Catholic News

ABUJA, Nigeria — The Catholic Church in Nigeria is equipping future priests with the knowledge and skills to identify, prevent, and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

The initiative, which has already reached more than 260 seminarians at St. Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Makurdi, Benue state, seeks to prepare future priests to recognize different forms of abuse, support survivors, and promote safer communities through their pastoral ministry.

Speaking in an interview with ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, during the three-day "Training and Capacity Building on the Prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence" for seminarians, the secretary-general of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN) said the disturbing prevalence of sexual and other forms of violence in Nigeria calls for deliberate efforts to ensure respect for every human person, particularly for those who are most vulnerable.

According to Father Michael Banjo: "Seminarians must receive formation that prepares them for the responsibility of protecting people from abuse, educating the faithful, and promoting a culture in which violence is neither tolerated nor concealed."

"The disturbing prevalence of sexual and other forms of violence in Nigeria calls us to make the Christian message of love concrete through the protection of human dignity. Every person is created in the image and likeness of God, and every act of abuse violates that dignity," he said during the Oct. 21 interview.

The episcopal secretary of the Family and Human Life unit of CSN, Sister Cor Jesu Maria Ijeoma Eke, whose office has the mandate of training the seminarians, explained to ACI Africa at the training that the formation of seminarians was essential to extending awareness of sexual and gender-based violence beyond existing Church groups to families and communities across the country.

"These are the future priests, future bishops, the future shepherds that we will have in the Church. We decided to take this training down to them so that if we can get them to understand what sexual and gender-based violence is all about, its manifestations, its forms and everything surrounding it, it will be a better way of spreading this knowledge and seeing how we can work towards the prevention of this ill," she said.

Eke disclosed that the training of 1,000 seminarians formed part of a capacity-building project designed to raise awareness and strengthen the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence among Catholic Church stakeholders in Nigeria.

She explained that the program aimed to ensure seminarians acquired the necessary knowledge before assuming pastoral responsibilities, particularly when individuals and families turn to the Church for guidance and assistance.

The Nigerian sister noted that priests regularly interact with people from different backgrounds through homilies, pastoral visits, apostolic work, and meetings with Church organizations, placing them in a strategic position to promote awareness and help prevent abuse.

"They are going to use the pulpit, they go for apostolic work, and they meet with other leaders and Church organizations. They can use this opportunity as future priests and all those who are really in this field to make sure that this project, this awareness creation, as well as the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, is brought under control," she said.

Eke expressed the hope that sustained awareness and preventive action would help the Church and society move toward a future in which sexual and gender-based violence would be significantly reduced.

Eke disclosed that the project initially aimed to reach at least 1,000 seminarians across the selected major seminaries, but the number could increase as the training progresses.

In a separate interview with ACI Africa, the executive director of the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Father George Omaku Ehusani, said the initiative was introduced to the Church in Nigeria by his foundation, identifying harmful cultural practices, domestic violence, and unequal treatment of women as some of the issues the initiative seeks to address.

"In this country, there are places where a man dies, and the wife is chased away from home, and the brothers can just come and pack all his things. Till today, the wife with children can be left empty, and the brothers will come and carry everything [away]," he said.

The initiative also addresses the treatment of domestic workers, particularly young girls brought from rural communities to work as house helps or nannies in wealthier households.

"You bring a girl from the village who is the same age as your own daughter, and put that girl through the most harrowing experiences as a house girl, as a nanny. If she breaks a plate, they beat the nonsense out of this girl. The kind of work you can't give your child at 12 years old, you give this girl," he said.

According to him, the initiative uses the Gospel, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and other Church teachings to encourage Christians to reject abuse and treat vulnerable people with compassion.

"You cannot be a Christian and be violating people. You can't be a Christian and be brutalizing people," he said and added: "The Ford Foundation is supporting, but it has nothing to say as to the agenda. Lux Terra developed it," he said.

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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A multidisciplinary team is investigating an alleged Eucharistic miracle that took place in Cuilapa, Guatemala, after a consecrated host remained undissolved in a glass of water and developed reddish stains.

Father José Alejandro García, parish priest at the Cathedral of the Child Jesus in the Diocese of St. Rose of Lima, within whose jurisdiction the events took place, explained in an interview with EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News, that his bishop, José Cayetano Parra, has assembled a team of specialists to investigate the case.

The group consists of a biologist, a physician with experience in similar cases, a psychologist, a nurse, a layperson chosen from among the faithful who participate in the community, and a priest who is not part of the local parish clergy.

