The pontiff held a private audience on Monday with the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne-Antide Thouret.
Pope Leo XIV emphasized the need for charity to heal societal divisions and uphold human dignity.
The pontiff held a private audience on Monday with the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne-Antide Thouret, an international community of nuns founded after the French Revolution. The community, dedicated to serving the poor, is also marking the 200th anniversary of Thouret's death this year.
In his address, Leo praised Thouret for establishing the community and encouraged others to continue her legacy of charity to promote human dignity.
"In this regard, I would like to emphasize another important aspect of the charismatic legacy left to you by your saintly Foundress: to pay attention to the integral good, spiritual and temporal, of one's neighbor," Leo said.
Pope Leo XIV greets a member of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Jeanne-Antide Thouret after his private audience with the community at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican on Oct. 26, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media
"I mention this because, in a society such as ours, which tends to fragment the person, dividing people not only from one another but also, and more gravely, within themselves, this dimension of charity is fundamental for the restoration, promotion and authentic respect for the dignity of every person, especially the poorest and most in need. Treasure it, nurture it and spread it," the pope added.
Leo also reflected on the theme the sisters chose for their general chapter, "In Christ, the roots; in the world, the mission," and encouraged them, like Thouret, to put Christ at the center of their charitable work.
"To be rooted in Christ means, in fact, following the example of Saint Jeanne Antide, to place Him alone at the center of one's existence and thoughts, growing accustomed to sensing and celebrating His presence at every moment, confident that, united to Him, we will grow ever closer to one another and be better able to help others according to His plans," Leo said.
Sometimes referred to in France as the "sisters of the soup kitchen," the Sisters of Charity of St. Jeanne-Antide Thouret were approved by Pope Pius VII in 1819. Following nationalist pressure in France, the order split into branches in France and Italy before reuniting in 1954, and now operates in over 25 countries worldwide.
Apostolic almoner Archbishop Luis Marín will travel to Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Fastiv, Ukraine from Oct. 27-30.
The Vatican will step up its support for Ukraine ahead of the coming winter with a new humanitarian mission led by the prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín.
"A very harsh winter is expected, and as Christians, as the Church, we cannot remain indifferent or passive. My journey is a mission of solidarity and closeness, a witness of love," the archbishop confirmed to EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.
Archbishop Marín will travel to Ukraine from Oct. 27-30 on a visit "coordinated through the Apostolic Nunciature," during which he will visit Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, and Fastiv.
The itinerary includes meetings with Latin-rite and Greek Catholic communities as part of the Holy See's efforts to accompany a population that has been deeply affected by a war that will mark its fifth year in February.
"I want to understand firsthand the needs of the population and, above all, make present the concern and closeness of Pope Leo XIV. Ukraine is in our hearts, and through the Dicastery for the Service of Charity, in the name of the Holy Father, we seek to respond with concrete assistance," he said.
The mission coincides with a collection drive organized among Vatican employees in collaboration with the Governorate of Vatican City State.
"The response has been magnificent. We have collected, above all, warm clothing, canned food, blankets, sheets, sleeping bags, and other garments," Archbishop Marín explained.
Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín, prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for the Service of Charity. | Credit: Courtesy of Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín.
The supplies will be transported to Ukraine by road through the international TIR transit system and then distributed through local Church structures. Rome's Holy Wisdom (Santa Sofia) Parish, the reference point for the Ukrainian Catholic community in Rome, has once again served as the operational hub where aid from various locations has been gathered before being sent to Ukraine.
The initiative is part of the broad network of assistance promoted by the Dicastery for the Service of Charity since the beginning of the war. In recent years, the Holy See has organized convoys carrying medicines, financial assistance for vulnerable families, and various relief projects, channeled through the apostolic nunciature and the local Churches.
Once in Ukraine, the aid will be distributed by the Church's charitable structures in Kyiv.
"This aid collection effort has made us face our personal responsibility and has enabled a concrete response to the suffering of the Ukrainian people. I thank the Governorate of Vatican City for its cooperation, the employees of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity for their commitment in collecting and sorting the materials, and all the donors for their generous response," Marín said, also asking people not to cease praying that the Lord may grant the gift of peace.
Intense diplomatic activity by the Holy See
The visit of the prefect of the Dicastery for the Service of Charity also comes at a time of intense diplomatic and humanitarian activity by the Holy See regarding the war in Ukraine.
From Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he was recovering after surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his right lung, the pope called Russian President Vladimir Putin on Oct. 16 to ask for "a ceasefire to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid."
According to the Vatican, the pontiff referred in particular to the "extremely grave situation" in Oleshky, a besieged city where approximately 2,000 civilians remain, surviving without access to drinking water or electricity.
Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, president of the Italian bishops' conference, had also traveled to the city on a humanitarian mission.
The following Monday, back at the Vatican, the pope spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and expressly asked him to cooperate with Moscow in order to achieve a humanitarian truce in the city.
The pontiff's diplomatic efforts bore fruit. As announced by Melania Trump, wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, the ceasefire intended to facilitate the rescue of civilians trapped in Oleshky will begin on Oct. 27, according to Moscow.
Captured by Russian forces at the start of the war, the city has suffered for months from severe shortages of food and medical supplies. In order to leave the city, many residents have had to travel for miles along partially mined roads.
Against this backdrop, on Oct. 23 Pope Leo XIV received Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, major archbishop of Kyiv-Halych and leader of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, in a private audience.
Pope Leo XIV meets with Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, major archbishop of Kyiv-Galicia and primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, at the Vatican on Oct. 23, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media
During the meeting, according to Vatican News, the primate thanked the pontiff for the Holy See's constant support for his country and requested the mobilization of the international Catholic community in view of what is expected to be an especially difficult winter for millions of people affected by the war.
In addition, during the meeting Shevchuk presented the pope with lists of Ukrainian prisoners of war so that the Holy See could pass them on to the Russian authorities in an effort to facilitate a prisoner exchange.
U.S. bishops said AI could expand surveillance and persecution of religious groups and urged that human dignity remain central to protecting religious freedom.
Marking International Religious Freedom Day on Oct. 27, two U.S. bishops said rapid advances in artificial intelligence underscore the need to keep human dignity at the center of efforts to protect religious freedom.
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, bishop of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, and Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, said in a joint statement that "millions of people continue to suffer violations of the basic human right to religious freedom, and rapidly developing technological tools, such as artificial intelligence, have the potential to expand such abuses, increasing the scope of surveillance and persecution of religious groups."
"In this era of technological change, all of society—including the private sector—is called to work together to ensure that technological tools are not used to facilitate new and intensified forms of religious discrimination," the statement said.
Zaidan chairs the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Sample chairs the Committee for Religious Liberty.
The bishops noted Pope Leo XIV's encyclical Magnifica Humanitassaid the"right to religious freedom is rooted in human dignity, providing 'decisive criteria' for protecting individuals and societies. As brother bishops, we affirm that, in the age of AI, human dignity remains at the heart of defending religious freedom."
Zaidan and Sample pointed to the bishops' conference's collaboration with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom as an example of how government and faith leaders can work together to address religious freedom violations worldwide.
"This partnership is a testament to the power of joint efforts by government and faith leaders to protect this most cherished right," the bishops said.
"In this 250th year commemorating American independence, may the Sacred Heart of Jesus, burning with love for all of humanity, make us beacons of hope for our brothers and sisters through the world by defending religious freedom in the digital age," the bishops said.
On the advice of his doctors, the pontiff's participation during the final day of the Oct. 25-27 gathering was canceled.
Pope Leo XIV will not attend the prayer meeting in Assisi on Tuesday on the advice of his doctors following his surgery earlier this month, according to the Holy See Press Office. It would have been the pontiff's second visit to Assisi this year, following his August visit for the GO! Franciscan Youth Meeting.
Instead, the prayer meeting will feature a special message of peace from the pope as well as remarks from Patriarch Bartholomew I, ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople. The patriarch and other world religious leaders will gather to pray for peace in the Lower Basilica in Assisi on Tuesday.
According to Vatican News, the interreligious meeting will mark 40 years after St. John Paul II invited world religious leaders to the birthplace of St. Francis of Assisi for a historic Day of Prayer for Peace.
For Leo, the milestone anniversary is far more than a historical commemoration; it serves as a vital blueprint for addressing today's fractured world. Emphasizing what he calls a "disarmed and disarming peace," the pope consistently insists that true security cannot be built on military force or political maneuvering alone. Drawing on the Franciscan legacy of nonviolence and care for creation, he urges faith leaders across the globe to disarm their hearts and harness prayer as a transformative force for international reconciliation.
