Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish

St. John’s Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. / Credit: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

CNA Staff, Sep 15, 2025 / 17:31 pm (CNA).

In what some are calling “the Charlie Kirk effect,” people across the nation, including many college students who are not ordinarily churchgoers, have decided to go to church since the assassination last week of the conservative Christian political activist Charlie Kirk.

Matt Zerrusen, co-founder of Newman Ministry, a Catholic nonprofit that operates on about 250 campuses nationwide, told CNA he has spoken with Catholic college ministry leaders throughout the country over the last few days, and “every one of them told me they’ve seen bigger crowds” at Masses and lots of people “they’ve never seen before.”

“I have not talked to anyone who has not seen an increase in Mass attendance,” Zerrusen said. “Some schools are reporting increases of 15%.”

He told CNA that many more college students are also asking for spiritual direction. “So many people are asking ‘What do I do?’ What is evil? How does God allow this?” Zerrusen said. “They are asking so many basic questions.”

One priest at a large state school in the Northeast told Zerrusen he spoke over the weekend with 15 young men he had never seen before who sought him out for faith advice. 

Zerrusen said the spiritual “revival” Kirk’s death has amplified comes amid one he has been observing for months.

He pointed out that more than 400 students at Texas A&M University in College Station are attending the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) class at St. Mary’s Catholic Center near campus.

Social media users say Kirk inspired them to go to church

Since Kirk’s death on Sept. 10, social media platforms X, TikTok, and Instagram have been flooded with posts from users saying they plan to go to church for the first time or to return to church, thanks to Kirk’s influence.

With more than half a million followers, X user @TONYxTWO posted a TikTok video on Sunday showing a young man saying he had to park “five blocks away from church because everyone wants to come now! Amen. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Charlie.”

Another X user who calls herself a “Devout Aggie” and “Catholic” who has nearly 15,000 followers said her son, who “is not a churchgoer,” asked her to go to Mass with him over the weekend, attributing it to “the Charlie Kirk effect.” 

The vicar general for the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City, Father John Evans, said on Monday that he had noticed a “slight increase” in Mass attendance over the weekend, but what was more unusual was what happened in the days immediately after Kirk’s assassination.

“People were coming together before Sunday, praying privately, some in groups, praying the rosary, and different prayers of different sorts,” Evans told KSL-TV in Utah.

A plane drops food aid over Rafah, in southern Gaza, in August 2025. / Credit: Anas-Mohammed/Shutterstock

Gaza City, Sep 15, 2025 / 17:01 pm (CNA).

Under the slogan “Christ died in Gaza,” a network called “Priests Against Genocide” says it sees “in the exhausted people of Gaza and in the Palestinian people living under occupation the presence of Christ himself who identifies with the poor, the hungry, the thirsty, and the stranger, as written in Matthew 25 of the Gospel.”

The network was founded in Italy by Catholic priests.

At an online press conference on Sept. 15, the group stated its purpose is to “pray and bear witness to a peace that is ‘disarmed and disarming’; support Christian communities in the Holy Land; denounce every war crime and every form of genocide — such as the one currently being committed against the Palestinians — and promote a culture of reconciliation and accountability.”

More than 550 priests from 21 countries — the majority of them Italian — have signed on to the initiative. Seven bishops from around the world, including the archbishop of Rabat, Morocco, Cardinal Cristóbal López Romero, have also joined.

Not ‘against anyone’

Speaking on behalf of the network, Father Pietro Rossini, an Xaverian missionary, said: “We cannot remain silent in the face of the tragedy affecting the Palestinian population in Gaza and the Occupied Territories. We do not speak as politicians but as pastors, as leaders of communities who believe in the Gospel and in the dignity of every human life. We do not represent only ourselves but also the communities entrusted to our care as shepherds in the Catholic Church.”

Rossini added: “Our message is not ‘against’ anyone but in favor of life and peace. We condemn the logic of war and violence wherever it occurs, and we call for respect of international law, United Nations resolutions, and the rulings of the International Criminal Court against those who oppress and extinguish innocent human life.”

Condemning Hamas and Israel

The priest continued: “For this reason, with the same strength with which we condemn the massacre of Oct. 7 [2023], the killings and kidnappings carried out by Hamas terrorists, we condemn even more strongly the disproportionate response, the violence, the killing of innocent people unjustifiably excused as ‘unintentional errors’ (as even the Italian president of the Republic has stated), the bombings of sovereign third countries, the war crimes, ethnic cleansing, the use of starvation as a weapon of extermination, and the genocide being carried out by the State of Israel against the Palestinian population.”

Rossini said the priests “feel the urgency to give voice to those who have none, to the innocent victims who cry out for justice.”

A call to commitment

At the conference, Father Rito Maresca from the Diocese of Sorrento-Castellammare said he felt compelled to join the initiative, describing its founders as “David against the Goliath of violence.” Father Nicola Colasuonno, rector of the Shrine of St. Guido Conforti in Parma, said he could no longer bear to see the violence and bombings.

Father Massimo Nevola, superior of the Jesuit house of St. Ignatius in Rome, said he immediately joined the network, already aware of the situation in the Holy Land. He said the president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference did not officially endorse the initiative, since he represents all bishops, but neither did he oppose it.

Prayer in Rome next week

The network adopted a logo created by artist Gianluca Costantini, bearing the English phrase: “Christ died in Gaza.” The drawing is inspired by a real image of a Palestinian mother mourning her deceased son, Mohammed Zakaria.