As the priest explained, one of the team's objectives is to determine "whether the reddish stain is blood" and to understand how it is that "a piece of bread may be found to have certain human properties or characteristics."

What happened to the consecrated host?

During a Mass celebrated on July 30 at a school in the city of Cuilapa, the celebrant noticed that one of the young people had removed the Eucharist from his mouth; the priest approached him to prevent him from tossing it on the floor. After retrieving the host, the priest took it and later placed it in a glass vessel containing water, located in the chapel in the cathedral's rectory.

The intention was for the host to dissolve naturally. However, on Aug. 6, it was observed that this had not occurred; instead, red stains had appeared on it.

Since then, the case has sparked interest among the faithful.

Prudence, prayer, and reflection

García emphasized that this is a matter that "will require time for study and reflection," clarifying that neither the multidisciplinary team nor the bishop can confirm whether this is a Eucharistic miracle. Any eventual authorization for public veneration rests with the Holy See.

For now, he asked the faithful to use this time for "exercising prudence, for prayer, and reflection," and to avoid drawing hasty conclusions that could "hinder the investigation."

On behalf of Parra, the priest invited the community to maintain "great faith, much prayer, and patience."

Increased participation by the faithful

García said that since the news became known, there has been "greater participation by thousands of people" who have come to the church to attend Mass, go to confession, and take part in Eucharistic adoration.

The priest noted that the chapel set aside for adoration has begun to fill with more people than usual, so it is now open from 5 a.m. until midnight.

He also noted that there is "an increase in people looking to go to confession."

"We offer confession, especially on Sundays, and we have ministered to a large number of people, including some who had not been to confession for years," he added.

"For my community, it has been a rebirth," the priest stated, pointing out that this awakening has been reflected in a strengthening of "faith in Jesus in the Eucharist, which is evident in the increased attendance of the faithful at Mass and at Eucharistic adoration."

For the priest, what occurred is a call for Catholics to "strengthen our faith," and for those who are not yet Catholic, "it is a cry from Jesus telling us: I am alive; I am the bread that has come down from heaven."

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

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Pope Leo XIV denounced all religious wars in a video message on Tuesday, marking the 40th anniversary of the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi, Italy.

"There is no such thing as a holy war: Only peace is holy," Leo said in his message. "War can never be waged in the name of God."

The pontiff, originally scheduled to travel to Assisi for the gathering, canceled his trip on his doctors' advice, as he continues to recover from thoracic surgery performed on Oct. 13. The Vatican announced the cancellation on Oct. 23, adding that he would send a message for the event.

St. John Paul II established the International Meeting for Peace in Assisi in 1986 as an interreligious prayer service for peace during the Cold War.

Another call to end 'holy wars'

In his message, Leo highlighted a growing trend among nations to resort to armed conflict. He described the trend as a betrayal of the memory of those who lost their lives in wars during the last century.

"As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states," Leo said, "'the accumulation of arms strikes many as a paradoxically suitable way of deterring potential adversaries from war. They see it as the most effective means of ensuring peace among nations,' thus betraying the memory of the 20th century and the senseless slaughter of millions of human lives."

"Precisely in these times marked by a 'culture of power,' there is a need to cultivate the spirit of Assisi, which entails a rejection of the religious justification of war," the pope added.

Since his election in 2025, the pope has often rejected all forms of religiously inspired violence. During his homily for Mass on Palm Sunday that year, Leo said that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war."

Assisi 40 years after John Paul II

Leo also paid tribute to St. John Paul II in his message and urged those gathered at Assisi to remember his call for peace.

Citing his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas and paying tribute to St. John Paul II, Leo urged those gathered to continue promoting peace in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, whose 800th anniversary of death is this year.

"The path of Assisi calls religious leaders to foster a climate of dialogue amongst the faithful and within society, so that the language of arrogance may give way to the language of peace, negotiation, and understanding," Leo said.

"May [God] make us unarmed instruments of his peace. 'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.'"

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María Corina Machado, recipient of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, returned to Venezuela on Oct. 25 after nearly a year in exile. In her first public appearance on Venezuelan soil, the political leader arrived at the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Shepherdess in the city of Barquisimeto.

Why Machado returned

After the July 28, 2024, presidential election, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council, controlled by the ruling socialist regime, declared incumbent President Nicolás Maduro to be the winner. However, opposition candidate Edmundo González claimed victory, and his organization said it had to vote tallies to prove it.

In a sense, Machado, very popular among voters, was the power behind González because although she had been banned from running for office by the Maduro regime, she campaigned openly in support of González.

