I pray for the families and for all those who are suffering as a result of this calamity, and I entrust the souls of the deceased to the Lord, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin," the pope said.

Leo also renewed his call to "unceasingly" pray for peace, especially through the communal recitation of the rosary. 

"Contemplating the mysteries of Christ together with the Virgin Mary, we make our own the suffering and hope of children, mothers, fathers, and elderly people who are victims of war," he said. 

"And from this intercession of the heart arise many gestures of evangelical charity, of concrete closeness, of solidarity. To all those who, every day, with confident perseverance carry on this commitment, I repeat: 'Blessed are the peacemakers!'"

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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Vatican City, Oct 25, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

There is no single model for what synodality should look like in all countries and cultures, Pope Leo XIV said in a discussion with synod leaders from around the globe, held at the Vatican on Friday.

"We have to be very clear, we're not looking for a uniform model. And synodality will not come with a template where everybody and every country will say this is how you do it," the pope said in the Paul VI Hall Oct. 24.

"It is, rather, a conversion to a spirit of being Church, and being missionary, and building up, in that sense, the family of God."

Leo spoke about synodality in unscripted remarks in English, Spanish, and Italian during the opening session of a meeting for the jubilee of synodal teams and participatory bodies, taking place in Rome Oct. 24-26, part of the Church's wider 2025 Jubilee of Hope.

Around 2,000 people are attending the synod-focused jubilee, which includes a two-day meeting "aimed at translating the orientations of the [Synod on Synodality's] Final Document into pastoral and structural choices consistent with the synodal nature of the Church," according to the Vatican's synod office.

The pope joined part of the program on Friday evening to listen to representatives from different regions give reports on the implementation of synodality in their parts of the world, and to answer their questions about the synodal process. 

Synodality, Leo said, "is to help the Church fulfill its primary role in the world, which is to be missionary, to announce the Gospel."

He added that synodality "is not a campaign. It's a way of being and a way of being Church. It's a way of promoting an attitude, which begins with learning to listen to one another."

The pope recalled the value of listening, "beginning with listening to the Word of God, listening to one another, listening to the wisdom we find in men and in women, in members of the Church, and those who are searching who might not yet be members of the Church."

He also addressed resistance to the synodal process, such as worry by some that it is an attempt to weaken the authority of the bishop.

"I would like to invite all of you … to reflect upon what synodality is about and to invite the priests particularly, even more than the bishops, to somehow open their hearts and take part in these processes," Leo said. "Often the resistance comes out of fear and lack of knowledge."

He emphasized the need to prioritize formation and preparation at every educational level.

"Sometimes ready answers are given without the proper, necessary preparation to arrive at the conclusion that maybe some of us have already drawn, but others are not ready for or capable to understand," he said.

"We have to understand that we do not all run at the same speed. And sometimes we have to be patient with one another," Leo said. "And rather than a few people running ahead and leaving a lot behind, which could cause even a break in an ecclesial experience, we need to look for ways, very concrete ways at times, of understanding what's happening in each place, where the resistances are or where they come from, and what we can do to encourage more and more the experience of communion in this Church which is synodal."

Asked if groupings of churches, such as regional bishops' conferences, will continue to grow in the life of the Church, Leo said, "the brief answer is yes, I do expect that, and I hope that the different groupings of churches can continue to grow as expressions of communion in the Church using the gifts we are all receiving through this exercise if you will, this life, this expression of synodality."

The pontiff also weighed in on the topic of women and their participation in the Church, though he set aside the most controversial questions, which he said are being examined in a separate study group.

"So leaving aside the most difficult themes," he said, "there are cultural obstacles, there are opportunities, but there are cultural obstacles. And this has to be recognized, because women could play a key role in the Church, but in some cultures women are considered second-class citizens and in some realities they do not enjoy the same rights as men."

"In these cases, there is a challenge for the Church, for all of us, because we need to understand how we can promote the respect for the rights of everyone, men and women," he encouraged.

The Church can promote a culture in which there is co-participation of every member of society, each according to their vocation, Leo continued. "We have to understand how the Church can be a strength to transform cultures according to the values of the Gospel."

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