Edition of Friday, September 18

Pope Leo XIV celebrates his 71st birthday on September 14, 2026.

The Italian Episcopal Conference sent messages of prayer and thanks to the Pope, with bishops expressing gratitude for his ministry and his paternal spirit in accompanying the Italian Church. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar of the diocese of Rome, also shared wishes of gratitude on behalf of the diocese of Rome.

Born in Chicago in 1955, Leo XIV was elected in May 2025 as the 267th successor of Peter. He is the first pope from the United States and the first Augustinian to lead the Catholic Church.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Brendan Cahill, the current bishop of Victoria, Texas, as the new bishop of Joliet, Illinois. Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the apostolic nuncio to the United States, announced the appointment in Washington on September 17, 2026.

Bishop Cahill succeeds Archbishop Ronald Hicks, who led the diocese until his appointment as archbishop of New York in December 2025. Since then, Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Spies has served as the apostolic administrator for the Joliet diocese. Cahill has led the Diocese of Victoria since 2015 and serves as the chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration.

Archbishop Hicks described Cahill as a man of deep faith and a pastor for those on the margins, noting that his fluency in Spanish will benefit the diocese. The Diocese of Joliet covers 4,218 square miles in Illinois. The diocese expects to schedule the installation Mass for Cahill in November.

Archbishop Christophe Z. El-Kassis addressed the United Nations on September 17, arguing that hate speech does not qualify as freedom of expression. Speaking at the Global Conference on Promoting Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue and Tolerance in Countering Hate Speech in New York, the new permanent observer of the Holy See to the UN stated that speech intended to incite hatred or violence cannot claim the protection of liberty.

The archbishop, who is also an apostolic nuncio, said hate speech poisons public discourse, increases division, and often creates the conditions for violence and persecution. He noted that such speech contradicts the commandment to love one's neighbor and causes damage regardless of whether it targets individuals or communities based on religion, ethnicity, or nationality.

While El-Kassis described freedom of expression as a fundamental right that requires responsibility, he warned that inciting speech erodes the environment necessary for genuine freedom to flourish. The conference was sponsored by the UN Alliance of Civilizations.

Pope Leo XIV has called for a shared pastoral evaluation process within the Diocese of Rome to improve the quality of Church activities. Speaking at the opening of the Roman pastoral year at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran on Friday, September 18, the Pope told representatives from all 134 Roman parishes that the goal is to do less but do it better.

The Pope described this method as a way to seek truth and realistically assess whether current activities have drifted from the Church's core mission of facilitating encounters with Christ. He noted that while many parish communities, associations, and movements work generously in charity and evangelization, the multiplication of activities can sometimes cause the evangelical meaning of their work to be lost.

The proposed evaluation focuses on encounters with Christ, community, and service to the city. Pope Leo XIV stated that this process is not intended to increase the workload, but rather to ensure that the Church's efforts remain centered on its fundamental purpose.

Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, California, will lead a new task force on artificial intelligence for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops. The group was created to implement the vision of Pope Leo XIV as outlined in his encyclical on AI, Magnifica Humanitas.

Bishop Cantú said the task force intends to listen, teach, and remind the public that technology should assist human work, support individual and family dignity, and help build healthy societies. He noted that technology leaders want to engage with the Church because of its expertise in humanity.

The bishop urged the faithful, including parishioners, teachers, and parents, to learn about AI and use online resources from the USCCB to speak up about its use. He stated that involving the public in these conversations helps place pressure on politicians and technology companies to act appropriately.

Pope Leo XIV has approved the start of the beatification process for Don Luigi Di Liegro, the founder and first director of the Caritas of Rome. The Pope announced the decision during a diocesan assembly at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.

The approval allows for a diocesan inquiry into Di Liegro's life, virtues, and reputation for holiness. Di Liegro, a priest of the Diocese of Rome who died in 1997, dedicated his ministry to serving the poor and those on the margins of society. His work included establishing the Ostello di via Marsala near Termini Station, a medical clinic for undocumented immigrants in Ostia, and the Emporio della Solidarietà in Ponte Casilino. He also worked to build networks between various charitable organizations to address social emergencies through justice and solidarity.

Bishop Di Tora, the emeritus auxiliary bishop of Rome and former director of Caritas Rome, described the start of the cause as a great joy for the Caritas community. Luigina Di Liegro, the niece of the priest and founder of the Di Liegro Foundation, attended the announcement.

Pope Leo XIV met with Uruguayan bishops on Friday, September 18, 2026, during their ad limina visit to Rome. During the meeting, the bishops presented the Pope with a collective document containing the thoughts, hopes, and concerns of people from across Uruguay. This collection includes letters and drawings from children, as well as testimonies regarding the people's expectations for the Pope's upcoming visit to the country.

Bishop Milton Tróccoli, president of the Uruguayan Episcopal Conference and bishop of Maldonado-Punta del Este-Minas, and Cardinal Daniel Sturla, archbishop of Montevideo and vice president of the Uruguayan Episcopate, described the meeting as warm. They shared the challenges facing the Church in Uruguay, including secularism, family issues, violence, drug trafficking, evangelization, and peace.