To quell protests after the election, the repressive apparatus of the Maduro regime unleashed an unprecedented campaign of persecution against opposition politicians, activists, and protesters, and Machado went into hiding.

She left the country in December 2025 in a complex extraction operation coordinated from the United States that took her to Oslo, Norway.

On Jan. 3, 2026, U.S special forces captured Maduro and his wife Cilia and extradited them to the United States to face federal drug trafficking charges. Venezuela's Vice President, Delcy Rodríguez, was named acting president but the future of the socialist regime and democracy remained very unclear.

Machado arrives in Venezuela

"I am here. With you," Machado, who is the coordinator of the Vente Venezuela party, wrote on X around midday on Sunday, Oct. 25. Shortly thereafter, she arrived at the Shrine of the Divine Shepherdess located in Barquisimeto.

The Divine Shepherdess, taken metaphorically, is a Marian devotion that every Jan. 14 draws millions of people to the streets for one of the largest religious processions in the region and the world.

Machado attended Sunday Mass while crowds gathered inside and outside the shrine calling out, "Freedom!" Following the Eucharist, Machado boarded a vehicle to join a caravan heading toward the capital, Caracas, where she arrived the afternoon of Oct. 25.

Reactions from the United States

In Washington, D.C., President Trump stated that he was unaware of the Venezuelan leader's return. "I don't know anything about it," he replied when asked by the press. "But I think she's a very nice woman. She gave me her Nobel Prize, so how can I say anything else? And I hope she's safe," he remarked.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Machado's return is a direct result of "reconciliation talks" between the socialist government and a segment of the Venezuelan opposition, talks supported by the U.S. administration. These dialogue sessions, Rubio noted on X, have already led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners and the safe return of many exiles.

"The United States expects the freedoms of all sectors of Venezuelan politics to continue to be respected," Rubio wrote. "Likewise, we expect all political actors to support these talks which represent the best chance Venezuela has had in thirty years to peacefully achieve not just a free and fair election but an enduring democracy," he added.

This week, interim president Delcy Rodríguez, a devoted and avowed follower of Sai Baba, an Indian spiritual guru now deceased, revealed that she had sent a letter to Pope Leo XIV, prior to his lung surgery, in which she wished him good health and also requested the swift canonization of Blessed María de San José, as well as the beatification of Bishop Salvador Montes de Oca.

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

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A second bishop is expressing regret over a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House last week and complained that it has been "exploited" for political gain, while others who attended are clarifying the reasons they went.

On Oct. 22, the White House posted a video that showed Denver Archbishop James Golka leading a prayer with Trump, surrounded by about a dozen other bishops, who stood beside the president's spiritual advisor Paula White-Cain and White House Faith Office Director Jennifer Korn.

The video was shared by Margo Martin, a White House communications advisor, with no news release to accompany it, nor any description of what was discussed. Golka shared the video on archdiocesan social media and clarified it was not a political endorsement.

Bishops who attended the meeting and the prayer have stated they were invited by the White House Faith Office to discuss issues of importance to Catholics: the right to life, the dignity of migrants, religious liberty, and school choice. Several have echoed Golka, emphasizing the meeting and prayer was not a political endorsement, while two have expressed regret for going.

On Oct. 25, Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey Grob issued a "public apology" for any confusion the video caused, saying he did not know it would be shared publicly and it was not meant to be an endorsement of the president.

A second bishop — Des Moines Bishop William Joensen — also emphasized that it was not an endorsement and conveyed regret over the video being used for political purposes.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had no role in the meeting.

'Exploited' for politics

On Oct. 24, two days after the meeting, Joensen issued a statement saying "I would have done well to be more mindful Jesus' admonition [in the Gospel of Matthew]: 'Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.'"

"I wish I had been more shrewd and less simple, like those who exploited our meeting for partisan political purposes," Joensen said. "I pray I am more prudent and wise going forward, even as I remain resolute in my openness to engaging and praying for political leaders at all levels."

Joensen did not say who he was accusing of exploiting the meeting and a spokesperson for the diocese did not respond to a request for clarification from EWTN News.

In his statement, Joensen said he was invited by officials associated with the Faith Office to talk about a variety of issues: immigration, the exploitation of the poor, visas for international clergy, advancement of a culture of life as an alternative to abortion, and support for private education.

"There was also a concluding opportunity to pray for and with our president, that God would guide his heart and impel him to lead in a way consistent with the dignity of his office," he said.

