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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 30, 2025 / 17:31 pm (CNA).

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) launched an initiative to combat Christian persecution domestically and abroad, a subject at the heart of its latest summit in Washington, D.C. 

CPAC hosted a Summit on Ending Christian Persecution at the Kennedy Center on Oct. 30 as a part of its wider effort to collaborate with its coalition partners to raise awareness and identify policy solutions to religious targeting of Christians.

"As Catholics, we are all called to help those most in need, those who are facing persecution here and across the globe," Mercedes Schlapp, CPAC senior fellow, told CNA. "CPAC and our coalition partners have made it a priority to start the CPAC Center for Faith and Liberty, committed to finding policy solutions, working with national and international leaders to bring awareness to the atrocities that we are seeing against our Christian brothers," said Schlapp, who helped moderate the event.

"We hope to continue in this fight and really provide protection and solutions to those persecuted Christians, to those who have died as martyrs, and to bring peace to our world," she said. 

The event included dozens of attendees and speakers such as Sean Nelson, ADF International senior counsel; Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia; Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey; Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri; and conservative political commentator and practicing Catholic Jack Posobiec. 

Topics included a recent surge of political violence. Turning Point USA Founder Charlie Kirk was killed in Utah on Sept. 10. In June, catechist Melissa Hortman, the former Minnesota Democratic House speaker, and her husband, Mark Hortman, were murdered. 

During a fireside chat with Schlapp, Posobiec said that while he is proud of the work that has been done to raise awareness of persecution abroad, "it's coming here to the United States." 

A Minneapolis Annunciation School shooting left two students dead on Aug. 27.

"The shooting of the children in Minneapolis at [Annunciation Catholic School], which happened just two weeks to the day before the murder of Charlie Kirk, was an anti-Christian act of persecution," Posobiec said.

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Vatican City, Oct 30, 2025 / 16:20 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday urged young people to cultivate their "interior life" and to listen to their restlessness without "fleeing from it" or "filling it" with things that don't satisfy, lest they fall into existential emptiness.

"Having a great deal of knowledge is not enough if we do not know who we are or what the meaning of life is," the pope told the hundreds of university students he received Oct. 30 in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican for an event held as part of the Jubilee of the World of Education.

In his message, he invited the students to rediscover the inner dimension of life and pointed out that "without silence, without listening, without prayer, even the light of the stars goes out."

"We can know a great deal about the world and still ignore our own hearts," he noted, while encouraging the students to constantly strive "toward the heights," being "the beacon of hope in the dark hours of history."

Leo XIV acknowledged that many young people experience a sense of emptiness or inner restlessness and emphasized that this disorientation is not solely due to personal reasons.

"In the most serious cases, we see episodes of distress, violence, bullying, and oppression — even young people who isolate themselves and no longer want to relate to others," the pope observed. In his view, these deep wounds are "the reflection of "a void created by a society that has forgotten how to form the spiritual dimension of the human person, focusing only on the technical, social, or moral aspects of life."

The pope was especially approachable and relaxed with the young people, with whom he shared several spontaneous moments. He introduced himself to them twice as a "former math and physics teacher," recalling his teaching past, and even joked with them: "Perhaps you have a math exam soon?" he asked, going off script and eliciting laughter and applause.

The pope affirmed that a life that remains "stifled by fleeting pleasures will never satisfy us." Instead, he asked each person to say in his or her heart: "I dream of more, Lord, I long for something greater, inspire me!"

"This desire is your strength and expresses well the commitment of young people who envision a better society and refuse to be mere spectators," he emphasized after noting that the "desire for the infinite" is the compass they should use.

Instead of looking at your phone, 'look to the sky, to the heights'

He urged the university students to not be satisfied "with appearances or fads" and instead of "being fixated on your smartphones, to look to the sky, to the heights."

"How wonderful it would be if one day your generation were remembered as the 'generation plus,' remembered for the extra drive you brought to the Church and the world," he exclaimed.

