Edition of Tuesday, September 8

Pope Leo XIV renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine during the Angelus, expressing hope that recent efforts to resume negotiations will lead to diplomacy and concrete results.

Bishop Guglielmo has selected the icon of the miraculous catch of fish to accompany the Diocese of Patti during the 2026/27 pastoral year. He announced the choice during a joint meeting of the pastoral council and the presbyteral council held at the San Giovanni Paolo II hall in Rocca di Caprileone.

The icon will serve as a central theme for the diocese, and the bishop's pastoral letter, titled "Prendiamo [...]", will reference the miraculous catch of fish.

Pope Leo XIV appointed Andrew Ding Yang as Archbishop of Chongqing, and he was ordained during a Mass at St. Joseph’s Cathedral on Tuesday, September 8. The Holy See Press Office stated that the Pope approved his candidacy on July 18, 2026, under the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China regarding the appointment of Chinese bishops.

Joseph Li Shan, Archbishop of Beijing, served as the principal consecrator for the ordination. He was joined by co-consecrators He Zeqing, Bishop of Wanzhou, and Luo Xuegang, Bishop of Yibin. This appointment brings the total number of Chinese Catholic bishops ordained in full communion with the Pope under the framework of the provisional agreement to 18. The agreement was originally signed in 2018 and has undergone several renewals and extensions.

Pope Leo XIV received Caroline Vermeulen, the new Belgian ambassador to the Holy See, at the Apostolic Palace on August 27, 2026, as she presented her letters of credence.

Artisans are entering the final phase of construction on the Maria Schnee church in Salzburg for the Fraternité Saint-Pie X. The project, which costs 2.1 million euros, is scheduled to open for worship in the autumn of 2026.

Current work includes the installation of a marble floor and the restoration of three altars.

Salvatore Bonina won two of the three sections in the second edition of the Monsignor Giovanni Muratore competition for liturgical music composition. The Archdiocese of Palermo organized the contest.

Bonina, from Sant’Agata Militello, won in section A with the composition Immolato sulla croce non muore più and also won in section C.

Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah said the faith of Christians in Nigeria is maturing because of the persecution they face. He noted that the testimony of those who remain faithful even at the cost of their lives strengthens the Nigerian Church.

Nigeria is home to more than 100 million Christians of various denominations, including over 35 million Catholics. While the Catholic Church is growing dynamically in the country, it is also one of the places where followers of Christ experience particularly severe violence.

Pope Leo XIV sent a video message to young people attending the first West African Youth Days in Accra, Ghana. The event is scheduled to take place from September 7 to 11, 2026.

In his message, the Pope urged the youth to deliver a strong message to a world marked by war and various conflicts. He addressed issues such as poverty, uncertainty, and forced migration, telling the participants that no one should be marginalized, isolated, excluded, or rejected. He encouraged the young faithful to act as bridge builders between different religions, cultures, and peoples.

A former convent in Annandale has been converted into a presbytery, parish office, and community gathering space for the newly amalgamated parish of St Brendan Annandale and St Michael the Archangel Stanmore.

Darren Ally of The Catholic Weekly reports that the site serves as a practical sign of unity for the two communities that decided to merge into a single parish.

Dr. Philippa Martyr says lay people must adjust their expectations of parish priests.