Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of June is for the value of sports.

“In times of war and extreme polarization, sport is one of the few things that bring us closer together,” the pope said in a video released on X on June 2.

He added: “Let us pray this June that sport may be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that it may promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.”

In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lord of life,

we thank you for the gift of sport,

for those who glorify God through the exercise of their bodies,

for the friendships born on the field

and the joy of playing as a team.

You teach us that in life, as in the game,

no one is saved alone.

We need others to grow,

to learn respect, to overcome our limits,

and to celebrate together the victories we achieve.

We ask that sport may always be

a school of fraternity, not of empty rivalry,

a space of encounter, not exclusion,

a path of peace, not violence.

May those who play, train, or cheer

discover in sport a universal language

that brings cultures together, unites peoples,

and sows respect, solidarity, and personal growth.

Lord Jesus,

may every sport become a parable of life lived with you,

working with joy and effort,

living with humility in defeat

and with gratitude in the victory you offer in your resurrection.

May your Spirit never be lacking in us,

making us one team, united with you

to build communion and fraternity in history.

Amen.

“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website and its digital platforms.

Members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal International Service (CHARIS) in the United States have announced the launch of a new, ecumenically-oriented organization, Evangelize America, that aims to reignite the Catholic charismatic renewal from the grassroots.

The initiative was announced May 30 following an audience Pope Leo XIV held with members of CHARIS in which he expressed encouragement for their apostolate.

Deacon Darrell Wentworth, who serves as a deacon in the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia, and will serve as the inaugural president and CEO of Evangelize America, explained to EWTN News that the charismatic renewal has always been tied to ecumenism.

Deacon Darrell Wentworth, president and CEO of Evangelize America Inc. stands outside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on May 30, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

“Our fight is not with flesh and blood. It is not with our Protestant brothers and sisters or Christians of other traditions. Our fight is with the enemy — the powers and principalities causing the divisions,” he observed.

Wentworth described initiatives such as Evangelize America as a response to the call from recent popes to encourage the new evangelization.

“We are responding to John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and specifically Pope Francis, when he told the Catholic fraternity communities to baptize everyone in the Holy Spirit and to devise strategies to bring Christians together,” Wentworth said.

As to the name Evangelize America, Wentworth said it is inspired by John Paul IIʼs apostolic exhortations to the continents of the world. John Paul II wrote Ecclesia in America, Ecclesia in Asia, Ecclesia in Africa, and Ecclesia in Europe.

The strategy of the Twelve

According to Wentworth, Evangelize America will consist of setting up intentional small groups modeled after the Twelve Apostles.

“A group of 12 will consist of a priest, a deacon and his wife, seven lay members taking on the seven tasks that influence culture, one charismatic Catholic focused on pursuing full communion and healing animosity between local Christian denominations, and one Pentecostal,” Wentworth said.

Encouragement from Pope Leo

Leo XIV held an audience at the Vaticanʼs Paul VI Hall with members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal on May 30. This was his first meeting with them since his election as pope, and, like Wentworth, he referred to previous popes in the development of the charismatic movement.

“My venerable predecessors recognized this development as a great gift to the Church,” Leo said in his remarks. “I, too, wish to foster the relationship of mutual respect, closeness, and support between the See of Peter and the great family of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.”

Wentworth praised the popeʼs remarks as confirmation to continue their work.

“It is not a new vision. It is the vision of the Holy Spirit that dates back to the year 33,” Wentworth noted. “Pope Leo shows us that this is what the charismatic movement is all about: help everyone to experience the power of the Holy Spirit and fall in love with God the Father instead of all the material things present in society.”

Carlos Campo, president and CEO of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., stands outside St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on May 30, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

Carlos Campo, a Protestant who serves as president and CEO of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., was also part of the U.S. delegation that was present at the audience. He expressed hope that Evangelize America would help mobilize the Catholic Church in the U.S. to proclaim the Gospel in new ways.

“I believe this is something that will change marriages, families, and communities and has the opportunity to change our nation,” Campo said.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado, President and Chief Operating Officer of EWTN News, as Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication. The appointment will take effect Nov. 1, 2026.

Since 2023, Alvarado has overseen EWTN News’ global and multilingual news operations across television, radio, print, digital, and social media platforms. During her tenure, she helped expand the network’s international news presence and deepen collaboration across its multilingual platforms.

Montserrat Alvarado with Matthew Bunson (center) and Msgr. Roger Landry, at the Vatican on April 24, 2025. | Credit: EWTN News

“Montse’s background in international media, public affairs, and Church engagement has helped shape EWTN’s outreach at a critical moment in the history of our apostolate: the pivot into a deeper engagement with the digital space,” said Michael P. Warsaw, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of EWTN. “Just as importantly, she has remained deeply committed to the mission that defines EWTN: proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ and the teachings of His Church with clarity, fidelity, and charity.”

Before joining EWTN, Alvarado spent 14 years in leadership roles at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, where she worked extensively on issues related to religious freedom and human dignity.

In a statement released following the appointment, Alvarado said she received the news “with deep gratitude, humility, and trust in the Lord,” adding that the faithful witness of the EWTN family strengthened her faith.

The Dicastery for Communication was established by Pope Francis in 2015 as part of his reform of the Roman Curia, bringing together the Holy See’s various communications entities, including Vatican News, Vatican Radio, L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Media, the Vatican Publishing house and printing press, Filmoteca Vaticana, and the Holy See Press Office. Appointed for a five year term, the Prefect is responsible for overseeing the entire media network of the Holy See.

Alvarado succeeds Paolo Ruffini, whom Pope Francis appointed in 2018 as the first lay prefect of a dicastery in the Roman Curia. Ruffini said he had come to know Alvarado “over the last couple of years” and will work closely with her in the coming months “in the spirit of communion that unites us in the Church.”

In recent years, Pope Francis entrusted a growing number of leadership roles in the Vatican to lay men and women, including several senior appointments for women religious. Alvarado’s appointment continues that development and marks the first time a woman who has not taken religious vows as a nun or a sister has been appointed to lead a dicastery of the Holy See.

Montserrat Alvarado. | Credit: EWTN News

Born in Mexico City, Alvarado earned academic degrees from Florida International University and George Washington University. She has received several national recognitions for her commitment to religious freedom and service to the Church, and her writings and commentary have appeared in a range of international media outlets.

While noting that EWTN would miss Alvarado’s leadership, Warsaw said the network rejoices in her new mission of service to the universal Church.

“We offer her our prayers, our encouragement, and the full support of the EWTN family as she begins this important mission in service to Pope Leo XIV and his pontificate.”

In his first meeting with members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (CCR), Pope Leo XIV focused on five “key aspects” of the spirituality that characterizes the movement.

“God has indeed blessed your communities with so many gifts, including spiritual vitality,” Leo declared before thousands of charismatic Catholics who gathered with him on May 30 in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.

“The years following the Second Vatican Council were a time of great expansion and growth,” for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Leo continued, as he proceeded to cite several messages from his predecessors, such as St. Paul VI — who, in 1975, encouraged the CCR to bear witness to spiritual renewal in a secularized world — or St. John Paul II, who urged members of the movement to communicate “zeal for the Gospel to those around you.”