During his address, Pope Leo cited as role models St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, who had "the courage to live life to the fullest" and "to the heights," and St. Carlo Acutis, "who did not become a slave to the internet but rather used it skillfully for good." The pontiff canonized these two young saints together on Sept. 7.

The pope also cited St. Augustine as an example, describing him as "brilliant but deeply unsatisfied" because he found "neither truth nor peace until he discovered God in his own heart."

The Holy Father focused much of his address on the challenges posed by the digital world and the development of artificial intelligence, urging that these areas not become "a cage where you lock yourselves in" nor "an addiction or an escape."

"You live in [digital education] and that's not a bad thing; there are enormous opportunities for study and communication. But don't let the algorithm write your story! Be the authors: Use technology wisely, but don't let technology use you," he urged.

'It is not enough to silence weapons, we must disarm hearts'

Leo XIV emphasized the urgency of a "disarmed and disarming education" that forms new generations in respect, justice, and equality.

"You can see how much our future is threatened by war and hatred, which divide people. Can this future be changed? Certainly! How? With an education for peace that is disarmed and disarming," the pope said. Furthermore, he warned that it is not enough to "silence the weapons," but rather "we must disarm hearts, renouncing all violence and vulgarity."

As in his recent document on education, "Drawing New Maps of Hope," Leo XIV called for avoiding all forms of exclusion or privilege in education, "recognizing the equal dignity of every young person, without ever dividing young people between the privileged few who have access to expensive schools and the many who do not have access to education."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 30, 2025 / 10:09 am (CNA).

A delegation from the Andorran government met on Oct. 22 with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin to continue discussions on the decriminalization of abortion in Andorra, a country whose co-heads of state are the bishop of the Diocese of Urgell in Spain, Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The boundaries of the diocese also encompass Andorra, which is a small principality situated in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain, roughly halfway between Toulouse and Barcelona.

The prime minister of Andorra who heads the executive branch, Xavier Espot, and the minister of institutional relations, Ladislau Baró, traveled to the Vatican, accompanied by the country's ambassador to the Holy See, Carlos Álvarez.

The meeting, according to the Andorran government, took place "within the framework of the institutional dialogue between the two parties to address the process of decriminalizing abortion in Andorra."

According to the executive branch of the small country, "both delegations reaffirmed their shared commitment to continue working constructively with the aim of having a draft legislative text in the coming months."

At the same time, it was acknowledged that "this is a matter of great legal, institutional, and social complexity, requiring careful technical development," and therefore both parties "maintain their desire to find a solution."

This complexity relates to the Andorran Constitution, under which the bishop of Urgell and the president of France serve as co-princes who sanction and enact the laws approved by the General Council (Parliament) with the required countersignature and within eight to 15 days of approval. The Constitution also allows the co-princes to request a prior ruling on constitutionality before sanctioning a law.

"Decrimnalization" typically means that abortion remains a crime but only after a specific number of weeks of pregnancy. Prior to that time frame it is unpunishable. 

Abortion in the Andorran penal code

Title II of the Andorran penal code deals with "crimes against prenatal human life," distinguishing between "nonconsensual," "consensual," and "negligent" abortion.

Article 107 on nonconsensual abortion establishes "a prison sentence of four to 10 years and disqualification from practicing any health care profession for up to 10 years."

The same penalties apply if consent has been obtained "through violence, intimidation, or abuse of the victim's vulnerability" due to age, disability, or similar circumstances. Furthermore, the article establishes that even attempted (unsuccessful) abortion is punishable.

Article 108, referring to consensual abortion, provides for whoever perpetrates the crime "a prison sentence of three months to three years and disqualification to exercise any health profession for a period of up to five years." 

In addition, the code states that "the woman who causes her abortion or allows another person to cause it will be punished with a light sentence," typically less than three months. 

With regard to abortion caused by negligence, Article 109 establishes a brief sentence or a fine of up to 30,000 euros ($34,760) and disqualification for a period of three years if the abortion is the result of "professional negligence."

In this section it is also specified that "the pregnant woman will not be punished for this offense."