Interreligious center
A central pillar of Pope Leo XIV's vision for interreligious dialogue is turning symbolic encounters into lasting structural realities. This commitment was realized in Assisi with the official opening of the Global House of Friendship and Hope in August, when the pontiff met with Rabbi Alon Gotten Gottestein.
Conceived as a permanent interreligious center in the heart of the city, the House translates 40 years of periodic gatherings into an active, daily practice. Designed to serve as a living sanctuary, it provides a dedicated space where believers of Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and other traditions can gather under one roof. The House, which enjoyed backing from Pope Francis and Pope Leo, features cross-cultural forums, peace education programs, and spaces for quiet reflection, ensuring that dialogue between traditions remains a continuous, structured pursuit rather than an occasional event.
In his addresses, the pontiff frequently stresses that genuine dialogue does not mean diluting theological identities, but rather uniting on common moral ground to tackle shared human crises — including poverty, war, and ecological degradation.
By anchoring his pontificate in these efforts, Pope Leo XIV has revitalized the legacy begun in 1986. Supported by his active leadership and embodied by the new Global House of Friendship and Hope, Assisi reaffirms its standing as a world capital of peace, offering a clear message that building a reconciled world is a shared journey faith leaders must walk together.
Archbishop Jeffrey Grob said his "intention was never to cause confusion, anger, or disappointment among the people entrusted to my care" and that the meeting was publicized without consent.
Grob said that over the last few days, he had "received many questions and comments about the October 22 meeting I and 11 other bishops attended at the White House, which was soon thereafter publicized by the administration without the consent of the participants."
He went on to say that his "intention was never to cause confusion, anger, or disappointment among the people entrusted to my care" and that he issued the Oct. 25 statement to provide context for the meeting.
The meeting "was in no way an endorsement of the president, his policies, or his party," Grob said.
Last month, Grob explained, he was invited along with other bishops to a meeting to discuss "matters of importance to the Church and our people, including immigration enforcement, religious worker visas, and human dignity." The meeting was the second of two such gatherings organized by the Heritage Foundation, he said.
"We were told the meeting was to be a private discussion, that several Catholic members of the cabinet might make an appearance, and that there could be an opportunity to pray privately with the president," he continued.
After about an hour and a half of meeting on Oct. 22 with White House staff and policy advisers, the archbishop said, the group entered the Oval Office, where they were greeted by President Donald Trump. After being presented with commemorative tokens, Grob said, the group was directed to stand behind the president to pray, and photos were taken afterward.
"Unbeknownst to the group of bishops a video was also taken. But permission for the public distribution or posting of either the video or photos was not given by the bishops," Grob said in his statement. Not long after, photos and the video of the prayer were posted online.
"I soon began receiving messages of serious concern over the possibility that I had inadvertently participated in a political event less than two weeks before a national election," Grob said. "I also heard from some who felt wounded because of the ways they or their family had been harmed by the president's policies."
"I feel a heavy sadness, not only over the pain I caused, but also for the fact that something so sacred to a group of religious leaders, prayer to our Heavenly Father, would be manipulated in that way," he continued. "We came in good faith to try to work for the betterment of our fellow human beings, to ease their suffering, to build up the common good, and to pray with a president, not to pose for a political photo opportunity to benefit the few. We should never have been put in that position by the White House."
Grob concluded his statement by saying that he did not go to the meeting "without reservations" and that he wished he "had heeded them."
"I apologize for any damage my actions have done," he said.
Grob's statement comes after another participant at the Oct. 22 meeting, Denver Archbishop James Golka, who led the prayer in the Oval Office, defended his participation in the event.
Golka said he "knew people might be upset" at the event and that it could be "use[d] for political purposes."
"But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders," he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic on Oct. 23.
Golka, like Grob, also denied that the meeting was in any way an endorsement of the president or his policies.
"The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party," Golka said. "I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine."
Alliance Defending Freedom has urged Egyptian authorities to free six young Christians after they posted a TikTok video that authorities considered offensive to Islam.
CAIRO — Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has urged Egyptian authorities to free six young Christians detained for more than two weeks after posting a TikTok video that authorities considered offensive to Islam.
In an Oct. 22 report, the legal advocacy organization said the six, who range in age from 17 to 23, were detained and questioned on charges of "exploiting" and "insulting" the religion of Islam.
"We urge the authorities to release these six young men and drop any investigations against them immediately," said Kelsey Zorzi, ADF's senior counsel and vice president of international advocacy.