The meeting took place approximately two months before the Pope's apostolic journey to Latin America. The Pope is scheduled to visit Uruguay from November 6 to 8, 2026, as part of a larger trip to the region that runs from November 6 to 17.

Pope Leo XIV will visit France from September 25 to 28 for his fifth international apostolic journey, according to Holy See Press Office director Matteo Bruni. The four-day trip includes stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz to engage with civil authorities, young people, and the Church.

During his time in Paris, the Pope will visit UNESCO to discuss art, education, the environment, and artificial intelligence. He is also scheduled to hold a vigil with young people at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on September 25. Bruni noted that the visit comes as France experiences a growing Catholic community, citing the 13,000 catechumens who received baptism this past Easter.

In Metz, the Pope will participate in an encounter focused on peace, unity, and the future of Europe, where representatives from the European Union are expected to be present. The journey aims to address various national and continental challenges, including secularization, Catholic education, and the role of the Church in modern society.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, urged nations to establish common rules for governing artificial intelligence to address risks to humanity. Speaking on the sidelines of the "Faith and Reason in the Age of Artificial Intelligence" conference at the Italian Parliament in Rome on Sept. 16, Parolin expressed concern that some countries may attempt to regulate the technology independently rather than through international cooperation.

Parolin noted that because artificial intelligence is a global phenomenon, it requires the participation of all nations and supranational organizations. He supported a recent appeal by Italian President Sergio Mattarella for greater collaboration among states regarding technology governance. While the Holy See aims to present guiding principles, Parolin stated that the responsibility for determining specific forms of cooperation lies with the relevant authorities.

During a Q&A session with journalists, Parolin also discussed the personal use of the technology, noting that he does not use artificial intelligence to draft his homilies. He described the technology as being all intellect without heart, contrasting it with the personal touch he intends to bring to his preaching.

Nearly 600,000 people registered for the open-air Mass with Pope Leo XIV at the Place de la Concorde and the Champs-Élysées before registration closed on September 16. Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris announced the high turnout, noting that the large response required organizers to expand the security perimeter beyond the original plan.

The Mass is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 26. According to the Archdiocese of Paris, gates will open at 9 a.m., and the Pope is expected to arrive at the Champs-Élysées at 1:45 p.m. To accommodate the crowds, the diocese established an overflow zone stretching from the Place de l'Étoile along Avenue de la Grande-Armée toward Porte Maillot.

Registration for the event opened on August 10, with more than 200,000 people signing up within the first few hours. General coordinator Hervé Wattecamps reported that approximately 8,000 new registrations arrived daily during the final period leading up to the closure. Additionally, all 80,000 places for the youth vigil at the Stade de France on September 25 were claimed within hours of opening.

While preparations continue for the papal visit from September 25 to 28, the French bishops' conference still requires more than 21 million euros to cover the total costs of the trip.

Pope Leo XIV met with members of the Leo XIV International Study Center on September 18, 2026, to encourage the group to use critical thinking and dialogue to help build a civilization of love. The center, which was established in December 2025, is an initiative of the Augustinian Order.

Based in the Santo Spirito monastery in Florence, the center focuses on research, training, and culture, specifically regarding international relations and public life. The Pope invited the center to promote training in politics and public life as a way to serve the common good and build peace. He noted that the choice of Florence as a headquarters serves as an invitation to draw inspiration from humanism.

The center collaborates with the Theological Faculty of Central Italy and the Augustinianum Pontifical Patristic Institute. According to the Pope, the center aims to engage in dialogue with universities, academic institutions, public bodies, civil society organizations, and various Church networks to foster international collaboration.

The beatification of Venerable Fulton J. Sheen is scheduled for Sept. 24 in St. Louis. Sheen will become the first American-born bishop to be beatified and the first television host to be formally recognized as blessed by the Church.

An auxiliary bishop of New York from 1951 to 1966, Sheen previously taught at The Catholic University of America and broadcast a weekly radio program at NBC studios. During his time in New York, he directed the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, which connects American Catholics to global missionary work.

Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks of New York said he is filled with joy regarding the upcoming event. He noted that Sheen's ministry demonstrates how evangelization can connect people to the mission of the Church. Other bishops described Sheen as an evangelist and communicator whose influence grew from a life of prayer and sacrifice.

Pope Leo XIV presided over the Rome Diocesan Assembly at St. John Lateran Basilica on Friday, September 18, to officially open the new pastoral year. During the meeting, the Pope encouraged priests to share responsibility with laypeople rather than centralizing parish life around themselves. He stated that a community depending entirely on a priest is fragile and that leadership should focus on generating communion and valuing the talents of others.

The Pope introduced a method called pastoral verification to guide diocesan action. This process asks communities to pause and analyze their activities to see what has been fruitful and what has not worked. He instructed the diocese to focus not on what to do, but on whom to find, emphasizing that pastoral work must begin with meeting people.

During the assembly, the Pope also announced the start of a cause for the canonization of Luigi Di Liegro, the founder and first director of Caritas Rome. Leo XIV presented Di Liegro as a model for pastoral work, noting his commitment to listening to the reality of the city before taking action.