Parolin's visit to Andorra

In September 2023, Parolin visited Andorra, where he went before the media along with Espot and stated that this legal amendment "is a very delicate and complex matter that we must address with great discretion and wisdom."

"For the Holy See, the principle of defending life at all its stages is fundamental. And this principle is accompanied by the desire to be close to, and to help, all those who are in difficulty," the cardinal explained.

Parolin added that this affirmation of principles "also entails concrete actions; in this case, for example, toward pregnant women who encounter difficulties in having a child, in giving life to their child."

The Vatican secretary of state pointed out that amending the penal status of abortion in Andorra also involves "the problem of the constitutional system" under which the bishop of Urgell is the co-prince.

"It's not easy to reconcile these two aspects," the cardinal acknowledged, adding: "We are working, we are reflecting; we are further studying [the matter]. These are things that cannot be resolved overnight; they require a great deal of participation, a great deal of commitment, and a great deal of effort."

"We hope to find a solution that is satisfactory for everyone," the Vatican secretary of state concluded.

The role of the bishop of Urgell in sanctioning Andorran laws

The constitution of Andorra establishes in Article 45 subsection 1g  that the co-princes of Andorra "with the countersignature of the head of government (prime minister) or, where appropriate, the president of the General Council, who assume political responsibility," are the ones who "sanction and promulgate the laws" within a period of between eight and 15 days after their approval by the General Council of Andorra.

The reform also establishes the possibility that the co-princes, as an "act freely at their disposal," may require a "prior ruling on the constitutionality of laws" (Article 46, subsection 1e). 

ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, contacted the government of Andorra for more information on the reform and its potential implications for the bishop of Urgell but received no response. The Diocese of Urgell declined to comment.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Taipei, Taiwan, Oct 30, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

St. John Henry Newman has inspired many "Newman converts" to follow his path of conversion from Protestantism to Catholicism, including a 24-year-old Taiwanese man who is an ardent devotee of the 19th-century English saint.

When Kao Chih Hao, a recent convert to Catholicism living in Taipei, heard the news that Pope Leo XIV had decided to name Newman a doctor of the Church, he said the announcement moved him deeply.

"After hearing this news, I almost cried," Kao said. "It's the happiest news for me in this year since I admire him so much."

Kao, who works in sales for a computer hardware manufacturer and goes by the English name "Newman" after his favorite saint, spoke recently after Sunday Mass at Holy Rosary Parish in Taipei about how St. John Henry Newman helped inspire his conversion.

A lover of history since high school, Kao said a line from Newman's "An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine" caught his attention: "To be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant."

Newman, born in 1801, was a respected Oxford academic, Anglican preacher, and public intellectual before his conversion to Catholicism in 1845. His decision to become Catholic was controversial in Victorian England, costing him many friends — including his sister, who never spoke to him again.

He became a Catholic priest in 1847 and founded the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England. Dedicated to education, he established two schools for boys and founded the Catholic University of Ireland.

His work "The Idea of a University" became a foundational text on Catholic higher education. He was a prolific author and letter writer, dying in Birmingham, England, in 1890 at the age of 89.

As Kao was discerning his own conversion, he said he felt inspired by Newman's courage to give up his position at Oxford University to follow his convictions.

"Even if you are a chaplain of Oxford University, if you experience the real presence of Catholic faith of the Eucharist, you must pursue [it]," Kao said.

Pope Leo XIV will formally declare St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church on Nov. 1. The pope also named Newman a co-patron of Catholic education this week, putting him alongside St. Thomas Aquinas.

Kao was fully received into the Catholic Church, receiving his first Communion and confirmation in October 2023. He said Aquinas' theology helped him understand the mystery of transubstantiation.

"After reading the theology of St. Thomas Aquinas, I started to know that it is the real presence of Jesus Christ," Kao said. "And the real feeling for me to experience Jesus Christ in Eucharist is also in Eucharist adoration."

Kao is one of many young "Newman converts" around the world. At Newman's canonization in 2019, a 24-year-old American convert told CNA how she had decided to become Catholic two years earlier after a friend loaned her a copy of Newman's "An Essay on the Development of Doctrine."