The first public event of the network is scheduled for Sept. 22 in Rome, on the eve of the closing session of the United Nations General Assembly. A prayer will be held in the Church of St. Andrew on the Quirinal followed by a march with several stops where testimonies of Palestinian lives will be read, ending at Montecitorio, where the Chamber of Italian Deputies is located. 

During the march, prayers will be recited, including the Our Father in Arabic. About 50 priests are expected to participate in the first gathering.

The Catholic University of America has announced that Taylor Black, director of artificial intelligence at Microsoft, will lead a new institute on emerging technologies and AI at the Washington, D.C.-based university. / Credit: The Catholic University of America

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 15, 2025 / 15:36 pm (CNA).

The Catholic University of America (CUA) announced that Taylor Black, director of artificial intelligence (AI) at Microsoft, will lead a new institute on emerging technologies and AI at the Washington, D.C.-based university. 

At the technology conglomerate, Black serves as the director of AI and venture ecosystems in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer. In the role, he designs and leads cross-company initiatives that integrate innovation, product development, and community engagement to foster the next generation of technologies. He will remain in the position but plans to travel regularly to CUA’s campus.

“Taylor’s background in innovation, AI, and entrepreneurship; studies in philosophy and law; and his formation as a deacon candidate make him the ideal person for this new venture,” H. Joseph Yost, senior vice provost of research for CUA, said in a statement. “From our first conversation, we knew he was the person we wanted to lead Catholic University’s expansion of AI programs and innovation.” 

Black received an undergraduate degree in philosophy and classics from Gonzaga University and a master’s degree in philosophy and a law degree from Boston College. His career took off after he created a successful web development business while still in school. He went on to hold consulting, business development, and venture positions before joining Microsoft in 2021. 

While working in the technology field, Black said he has noticed an increase in questions related to human dignity from his secular colleagues. The new institute will work to tackle some of the concerns by pursuing innovation in AI and engaging in dialogue about human issues central to the Catholic Church.

“The Church has been trying to get people to ask the question ‘What does it mean to be human?’ for a very long time. Now a bunch of people are asking it unprompted,” Black said in an interview with CUA. “This lends itself to addressing the gaping hole in understanding what people should know about what it means to be human in a deeper way.”

“Universities are for the formation of human persons. If you’re well-formed, you generally do a better job in the workplace,” Black said. He is interested in “how we reinvigorate the heart of what the university is — its human formation roots — while still providing the tools and training necessary from an entrepreneurial perspective to take this new economic paradigm in stride.”

The new AI initiative will bring faculty together from multiple departments including engineering, business, science, art, philosophy, and theology to engage collaboration within as well as outside the university.

The new institute follows a number of other advances at CUA. Earlier this year, the university achieved R1 status, which placed it among the top 5% of universities nationwide in terms of research funding and doctorates.

Pope Leo XIV celebrates the prayer vigil for the Jubilee of Consolation on Sept. 15, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 15, 2025 / 15:06 pm (CNA).

With a call to trust that Jesus is the one who dries the tears of those who suffer, Pope Leo XIV celebrated the prayer vigil for the Jubilee of Consolation in St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, Sept. 15.

“Redemption is mercy and can make our future better, while we still await the Lord’s return. Only he will wipe away every tear and open the book of history, allowing us to read the pages that today we cannot justify or understand,” the Holy Father told the faithful gathered in the Vatican basilica.

The pope delivered his homily after hearing two testimonies: that of Lucia Di Mauro, an Italian woman whose husband was murdered by a group of young men but who, with God’s grace, was able to forgive and help one of them recover; and that of Diane Foley, the mother of journalist James Foley, beheaded by Islamic State terrorists in 2014.

The Holy Father said that both stories convey the certainty that “where pain is deep, even stronger must be the hope born of communion” — a hope that “never disappoints.”

In this sense, he added, “that pain should not generate violence,” because this is not the final word, but rather “it is overcome by the love that knows how to forgive.”

“What greater liberation can we hope to achieve than that which comes from forgiveness, which, through grace, can open the heart despite having suffered all kinds of brutality? The violence suffered cannot be erased, but the forgiveness granted to those who caused it is a foretaste of the kingdom of God on earth; it is the fruit of his action that puts an end to evil and establishes justice,” he affirmed.

In his homily, the pope also invited everyone to “share God’s consolation with so many brothers and sisters who live in situations of weakness, sadness, and pain,” for the Lord does not leave those who suffer alone. “On the contrary, precisely in these circumstances we are called more than ever to hope in the closeness of the Savior who never abandons.”

Leo XIV indicated that it is true that sometimes words “are useless and become almost superfluous” in the ability to console, and “perhaps in such moments only the tears of weeping remain,” for these express the deepest feelings of a wounded heart.

“Tears are a silent cry that implores compassion and consolation. But even before that, they are liberation and purification of the eyes, of feelings, of thoughts. We should not be ashamed of crying; it is a way of expressing our sadness and the need for a new world; it is a language that speaks of our humanity, weak and tested, yet called to joy,” he affirmed.

The pope recalled that, in his “Confessions,” St. Augustine also wondered about the origin of evil and found the answers in Scripture.

“There are questions that draw us back in on ourselves, divide us internally, and separate us from reality. There are thoughts from which nothing can be born. If they isolate us and drive us to despair, they also humiliate our intelligence. It is better, as in the Psalms, for the question to be a protest, a lament, an invocation of that justice and peace that God has promised us.”

He explained that in this way, “we build a bridge to heaven, even when it seems mute. In the Church, we seek the open heaven, which is Jesus, God’s bridge to us. There is a consolation that reaches us when that faith, which seems to us to be “formless and wavering,” like a boat in a storm, “takes root in the heart.”

Before concluding his homily, