Catholic News
Leo XIV will celebrate Mass in Uruguay Sunday and, later in the afternoon, depart for Argentina, where he will visit the Monument to General San Martín and meet with President Javier Milei.
Bishop Mark Kadima Wamukoya reminded Christians to follow Christ's example to pray for everyone, even those who "hurt and betray."
BUNGOMA, Kenya — Bishop Mark Kadima Wamukoya of Kenya's Diocese of Bungoma has urged Christians to pray for those who hurt or mistreat them and to set aside their differences when gathering for worship.
In his homily during the consecration of St. Mark's Ojamii Catholic Parish church on Nov. 5, Kadima reflected on Jesus Christ's institution of the Eucharist amid betrayal.
"Jesus Christ instituted the Eucharist at the time he was betrayed. Despite the pain, suffering, and betrayal, he gave us a lasting blessing," he said.
The Kenyan bishop called on Christians to follow this example in their relationships with others.
"This teaches us that even when someone wrongs us, we should still bless them. Even when we are hurt or mistreated, we should come to church, pray, and ask God to bless others," he said. "This is a place where we should leave our differences behind and say, 'May everyone be blessed.'"
Kadima emphasized the importance of the church as a place for prayer and the celebration of the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist. He encouraged the faithful to participate in worship despite difficulties in their personal and family lives.
"Coming to church does not mean that everything in our lives is perfect. Our families, marriages, and children may be facing challenges, but we still come to church to pray and ask God to bless everyone," he said.
Turning to promises made before God, Kadima urged Christians to take their commitments seriously, including those made at priestly ordination and in the sacrament of matrimony.
"The Church is a place where we come to make promises and honor them," he said. "When we say yes at the altar, that yes must mean something."
Recalling his own ordination, the bishop said: "Even my own priestly ordination involved being brought before the altar, where I was instructed to lie down. Once you make a commitment, you must be ready to fulfill it."
He added: "We need the Church because we are a people of promises. Our lives as God's people cannot be built without promises and their fulfillment. When we say, 'I accept' or 'I promise,' we must mean it."
Kadima also called on Catholics to respect rules and regulations in their daily lives.
"As Catholics, including myself, we are called to be people who respect and obey the law. The Church reminds us that we must live according to rules and regulations," he said. Kadima linked this responsibility to service, good conduct, and respectful communication.
"When we come to church, we are reminded to become people of service and good conduct. We must cultivate a culture of obedience and respect for rules, whether in the Church, at the table, at the altar, or in the way we communicate with one another," 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.
The formal handover ceremony took place at the Monastery of the Servant of God and Martyr Gabriel Danbo in Ankawa, a predominantly Christian district of Erbil.
After safeguarding them for more than half a century, the Chaldean Antonian Order of St. Hormizd has returned a collection of historic manuscripts belonging to the former Chaldean Diocese of Akra in northern Iraq to its ecclesiastical authorities.
The formal handover ceremony took place at the Monastery of the Servant of God and Martyr Gabriel Danbo in Ankawa, Iraq, a predominantly Christian district of Erbil. It was attended by Archbishop Najeeb Michaeel of Mosul and Akra; Abbot Samer Soreshow, superior general of the Chaldean Antonian Order of St. Hormizd; and several monks.
The manuscripts were entrusted to the order in the 1960s amid the difficult circumstances and widespread displacement affecting the region, Soreshow explained in an interview with ACI MENA, the Arabic-language sister service of EWTN News.
According to Soreshow, Abdul-Ahad Rabban, a member of the order who served as its superior general and later became bishop of Akra, sought to protect the ecclesiastical heritage from being lost. The manuscripts were placed in the order's care until circumstances would allow their safe return to the diocese.
Soreshow emphasized that throughout the decades, the order regarded the manuscripts not only as priceless treasures but also as an essential part of the Chaldean Church's historical and spiritual memory and a legacy preserving its identity.
He explained that changing conditions over the years forced the order's manuscript collections, including those belonging to the Diocese of Akra, to be moved repeatedly in search of safety.
The manuscripts were transferred from the Monastery of Our Lady of the Seeds in Alqosh to St. George Monastery in Mosul and later to St. Anthony Monastery in Baghdad. Their journey eventually brought them to the order's general headquarters in Ankawa in 2021, which houses the Scriptorium Syriacum, a cultural center dedicated to preserving Syriac manuscripts.