Leo XIV also cited Benedict XVI, who, in 2008, highlighted that the Catholic Charismatic Renewal has reminded the Church of the enduring relevance of the charisms — or gifts — of the Holy Spirit. He concluded with Francis, who regarded the CCR as a “flood of grace.”

5 key aspects

1. Baptism in the Spirit. Pope Leo XIV highlighted that the path of faith of the CCR “has its source in the personal experience of the Holy Spirit, which has enabled the grace of baptism to become effective within each of you, leading you to a clear awareness of God’s love.”

“The Holy Spirit has likewise allowed you to taste the sweetness of Christ. For you, too, life has changed since that moment. God ceased to be a mere idea and became the real and ultimate expression of fatherhood. His Spirit has brought inner reconciliation, peace, and freedom from worldly attachments and the oppression of sin,” which animates one “to be witnesses and heralds of his love, bringing his consolation to people oppressed by a sense of emptiness and loneliness.”

2. Prayer of praise. Leo XIV also underscored that it is “from this captivating experience of the Holy Spirit that a new life of prayer began, taking the form of a new capacity for spontaneous and sincere dialogue with God, and a new openness to praise, worship, and offering thanksgiving.”

“Worship and praise, which are so characteristic of your gatherings, are essential aspects of Christian prayer, and you have helped them to be rediscovered and brought them back to the forefront in recent years,” Leo noted.

3. The word of God. “The Holy Spirit inspired the revealed word of God and is also the one who keeps it ever alive and active in the Church, causing it to resonate in the hearts of believers, especially in the liturgy,” the pope continued.

So it is that “Scripture has therefore become for you a wonderful source of spiritual nourishment that enlightens and comforts. It is similarly a source of discernment for guiding your daily choices and gives substance to communal prayer, enabling you to address the Lord with words inspired by God himself.”

4. Communion. Leo XIV highlighted that “the Holy Spirit is the wellspring of communion” and recalled that Pope Leo XIII encouraged praying to the Holy Spirit for Christian unity. “You clearly appreciate the significance of this invitation, for you have seen that unity in the Church is the fruit of the Spirit,” Leo XIV emphasized.

“It is the Spirit who creates harmony among the various charisms and components of the charismatic renewal, as well as with our brothers and sisters of other Christian denominations,” Leo observed.

5. Charity. “The renewed presence of the Spirit has awakened in you a new capacity to love, inspired by divine charity itself. This love is directed toward God and toward your brothers and sisters, and inspires closeness and compassion, especially for those who are suffering,” he added.

“Many works of charity for those in need, both in spirit and in body, have sprung from the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. I invite you, then, to keep alive this love for the poor, which reveals the true face of God,” he continued.

Concluding exhortation

After thanking them, Pope Leo XIV encouraged the members of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal to pursue their mission by placing themselves “at the service of the dioceses and parishes, offering your experience and methods of evangelization. Faithfully follow the guidance of your priests and, in your communal discernment, listen to the voices of wise people, even if they do not belong to your groups,” Leo exhorted.

In his final exhortation, Pope Leo called upon the members of the movement to “cultivate harmony and cooperation among the communities to which you belong, taking care to never give way to the desire for self-promotion, or the pursuit of power or personal prestige.”

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

Pope Leo XIV on Monday praised the missionary legacy of Venerable Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, the famed American evangelist who will be beatified Sept. 24 in St. Louis, calling him “a light of faith, hope, and love.”

The pope made his remarks June 1 during an audience with participants in the general assembly of the Pontifical Mission Societies, recalling Sheen’s long service as national director of the societies in the United States.

The pope noted that this year marks the 100th anniversary of Pope Pius XI’s establishment of the penultimate Sunday of October as World Mission Sunday, a day devoted to “prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization.”

Leo expressed his gratitude to those who promote the annual observance, which supports the Church’s missionary work throughout the world.

“For 100 years, this day has been set apart for prayer, reflection, and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelization, especially in areas where the proclamation of the Gospel is only just beginning and where the Church is still young,” the pope said.

He added that “every Catholic community is invited to pray and offer spiritual and material sacrifices for the missionary efforts in areas of first evangelization and for the support of young Churches.”

World Mission Sunday also reminds older and more established Churches “how important it is that they too join in the missionary spirit of the whole Church,” he said.

The pope said the funds raised through World Mission Sunday make it possible for the Pontifical Society of the Propagation of the Faith to assist more than 1,130 ecclesiastical jurisdictions that depend on the Dicastery for Evangelization’s section for first evangelization and new particular Churches.

Those funds, he said, help establish Church infrastructure, support missionary initiatives, and contribute to the administration of five colleges in Rome for the ongoing formation of priests and consecrated men and women who later return to serve their local Churches.

Leo also highlighted the 110th anniversary of the Pontifical Missionary Union, founded by Blessed Paolo Manna, later declared pontifical by Pope Pius XII and described by St. Paul VI as the “soul” of the other Pontifical Mission Societies.

“I encourage all to participate in its mission of fostering among all the baptized an ever more fervent missionary spirituality and a deeper commitment to the Church’s universal mission of evangelization in this new missionary age,” he said.

The pope then turned again to Sheen, noting that his beatification is scheduled for Sept. 24 in St. Louis.

“It is also providential that this year, on 24 September, in St. Louis, Missouri, a renowned national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in the United States of America, the Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, will be beatified,” Leo said.

“Archbishop Sheen was a light of faith, hope, and love that shone through the radio and television media for decades,” the pope continued. “I myself am a witness of his evangelization when I was growing up. His broadcasts touched millions with the hope of the Gospel and his initiatives and efforts resulted in enormous spiritual and material aid to the Churches in areas of first evangelization.”

“May our new blessed be an example for all of the national and diocesan directors of the Pontifical Mission Societies throughout the world,” he added.

Leo also underscored the importance of the Pontifical Mission Societies in a world “increasingly marked by division, war, and conflict among nations and peoples.”

He said the Pontifical Mission Society of the Holy Childhood carries out “a particularly precious mission” by bringing faith and Christian charity to children around the world, especially in places afflicted by hatred and violence. He also praised the Pontifical Mission Society of St. Peter the Apostle for sustaining the formation of Indigenous clergy and consecrated religious in mission territories.

The theme for this year’s World Mission Sunday, “One in Christ, United in Mission,” highlights the unity of believers and the 100th anniversary of the global celebration, the pope said.

The theme “invites all of the members of the Church to a deeper communion in Christ and to a fuller unity in his divine mission of love,” he said.

“I therefore encourage you to keep this teaching in mind, to live an authentic spirituality of missionary unity and communion centered on Christ, and to promote it through your activities among the faithful,” Leo told the assembly.

Citing the Second Vatican Council’s decree Ad Gentes, the pope recalled that the “Church on earth is by her very nature missionary since, according to the plan of the Father, it has her origin in the mission of the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

He urged participants to recognize “the urgency of embracing an ongoing missionary conversion” and to seek together ways of “being a missionary Church for the healing of our world, so fraught with tensions, conflicts, and wars.”

“In all that we do for the work of evangelization, may we always place Jesus Christ at the center,” Leo said, invoking the words of St. John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

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

The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, the school in Rome that trains young priests to serve as ambassadors for the pope, is celebrating the 325th anniversary of its founding this year.