The video posted on Oct. 4 featured audio from a popular Egyptian comedy film depicting prisoners unfamiliar with Quranic prayers. According to ADF, the six reenacted the scene.
"These young men did nothing but share a lighthearted video with a voiceover from a popular and uncontroversial film, as many others on the platform have done. There is no reason to charge or imprison them," Zorzi said.
ADF said the post attracted comments inciting violence against the young men and their families, and that some villagers reported them to the authorities.
On Oct. 6, the six were handed over to police for questioning, with the understanding that they would be released once tensions in their village had calmed, according to the organization. They remained in detention as of the Oct. 22 report.
Zorzi described their detention as part of a wider pattern of discrimination against Christians in Egypt.
"This is tragically common in Egypt, where Christians face threats, discrimination, and ultimately imprisonment for speech that is only seen as problematic because they are not part of the majority religion," she said.
ADF estimated that Christians constitute 10% to 15% of Egypt's population. The organization said they continue to face discrimination, violence, and imprisonment despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom.
It said the continued use of blasphemy and related "insult" laws has perpetuated the persecution of Coptic Christians.
According to ADF, scores of members of religious minorities have been prosecuted and imprisoned over the past year for social media posts deemed blasphemous amid a wider crackdown on online content considered offensive to Islam.
The organization cited Augustinos Samaan, a YouTuber who, it said, was sentenced to five years of hard labor for teaching the Christian faith on his channel.
It also highlighted the case of Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo, a Christian father of five, imprisoned on blasphemy charges after sharing his beliefs in a Christian Facebook group. ADF said he was subsequently released with its support and had relocated safely to another country.
"Christian persecution has been a persistent problem in Egypt for many years. We have seen countless cases of individuals who are targeted and punished for nothing more than expressing their beliefs. Egypt must take action to address this crisis and protect freedom of speech and religious freedom for all," Zorzi said.
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
During his Sunday Angelus, the pope reflected on the greatest commandment and called for peace in Yemen and Jordan.
Beginning with the question posed in Sunday's Gospel, "Which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Pope Leo XIV focused his reflection before the Angelus on the theme of love.
The faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square awaited the words of hope from the vicar of Christ, their pope.
At the heart of love, Leo XIV placed our relationship with God, emphasizing that this is where the true meaning of love is found.
"Indeed, it is not enough to know that God exists, that he is the only God, or that he is the Almighty. The Lord seeks a personal relationship with us: The one true God wants to become our God," the pope said.
"In our encounter with him, the commandment of love is neither an obligation nor an imposition."
He then turned to the meaning of authentic love, explaining that "our love can be authentic only when it is a response to his love, which always precedes us. From this arises the need for a total commitment that involves the whole person: heart, soul, and mind."
Heart, soul, and mind must all be engaged in our relationship with God so that we become capable of looking at ourselves "and our neighbors through the eyes of Christ, from his perspective. In this way, selfishness is overcome and even love for oneself becomes charity: Our existence turns toward the other and becomes a gift for those around us."
Toward the end of his reflection, the pope quoted St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, who wrote: "Love alone" makes "the Church's members act, and if Love ever became extinct, apostles would not preach the Gospel."
The theme, in this case, concerns the Church itself. Without love, the pope stressed, "our faith would be deprived of its essence, our good works would be reduced to mere moralism, and our hope would be in vain."
He added: "Dear friends, we cannot truly love God unless this love overflows into love for our brothers and sisters. And we cannot truly love our neighbor except as children of the same Father who loved us first in his Son, Jesus."
Following the Marian prayer, Leo XIV turned his attention to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
"I am following with concern the grave humanitarian situation in Yemen, particularly in the city of Taiz, where the population is suffering from a lack of food, water, and medical care," he said.
"I make a heartfelt appeal for hostilities to cease and for the Yemeni people and all the peoples of the region to be guaranteed the right to live in peace."
The pope also remembered the victims of a terrorist attack against Orthodox Christians in Jordan.
"My prayers go out to all those who were injured or lost their lives last Friday in the terrorist attack on worshippers at the Orthodox Church of St. George in Hamoud, Jordan. I express my closeness to the community and the entire country, which is known for its peaceful coexistence and respect between different religions."
Finally, Leo XIV urged the faithful to continue praying for peace and recalled the gathering scheduled for Oct. 27 in Assisi, Italy.
The pope had originally been expected to travel to the city of St. Francis, but following his recent surgery, he was advised to avoid traveling for the time being.
"Let us continue to pray together for peace," he said.
"The day after tomorrow, on 27 October, let us join in spirit with the heads of churches and religious leaders who will gather in Assisi to mark the 40th anniversary of the meeting convened by St. John Paul II. Never before has it been so clear that wars, as well as sowing death and destruction, impoverish and harm the world. May the Lord inspire choices of dialogue and peace!"
This story was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
The conference brought together dozens of diocesan directors and leaders of Hispanic and Latino ministry from various parts of the United States. Conference speakers included Bishop Óscar Cantú of San José, California; Bishop Mario Alberto Avilés, CO, of Corpus Christi, Texas; and Bishop Eusebio Elizondo, MSpS, auxiliary bishop of Seattle.
Monsignor Eduardo Chávez of the Archdiocese of Mexico City, considered the foremost expert on the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, spoke to the gathering on "The Truth of Guadalupe," which is also the title of his book on the subject.
"It has been a moment of such joy and spirituality, of such devotion and emotion, to go on discovering who Holy Mary of Guadalupe and her humble messenger, St. Juan Diego, are during this encounter," Chávez told EWTN News Español, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News.
"The Virgin of Guadalupe, through St. Juan Diego, helps us open our hearts to the presence of Christ the King, the love of God, which our people need so much," emphasized Chávez, who also served as the postulator for the canonization cause of St. Juan Diego, the visionary of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The meeting with the leaders of U.S. Hispanic pastoral ministry, he noted, "has been the best way to prepare ourselves for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Holy Mary of Guadalupe, which help us prepare for the Jubilee of the Redemption in 2033."
"There are not enough words to thank God and His Most Holy Mother, our Mother, Holy Mary of Guadalupe," he said.
Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared to the Indigenous man St. Juan Diego at the foot of Tepeyac Hill, north of Mexico City, Dec. 9–12, 1531. There she asked him to intercede with the then-bishop of Mexico, Friar Juan de Zumárraga, so that a "sacred little house" might be built in her honor.
As proof of the authenticity of the apparitions, the Virgin asked Juan Diego to gather some roses that had bloomed on Tepeyac and place them in his tilma (a type of cloak or cape). When he unfolded the cloth before the bishop, the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was found to be miraculously imprinted upon it.
To this day, nearly 500 years later, the tilma of St. Juan Diego is preserved in the Guadalupe Basilica at the foot of Tepeyac.
Our Lady of Guadalupe 'leads us to Jesus'
Chávez emphasized that the Virgin "leads us to Jesus" and that, as one examines the event of Guadalupe, "there are no longer any walls or divisions — not only physical ones, but also those related to language, culture, or traditions — because she makes us brothers and sisters to one another, something that all our peoples need so much."
Our Lady of Guadalupe, he recalled, "is the mother of humanity. She said as much to Juan Diego: 'I am your mother, the mother of all those who dwell in this land, and of all the various ancestries and nations; the mother of those who love me, who seek me, who cry out to me, and who place their trust in me.'"
Chávez was recently appointed by Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes as the representative of the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico for the preparation and celebrations of the fifth centenary of the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe.
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.
Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, Bishop Emmanuel Bishay of Egypt's Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Luxor said that relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches are good.
CAIRO — The Catholic Church in Egypt faces the challenge of keeping its young population attached to the faith, a bishop in the country said, noting that many youths abandon the Catholic faith at marriage.
However, he pointed out the challenge of keeping youths in the Church, noting that to deepen the Catholic faith, the Church runs formation programs alongside initiatives that make it easier for young Catholics to meet and forge relationships.
"At the official level, relations between the Catholic and Orthodox churches are good. There is affection, and people exchange greetings on religious occasions," Bishay said in an Oct. 19 ACN report.
"Unfortunately, if a young Catholic man or woman marries an Orthodox person, they may be required to become Orthodox and to follow the Orthodox Church's requirements," he said. "This is a major challenge for us as a Church: How can we help our young people deepen their Catholic faith and remain attached to their Church?"
"I believe that the formation we provide, especially through catechesis, is an important service. We also create many opportunities for young Catholics to meet one another," he said.
In Egypt, Catholics are described as "a minority within a minority" in the ACN report. The charity organization says that the largest Christian denomination in Egypt is the historic Coptic Orthodox Church.
"Though there are no official numbers, estimates point to between 10 and 15 million Copts in the country, making it the biggest Christian community in the Middle East, by a large margin. Muslims make up the vast majority of the rest of Egypt's 120 million people," the ACN report said.
The Catholic Coptic Church, on the other hand, has only around 300,000 faithful living in Egypt, but according to Bishay, they are playing an important part in forging good relations between different religious communities and also for their contributions to health, education, and culture.
"As one travels farther into Upper Egypt, people can be somewhat more rigid in their attitudes. We make every effort to build relationships with the Orthodox community and with Muslims, who are the majority, even if we encounter some difficulties, especially in villages and small settlements," Bishay was quoted as explaining.
Regarding relations with the Muslim community, the Catholic bishop admitted that there have been difficult periods but said the situation has improved.
"The hard-line voices that used to be heard are no longer as prominent, while another voice, the moderate one, is growing. The change is slow but noticeable: People are listening to those with moderate views, and the government is giving them room to act. The process is moving in this direction. I believe that if Egypt continues along this path, things will keep getting better," the Church leader said.
Bishay further said that the Catholic Church plays an outsized role in the services it provides in Egypt, especially in the poorer regions, but its faithful continue to face difficult challenges as a minority within a large country.
"The Catholic Church is small in numbers but strong in services. Some of the best schools in Egypt are Catholic schools, and the fact that state officials regularly turn to Catholic schools is evidence of this. We also work in healthcare. Our diocese alone has 14 clinics, most of which are staffed by religious sisters who devote much of their time to this work. Another contribution is through cultural centers and libraries," Bishay explained.
He added: "The Catholic Church has not only provided these services; it has also shown Egyptian society how to provide them. The Coptic Orthodox Church learned to provide them from us and, more recently, mosques have also begun providing services of this kind, following our example. The Catholic Church has been a pioneer in this field."
The bishop went on to say that the services are particularly important in the Eparchy of Luxor.
"Upper Egypt receives less attention than the Delta and the north of the country, which means that services are less adequate, particularly in healthcare. Hospitals do not always meet the required standard, and there are also shortcomings in education and childcare. This requires a great deal of effort from us as the Catholic Church."
He added: "The figures indicate that we are among the poorest governorates in Egypt. This affects people's abilities and talents, whether intellectual or otherwise. It saddens me to see talented people whose abilities are not given their due, or whose surroundings do not give them the opportunity to develop and fulfill their potential," the bishop said.
He expressed gratitude to ACN, which he said continues to support the Catholic Church in Egypt in many different fields.
"ACN is a very important support for us. What is especially valuable is that the foundation looks at our priorities, rather than imposing its own agenda. That is very important!"
This story was first published by ACI Africa, the sister service of EWTN News in Africa, and has been adapted by EWTN News.
Archbishop James Golka led a prayer during an Oct. 22 meeting at the Oval Office between Trump and over half a dozen of his fellow U.S. bishops.
Denver Archbishop James Golka this week defended his participation in a prayer event with U.S. President Donald Trump at the Oval Office, citing the gathering as an opportunity to publicly pray and evangelize the faith.
During the gathering the archbishop in part prayed for the Holy Spirit to "surround our country, to protect us against any influence of evil."
The prayer event generated some backlash for what critics have argued was a politically motivated photo opportunity on the part of the White House. Golka this week said he "knew people might be upset" at the event and that it could be "use[d] for political purposes."
"But as I prayed about it, I thought that this is what Catholics do. We pray for people. No matter whether we agree or disagree on anything, we always pray for our country and leaders," he said in remarks to the Denver Catholic.
Golka said during the meeting he articulated Church teachings to the president. "As Catholics, we're called to share our faith in season and out of season and to witness to the dignity of every human person," he told the Denver Catholic.
He denied that the event, including video of the prayer shared on social media, constituted an "endorsement" of the president. "That was never my intention," he said.
"The bishops of the United States teach that the Church cannot champion any candidate or party," he said. "I hold to that. However you vote, you ultimately belong to Jesus who loves you infinitely more than you can imagine."
The archbishop said he has received criticism from friends about the decision and that he has responded by telling them: "I was being a Catholic priest."
He described himself as "heartbroken" at the anger over the event. He urged Christians to "look beyond the headlines, which are often crafted to provoke, towards the full truth."
"I will keep praying for our president, our governor and everyone who serves in public office, regardless of their party or position on divisive topics," he said.
The Archdiocese of Denver said after the event that praying for public leaders "is a long Catholic practice" that dates back to Apostolic Age.