The repeated relocations resulted in the Akra manuscripts becoming mixed with other collections held by the order, requiring extensive efforts to identify and separate them.
Soreshow said the monks relied on earlier manuscript catalogs compiled at different times by Bishop Addai Scher, Belgian Dominican orientalist Jacques-Marie Vosté, and Fathers Yousif Habbi, Boutros Haddad, and Jacques Isaac. These cataloging efforts included work published by the Iraqi Academy in 1988.
However, the order's work went well beyond identifying and sorting the manuscripts.
Soreshow explained that the restoration and preservation process involved cleaning the manuscripts, gathering their scattered pages, photographing and numbering them, reassembling them into complete volumes, and preparing comprehensive catalogs.
This work was particularly demanding, he noted, "especially since several copies of the same manuscript existed, many of which had been copied at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Seeds."
The project required considerable time and effort from the Chaldean Antonian monks, who began the work in 2021 through the Scriptorium Syriacum.
The work was carried out under the direction of Father Yousif Ajim, the center's director, with assistance from other staff members who graduated from the Department of Syriac Language at Salahaddin University in Erbil.
93 manuscripts returned, while 4 remain unaccounted for in the collection
According to Soreshow, the Diocese of Akra's collection originally comprised 97 manuscripts, of which 93 were handed over to Michaeel.
Of the remaining four, three were identified in the Chaldean Patriarchate's digitized archives, made available through manuscript digitization efforts and accessible via the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library in Minnesota.
The fourth manuscript remains missing.
Soreshow praised the commitment of both the religious order and the archdiocese to ensuring that the manuscripts remain properly preserved and accessible to researchers, scholars, and clergy, contributing to the study of Church history and the advancement of academic research.
"The smooth transfer of these manuscripts from the custody of our order to that of their diocese reflects the continuity of the Church's mission to safeguard its historical memory and preserve its heritage for future generations," he said.
Akra was formerly an independent Chaldean Catholic diocese. However, the unrest and conflicts that affected the region during the 1960s led to the displacement of many of its Christian inhabitants and a decline in the local Church's presence.
In 2018, the independent Diocese of Akra was merged with the Archdiocese of Mosul, forming the Chaldean Catholic Archeparchy of Mosul and Akra, currently headed by Michaeel.
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.
Cardinal Grzegorz Rys invited Kraków to a Mass for the victims at St. Mary's Basilica after a gunman killed six people in the city's Main Market Square.
The archbishop of Kraków called on the city to stand "together" in prayer after a gunman killed six people in its Main Market Square, a few steps from St. Mary's Basilica, on Saturday afternoon.
"We do not want to, we cannot, we are unable to be indifferent at such a moment. We want, we need and we must be together," Cardinal Grzegorz Rys wrote in a letter to the faithful on Nov. 7.
"I write 'us' because in truth any one of us could have been in the Square at that time, passing where the bullets struck random, unsuspecting people," the Polish prelate wrote.
Rys invited residents to a Mass for the dead, the wounded and their families at St. Mary's Basilica on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 4 p.m. local time, saying that "the last word does not and cannot belong to hatred."
The cardinal asked the pastors of the victims' parishes to "be there" for them and give every possible help.
Police said the gunman drove onto the square shortly after 3 p.m. and fired at passersby from his car. Four women and two men were killed, among them three Polish women and a British national. Sixteen people were wounded, including the suspect and two police officers, one of whom was shot three times.
Officers shot and detained the attacker, a man in his mid-20s from Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, a town in southeastern Poland.
Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the suspect held "very radical views" and that "everything indicates he was fascinated by far-right ideologies," though this had yet to be verified.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the attack terrorism.
Police found three bodies in the suspect's flat. President Karol Nawrocki declared national mourning for Nov. 8 and 9.
Archbishop Tadeusz Wojda, president of the Polish bishops' conference, said he was "deeply shaken."
"It is hard even to grasp that in the very heart of Kraków, right by St. Mary's Basilica … such dramatic scenes could unfold," he said.
Archbishop Wojciech Polak, the primate of Poland, said he was praying for the dead and the wounded and expressed solidarity with Rys. He spoke of "faith that good is stronger than hatred and love always wins."