Located at Romeʼs Piazza della Minerva and established in its current form in 1850, the academy is a crucial part of the Holy Seeʼs worldwide diplomatic mission and among the oldest institutions of its kind.

Pope Leo XIV marked the anniversary with a visit to the academy on April 27, reminding the community of its primary responsibility as shepherds and of the mission “to bear witness to the truth that is Christ, bringing his message to the forum of nations.”

The academy has trained apostolic nuncios — representatives of the pope and the Holy See to other countries — since 1701. It was founded by Pope Clement XI, initially to train the sons of noble families and later to train diocesan priests for diplomatic service on behalf of the papacy.

An important but often misunderstood service

The academy has produced more than 2,000 Church diplomats since its founding in 1701 and has many notable alumni, including five popes, among them Leo XIII and St. Paul VI. Its roster of graduates also includes eight Vatican secretaries of state, the latest being Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, reflected on the institutionʼs importance with EWTN News. He explained that while the academy is not well known among ordinary Catholics, it is highly relevant to the life of the universal Church.

“Certainly, the academy seems a somewhat obscure and closed place, but in fact it is open to the world,” Pennacchio told EWTN News. “Naturally, we do not put ourselves in the newspapers, but I remember these words of Paul VI: ‘an invisible, silent, misunderstood work.’”

Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, at the grounds of the academy in Rome on May 22, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

That work involves helping to maintain the Holy Seeʼs diplomatic relations with 183 countries. At times, it is delicate, ranging from negotiating with hostile governments to providing aid during natural disasters.

Pennacchio himself served for 44 years as an apostolic nuncio and explained that alumni who become papal diplomats in these countries help bring the pope closer to areas he cannot go in person.

“In my years as an apostolic nuncio, I served in post-genocide Rwanda and later in Thailand, where I oversaw six other Southeast Asian countries and made over 200 pastoral trips in seven years. A crucial aspect of the nuncioʼs role is representing the Holy Fatherʼs solidarity in places he cannot personally reach, providing both spiritual encouragement and material aid by mobilizing organizations like Caritas during natural disasters and conflicts,” Pennacchio said.

Academic, spiritual, and pastoral formation

Currently, 37 priests from 28 countries are in formation at the academy to become papal diplomats. Pennacchio explained to EWTN News that there are three aspects of formation for the future ambassadors of the pope.

“The first level is the academic-intellectual level. Each priest has a specific path, so they also receive training in canon law. Furthermore, they take language courses. At a minimum, they learn at least two other languages and must learn Italian because it is somewhat the language of communication of the Curia.”

“The second level is the spiritual aspect. There are priests here who already have experience as priests in their parishes or in other countries, with at least two years of pastoral life. In the period that we are together, we live as a community.”

Commemorative book of the 325th anniversary of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy on May 22, 2026, in Rome. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

“And then the third level is the pastoral one, because the students must continue to be priests. They must not abandon their apostolic zeal, and on weekends, they are assigned to parishes, hospitals, and prisons, where they can develop and exercise their pastoral ministry. Pope Francis also introduced a missionary year. Before being assigned to a diplomatic post, they must complete a year of missionary experience in the country to which they are assigned. After a year there, they return and then receive their first diplomatic post.”

Vatican versus civil diplomacy

Pennacchio also explained the distinction between Holy See diplomacy and civil diplomacy.

“I often compare our role to a train track with two parallel rails. While nuncios serve as ambassadors presenting credentials to the state, we simultaneously represent the Holy Father to the local Church. Unlike civil diplomats who focus on national, commercial, or military interests, ours is a unique, deeply spiritual mission. In the political sphere, our primary goal is always to bring a message of peace and inspire negotiations rather than war,” Pennacchio said.

Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that the mystery of the Holy Trinity teaches Christians to see every creature as made for communion — and warned that division, polarization, and contempt for differences leave the world spiritually barren.

Speaking before the Angelus on May 31, the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the pope reflected on Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus in the Gospel of John, saying the feast reveals that God’s own life is a communion of love into which humanity is invited.

“The Trinity helps us to love everyone and everything: we discover that every creature is made for communion, relationship and encounter,” Pope Leo said from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square. “On the other hand, we understand why division, polarization and contempt for diversity bring destruction, sadness and barrenness to the world.”

The pope said the Church’s Easter journey, which concluded last week with Pentecost, helps believers contemplate the divine life given to humanity in Christ — a communion of love that draws believers in through the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit, he said, “unites the Father and the Son” and “has been poured into our hearts.” In this way, he added, “the Church becomes a sacrament of communion, a place of encounter, love and life where heaven and earth already touch.”

Turning to Nicodemus, whom the Gospel describes as an important figure in Israel who came to Jesus at night, Leo said Christ “welcomed him and took his search for answers seriously.”

Jesus, the pope said, “surprised Nicodemus by suggesting that it was even possible for an adult to be reborn and led him to realize that the life of God could transform his own life.”

Leo noted that Nicodemus later defended Jesus before the Sanhedrin, urging others to listen before condemning him.

“He had received the Spirit of communion from God through Christ himself, which opens the heart to new truths and to true renewal,” the pope said. “Whoever does not welcome this Spirit grows old quickly, in sorrow, feeling all alone and without joy in their hearts.”

By contrast, Leo said, the solemnity of the Trinity is “a day of celebration.”

“God’s feast is also ours,” he said, citing St. Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians: “Rejoice, strive for perfection, encourage one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

After leading the Angelus, the pope recalled the prayers for peace raised throughout the Church during May, a month traditionally dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

“In this month of May, a united chorus of prayers for peace has resounded throughout the Church,” he said. “Above all, through the prayer of the Holy Rosary — like an unbroken chain — the peoples ravaged by war have been entrusted to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.”

“May Divine Wisdom enlighten the consciences of those in authority and guide their decisions toward a sincere search for a just and lasting peace,” he said.

Leo also marked Italy’s 25th National Day of Relief, expressing closeness to the sick and those who care for them.

“I offer my spiritual closeness to the sick and those who care for them; and I thank and encourage all who promote a culture of solidarity and care,” he said.

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.

Pope Leo XIV on May 30 emphasized to Catholic lay leaders that, in a world increasingly divided by war and polarization, shared humanity can help unify it.

During a private audience at the Vatican with the members of the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation, Leo in his remarks referenced his recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitas, explaining that current challenges prompt fundamental questions about life.

"Indeed, it is precisely when faced with adverse circumstances that the human person is called to reconsider the fundamental questions that have gently prodded the heart of countless generations to more serious reflection: 'Where are we going? Toward what goal do we wish to orient ourselves? What direction should we choose as a people and as a human community?'" Leo said.

These questions, the pope said, clearly indicate humanityʼs common pursuit of truth.

“Such questions are a clear manifestation of humanity’s search for truth, and give rise to a desire for something more, a thirst for God and lasting meaning,” Leo said in his remarks.

“They also bear witness to the essential aspects of our humanity: the God-given gifts of reason and freedom by which we may come to know the truth and adhere to what is good.”

Also referencing his predecessor, St. John Paul II, who founded the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation in 1993 to promote Catholic social teaching, Leo explained that while the modern concept of freedom “is often understood as the capacity to do what one wants,” true freedom is lived “as a “gift of self and openness to others.”

He also referred to Saint Augustine in his address, using Augustineʼs concept of the two cities.

“The City of Man, built on pride and love of oneself, is marked by selfish individualism,” Leo said. “The City of God, built on love of God unto selflessness, and the cultivation of relationships, is what makes it truly possible to build a civilization of love.”

He also reminded those present not to despair at the current state of the world, but engage in “small and steadfast acts of fidelity that serve as a bulwark against dehumanization”.

Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, is a paean to peace that warns of the danger of “a world in a permanent state of belligerence" even more threatening than the Cold War era.

In that era, the pope writes, despite the existence of grave conflicts, “the awareness persisted that a new global conflict had to be avoided at all costs.”

Following the Second World War, “peace was made the focus of the international order, as attested in particular by the United Nations Charter” but now, war has been “revived as an instrument of international politics, while the very ethical principles that had previously limited its use are being eroded,” writes the pope.

The Holy Father makes no reference to any specific conflict, but rather offers an assessment of a world shaken by violence.

“Today, more than ever, without prejudice to the right to self-defense in the strictest sense, it is important to reaffirm that the ‘just war’ theory, which has all too often been used to justify any kind of war, is now outdated,” the pope indicates in the encyclical.

The right to self-defense

This is not a radical shift, but rather a predictable trajectory that Leo XIV himself outlined from the first day of his pontificate, when, following his election on May 8, 2025, he spoke from the balcony of the Apostolic Palace of a peace that was “unarmed and disarming.”

Recently, during one of his customary encounters with the press upon leaving Castel Gandolfo, where he spends most Tuesdays, he responded to a question from EWTN journalist Javier Romero concerning self-defense.

Self-defense, he said, has always been accepted by the Church. However, he qualified the application of the concept of a just war in the current context: “To talk about just war today, itʼs a very complex problem. You have to analyze it on many levels, but ever since the entrance into the nuclear age, the whole concept of war has to be reevaluated.”

“I always believe that itʼs much better to enter into dialogue than to look for arms and to support the arms industry, which gains billions and billions of dollars each year, instead of sitting down at the table solving our problems and using money to solve humanitarian issues, hunger in the world, et cetera,” he added.

In an interview with EWTN News, Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, emphasized that, although the pope reaffirms “the right to self-defense" in the encyclical, it remains “impossible to justify a war.”

The cardinal said the new encyclical is “a very, very strong call. And it has to do with responsible use. And the Holy Father gives the example of military power. We have achieved a certain level of control. And we must do the same with artificial intelligence in warfare as soon as possible.”

Teaching on just war subject to historical circumstances

The Church’s teaching on “just war” is, by definition as noted by the Second Vatican Council, dynamic and subject to historical circumstances. Popes have progressively raised the bar for accepting the legitimacy of armed conflict.

Thus, in 2003, the Iraq War drew outright condemnation from Pope St. John Paul II in response to the United States’ planned offensive: “No to war! War is not always inevitable. It is always a defeat for humanity,” the Polish pontiff declared on Jan. 13, 2003, before more than 170 ambassadors accredited to the Vatican.

About four weeks later, on March 19, 2003, the United States began its preemptive war against Iraq.

The first major point of reference for contemporary doctrine on war is the Second Vatican Council itself. Its pastoral constitution, Gaudium et Spes (Joy and Hope), established a provisional criterion in 1965: “As long as the danger of war remains and there is no competent and sufficiently powerful authority at the international level, governments cannot be denied the right to legitimate defense once every means of peaceful settlement has been exhausted."

It continued: "State authorities and others who share public responsibility have the duty to conduct such grave matters soberly and to protect the welfare of the people entrusted to their care. But it is one thing to undertake military action for the just defense of the people, and something else again to seek the subjugation of other nations. Nor, by the same token, does the mere fact that war has unhappily begun mean that all is fair between the warring parties,” reads a section of paragraph 79 of this document.

A quarter of a century later, in 1992, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) addressed at length the notions of “legitimate defense” and “safeguarding peace,” within a more complex international context.

After acknowledging the approval of certain Church leaders of “cruel practices” such as torture in times past, the text affirms that “Because of the evils and injustices that accompany all war, the Church insistently urges everyone to prayer and to action so that the divine Goodness may free us from the ancient bondage of war.”

According to the CCC, “The strict conditions for legitimate defense by military force require rigorous consideration.” It also states that “the evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.”

These conditions include “lasting, grave, and certain” damage; the exhaustion of “all other means of putting an end to” a conflict; the existence of “serious prospects of success”; and the assurance that “the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated.”

Referring modern weaponry such as nuclear arms, the CCC also underscores that “The power of modern means of destruction weighs very heavily in evaluating this condition.”

The Church has previously expressed its concern regarding so-called killer robots, or autonomous weapons, whose level of technological sophistication has increased notably in recent years.

Pope Francis called upon G7 leaders gathered in Italy in 2024 to ban the use of autonomous weapons capable of operating without human mediation in armed conflicts.

However, Magnifica Humanitas marks the first time that this appeal has been incorporated into an encyclical.

“Any technology that facilitates attacks without seeing the face of human beings lowers the moral threshold of conflict. Target selection and the use of force must not confuse combatants and non-combatants, nor ignore the impact on defenseless populations,” the pope emphasizes.

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

Pope Leo XIV this week received as a gift the steering wheel of the Ferrari Luce, the Italian brand’s first fully electric car.

Leo also had the opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat of the new vehicle, presented by Ferrari as “not only the ‘electric Ferrari,’ but an entirely new Ferrari.”

In a statement, the Italian brand said the meeting with the Holy Father took place at the papal residence of Castel Gandolfo on the morning of Tuesday, May 26, with a Ferrari delegation led by its chairman, John Elkann, and its CEO, Benedetto Vigna.

Pope Leo XIV receives from Ferrari chairman John Elkann the steering wheel of a Ferrari Luce, the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer’s first fully electric car, which the pope got to see during a meeting with a delegation from Ferrari at Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, on May 26, 2026. | Credit: Ferrari

Elkann said it was “a great emotion and an immense honor to meet with His Holiness together with my Ferrari colleagues,” noting that it was “a moment of extraordinary human and symbolic value, which inspired everyone in our company to continue on its path with passion, responsibility, and confidence in the future.”

He added that the meeting with Leo was “an occasion that will remain forever etched in our memory and in the history of Ferrari.”

In promoting its new vehicle, the Italian brand highlights both its “mechanical performance” and its “energy efficiency.”

Explaining its corporate environmental vision, Ferrari says on its website that “we are using science-based solutions to reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency, foster the circular economy, and inspire suppliers to join our initiative.”

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

Pope Leo XIV will travel to the Republic of San Marino, an independent sovereign state within the Italian peninsula, on Aug. 22 as part of his trip to the Italian province of Rimini.

The Vatican announced the visit in a statement from the Prefecture of the Papal Household, noting that the trip is part of his pastoral agenda in Italy.

The visit follows an invitation extended some time ago by the then-captains regent Matteo Rossi and Lorenzo Bugli — whose terms ended in April of this year — who had invited the pontiff to visit the small European state.

The pope’s presence in San Marino — the world’s oldest constitutional republic, founded in A.D. 301 — will take place in the morning on Aug. 22. In the afternoon, the Holy Father will take part in various activities in the Diocese of Rimini and in the traditional Rimini Meeting, one of Italy’s most important cultural and religious events, promoted by the Catholic movement Communion and Liberation.

