Edition of Sunday, October 18

The Catholic Church Health Services is celebrating its 10th anniversary and holding its third national conference, according to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

Bishop Anthony James Korkoran, SJ, celebrated a thanksgiving Mass on October 18, 2026, at the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel in Bishkek to mark his formal installation as the head of the Catholic Church in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The Mass included several Catholic leaders from Central Asia, such as Archbishop Tomas Peta, Bishop Jose Luis Mumbiela Sierra, and Bishop Petr Pytlovana from Kazakhstan. Also present were Father Vasyl Hovera, the Apostolic Administrator for Byzantine Catholics in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, and Bishop Jerzy Matsulewicz, the Apostolic Administrator for the Catholic Church in Uzbekistan. Monsignor Vincenzo Marinelli, secretary to the Apostolic Nuncio in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, attended the service as well.

Priests from the Apostolic Administration of Kyrgyzstan and fellow members of the Society of Jesus assisted Bishop Korkoran during the liturgy. The service also featured the reading of a papal bull from Pope Leo XIV. The event brought together local parishioners, clergy, members of the diplomatic corps, and representatives from other religious groups.

The Colorado Catholic Conference published the first part of a 10-part series detailing the public policy priorities of Colorado bishops. The series begins with the sanctity of life, calling on the faithful to defend human dignity from conception until natural death.

The report outlines the Church's stance against abortion, assisted suicide, and the death penalty. Archbishop James Golka of Denver opened the 2026 Colorado March for Life in prayer.

Bishop Henry Juma Odonya presided over a Mass of Thanksgiving and the Sacrament of Confirmation at Tartar Parish. The event coincided with the centenary of missionary work and evangelization in the area.

During the Mass, which Father Julius Shibanda concelebrated, 390 members of the faithful received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Bishop Odonya also blessed the new convent for the Sisters of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Eldoret.

Bishop Henry Juma Odonya inducted more than 1,000 women into the Catholic Women Association (CWA) during a Mass at St. Joseph’s Parish on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The ceremony established the CWA Trans Nzoia Pastoral Region.

During his homily, Bishop Odonya encouraged the women to maintain a life of prayer, trust in God, and follow the example of their patron saint, St. Monica.

The event included Fr. Peter Nyamache, Fr. James Ndombi, Fr. Michael Khisa, Fr. Cyprian Tum, and CWA chaplain Fr. Boniface Wanyonyi.

Bishop Fernando García Cadiñanos stated that the current economic system, commercial relations, and power struggles are responsible for the suffering and deaths of many people.

In an interview with the newspaper El País, the bishop of Mondoñedo-Ferrol explained that these economic factors and the indignity of the modern world are at the root of migration. García Cadiñanos, who has led the Spanish Episcopal Conference subcommission on the reception and regularization of immigrants since 2024, noted that fear, ideology, and fake news also influence the issue.

Bishop Henry Juma Odonya hosted a luncheon on October 16, 2026, at St. Charles Lwanga Parish in Kapenguria to raise funds for the construction of the St. Joseph’s Pastoral Centre. Members of the West Pokot Pastoral Area and friends of the Catholic Diocese of Kitale attended the event.

The Bishop stated that the completed center will support various pastoral activities and create revenue to sustain Church ministries in the long term. He described the project as a long-term investment and a legacy for future generations of the faithful. During his address, Bishop Odonya thanked the priests, religious men and women, and the faithful for their contributions of time and resources.

Father-in-Charge Peter Nyamache urged benefactors and Christians to continue supporting the Bishop and the diocese in completing its projects.

Catholic Mission will open a photography exhibition titled Hope on October 23 at the Australian Catholic University’s North Sydney campus. The exhibit showcases the organization's global work over the last ten years to celebrate 100 years of World Mission Sunday.

Simone Medri, the communications and digital director for Catholic Mission, took the photographs featured in the collection. His images capture moments of faith, care, and connection within various communities. Medri, who has worked with the organization since 2013, said the photos represent his experiences living among the remote communities depicted in the work.

National Director Peter Gates said the exhibition serves to recognize simple moments of hope and celebrate the missionary spirit that connects Australian Church communities with local Church communities worldwide.

The staff of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands gathered on October 12, 2026, to commemorate World Teachers Day and celebrate staff milestones.

The gathering honored individuals contributing to the country's formal and informal education sectors. During the event, the staff also celebrated staff birthdays and recognized Sister Roshni for her 35th anniversary of service.