As an enthusiastic new Catholic, Kao has set three goals: to make the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola, to read St. Thomas Aquinas' "Summa Theologica," and to go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land with the Franciscan friars, who have ministered there since 1217. He recently completed his first three-day Ignatian retreat.

His advice to anyone considering conversion to Catholicism is simple. "If you experience the real presence in the Eucharist, just pursue it. Just pursue Jesus. Just go to Jesus, go to church, find a priest, talk about the Eucharist and Virgin Mary, and do not be afraid," he said.

Reporting for this article was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Taiwan.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 29, 2025 / 12:27 pm (CNA).

Catholic charitable groups that provide food to needy families are voicing concern about the expected stoppage of federal food assistance programs as the government shutdown continues.

The shutdown reached Day 29 on Oct. 29, and unless lawmakers come to an agreement by the end of the week or the executive branch finds a solution, 42 million Americans who rely on food stamps through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will lose those benefits.

Congress can solve the problem by either passing a stand-alone bill to fund SNAP or by passing a bill that funds the entire government. Without any action, those who would normally receive food stamps on the first of the month will not receive any benefits in their accounts on Nov. 1.

"I don't think SNAP has been curtailed in previous government shutdowns," Deacon Kevin Sartorius, the CEO of Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma, told CNA.

More than 685,000 Oklahomans receive SNAP benefits, which accounts for 17% of the state's population — one of the highest rates of people on food assistance in the country. In eastern Oklahoma, the local Catholic Charities affiliate is the largest private provider of food assistance.

Sartorius explained that most people receiving SNAP benefits have jobs. He said their income is one means of obtaining food, and SNAP is the second source for low-income people. In eastern Oklahoma, he said "we're the third" option to fall back on.

"We go from being the third level of support to the second [level of support] when SNAP disappears," he said.

Sartorius said the impact is already being felt as some families prepare to potentially lose their SNAP benefits. Normally, in Tulsa, he said the Catholic Charities affiliate would serve about 175 families, but it increased to 205 last week and has now gone up to 292.

He noted that his organization will continue "loving the person who shows up and giving them food" but expressed concern that if SNAP is halted, that's "an amazing amount of money that just disappeared overnight from people's budgets."

"We're not going to be able to solve the problem independently, nor will any nonprofits, I don't think," Sartorius said.

"We cannot solve a very large system's problem," he added. "We can just care for the person who shows up today at our door."

'Hope we would all agree'

Rose Bak, the CEO of Catholic Charities of Oregon, told CNA that her affiliate primarily offers food to people in their affordable housing units, some of whom were previously homeless. She said most of them receive SNAP, and she has "heard a ton of concern" and "our clients and our residents are worried."

She said most SNAP recipients are either working adults, children, or seniors, and "they don't have a lot of options to get other funding." In Oregon, about 18% of people receive SNAP benefits, which is also one of the highest rates in the nation.

Bak is also concerned that "a lot of people are confused" about what's happening with SNAP at the moment and "weren't understanding the notices" because they thought the notices were related to the upcoming changes to SNAP approved by Congress earlier this year. She said she is "really concerned about" some people not preparing properly due to misunderstanding.

In Oregon, she said the charity has "a little bit of food stockpiled for an emergency" and plans to be "releasing that food" if necessary but added: "We're not going to be able to give people what they need" if the SNAP cessation lingers.

"I would hope we would all agree that people shouldn't go hungry," Bak said.

John Berry, president of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP) in the United States, voiced concerns in a statement. SVDP is a Catholic nonprofit that helps feed needy families, among other charitable works.

Berry said "it is not our role to take sides in a political fight" but that "it is our role and our duty to speak on behalf of the friends and neighbors we serve."

"Our most economically vulnerable brothers and sisters should not be forced to go without basic needs as a result of a partisan impasse, and it is time for both Republicans and Democrats in Congress to come together to ensure that the most marginalized among us will not abruptly lose critical benefits," he said.

