What is the difference between evangelizing and proselytizing?

Bishop José Ignacio Munilla during his presentation on evangelization in the Diocese of Santa Marta, Colombia. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Diocese of Santa MartaACI Prensa Staff, Sep 6, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).There are five indicators to keep in mind to know whether you're evangelizing or falling into proselytism, a behavior far from authentic apostolic zeal, Bishop José Ignacio Munilla explained during an event in Colombia.The bishop of Orihuela-Alicante in Spain is currently in Santa Marta, Colombia, participating in Evangelization Week, organized by the local diocese to mark the city's 500th anniversary."What are the nuances of the negative meaning of the term proselytism? What indicators, what clues could we observe to determine what proselytism is in order to distinguish it from apostolic zeal?" the prelate asked.The Spanish bishop asked these questions noting that Pope Francis had said that being a missionary is not the same as being a proselytizer and that Pope Benedict X...

Pope Leo XIV at jubilee audience: The cross of Christ is 'greatest discovery' of life

Pope Leo XIV addresses a crowd during a jubilee audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. / Credit: Vatican MediaVatican City, Sep 6, 2025 / 10:45 am (CNA).Pope Leo XIV on Saturday resumed special jubilee audiences, begun by Pope Francis after the opening of the Church's Year of Hope, telling Christians that the cross of Christ is a great treasure and source of hope.Before delivering his morning catechesis on Chapter 4 of St. Mark's Gospel, the Holy Father greeted hundreds of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square from his popemobile, blessing several babies and accepting various gifts from people from different countries.Pope Leo XIV greets attendees during a jubilee audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaIn his Gospel reflection, the pope said hope and happiness is rekindled when people "break through the crust of reality" and "go beneath the surface," like the man in the parable who sold all his poss...

Minnesota Catholic leader: 'All of the above' needed for school safety in wake of shooting

Jason Adkins, the executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, speaks to "EWTN News In Depth" anchor Catherine Hadro on the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. "Almost everyone ... in our Catholic community has a connection to Annunciation," he said. / Credit: "EWTN News In Depth."/ScreenshotCNA Staff, Sep 6, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).A leading Catholic advocate in Minnesota is calling for an "all-of-the-above" approach to school safety and security in the wake of the Aug. 27 mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis that claimed the lives of two children and injured more than 20 children and adults.Jason Adkins, the executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, told "EWTN News In Depth" anchor Catherine Hadro on Friday that "nonpublic school students" should have access to the same levels of security as those in public schools."We've been consistent advocates for [security] policies that include,...

French seminarian, inspired by Frassati, publishes book about the soon-to-be saint

Timothée Croux, a young seminarian from the French Diocese of Meaux, has written a book about Pier Giorgio Frassati. / Credit: Victoria Cardiel/EWTN NewsACI Prensa Staff, Sep 6, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).Timothée Croux, a young seminarian from the French Diocese of Meaux in the Île-de-France region of the country, says the example of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati played a decisive role in his vocational discernment.Croux said he discovered Frassati, who was from Turin, Italy, and who died in 1925, through scouting and shares many personal affinities with the soon-to-be saint. "I delved deeper into Frassati's personality during my preparatory year, before entering the seminary," he said. "I discovered that there were many things in his biography that resembled mine. For example, we both have a passion for the mountains.""We both sought an authentic vocation, although in the end he decided not to become a priest in order to serve the poor in the mines, studying engineering to be...

Bishop's message to young people ahead of Acutis canonization: 'Follow his example'

Carlo Acutis. / Credit: carloacutis.comACI Prensa Staff, Sep 6, 2025 / 13:00 pm (CNA).Domenico Sorrentino, the bishop of Assisi, Italy, where the remains of Blessed Carlo Acutis rest, sent a message of encouragement to young people just prior to Pope Leo XIV's declaring Acutis a saint of the Catholic Church along with another young Italian, Pier Giorgio Frassati."Dear faithful and most beloved young people, let yourselves be guided by Carlo, follow his example, follow in his footsteps, walk his path, because it is the right path, the one that leads to Jesus and, therefore, to love and joy," the Italian prelate said in a message published Sept. 5.The bishop of Assisi sent his message just two days before the canonization of Acutis, who will be declared a saint alongside Frassati on Sunday, Sept. 7, at a Mass celebrated by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican at 10 a.m. local time.Sorrentino also said that "today more than ever we need positive examples, exemplary li...