Joensen said "there are many things" linked to the administration "at odds with our Catholic faith." Yet, he said he attended to "have a conversation" and was informed officials "would be interested in hearing our perspective."

When reached by EWTN News for comment, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in a statement, "there has never been a greater president for Catholic Americans than President Trump, and his strong record proves it."

"He stopped the weaponization of the federal government against Christians, proudly defended and expanded our religious rights, pardoned pro-life activists, stopped the chemical mutilation of our nation's children, and protected parents' rights," Rogers said, but did not respond to a follow up request for a response to the comments made by Joensen and Grob.

Explanations by other bishops

In addition to Golka, Grob, and Joensen, a few other bishops have issued statements about the reasons they met and prayed with Trump in the Oval Office and what they talked about with administration officials.

The Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota provided a statement to EWTN News on behalf of Bishop Scott Bullock, which said the delegation discussed Catholic priorities: abortion, school choice, and the ethical implications of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

According to the diocesan statement, the bishops' prayer over Trump is not an "endorsement," but is rather based in Scripture and following the instruction of St. Paul, who said "supplications, prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity."

"We went there and we prayed, and we asked the Lord to instill our leaders with wisdom and also to help them remain humble," Bullock said.

A spokesperson for Diocese of Gallup, New Mexico's Bishop James Wall told EWTN News that "Bishop Wall does want to express that he would accept a meeting with any politician, if invited, to discuss important church matters, regardless of the time of year and the political party, and that he offers prayers for all who hold political office, that they lead with integrity and not division."

The office of Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Naumann, who led the Archdiocese of Kansas City before retirement, also released a statement indicating that during the meeting the prelate voiced concerns about chemical abortion and IVF, while advocating for pro-life reproductive health care. He also discussed religious liberty, immigration, school choice, and protecting children from pornography.

According to the statement, Trump expressed gratitude to the bishops "for prayers asking God to bless and guide the president, his staff and the nation." The archbishop's office emphasized this was not an endorsement and that the bishops "were assured that no photographs would be made public."

"They came to have a discussion on important policy matters," the statement indicated. "As Catholic bishops, they pray with everyone, but do not endorse candidates or political parties."

The following bishops also attended the meeting, according to the White House: Bishop Edward Burns of the Diocese of Dallas, Bishop Steven Raica of the Diocese of Birmingham, Bishop Thomas Hennen of the Diocese of Baker, Bishop Michael Barber of the Diocese of Oakland, Bishop Francis Kalabat of the Chaldean Catholic Church, and Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Catholic Church.

Bishop of Palm Beach Jesús Rodríguez — who did not attend the meeting — opined on the matter on X, saying any action perceived as a political endorsement by a member of the Church hierarchy "must not be construed as representing the official position of the Catholic Church."

The meeting was also attended by Mario Enzler of the Heritage Foundation, though the Heritage Foundation has stated it did not organize it.

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"It fills me with joy to return to the continent where I have lived through so many moments of my life," Pope Leo XIV wrote on his X account on Oct. 26, confirming his upcoming trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, which will take place in November.

"May this journey be an opportunity to open our hearts to one another, strengthen our communion as brothers and sisters, and renew our commitment to proclaiming the Gospel with joy," the Holy Father wrote, nearly two weeks after undergoing lung surgery on Oct. 13.

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In addition, an Oct. 26 Vatican statement indicated that "Based on his current clinical status, as well as the results of the diagnostic tests and laboratory analyses performed, there are no contraindications that would prevent him from undertaking his upcoming apostolic journey to Latin America as planned."

"The Pope is following medical recommendations with great care and diligence, and with a deep determination to continue serving the Church," it added.

"In this respect, the Holy See Press Office confirms that the Apostolic Journey of Pope Leo XIV to Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru, scheduled for November 6-17, 2026, will proceed according to the program previously published," the Vatican statement said.

"The Holy Father remains deeply grateful for the prayers and affection he has received from throughout the world and for the dedicated care of the medical professionals who have accompanied him during his recovery," the statement said.

"Dr. Luigi Carbone confirms that the Holy Father's recovery after the surgery continues, and the latest medical examinations attest to his good health," the Vatican added.

"As previously reported, the surgical procedure was successful and without complications. Subsequent medical examinations confirmed that the condition was localized and that no further oncological treatment is necessary," the Vatican stated.

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The Archdiocese of New York will pay out $800 million in a settlement with sexual abuse victims.

The settlement, first announced in May, required unanimous agreement of all 1,300 victims, which has been established, attorneys for hundreds of victims said on Oct. 24.