Berry urged the Department of Agriculture to "use every available mechanism, including the utilization of contingency reserves," to ensure SNAP recipients can access food in November.

"It would be simply intolerable for people to unnecessarily go hungry as the shutdown heads into its second month," he said.

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Houston, Texas, Oct 29, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Texas voters will head to the polls next week to consider Proposition 15, the Parental Rights Amendment, a constitutional amendment aimed at enshrining parents' rights in the state constitution.

The measure, if approved, would add language to the Texas Constitution affirming that parents have the right "to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent's child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child's upbringing" and the responsibility "to nurture and protect the parent's child." 

Texas already ranks among 26 states with a Parents' Bill of Rights enshrined in state law. That existing statute grants parents a right to "full information" concerning their child at school as well as access to their child's student records, copies of state assessments, and teaching materials, among other provisions.

The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops told CNA it supports the "proposed amendment to recognize the natural right of parents to direct their children's upbringing."

Other supporters include the Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian Life Commission, Family Freedom Project, Texans for Vaccine Choice, Texas Eagle Forum, Texas Home School Coalition, Texas Public Policy Foundation, and Texas Right to Life PAC.

Marcella Burke, a Houston attorney, told CNA that "it's good to live in a state where an amendment like this is on the table. Parents matter, their kids matter, and families should be protected against government interference. That's exactly what this amendment seeks to do: keep governments from interfering with beneficial family growth and child development."

"While these rights to nurture and protect children are currently safeguarded thanks to existing Supreme Court case law, there is no federal constitutional amendment protecting these rights," Burke continued.

Opposition to the proposition has come from both Democratic as well as conservative advocacy groups.

According to the True Texas Project, a conservative group of former Tea Party supporters, the language of the amendment is too vague. In addition, the group argues that "Prop 15 would simply declare that parents have the inherent right to make decisions for their children. We should not have to put this into the state constitution! God has already ordained that parents are to be responsible for their children, and government has no place in family decisions, except in the case of child abuse and neglect."

The group says that including the proposed language in the state constitution "equates to acknowledgement that the state has conferred this right. And we know that what the state can give, the state can take away."

Burke said, however, that "an amendment like this will make governments think twice and carefully consider any actions affecting child-rearing. Keep in mind that no rights are absolute, so in this context, parents don't have the right to abuse their kids — and that's the sort of exception the amendment reads in."

Katy Faust, founder of children's advocacy group Them Before Us, told CNA parental rights are the "flipside of genuine child rights."

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ACI MENA, Oct 29, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The archbishop of Homs for the Syriac Catholics, Jacques Mourad, said Islamic-Christian dialogue in Syria is facing a challenge arising from the official stance of Muslim sheikhs, who refuse to open the door to meeting and dialogue with other communities.

The sheikhs consider Sunni Islam, he said, to be the only true religion and the sole religion of the state while viewing others merely as guests.

In a recent interview with ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, Mourad explained that this attitude is adopted by some official Muslim religious authorities. He described this reality as both a test and a call for perseverance and continuity, affirming his reliance on Muslims and officials of goodwill to move forward together on the path of understanding.

He added that the continuation of dialogue initiatives, despite the difficulties, demonstrates the strength of the Christian message and enhances mutual respect among different communities.

A Vatican award

On Oct. 18 at the Vatican, Mourad received the "Premio San Giovani Paolo II," an award created by the John Paul II Vatican Foundation "to honor individuals, organizations, or initiatives that, in their scientific, cultural, and social activities, make use of the teaching or inspiration of St. John Paul II and contribute to the promotion of his legacy in the Church and the world," the foundation's website says.

The Syriac bishop described the award as a personal encouragement and a confirmation of the importance of continuing the path of dialogue and bearing responsibility in difficult times. He explained that the award encourages Christians and Syrians to adhere to the Church's mission of proclaiming Christ's love for Muslims and respecting others without discrimination.

Captivity by ISIS

Mourad recalled his experience of being held captive by ISIS in 2015, recounting his meeting with "the governor of Raqqa." He thought the man had come to behead him but was surprised when he greeted him with the words: "Peace be upon you."