Italian bishop celebrates Mass for LGBT pilgrimage in Rome's Church of the Gesù

The Church of the Gesù, where a Mass and prayer vigil for LGBT Christians took place on Sept. 6, 2025, in Rome during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. / Credit: essevu/ShutterstockVatican City, Sep 6, 2025 / 13:30 pm (CNA).Bishop Francesco Savino, vice president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, celebrated Mass at the Church of the Gesù on Saturday for LGBT pilgrims in Rome for the Jubilee of Hope.An Italian lay association organized the international pilgrimage, which included a morning Mass celebration inside the mother church of the Society of Jesus in Rome and a St. Peter's Basilica Holy Door pilgrimage in the afternoon.More than 1,000 pilgrims from around the world attended the Mass concelebrated by approximately 30 priests, including American Father James Martin, SJ, who had met with Pope Leo XIV in a Sept. 1 private audience at the Vatican.Several people, including religious brothers and sisters, waved rainbow-colored fans to keep cool inside the packed church and some w...

Duchess of Kent, first senior royal to become Catholic in 300 years, dies at 92

The Duke and Duchess of Kent stand on a balcony at Buckingham Palace during the annual Trooping the Colour Ceremony on June 15, 2013 in London. / Credit: Carfax2 / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia CommonsNational Catholic Register, Sep 6, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, who became the first senior British royal to be received into the Catholic Church since the 17th century, has died at the age of 92.In a statement, Buckingham Palace said that the duchess died peacefully on Thursday evening at her Kensington Palace home, surrounded by her family."The king and queen and all members of the royal family join the Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly the duchess's lifelong devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people," the statement read.Renowned for her natural charm, compassion for the sick and downtrodden, and commitment to servin...

Peace starts in our hearts, Pope Leo tells Mediterranean Youth Council

Pope Leo XIV meets young adults from the Mediterranean Youth Council in the Hall of the Consistory in the Vatican's Apostolic Palace on Sept. 5, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.Vatican City, Sep 5, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).Real peace, often used as a slogan, begins in our own hearts and communities, Pope Leo XIV told a group of young adults from the Mediterranean region at the Vatican on Friday.In a speech in both Italian and English Sept. 5, the pope called young people the "generation that envisions a better future and chooses to build it. You are the sign of a world that does not give in to indifference and complacency," he added, "but rolls up its sleeves and works to transform evil into good."Leo met with around 50 members of the Mediterranean Youth Council, which was founded in 2022 and includes young adults from European and Middle Eastern countries bordered by the Mediterranean Sea."Peace is on the agenda of international leaders, it is the subject of global discussions...

UPDATE: Pope Leo, patriarch in Lisbon pray for those killed, injured in cable car accident

The Ascensor da Glória funicular in Lisbon, Portugal, crashed on Sept. 3, 2025, killing 17 people and injuring at least 23. / Credit: Maragato1976 (CC BY-SA 3.0)ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 4, 2025 / 15:03 pm (CNA).Pope Leo XIV on Thursday offered his "heartfelt condolences" to the families of those who were killed and injured in an accident involving the Elevador da Glória, an iconic funicular train that crashed at high speed into a building on Sept. 3.In a Sept. 4 message signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on behalf of the pope, Leo offered prayers "for the complete recovery of the injured" and invoked "the strength of Christian hope for all those affected by this disaster," Vatican News reported.Pope Leo also expressed "special gratitude to those who took part in the rescue operations" and gave an apostolic blessing to all, especially to the families of the deceased.The patriarch of Lisbon, Rui Valério, also offered his prayers following the accident. A st...

Bishop at funeral Mass for priest who died by suicide: 'Jesus is here and comforts us'

Father Rafael Ángel Ciro. / Credit: Diocese of Paterson, New JerseyACI Prensa Staff, Sep 4, 2025 / 15:54 pm (CNA).The bishop of Paterson, New Jersey, Kevin J. Sweeney, offered the funeral Mass for Father Rafael Ángel Ciro, a 45-year-old Colombian priest who died by suicide on Aug. 27. In a heartfelt homily on Sept. 3, Sweeney recalled that Jesus, who understands our pain and suffering, "is here and comforts us."In his opening remarks in both English and Spanish, the bishop addressed the priest's mother, Elena Guarín, and his brother Jairo, saying: "We are with you, with you and the entire family there in Colombia. We are all one family, with our Bishop Emeritus [Arthur] Serratelli, with all the priests. We are also your children, Doña Elena: The mother of one priest is the mother of all priests. You are also our mom.""We share the pain, but we also share the faith, especially with the community of St. Stephen and all the parishes where Father Rafael served as a priest," the pre...