The agreement comes after years of litigation following New York's 2019 passage of the New York Child Victims' Act, which permanently extended the civil statute of limitations so victims of childhood sexual abuse can file claims until age 55, and opened a temporary revival window (extended through August 2021) that allowed previously time-barred claims to be filed by victims of any age.

The settlement also requires the archdiocese to maintain and update a list of credibly accused clergy on its website, attorneys said.

The archdiocese and a plaintiffs' liaison committee, composed of attorneys from eight law firms representing the majority of claimants, negotiated for months to arrive at the agreement.

Archbishop Ronald Hicks called the news of the settlement "encouraging" in an Oct. 24 letter to priests provided to EWTN News by the archdiocese.

"We are on the verge of being able to, please God, bring some measure of healing and reconciliation to all victim-survivors," Hicks wrote. "This agreement will also allow the archdiocese to turn its full attention once again to its mission of preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, caring for the poor and needy, welcoming the stranger, and educating our children."

He instructed priests to assure their parishioners that parish life "should continue uninterrupted" if asked about the settlement, saying they will be informed through a message when the deal is finalized. The settlement agreement is scheduled to be signed Nov. 6.

In his letter to priests, Hicks thanked Cardinal Timothy Dolan, "under whose leadership the process began."

The settlement amount is the second highest in history, near the record $880 million the Archdiocese of Los Angeles paid in 2024 and half a billion dollars higher than the $300 million settlement Dolan announced in December 2025.

Dolan said at the time that the archdiocese had made "a series of very difficult financial decisions" to help fund the then-$300 million settlement, including staff layoffs, a 10% reduction in the archdiocese's operating budget, and the sale of real estate holdings, including the $100 million sale of the former diocesan headquarters in Manhattan.

The settlement allows the Archdiocese of New York to avoid filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Along with the Diocese of Brooklyn, it is one of only two of New York's eight Catholic dioceses that have not sought bankruptcy protection.

The archdiocese confirmed to EWTN News that is is still engaged in litigation with its longtime insurer Chubb, which it sued in 2024, claiming the company was "attempting to evade their legal and moral contractual obligation" to pay out claims to sex-abuse victims.

"Despite accepting millions in premiums from the archdiocese, Chubb has steadfastly refused to honor the policies it issued," Dolan said in December 2025.

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Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III of England have bestowed honorary religious titles upon each other, the first time this has happened in 500 years according to the official website of the British Royal Family.

"With the gracious approval of His Majesty the King, the Dean and Canons of Windsor are delighted to announce that His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has become Papal Confrater of the College of St. George at St. George's Chapel, Windsor," states the text published on Oct.23.

The announcement highlights that both leaders sought to underscore the ties between Christian traditions, within a global context marked by polarization and conflict.

"Mindful of the value of Christian unity, in an increasingly polarised and turbulent world, The King and The Pope have joined together in Christian brotherhood and, for the first time in half a millennium, are receiving religious titles which underscore what unites rather than what separates the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England," the text notes.

The statement adds that this gesture represents "a visible sign of spiritual fellowship, ecumenical friendship and Christian fraternity."

It also acknowledges the historical ties between the college and St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and the Holy See, as well as the progress made in relations between the Catholic Church, the Church of England, and the Anglican Communion.

The text notes that October marks one year since the "historic state visit to the Holy See" made by King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla. On that occasion, the British monarch was received as a "royal confrater" of the papal basilica and abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. At that time, the Holy Father had already been invited to become a "papal confrater" of St. George's at Windsor.

Just as there is already a chair for the King of England at the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, a similar chair for the pope will soon be unveiled in St. George's Chapel at Windsor. It will be consecrated in the European autumn, alongside a "mosaic icon of Christ of Cefalù, gifted to His Majesty by His Holiness during the State Visit," the statement concluded.

The historic 2025 meeting

On Oct. 23, 2025, Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III prayed together in the Sistine Chapel, marking the first time a pope and a British monarch have prayed together during a state visit to the Vatican.

During the visit, King Charles conferred upon the pope the title of Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, while the pontiff bestowed upon the monarch the honor of Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Vatican's Order of Pius IX, and upon Queen Camilla the distinction of Dame Grand Cross of the same order.

The connection of the King of England to the papal basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls

Following the arrival in England of Roman missionary monks such as St. Augustine of Canterbury and St. Paulinus of York during the sixth and seventh centuries, Saxon kings including Offa and Æthelwulf contributed to the upkeep of the apostles' tombs in Rome.