When Mourad asked why he had been captured, the governor replied: "In war, there are always victims" and told him to consider his captivity "a spiritual retreat." Mourad then felt great peace, and his prison became an experience of prayer, meditation, and hermitage, he said.

His life there, he added, became a prayer filled with hope that God would never abandon him.

When asked what his message would be today to those who imprisoned him, Mourad replied: "May God guide you." He emphasized that forgiveness and mercy are essential to the Christian faith and that hatred has no place in the believer's heart. He urged people not to let resentment and fear dominate their hearts, despite widespread pain and rejection in society.

Mourad said treating others with love is the Christian's duty, even in the most difficult circumstances. He added that the core message to young people must be to preserve spiritual and moral values in all situations.

Rebuilding Syria

The Syriac bishop emphasized that the Church in Syria remains the only institution trusted by everyone. He said its role today lies in supporting social transformation and rebuilding the human person through schools and hospitals.

He appealed to the universal Church and international community to support the Syrian Church through practical educational and health projects, as these are the realistic means to contribute to the nation's renewal, he said.

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

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Vatican City, Oct 29, 2025 / 08:55 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday strongly condemned antisemitism during his general audience in St. Peter's Square marking the 60th anniversary of Nostra aetate, the Second Vatican Council document on the Church's relations with other religions.

The pope underlined that since the publication of Nostra aetate, "all of my predecessors have condemned antisemitism with clear words."

"And so I too confirm that the Church does not tolerate antisemitism and fights against it, on the basis of the Gospel itself," Leo said on Oct. 29.

The pope expressed thanks for what has been achieved in the past 60 years of Jewish-Catholic dialogue while acknowledging the challenges that have arisen along the way. "We cannot deny that there have been misunderstandings, difficulties and conflicts in this period, but these have never prevented the dialogue from continuing," he said.

"Even today, we must not allow political circumstances and the injustices of some to divert us from friendship, especially since we have achieved so much so far."

Pope Leo was joined by Jewish rabbis, Muslim imams, Buddhist monks and other religious leaders for the general audience. He called on them to act together to alleviate human suffering, care for the planet, and restore hope.

"More than ever, our world needs our unity, our friendship and our collaboration," he said. "Each one of our religions can contribute to alleviating human suffering and taking care of our common home, our planet Earth."

Those present included representatives of Hinduism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism and Taoism, along with Christian leaders. Many had participated the previous evening in a peace ceremony at the Colosseum organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio, which brought together about 300 representatives of world religions and cultures.

Pope Leo also prayed for those affected by Hurricane Melissa, which hit Jamaica on Tuesday as the strongest Category 5 storms on record to hit the Caribbean island before sweeping across Cuba.

"Thousands of people have been displaced, while homes, infrastructure and several hospitals have been damaged," he said. "I assure everyone of my closeness, praying for those who have lost their lives, for those who are fleeing and for those populations who, awaiting the storm's developments, are experiencing hours of anxiety and concern."

The pope's catechesis centered on Nostra aetate, issued Oct. 28, 1965, during the Second Vatican Council, which opened what Leo called "a new horizon of encounter, respect and spiritual hospitality."

"This luminous document teaches us to meet the followers of other religions not as outsiders, but as traveling companions on the path of truth; to honor differences affirming our common humanity," he said.

Recalling the document's historical importance, Leo noted that Nostra aetate offered for the first time "a doctrinal treatise on the Jewish roots of Christianity … which on a biblical and theological level would represent a point of no return."

Quoting the council text, he added: "The Church, 'mindful of the patrimony she shares with the Jews and moved not by political reasons but by the Gospel's spiritual love, decries hatred, persecutions, displays of anti-Semitism, directed against Jews at any time and by anyone.'"

The pope warned against religious extremism and fundamentalism. He told the leaders of different religions present, "Our respective traditions teach truth, compassion, reconciliation, justice and peace," he said.

"Together, we must be vigilant against the abuse of the name of God, of religion, and of dialogue itself, as well as against the dangers posed by religious fundamentalism and extremism."