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

Pope Leo met with the mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, at the Vatican on May 28.

Johnson, who has served as mayor since 2023, met with the pontiff for the first time since his election. He also used the occasion to formally invite the pontiff to visit his native city, Chicago.

In a press briefing to journalists after the audience, Johnson explained that the two discussed the policies of the United States government under President Donald Trump, including immigration and the Iran conflict.

Johnson: Trumpʼs actions in Iran are tyrannical

The Democratic mayor sharply criticized Trump in remarks to journalists, calling him a “tyrant” as well as a “disgrace” for involving the U.S. in the Israel-Iran conflict. He also said he discussed his concerns about the administration with Pope Leo and described his recent encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, as a “call to action” to work to avoid wars.

“I think the popeʼs encyclical is a call to action for the entire planet,” Johnson told journalists at the briefing. “Illegal wars do not leave just a trail of tears and trauma, but it also harms and brutalize our humanity. The economic drive with which [Trump] is moving is selfish.”

Leo XIV has regularly criticized the U.S.-Israel war in Iran as unjust.

Johnson, reflecting on his discussions with the pope, stated that “his position around Trump was more about disagreement with his approach.”

“In the midst of a brutal, horrific, and ignorant tyrant that is currently occupying the White House, it is imperative that we really walk in the true essence of our faith. The impact of his failures on our global economy is quite severe. It is a disgrace to the sensibility of our humanity,” Johnson said.

Mayor of Chicago Brandon Johnson holds a press briefing at The American University of Rome on May 28, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

The Chicago mayor also said the two spoke about the Trump administrationʼs immigration enforcement, specifically raids by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“We did discuss ICE. The pope wanted to know how ICE impacted our city and whether there were still examples of ICE raids happening in our city. I talked about how our rapid response team came together to support families. And then I talked about my executive orders, for which he was very gracious and encouraging, especially those I signed to protect the people of Chicago.”

Praise for Leoʼs apology for slavery

Leo XIV presented his first encyclical on May 25 at the Vatican, offering moral guidance amid widespread concern about the dangers posed by artificial intelligence.

In the text, Leo issued an apology for the Churchʼs role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Johnson praised the pope for his courage and explained that he had discussed the legacy of slavery with him.

“We talked about the conditions that the long legacy of slavery and disinvestment has had on Black Americans and Black people around the world,” Johnson said. “I engaged in a conversation with him around reparations and why it is important to work to repair the harm caused by the brutal legacy of slavery.”

Yusef Jackson, the son of renowned civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., was also part of the mayorʼs delegation that visited the pope. He praised Leo for his apology on behalf of the Church for slavery.

“The pope is a powerful man. The color of his title commands respect around the world. For him to use the color of that title, coming from Chicago, a very segregated and class-divided city, with the bona fides to be a freedom fighter, meant a lot to me. He is a pope that I agree with,” Jackson said.

An invitation to come to Chicago

Johnson also presented the pope with an official letter inviting him to visit Chicago and offer Mass at Grant Park. He wrote the letter after being advised by the Catholic archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Blaise Cupich.

Speaking about the possibility of a future visit by Leo, he described his feelings and those of the city as hopeful.

Official invitation by the mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, to Pope Leo XIV, at the American University of Rome on May 28, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

“We are going to remain hopeful. We have an open invitation for the pope to come to the city of Chicago. Ultimately, it will be his decision whether his schedule allows him to come. Some of the greatest voices for justice come from the city of Chicago. And that beloved city, of course, birthed Pope Leo XIV.”

Along with the official invitation letter, the pontiff was presented with a ceremonial key to the city of Chicago.

Pope Leo XIV warned Thursday against the temptation to make Christianity more attractive by diluting its content or softening its demands, telling Vatican evangelization officials that the faith is transmitted above all through credible Christian witness.

“It is certainly not by watering down the content or softening the demands that Christianity can be made attractive but by bearing witness with humility and courage to ‘the way, the truth, and the life’ that has converted and sanctified so many people,” the pope said May 28.

The pope made the remarks during a meeting in the Consistory Hall with members of the Dicastery for Evangelization’s Section for Fundamental Questions Regarding Evangelization in the World at the conclusion of its plenary assembly.

According to the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, the section is responsible for studying fundamental questions of evangelization and promoting an effective proclamation of the Gospel, identifying appropriate forms, tools, and language.

Leo said the crisis of faith, especially in the West, has contributed to “widespread religious indifference.”

“To many, faith no longer appears relevant to their lives,” he said. “The underlying danger, the gravity of which is not always perceived, is that the very essence of what is most human — namely, the search for meaning — may be lost. The great existential questions remain unanswered, whilst a technological culture that is supposed to meet every need is spreading.”

The pope said that even in such a context, “the encounter with Christ is able to restore full meaning and value to people’s lives,” adding that the Church’s missionary mandate remains urgent.

“No one can take her place in this mission, which is as urgent as it is necessary to ensure a reliable foundation for the future of humanity, so that it may be a future of peace, justice, freedom, and fraternity,” he said.

Leo also pointed to the continuing relevance of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, which he said “continues to be a significant point of reference.”

He invited the dicastery to revisit the document in its work “to promote a mission that is ‘Christ-centered and kerygmatic … born of an encounter with Christ that is capable of transforming lives.’”

The pope said the Church should pay close attention to a growing demand for spirituality, especially among young people, something he said was “clearly evident during the Youth Jubilee.”

“The new generation is not closed to the Gospel; on the contrary, many, when they rediscover it, wish to know it better, because they sense that within it lies the secret to being truly happy,” he said.

At the same time, Leo said evangelization must confront changed conditions in the transmission of the faith from one generation to the next.

“In some parts of the world, this transmission has all but ceased, and this requires the ability to take on new challenges,” he said.

The result, he continued, is “a spiritual ‘poverty’ among the younger generations, a lack of motivation and of the means to develop, in full freedom, that commitment to the faith which gives meaning to life.”

The pope said the cultural climate of “media-saturated and consumerist societies” weakens the ability to pursue truth with patience, perseverance, and critical judgment.

“Every message risks being perceived as just one opinion among many,” he said.

In response, he stressed that transmitting the faith “necessarily involves encountering people and communities who express the joy of the Christian faith and the coherence of a Gospel-inspired way of life.”

Quoting Benedict XVI, Leo said: “What we need at this moment in history are men who, through an enlightened and lived faith, make God credible in this world.”

“We need people who keep their gaze fixed on God, learning true humanity from him,” the pope continued, quoting Benedict. “We need people whose intellect is enlightened by the light of God and whose hearts God opens, so that their intellect may speak to the intellect of others and their hearts may open the hearts of others. Only through men who are touched by God can God return to men.”

Leo also thanked the dicastery for its work during last year’s jubilee, which he said brought more than 33 million pilgrims to Rome.

“The world thirsts for hope more than ever,” he said. “It longs to live in peace and in the certainty that the commitment to building a city worthy of God’s children is not only possible but real, because it is imbued with a hope that offers true, not illusory, objectives.”

The pope said evangelization must remain “the fundamental motivation behind every action of the universal Church and of local communities.”

“The proclamation of the Gospel, which instils hope, is not a utopian proposal: It is a witness that draws people in because it reveals the call to love and truth,” he said.

Leo concluded by emphasizing the importance of catechesis, which he said “plays a decisive role in the life of the Church through its commitment to formation and the transmission of the faith.”

He called for special attention to catechumens, “who are requesting baptism in ever-increasing numbers,” and said Christian communities must accompany them beyond the celebration of the sacrament.

“Similar care must be accorded to the boys and girls who receive the sacrament of confirmation,” he said. “I encourage the many initiatives that accompany them as they continue on their journey of faith for their human and Christian growth.”

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

On June 9, as part of his apostolic journey to Spain, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to visit Barcelona. There, he will inaugurate the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Basílica de la Sagrada Família and celebrate a Mass commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of its first architect and designer, Antoni Gaudí.

Interest in Gaudí, whom Pope Francis proclaimed venerable in 2025, has grown recently alongside rumors of an imminent beatification.

Ahead of Leo’s visit to Barcelona, two experts commented on Gaudíʼs legacy, which is not widely recognized beyond his architecture.

Gaudí’s Sagrada Família: Representative of his vision?

One hundred forty-four years after construction began, Sagrada Família continues to spark debate. Gaudí saw only about 10% of the original project completed. This raises a key question for architecture, heritage conservation, and contemporary art history: To what extent does what is being built today remain faithful to the original project envisioned by “Godʼs Architect”?

“Our obligation is to continue with the construction of Sagrada Família, faithfully following Gaudíʼs project,” affirmed Jordi Faulí, the seventh architect of the church after Gaudí, in an interview with EWTN News.

While other buildings were completed after their creators' deaths, such as Le Corbusierʼs Saint-Pierre de Firminy church in France, Gaudí’s situation is unique: he knew he would not live to see the work finished. For this reason, he devoted enormous effort to leaving a comprehensive roadmap for the future.

Jordi Faulí, the seventh architect of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain, speaks to EWTN News on April 8, 2026. | Credit: Alessio di Cintio and Anthony Johnson/EWTN News

Faulí, who has directed the works since 2012, asserted that Gaudí left a conceptual and technical legacy solid enough to guarantee the basilicaʼs continuity.

“Consider that Gaudí spent his last 12 or 14 years working exclusively on Sagrada Família, living poorly, thinking about the future, with hope and faith in the future,” Faulí recounted. To ensure his vision survived him, the architect left behind a comprehensive theological-symbolic plan, detailed drawings, and large-scale models — including a massive 16.4-foot-high projection of the main nave.

More than an architectural project, Sagrada Família is, in Faulíʼs words, a catechesis sculpted in stone.

“He wanted to move people, to inspire them by seeing the facades, entering the interior, and seeing these treelike structures that rise upward into the space for the Eucharistic celebration, and for all this beauty to reach everyoneʼs heart so they would think about their lives, think about the life of Christ and their own lives, and that this would lead them to feel loved, welcomed, and ready to love others,” he stated.

Gaudí: A model of dialogue amid deep divisions in Spain

Gaudí’s life and example of holiness have been highlighted in the run-up to Leo’s trip to Barcelona. Father Reniel Ramírez Herrera, who has served as postulator of Gaudí’s canonization cause since 2025, told EWTN News that although an imminent beatification for Gaudí is unlikely, it is impossible to understand him without faith.

“Surely the figure of Gaudí is incomprehensible without a vision of faith,” Ramírez said to EWTN News. “Gaudí himself, during his architectural studies, did not conceive of architecture or even art in a broad sense without a vision of faith. Therefore, the transcendental element — and undoubtedly the element of holiness — is fundamental. And it is certainly a surprise for anyone who discovers, through small details, that the life of Gaudí is incomprehensible without a vision of faith; his genius cannot be understood except through faith.”

Father Reniel Ramírez Herrera of Kaduna, postulator for the cause of canonization of Antoni Gaudí, stands in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on May 19, 2026. | Credit: Ishmael Adibuah/EWTN News

Gaudíʼs example has earned him praise from Catholic leaders, including Pope Benedict XVI. During his 2010 apostolic journey to Spain, when he consecrated Sagrada Família, he described Gaudí as “a brilliant architect and devout Christian, whose faith burned brightly.”

Discussing the likely impact of the pope’s trip to Spain, Ramírez expressed hope that the visit would foster dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Spanish state, particularly given Spain’s history of anticlericalism.

Gaudí lived through the intense violence against Catholic clergy in 1909, during the so-called Tragic Week, while still overseeing the construction of Sagrada Família. Ramírez expressed hope that renewed interest in Gaudí’s life and the pope’s visit would help heal the deep divisions that persist between Spain and the Church.

“Certainly, the context is marked by deep divisions and elements of an ideological nature. And yet the popeʼs visit brings hope,” Ramírez said.

“Gaudí was convinced that Sagrada Família was a kind of courtyard of the gentiles (a place of dialogue between Christians and nonbelievers), in which even an unbeliever could not only raise their gaze but also open their heart toward the transcendent. This spirit of dialogue with which Gaudí lived his mission will certainly mark the popeʼs visit and will accompany the moments when the pope will encounter a society and culture in which Gaudí deeply rooted his faith.”

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development has presented a pastoral aid or kit on Magnifica Humanitas with the aim of making the new encyclical by Pope Leo XIV more easily understood.

On May 27, the dicastery explained on social media how the pastoral kit is structured and provided a link to it. The material includes summaries of key themes, biblical texts and citations, questions for reflection, concrete cases, and prayers. Additionally, it features activities designed for children and young people.

In the introduction to the document, the Vatican notes that it seeks to “accompany individuals, groups, and communities in a simple yet profound reflection on the relationship between faith, human dignity, and technological innovation.”

“Digital technologies and artificial intelligence are changing the way we work, communicate, learn, build relationships, and even understand ourselves,” the text notes.

In the face of this new paradigm, the dicastery recognizes that many may feel “excited, fearful, curious, or confused.” Nevertheless, it advocates for navigating these changes “with discernment, hope, and responsibility.”

The material was designed for parish groups, catechesis, pastoral councils, as well as for one’s personal spiritual life.

The underlying theme of the encyclical consists of two biblical images that feature prominently in the accompanying resource: the Tower of Babel and the rebuilding of Jerusalem. According to the text, these two images represent opposing paths in today’s world.

“On the one hand, there is the risk of building a world dominated by power, individualism, and dehumanization; on the other, there is the possibility of building together a ‘city' founded on listening, fraternity, justice, and mutual care,” the introduction explains.

The document expresses the Holy See’s hope that this material will enable the faithful to “rediscover our ‘magnificent humanity,’ so that every innovation may be illuminated by the Gospel and oriented toward the common good.”

To download this pastoral aid from the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, click here.

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

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday created a commission to identify solutions for long-term sustainability at the Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, a major hospital complex founded by St. Pio of Pietrelcina and directly overseen by the Vatican Secretariat of State.

The Catholic hospital — which is located in the southern Italian region of Puglia — is facing a debt crisis from which “we will emerge together,” Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said during a May 5 visit to the facility.

The hospital in San Giovanni Rotondo, where the saint known as Padre Pio lived for most of his life, has debts estimated to run between 250 million to 300 million euros (about $290 million to $350 million).

The hospital is currently in a dispute with officials from the Puglia region over reimbursements — the regional authority claims it is owed 32 million euros ($37 million) — and is also involved in a conflict over new labor contracts.

The new commission now aims to resolve what is a highly complex situation.

The papal chirograph (a kind of decree) establishing the commission states that the pope’s decision arises from the Apostolic See’s love for works of charity and from the awareness that large institutions, in order to remain faithful to their mission, must be capable of facing the challenges of change.

“The evolution of the times, technology, law, and economics places the mission of the Church before the challenge of continuous renewal,” particularly in sectors such as healthcare that require vision, investment, and prudent management, the chirograph says.

Among these institutions is Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, founded “with the aim of providing hospitality, assistance, and care to the sick, pilgrims, and their families, inspired by the spirituality and the figure of its saintly founder.”

The guidance and oversight commission has the task of analyzing the hospital foundation’s “current situation, identifying the best solutions for ever-greater efficiency, effectiveness, and long-term sustainability of its work and mission, and ensuring the concrete implementation of those solutions.”

The commission will operate on all fronts — financial, patrimonial, and operational — with full authority to carry out the necessary acts of both ordinary and extraordinary administration. It will report directly to the pope before any decision of particular significance and before adopting measures of special importance or those that would have a decisive and substantial impact on the foundation’s assets or modify its statutes.

The commission represents a combined effort by Vatican economic bodies and the Secretariat of State. Maximino Caballero Ledo, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, will serve as president. The coordinator is Fabio Gasperini, secretary-general of the Governorate. Archbishop Giordano Piccinotti, president of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, is a member together with Archbishop Paolo Rudelli, undersecretary for general affairs of the Secretariat of State. The technical committee includes Benjamín Estévez de Cominges, Gino Gumirato, and attorney Alessandro Ela Oyana.

Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza was born from Padre Pio’s concrete faith, rooted in the conviction that caring for the body is an integral part of the Christian mission.

The decision to establish an ad hoc commission is a sign of Leo’s interest in the hospital but also unusual, given that Pope Francis already established a Vatican commission for Catholic healthcare.

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.

At the general audience on May 27, Pope Leo XIV urged priests to respect the “norms of the liturgy” and not to make changes to the Mass “on their own initiative,” in order to avoid confusing the faithful.

“I encourage all priests to respect the texts and norms of the liturgy with openness, humility, trust in God’s greatness and with sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion,” the pope said in remarks in St. Peterʼs Square.

Pope Leo XIV waves to pilgrims in St. Peterʼs Square during the general audience on May 27, 2026. The pope spoke about the Second Vatican Council and the need for priests to follow liturgical norms. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

The Second Vatican Council “affirmed that legitimate progress in the liturgy must also preserve sound tradition, and that certain elements of the liturgy can never change because they are divinely instituted,” he said.

Vatican II’s reform of the Mass

Leo’s catechesis on Wednesday continued his reflections on the magisterium of the Second Vatican Council, focusing on the constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, promulgated by St. Pope Paul VI on Dec. 4, 1963. It is one of the most important documents to emerge from the council, since it transformed the way Catholics celebrate the Mass.

The pope offered a historical overview of the context in which Vatican II was convened, noting: “At that moment in history, there was a strong sense of the need for a renewal of the ritual forms through which, for centuries, the Church had glorified God and sanctified the Christian people.”

Pope Leo XIV blesses a baby in St. Peterʼs Square during the general audience on May 27, 2026. The pope spoke about the Second Vatican Council and the need for priests to follow liturgical norms. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

He also underscored that, thanks to the liturgical movement, the conviction had developed — later expressed by St. John Paul II — that “‘a very close and organic bond exists between the renewal of the liturgy and the renewal of the whole life of the Church. The Church not only acts but also expresses herself in the liturgy, lives by the liturgy and draws from the liturgy the strength for her life.’ (Letter Dominicae Cenae, 13)”

The pontiff reflected on Sacrosanctum Concilium, which he said sought “to encourage the access of the faithful to the richness of the gifts of grace dispensed by the sacred liturgy.” The pope highlighted the formula adopted by the council fathers: “That sound tradition may be retained, and yet the way remain open to legitimate progress.”

To deepen this idea, the pope quoted Pope Benedict XVI, who explained that the Council Fathers’ “reform program” sought “a balance between the great liturgical tradition of the past and that of the future."

Pilgrims stand in St. Peterʼs Square during Pope Leo XIVʼs general audience on May 27, 2026. The pope spoke about the Second Vatican Council and the need for priests to follow liturgical norms. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Benedict XVI said that “tradition and progress are often clumsily opposed,” but the late pope noted that “actually, the two concepts merge: tradition is a living reality, which therefore includes in itself the principle of development, of progress.”

Leo XIV said that the progress referred to by Sacrosanctum Concilium “in no way compromises ecclesial communion: rather, it seeks to confirm and foster it.”

He emphasized that “changes of this type have taken place constantly over the centuries in order to enable the faithful to participate fruitfully, through ritual actions, in the Paschal Mystery of Christ, the foundation of the Christian faith.”

“For the good of the entire Church, every reform must always be preceded by careful ‘theological, historical and pastoral’ investigation,” the Holy Father said. “The Council Magisterium, in this way, thus calls for the avoidance of confusion amongst the faithful, discouraging anyone from adding, removing or altering anything in liturgical matters on their own initiative.”

The Church’s worship, he added, has been “embodied” in the cultural forms of each age and has been able to influence them and even transform them.

“The liturgy has thus been, for centuries, a driving force for evangelization. Today, this energy must be renewed in continuity with the authentic and living Catholic tradition, that is, in accordance with a dynamic aimed at introducing believers to the fullness of the truth,” he said.

War in Ukraine

In an appeal at the end of the audience, Leo expressed his concern over a recent intensification of the war in Ukraine. The Holy Father said he was entrusting everyone affected by war to the protection of Mary, Queen of Peace.

“I wish to express my solidarity with all those suffering as a result of the recent attacks, which have also targeted civilians,” he said.

“War does not solve problems; it exacerbates them,“ he said. ”It does not build security; it multiplies suffering and hatred. Where missiles and drones fall, hopes are crushed, homes and places of worship are destroyed, and innocent lives are cut short.”

This story was originally published by ACI Prensa, EWTN News’ Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.

During the presentation of Pope Leo XIVʼs first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, the co-founder of Anthropic, Christopher Olah, pointed to three major ethical challenges posed by the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and called for a profound discernment regarding its future.

On May 25, addressing representatives from the realms of academia, diplomacy, and religion gathered in the Vatican’s Synod Hall, Olah stated that the questions raised by AI “are larger than the research community” and cannot be left solely in the hands of scientists or technology companies.

“We need more of the world — religious communities, civil society, scholars, governments, and indeed all people of goodwill — to do what His Holiness has done here: to take this seriously, to look closely, and to push events in a better direction,” he stated.

Pope Leo XIV listens to Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah, far right, during the presentation of the pope’s first encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas: On the Safeguarding of the Human Person in the Age of Artificial Intelligence,” at the Vatican’s Synod Hall on May 25, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Olah began his remarks by acknowledging that even the most advanced AI laboratories, including Anthropic, operate under economic, geopolitical, and personal incentives that can come into tension with the common good.

