The Church in the United Kingdom

Renovabis, a German Catholic aid organization, concluded its 30th Congress in Freising, Germany, on Friday, September 18. More than 200 experts from 26 countries gathered to discuss social polarization, digital echo chambers, and how churches can help build social cohesion.

Cardinal Mario Grech described synodality as an antidote to polarization. Participants also discussed the importance of dialogue, solidarity, and building community across social divides.

The organization plans to hold its next congress in Berlin in 2027. That meeting will focus on mental health in parts of Eastern Europe that have experienced war and significant social upheaval.

The director of the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative of Pax Christi International is calling for the preservation of the Spin Time community in Rome. The director described the community's Church-supported housing and solidarity projects as a model of Gospel nonviolence.

The community faces potential displacement following a fire. The director expressed the need to protect these projects to defend the hope of vulnerable people.

Fr. Marion Nguyen, OSB, shared reflections on the liturgical readings for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time under the theme The Whole Denarius.

Pope Leo XIV has called for a shared pastoral evaluation process within the Diocese of Rome to help the Church focus on its core mission. Speaking at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran on Friday, September 18, the Pope presided over the diocesan assembly marking the start of the new pastoral year.

The Pope proposed a method of pastoral discernment intended to help the diocese seek truth and realistically assess whether its activities have drifted from the mission of facilitating encounters with Christ. He suggested that this evaluation is not about increasing the workload, but rather improving the quality of existing work so that the Church can do less but do it better.

The process aims to focus on encounters with Christ, community, and service to the city. During his address to representatives from all 134 Roman parishes, the Pope noted that while many parish communities, associations, and movements work generously in evangelization and charity, the multiplication of activities can sometimes cause the evangelical meaning of their work to be lost.

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 will include stops in Paris, Lourdes, and Metz to meet with civil authorities, young people, and Church representatives.

During the visit to Paris, the Pope is scheduled to visit UNESCO to discuss art, education, the environment, and artificial intelligence. Bruni noted that the Pope intends to use his time in Paris to deliver a message for the entire European continent.

In Metz, the Pope will participate in an encounter focused on peace, unity, and the future of Europe, where representatives from the European Union will be present. The trip's agenda also covers the situation of the Church in France and Catholic education.

Pope Leo XIV met with Uruguayan bishops on Friday, September 18, 2026, during their ad limina visit to Rome. The bishops presented the Pope with a collective document containing the thoughts, concerns, and hopes of people from across Uruguay. This two-volume collection includes letters and drawings from children, as well as a synthesis of major themes, to provide the Pope with an overview of the experiences and expectations of the Uruguayan people.

During the meeting, Cardinal Daniel Sturla, archbishop of Montevideo and vice president of the Uruguayan Episcopal Conference, and Bishop Milton Tróccoli, bishop of Maldonado-Punta del Este-Minas and president of the conference, discussed several challenges facing the Church in Uruguay. These include secularism, family life, violence, drug trafficking, and evangelization. The bishops also thanked the Pope for his work regarding peace.

The meeting took place approximately two months before the Pope's apostolic journey to Latin America, which begins in Uruguay from November 6 to 8, 2026. During that trip, the Pope is scheduled to visit Florida, Paysandú, and Montevideo.

The European Synodality Conference in Wels, Austria, concluded with participants identifying baptism, listening, relationships, and a new culture of leadership as priorities for the future of the Church. The three day event brought together 187 representatives from 31 countries to discuss the direction of the European Church.

At the end of the symposium, conference chair Klara Csiszar proposed creating a European Church Forum for Interpreting the Signs of the Times.

The documentary short Green Lava begins its qualification process for the Academy Awards with a screening in Beverly Hills on September 18. Produced in collaboration with the Vatican, the film follows Giacomo Mattivi, a young man living with a rare muscle disease.

Mattivi told Vatican media that the opportunity to enter the Oscar race is a chance to reach as many people as possible with the film's message. Director Lia Beltrami described the story as a life lived in faith. Paolo Ruffini characterized the documentary as an antidote to clouded eyes.

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.

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.

Cardinal Reina, the Vicar General of Rome, called for a stronger connection between the Pope and the Diocese of Rome.

Speaking to Vatican News, Cardinal Reina discussed the state of the Church in the Eternal City. He noted that while hunger is not a primary struggle in Rome, many people suffer from loneliness.

A new report on Catholic generosity in the United Kingdom calls for donors, charities, dioceses, and financial professionals to collaborate more closely to align wealth and charitable giving with faith.

Charitable organizations in Paris are preparing for Pope Francis to visit the Maison Bakhita Center for Social Support and Integration.

Representatives from these groups described their work in the French capital, which includes hosting philosophical cafes to bring together homeless individuals and women. These organizations aim to build equal relationships among all participants. Members of these groups noted that they follow the advice of Pope Francis to remain small.