Toward the end of the Middle Ages, the kings of England were recognized as "protectors" of the basilica and abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls; its coat of arms came to include the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most prestigious order in the United Kingdom. This tradition was interrupted by the Reformation and the centuries of estrangement that followed.

A new chair, bearing the royal coat of arms and the Latin inscription Ut unum sint (That they may be one), has been placed in the basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for King Charles and his successors to use during future visits.

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

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Pope Leo XIV sent a message of condolence Monday on the death of Cardinal Paolo Romeo, archbishop emeritus of Palermo, who died Oct. 25 in Catania, Sicily, at the age of 88.

The pontiff said the cardinal "served the Gospel and the Church generously," and recalled "with gratitude his dedicated ministry, first as a priest of the Diocese of Acireale, then in the diplomatic service of the Holy See, especially as pontifical representative in Haiti, Colombia, Canada, Italy, and the Republic of San Marino, and finally as the devoted archbishop of Palermo."

Romeo was born in Acireale, Sicily, on Feb. 20, 1938. After studying theology and canon law in Rome, he was ordained a priest in Acireale on March 18, 1961.

He later attended the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, entering the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 1967 and working in the pontifical representations in the Philippines, Belgium and Luxembourg, to the European Communities, Venezuela, Rwanda, and Burundi.

In 1976, he was transferred to the Secretariat of State, where he was responsible for Latin America and the Latin American Episcopal Council (CELAM).

On Dec. 17, 1983, he was elected titular archbishop of Vulturia by St. Pope John Paul II and appointed apostolic nuncio to Haiti.

In 1990, he was transferred to the Apostolic Nunciature in Colombia, and in 1999 he was appointed head of the nunciature in Canada.

On April 17, 2001, he was appointed apostolic nuncio to Italy and the Republic of San Marino.

On Dec. 19, 2006, Benedict XVI appointed him metropolitan archbishop of Palermo. The same pope created him a cardinal of the Holy Roman Church in the consistory of Nov. 20, 2010, assigning him the titular church of Santa Maria Odigitria dei Siciliani.

In 2013, he participated in the conclave that elected Pope Francis.

Between 2013 and 2015, he also served as apostolic administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi in Sicily.

On Oct. 27, 2015, he became archbishop emeritus of Palermo upon reaching the age limit for retirement.

The Diocese of Acireale announced that the cardinal's mortal remains will lie in state beginning at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the cathedral basilica, where a prayer vigil will be held at 8 p.m. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the Acireale Cathedral.

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

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Poland's Catholic bishops on Oct. 24 spoke out against two bills that would ease the country's abortion law and named a historian to lead their long-planned commission on the sexual abuse of minors in the Church.

The decisions came at the close of the bishops' 406th plenary assembly in Zakopanel.

In their final communiqué, the bishops said the bills passed by the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, weaken the legal protection of unborn children. Even if the bills fail later, "the mere fact of processing them fosters the shaping of social acceptance of abortion as a morally neutral solution," they wrote. The bishops also urged lasting help for women in difficult circumstances.

The Sejm passed both bills on Oct. 20. The first, a penal code amendment approved 217-213, would remove the offense of helping or persuading a woman to have an abortion outside the law. It would also shield medical staff from prosecution for abortions performed to protect a woman's life or health or in cases of severe fetal impairment.

The second bill, approved 233-203, would restore abortion up to viability when tests show a high likelihood of severe and irreversible fetal impairment or an incurable life-threatening illness. It would make abortion free in the public health system and require it within 72 hours of consent.

Since a 2020 Constitutional Tribunal ruling, abortion in Poland has been legal only when the pregnancy threatens the woman's life or health or results from a crime.

The bills went to the Senate on Oct. 21, but no vote date has been set. President Karol Nawrocki said in January 2025, before his election, that he would not sign a law restoring the rules in place before the 2020 ruling.

"The bishops express their opposition to such a policy, which does not build but destroys," Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda of Gdansk, the conference president, told a press conference.

Abuse commission

The bishops also approved a revised statute for the Commission of Independent Experts to Study the Sexual Abuse of Minors in the Catholic Church in Poland and chose Piotr Franaszek, a historian at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, as its chairman.

The commission, established in March after three years of preparation, is to study abuse since 1945. It cannot begin work until it gains legal status, which requires approval from the Interior Ministry. The revised statute answers the ministry's comments and will be resubmitted; it will be published only after government review.

"We are at the very beginning, but we have an appointed commission, a statute and a chairman," Franaszek told reporters.

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