Warsaw's Archbishop Adrian Galbas echoed the Kraków cardinal.
"As Cardinal Grzegorz asked: let us be together!" he wrote on Facebook, echoing the Kraków cardinal.
The Holy Father said a papal Mass and visited with several communities in Uruguay on the first full day of his South American trip.
Pope Leo XIV held a papal Mass, visited with several Catholic groups and communities, and presided over a prayer vigil in Uruguay on Nov. 7, the first full day of his historic trip to South America.
The pope arrived in Uruguay on Nov. 6 and was scheduled to leave the country on Sunday for Argentina, where he will spend three days before moving on to his former home of Peru, where he will spend five days before returning to Rome.
Here are photos of Pope Leo's activities in Uruguay:
The pontiff presided at an evening prayer vigil on his last night in the country.
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Pope Leo XIV on Saturday encouraged practicing Catholics in a secular society, and especially young people, to keep their faith strong and to live in virtuous ways that can attract people to the Church.
The pope made his remarks at an evening prayer vigil in a stadium in Uruguay's capital, with about 70,000 people in attendance. Local authorities estimated that another 30,000 people were following the event nearby.
Uruguay is one of Latin America's most secular societies, where a majority of people have no affiliation with organized religion and the official state calendar has renamed Catholic holidays with secular terms, such as substituting Tourism Week for Holy Week.
Leo said the experience of faithful Uruguayan Catholics "can help brothers and sisters in other parts of the world who are beginning to discover, in different ways, what it means to be a minority."
The pope consoled Uruguayan Catholics for their small numbers, noting that Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, was proverbially small and that, in the Eucharist, "the Lord of the universe is present under the humble appearances of bread and wine."
Yet he said that Christians can draw others into their ranks by behaving in exemplary ways.
"Perhaps there are people who would never open a Bible on their own, who have not set foot in a church in years, or who cannot even say whether they believe in God. But when they see you, the desire for God may be awakened in them; they may even discover that it is worth risking their lives to find him," the pope said.
"Christ did not call us to mediocrity," Leo said. He urged his listeners to pursue excellence in the pursuit of holiness.
"When being just and honest comes at a price, pay it. When forgiving seems like a defeat, forgive. When everyone tells you to think of yourselves first, do not be afraid to put yourselves in the last place," he said.
"Be willing to give up time, money, comfort and plans to serve others. May those who see you find themselves asking: 'Why do they live in this way? Where do they get this freedom? Why do they love one another so much?'"
The vigil ended with a spectacular fireworks display.
Earlier, the pope spoke at the Catholic University of Uruguay, where he shared thoughts on the intellectual formation of young people in the Church.
"Our Catholic education cannot be confined to a closed circle. Rather, it must learn to listen to families, civil society, political and administrative authorities, as well as representatives of the various economic sectors and professional groups," Leo concluded.
But he warned that "generations are changing far more rapidly than in the past and that keeping pace with the times — without abandoning sound tradition — is a real challenge."
The pope was scheduled to leave Uruguay on Sunday for Argentina, where he will spend three days before moving on to his former home of Peru, where he will spend five days before returning to Rome.
Pope Leo XIV urged young Uruguayans to be saints at a vigil drawing about 100,000 people in Montevideo. He celebrates Mass in Florida on Sunday before leaving for Argentina.
The pontiff visited a lower-income neighborhood where a Catholic parish is helping the needy.
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay — Pope Leo XIV, speaking to residents of a disadvantaged neighborhood in Uruguay's capital on Nov. 7, drew attention to one of Latin America's most urgent social problems: violent crime.
"We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that there are children in Uruguay who do not go to school for fear of never returning home," the pope said.
"In a country as rich in resources as this, children should never have to go to bed hungry or be denied the chance of a decent education and a dignified future because of the insecurity that reigns in the streets. Much less should they have to suffer violence to the point of losing their lives."
Leo made his remarks in a speech to members of a Catholic parish in Casavalle, a lower-income neighborhood in northern Montevideo.
Violent crime is a pressing problem across Latin America, much of it driven by the drug trade and other organized crime. UN figures put the homicide rate in Latin America and the Caribbean at roughly four times the global level, the highest of any world region.