Cardinal Baldo Reina, the vicar for the Diocese of Rome, welcomed the Pope and noted that the assembly included representatives from parish communities and various participation organizations.

Pope Leo XIV has released his message for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will take place on Sunday, September 27. The theme for this year is "Even one of these children," a title drawn from the Gospel of Matthew.

The Pope chose this theme to highlight the vulnerability of minors who experience migration and displacement. He noted that millions of children and young people are forced to leave their homes due to war, poverty, violence, and natural disasters. The message emphasizes the Church's duty to care for these children and protect their rights and dignity.

In the Diocese of Piacenza–Bobbio–San Colombano, a solemn Mass will be celebrated at San Francesco in Piacenza at 11:00. Offerings collected in all parishes during the day will be sent to Migrantes in Rome. In the Diocese of Ventimiglia–San Remo, priests are instructed to send collections gathered on September 27 to the economic office by October 10.

Pope Leo XIV called for a shared pastoral evaluation of parishes in the Diocese of Rome during an assembly at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. The process aims to help communities focus on encountering Christ, building community, and serving the city by doing less but doing it better.

Pope Leo XIV appointed Dom Antônio Fontinele de Melo as bishop of the Diocese of Rio Branco on Friday, September 18. Fontinele de Melo transfers from the Diocese of Humaitá in Amazonas to lead the diocese in Acre.

He has been serving as the apostolic administrator of Rio Branco since the resignation of Bishop Joaquín Pertíñez. The National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) issued a statement welcoming the appointment and offering prayers for his new mission.

Fontinele de Melo is 58 years old and was ordained a priest on September 18, 1999. He previously served in the Archdiocese of Porto Velho as a parish priest, rector, and pastoral coordinator. His academic background includes studies in philosophy, theology, higher education methodology, and sacred scripture.

Pope Leo XIV received members of the Pope Leo XIV International Study Center at the Vatican Apostolic Palace on September 18, 2026. The center, which is an initiative of the Augustinian Order, is based in Florence.

The center aims to promote dialogue and training regarding contemporary global challenges through the lens of the social doctrine of the Church. According to the Holy See Press Office, the center intends to collaborate with universities, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and various ecclesial bodies at both national and international levels. This work includes partnerships with the Theological Faculty of Central Italy and the Augustinianum Pontifical Patristic Institute.

During the audience, the Pope encouraged participants to be experts in the news that comes from God rather than focusing on rapid or efficient worldly news. He noted that the center's location in Florence serves as an invitation to engage in dialogue and encounter those with different perspectives.

Francesca Romana Stasolla presented the first volume of a book documenting archaeological excavations at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on 17 September 2026. The presentation took place at La Sapienza University in Rome.

Professor Stasolla, who leads the research, told Vatican News that the project works in close cooperation with local communities to reconstruct a shared history. The volume contains scientific reports regarding the excavations at the site.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced on Sept. 16, 2026, the formation of a task force on artificial intelligence following meetings with technology leaders and lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, California, will chair the group.

Bishop Cantú said the task force intends to carry out the vision of Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical on AI, Magnifica Humanitas. The group aims to convene, listen, and teach to ensure technology assists human dignity, families, and healthy societies. Bishop Cantú noted that the rapid development of AI affects everyone, including parishioners, teachers, and students, and the task force seeks to bring these voices to the public square to encourage responsible actions from technology companies and politicians.

Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad gave an interview to Vatican News to mark the release of his book, A Journey of Hope, and to reflect on the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council declaration Nostra Aetate.

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue said the declaration acted as a theological and institutional seed that helped turn the council's ideas into a permanent part of the Church's structure and mission. He noted that religious relations have shifted from mistrust or ignorance toward friendships between leaders, shared social and educational projects, and joint statements during humanitarian crises and wars.

Cardinal Koovakad stated that fraternity is lived out within families, schools, and church assemblies. He also emphasized that dialogue requires clarity regarding one's own identity, noting that it is not the same as syncretism or relativism.

EWTN will provide live coverage and special programming for the beatification of Venerable Fulton Sheen on Sept. 24, according to Catholic News Agency. The broadcasts will highlight Sheen's life, legacy, and influence on Catholic media.

The White House has released a list titled President Trump’s Top 250 Victories For People of Faith to highlight administration accomplishments regarding various religious communities. The list spans 25 categories, including the protection of religious liberty, defending houses of worship, securing conscience rights, expanding school choice, upholding parental rights, defending life, and restoring biological truth.

Jenny Korn, the director of the White House Faith Office, stated in an interview with EWTN News that the office reports directly to the president to work on policies affecting religious institutions and people of faith. Korn noted that the office aims to ensure faith remains a central part of community service.

Among the items mentioned is recent guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice directing federal departments and agencies to protect religious liberty in all programs and practices. This guidance includes removing restrictions that previously prevented faith-based organizations receiving federal funding from including prayer or religious elements in their programs. The list also includes accomplishments related to strengthening protections for healthcare providers.