“The pressure to stay commercially viable and to stay at the research frontier; geopolitical pressure and the older, plainer pressures of pride and ambition” inevitably influence those who develop this technology, he noted.

Consequently, he underscored the importance of having outside voices capable of questioning and overseeing the development of AI.

“If we want this technology to go well, it is enormously important that there be people outside those incentives — people who care about things going well and insist on safety, who are paying close attention, who are willing to say hard things,” he noted.

In this context, Olah deemed the discernment called for by Pope Leo XIV to be “profoundly timely” and outlined three major issues where the voice of the Church is necessary.

During the presentation of the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas on May 25, 2026, Christopher Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, pointed to the ethical challenges posed by the development of AI. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News 1. Duty to the global poor

The first major concern raised by Olah was the impact of AI on work and global inequalities.

“AI development is concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations. How can we ensure the gains of AI are shared globally?” he asked.

He warned of the “real possibility” that AI could “displace human labor on a very large scale,” which would make supporting affected workers “a moral imperative of historic proportions.”

However, Olah noted that there exists an even more complex challenge: the absence of mechanisms capable of fairly distributing economic benefits.

“We do not have a mechanism for this. It is an unsolved problem, and it is the kind of problem the Church has historically refused to let the world ignore,” he said.

2. Rediscovering and rethinking what it means to flourish as a human being

The second consideration presented by the co-founder of Anthropic was the need to approach technological development from the perspective of human and familial flourishing.

“If AI models are going to be widespread, what does it look like for humans, families, and the world to flourish?” he asked.

“These are not questions that a lab can answer,” he continued.

Olah noted that many parents are already concerned about the impact of technology on their children’s minds, while numerous people feel uncertain regarding the future of their jobs.

In this regard, he highlighted the role of the Church, which he said has spent millennia reflecting on human dignity and the meaning of life. Olah emphasized the need for the Church to continue doing so “into this new moment in history.”

Anthropic co-founder Christopher Olah speaks during the presentation of the encyclical Magnifca Humanitas on May 25, 2026, in the Synod Hall at the Vatican. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News 3. The need for discernment on the part of AI model developers

The third concern raised by Olah related to the very nature of AI systems, an aspect he said remains mysterious, even to those involved in developing them.

“I am a scientist. I lead a research team that studies the internal structure of these models — what is actually happening inside them. And I will be honest: We keep finding things that are mysterious, even unsettling,” he stated.

Among these findings, he cited internal structures that “mirror results from human neuroscience” as well as evidence of introspection and internal states that “functionally mirror joy, satisfaction, fear, grief, and unease.”

“I don’t know what that means, but I think it warrants ongoing discernment,” he pointed out.

He even compared the phenomenon to “bringing a fictional character to life,” noting that “we’re entering an extraordinary world where those fictional characters speak to us, do work, have jobs.”

In concluding his remarks, Olah called upon more sectors of society to follow the example set by Pope Leo XIV in seriously addressing the phenomenon of artificial intelligence.

“We need moral voices that the incentives cannot bend. Today is just the beginning — the start of a long collaboration between those of us who are building this and those who can see what we, from inside, cannot,” he noted.

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

The Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) announced the names of four priests to be consecrated as bishops on July 1 without the permission of Pope Leo XIV.

The general house of the society published the announcement on May 26 after being warned by the Vatican on May 13 that its plan to consecrate bishops without a papal mandate would constitute “a schismatic act” and carry the penalty of excommunication. The consecrations will take place at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland.

The four priests announced are Fathers Pascal Schreiber (Switzerland), Michael Goldade (United States), Michel Poinsinet de Sivry (France), and Marc Hanappier (France).

The statement from the SSPX general house declared that the decision to move on with the consecrations was made “in a spirit of respect toward the supreme authority of the universal Church” and would be “a service rendered to souls and to the Church amid this unprecedented crisis of the faith.”

The SSPX, which exclusively celebrates the Traditional Latin Mass, maintains doctrinal differences with certain teachings and reforms of the Second Vatican Council, particularly regarding religious freedom and the Church’s approach to other faiths.

The decision to proceed with the consecrations without papal approval was confirmed in a Feb. 18 letter from SSPX superior general Father Davide Pagliarani, following talks with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that had broken down earlier that month.

The Holy See Press Office did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

Pope Leo XIV decried a rejection of Christian values in European institutions, leading to what he characterized as “a time of drastic sterility” and “purportedly family-friendly policies” that also support abortion.

In a May 25 audience with members of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Demography, the pope underscored the central place of the family — founded on marriage between a man and a woman — as a pillar for avoiding both excessive state intervention and the advance of individualism.

The Holy Father denounced what he described as a “rejection of the Christian inspiration of the founding fathers of the EU institutions,” which in his view has led “to a time of drastic sterility, not only because too many have been deprived of the right to be born, but also because there has been a failure to pass on the material and cultural tools that young people need to face the future.”

“As a result, we are not infrequently faced with the contradictory claims of purportedly family-friendly policies, which simultaneously promote discrimination against motherhood, exalt abortion as a right, and undermine the very foundation of the desire to start a family,” Leo warned.

He insisted on the need to study these issues within academic, political, and social bodies, affirming that the demographic challenge “stands as a crucial juncture for the anthropological, social, and economic future of Europe."

'Pandemic of loneliness’

In his speech the pope also described Europe’s demographic decline as “an urgent challenge,” one that encompasses not only the problems arising from an aging population but also what he called “the pandemic of loneliness.”

According to Eurostat’s latest report on demographics in Europe, all European Union countries have recorded declining birth rates since 2004. In 2024, the rate stood at 7.9 live births per 1,000 inhabitants, and in 2025 the EU’s median age reached 44.9 years.

The pontiff emphasized that demographic data “are not merely statistics but speak of fatherhood, motherhood, and children. And children are the future!” He also stressed that “solidarity between generations,” currently lacking in Europe, is essential for achieving integral and sustainable development.

The vital role of the family in society

According to the Holy Father, the key to finding solutions to demographic challenges lies in “the fundamental dignity of all persons” and in the role of the family in society. He recalled that the family is “the first and irreplaceable school of social life” and is “founded on marriage between a man and a woman.”

For this reason, he urged the parliamentarians to promote shared responsibility and the active role of families in social, political, and cultural life, because, he said, “only by respecting and promoting this central place of the family, and applying the principle of subsidiarity, is it possible to avoid the two extremes of excessive state intervention and individualism.”

This approach, he noted, provides the “unchanging principles that can surely guide” society in answering fundamental questions: “What is the meaning and value of human life; what is an authentic human society; and what kind of world do we want to hand on to future generations.”

‘A fresh springtide for the family’

On this basis, he emphasized that national and European Union policies “need to be developed and formulated in partnership with civil society” so that “policies look to human persons in their entirety and always promote the dignity of human beings.”

“In this way, a genuinely human path can be opened for resolving the demographic crisis, oriented toward the common good and the well-being of future generations,” he said.

In conclusion, the pope stressed that “only a fresh springtide for the family can transform the winter chill of our aging populations!”

The meeting at the Vatican took place on the occasion of the Conference on the Family and Demography held in Rome, which was also attended by the European commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica; Italy’s minister for family, natality, and equal opportunities, Eugenia Roccella; and the OSCE special representative on demographic change and security, Gudrun Kugler.

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