In his brief talk, Leo cited Jesus's parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), emphasizing that the man helped by the Samaritan was a victim of violent crime, since he "fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead."
The pope lamented that "this story is repeated today in the widespread insecurity and violence that unfortunately threaten the peace of our neighborhoods and even the lives of our loved ones, and all too often society responds with indifference," like those who passed by the beaten man before the Samaritan helped him.
"Yet we can see another side: the actions of many institutions and people of goodwill who foster peace and offer practical assistance to those in need," Leo said.
He pointed to the testimonies of hardship and hope recounted by parish members just before he made his own remarks. The pope also acknowledged the U.S.-based Papal Foundation for its financial support for building houses for needy members of the parish.
"We must work together: the Church, civil society and the State. We need to shake off our apathy and advocate for the common good," the pope said. "Let us therefore unite our efforts and respond generously to the call to build together a homeland of brothers and sisters."
The pope was scheduled to leave Uruguay on Sunday for Argentina, where he will spend three days before moving on to his former home of Peru, where he will spend five days before returning to Rome.
Pope Leo XIV begins his first full day in South America on Nov. 7 in Montevideo, Uruguay, where he will hold a papal Mass and meet with several communities of the faithful.
"The Dating Project," streaming on EWTN+, is for single Catholics as well as for parents who are praying for a good partner to walk into their child's life.
The short documentary "The Dating Project" opens with a prologue from a Catholic priest explaining how he prays for young men and women to find one another for a holy Catholic marriage — but it's also probably the most secular product the storied Family Theater Productions company has ever produced.
The film, streaming now on EWTN's new on-demand digital platform EWTN+, is must-watch TV — not only for any serious single Catholic but also for all those Catholic parents of single adult children praying for a good Catholic partner to walk into their child's life.
It is a short film, but a big topic. And the situation is urgent. According to the film, for the first time in American history, more people are single than married.
"The Dating Project" puts flesh and blood to this demographic red flag by following four distinct groups.
First, there are young people in college experiencing "adulting" for the first time and finding that the collegiate "hookup culture" has replaced traditional dating.
Next, we meet a woman in her mid-20s. She has not been on a date in years, and when she did last go on one, what the young man wanted was not what she was looking for.
Then there is the vibrant career woman in her 30s who works 70 hours a week, lives in the hectic world of New York City, and has little time for anything resembling a romantic relationship.
Finally, there is a single man pushing 40 who has never been married and is actively trying to find someone from online dating services.
Boston College scholar Kerry Cronin is the film's tour guide into the dateless culture we reside in and has become kind of a legend on campus with her "Dating Assignment" class.
To pass the class, a student must ask someone out for a date and do it face-to-face — no DMs or texts. Simply asking someone out for a cup of coffee is a passing grade.
As the film shows, especially among college-age students, they do not really know what dating is, and few of them in the film recall ever having gone on one.
There are so many obstacles in their way: The solitary-inducing effects of the internet, the loosening bind of traditional extended families, and the breakdown of social support systems have made the traditional concept of dating seem, well, dated.
But as Cronin makes clear to her students, getting back to basics is a pathway to a real relationship. Like all worthy journeys, the first steps are the smallest.
If one is looking for an example of how far afield this concept has become for college-aged young adults, they might check out the latest headlines from the sordid affair on the Cornell University campus.
But if dating has been left to atrophy, the desire among people to forge relationships has not. Cronin identifies her students' main challenge: For the past two generations, the culture has been telling people that relationships and sex are "no big deal."
Cronin counters that those two "deals" are actually huge. The young college people in the film, having lived their lives with TV sitcoms, movies, and music selling them the opposite view, seem to have an inner desire for the professor's view, if her overflowing lecture hall is any indication.
As the film's writer and producer Megan Harrington puts it, "The film offers viewers hope, inspiration, and tools for navigating the relationship landscape."
Since we did not get to this point overnight, it will take time and more efforts like Cronin's to re-prioritize the "big deals" when it comes to relationships. To that end, the production company has also launched a YouTube series called "Dating Decoded: Beyond the Dating Project" that dives deeper into the film's themes, including unseen footage from the original.
This story was first published by Angelus News. It has been adapted by EWTN News and reprinted here with permission.