He also called on religious leaders to work together on the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. "We must also face the responsible development of artificial intelligence because, if conceived as an alternative to humans, it can gravely violate their infinite dignity and neutralize their fundamental responsibilities," he said.

Leo underlined that religion can play a fundamental role in promoting peace and restoring hope to the world. "This hope is based on our religious convictions, on the conviction that a new world is possible," he said.

"Sixty years ago, Nostra aetate brought hope to the world after the Second World War. Today we are called upon to rekindle that hope in our world, devastated by war and our degraded natural environment."

At the end of the audience, Leo led those gathered in a moment of silent prayer. "Prayer has the power to transform our attitudes, our thoughts, our words and our actions," he said.

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Vatican City, Oct 29, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV joined faith leaders on Tuesday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Church's declaration on building relationships with non-Christian religions. 

Approximately 300 representatives of world religions and cultures joined the Holy Father for an evening ecumenical prayer service for peace organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio and held at the Colosseum in Rome.

"Peace is a constant journey of reconciliation," the Holy Father said at the Oct. 28 event. 

Thanking religious leaders for coming together in Rome, he said their interfaith meeting expressed their shared "conviction that prayer is a powerful force for reconciliation."

"This is our witness: offering the immense treasures of ancient spiritualities to contemporary humanity," he said.

"We need a true and sound era of reconciliation that puts an end to the abuse of power, displays of force, and indifference to the rule of law," he added. "Enough of war, with all the pain it causes through death, destruction, and exile!"  

In his remarks, the pope urged people not to be indifferent to the "cry of the poor and the cry of the earth" in their pursuits for peace in countries scarred by ongoing conflict and injustice.

"In the power of prayer, with hands raised to heaven and open to others, we must ensure that this period of history, marked by war and the arrogance of power, soon comes to an end, giving rise to a new era," he said.

"We cannot allow this period to continue. It shapes the minds of people who grow accustomed to war as a normal part of human history," he continued.

Several people waved small blue banners with the word "peace" in different languages while Pope Leo and the other religious leaders lit candles to symbolize their shared prayer and renewed commitment to engage in interfaith dialogue.

After the prayer gathering at Rome's iconic landmark, the Holy Father returned to the Vatican to join colorful celebrations jointly organized by the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. 

To mark the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, several multicultural music and dance performances were held inside the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall as well as a presentation highlighting papal initiatives to promote the Church's dialogue with other religions since the pontificate of Pope Paul VI.     

Pope Leo's appearance and special address toward the end of the two-hour gathering highlighted the Church's reverence for all people and its desire to collaborate with others for the common good. 

"We belong to one human family, one in origin, and one also in our final goal," he said. "Religions everywhere try to respond to the restlessness of the human heart." 

"Each in its own way offers teachings, ways of life, and sacred rites that help guide their followers to peace and meaning," he said. 

Emphasizing the common mission shared among people of different religions to "reawaken" the sense of the sacred in the world today, the Holy Father encouraged people to "keep love alive."

"We have come together in this place bearing the great responsibility as religious leaders to bring hope to a humanity that is often tempted by despair," Leo said.

"Let us remember that prayer has the power to transform our hearts, our words, our actions, and our world," he said.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 29, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A Boston exhibit is inviting guests to explore Pope Leo XIV's family tree in depth, spanning 14 generations of history tracing the pontiff's connections to noblemen, freedom fighters, enslaved men and women, and even modern-day pop culture stars.

American Ancestors, a national center for family history, heritage, and culture, created the "The Ancestry of Pope Leo XIV: An American Story" exhibit for people to discover the first American pontiff's lineage by reading stories, searching records, and exploring his family tree.

The exhibit presents information compiled by expert genealogists to highlight the pope's history, because "the diversity of his ancestry is as layered as the history of America itself," Ryan Woods, CEO of American Ancestors, told CNA. 

Tracing 14 generations 

Shortly after the first American pontiff was announced, historian and genealogist Jari Honora publicly noted that the pope surprisingly had Black and Louisiana Creole ancestry. The finding inspired a number of other researchers to dig into the pope's family tree.

Following the announcement, American Ancestors wanted "to research the full ancestry of Pope Leo XIV," Woods explained. Henry Louis Gates Jr., host of the ancestry television show "Finding Your Roots" on CBS, helped lead the charge alongside other genealogists from American Ancestors and the Cuban Genealogical Club of Miami. 

"Over just a few days, we were able to bring his lineage back 14 generations," Woods said. Once the research was complete, The New York Times published it in June as an interactive report. 

Archivists from the Archdiocese of New Orleans had created a Lousiana family tree after discovering that Pope Leo's mother had ties to New Orleans. Following the publication of Gates' findings they realized the research did not include Catholic records from New Orleans, which had left out some additional stories.

The archdiocese found archives dating to the early 1720s with the help of "sacramental records of baptisms, marriages, funerals, and burials," Sarah Waits, research archivist for the archdiocese, told CNA.

"The Catholic aspect of his family and … the records that [the archdiocese] has in the archives are absolutely fundamental for any genealogy research," said Waits, who worked directly on the New Orleans family tree. "We realized that we had a treasure trove right in our own archive related to his family."

The archdiocese shared its family tree to add to Gates' research and expand the family tree with the additional records. Gates later presented the completed research to Pope Leo at a private audience at the Vatican in July. 

American Ancestors decided to open the experience to the public through the new exhibit that opened Oct. 4. It has already drawn a number of "curious and interested" people. 

"To have a world leader show the relative complexity and richness of American families and its history was something we thought was really important, both for the study of genealogy [and] history itself," Woods said. 

Surprising finds 

The in-depth research revealed a number of surprising connections that the exhibit details. 

Through one ancestor named Louis Boucher de Grandpre, the pope is related to numerous Canadian-derived distant cousins including former Canadian prime ministers Pierre Trudeau and Justin Trudeau, Hillary Clinton, actress Angelina Jolie, and singers Justin Bieber and Madonna.

A number of Louis' other descendants ended up settling in New Orleans. Through this connection, "the family in New Orleans was identified within the Black Creole community," Waits said. 

Then going back a few more generations there were "records of enslaved ancestors, even into the 1820s and 1830s," Waits said. "So … not that many generations ago, the Holy Father had enslaved ancestors."

The researchers identified four white ancestors who owned slaves in the U.S. They suspect there were probably others in Cuba, which was a slaveholding society. They also discovered that eight of Pope Leo's Black ancestors are known to have enslaved at least 40 other people of color.

The farthest back the overall research spanned was to Spain in the 1500s on Pope Leo's mother's side. Four of his 11th-great-grandfathers are listed as "hidalgos," or minor untitled nobility. One of their grandchildren was even a captain of land and sea in the Royal Armada who spent years fighting Dutch privateers trying to take over Portugal's colonial holdings in America.

The research even revealed how the pope got his surname, Prevost. At least five generations of his father's ancestors were born in Sicily, including the pope's grandfather, Salvatore Giovanni Gaetano Riggitano Alito, who is believed to have immigrated to the U.S. in 1905. Salvatore was on his way to becoming a priest but was unable to take his vows and chose to marry instead.

The family tree showed that two of Salvatore's children were not his wife's sons but rather the children of a French woman named Suzanne Louise Marie Fontaine. Salvatore and Suzanne had two sons — Jean, the pope's uncle, and Louis, the pope's father. They were given their grandmother's maiden name, Prévost, which led to the pontiff's French last name.

An exhibit with a mission

Pope Leo's history is diverse, with "stories of enslavers and enslaved people, immigrants from France, Spain, and Haiti," Woods said. He explained the hope is that sharing Pope Leo's rich history will inspire people to look into their own lineage. 

"Recent surveying in the United States has shown that more than 70% of Americans believe knowing your family history is important, but only about 10% have actually actively researched their family history," Woods said. "So people can see this global human story and begin to see the possibility of what they can find in their own family history."

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