The Episcopal Commission for Priestly and Religious Vocations, Seminaries, and Novitiates held a seminar on artificial intelligence for lecturers and formators in Burundi. The course targeted those working in seminaries and religious houses of formation.

The seminar drew inspiration from the encyclical Magnifica Humanitas by Pope Leo XIV.

UNICEF warns that children in Yemen are facing the most severe consequences of ongoing fighting. The United Nations Children's Fund reported that the crisis for young people is worsening as conflict continues.

The organization appealed to all parties involved in the fighting to protect civilians, particularly children. UNICEF also requested that these parties do not block access for humanitarian aid.

Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity, stated that it is impossible to be a disciple of Christ and an antisemite at the same time.

In an interview with Vatican News, Koch reflected on the 60th anniversary of the declaration Nostra aetate. His comments coincided with the release of a publication titled A Journey of Hope.

Cardinal Victor Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, spoke with Vatican News to reflect on the 60th anniversary of the declaration Nostra aetate.

The interview accompanies the release of a new work titled A Journey of Hope. During the discussion, Cardinal Fernández stated that all religions stand for peace.

Pope Leo XIV released the English version of his book, Freedom Under Grace: Reflections on the Spiritual Tradition That Formed Me, on Tuesday, September 15. The book is available for sale in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and throughout the Commonwealth.

The text contains addresses, homilies, and personal writings from the time Fr. Robert Prevost served as Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine. According to a press release from Penguin Random House, the book uses the legacy of St. Augustine to explore the Pope's spirituality and his vision for community, solidarity, and service to marginalized people. The writings also address responses to the aftermath of 9/11, various political ideologies, and the Church's stance on human rights and poverty.

In the United States, the book is published by Image Books, an imprint of Penguin.

Villanova University has named Cardinal Michael Czerny as the first recipient of the Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal. Father Peter Donohue, president of the university, announced the selection during a press conference in Rome on Monday, Sept. 14.

Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to present the medal to Czerny on Oct. 13 at the Borgo Laudato Si' in Castel Gandolfo. The presentation will take place during the Villanova University International Sustainability Conference, which runs from Oct. 12 to 15.

The award recognizes Czerny’s work regarding human dignity, social justice, and care for creation. Czerny, a Jesuit and former prefect emeritus of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, expressed gratitude for the university's efforts to prepare students to address global challenges.

Bukavu held funerals on September 14 for 27 people killed in a school fire in the Cimpunda district. The blaze occurred on September 10 and claimed the lives of six adults and several minors who were students at the school.

The provincial coordination of the Civil Society of South Kivu described the situation as a humanitarian catastrophe. The group noted that a series of fires has affected the city for at least a week, destroying hundreds of homes, two schools, a church, and 66 shops in the Kadutu market. In Ponzi, 40 homes were destroyed and three people died, while 174 families in Nyamugo were left homeless. The civil society also cited Congolese administration figures from Uvira stating that 2,500 homes were destroyed by fire between July and August.

The civil society expressed concern that the M23 rebel administration, which currently controls Bukavu, has not investigated the causes of these fires or deployed fire services. The group also stated that the administration is collecting taxes from the local population without providing necessary services.

The Vatican has presented the first volume of a facsimile edition of the Aquileia Bible to the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and of Social Sciences. This medieval manuscript is currently kept in the Gorizia Cathedral.

The project uses digital innovation alongside traditional craftsmanship to reproduce the original work. This first volume is part of a larger effort to recreate all five volumes of the manuscript, a process scheduled for completion by 2031.

Bishop Viganò described the manuscript as a cultural heritage that helped shape the idea of Europe. The publication aims to make this significant example of medieval literature and handwriting art more accessible.

Jordan’s Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II visited Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the baptism site of Jesus Christ, to discuss planning for the 2030 millennium celebrations marking two thousand years since the baptism of Jesus.

Pope Leo XIV told staff at the Vatican Archives and Library that the library is a place for relationships and the exchange of ideas rather than just a collection of books.

Speaking to the employees, the Pope highlighted the importance of the mission both institutions carry out in service to the Church and the world. He noted that the library is built through the sharing of ideas and human connections.

The United Nations reports that nearly 60 Palestinians have been displaced in the southern West Bank over recent weeks after Israeli authorities demolished homes and other structures.

Hind Kabawat, Syria's Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, told Vatican News that dialogue between different religious and ethnic groups is helping the country rebuild following a decade of civil war. Kabawat, the only woman serving as a minister in Syria, identified Jesuit Paolo Dall’Oglio as her mentor.

Kabawat stated that the government must listen to people from all ethnic and religious backgrounds to ensure Syria recovers from the war. She noted that working together allows for significant achievements, while a lack of cooperation prevents progress.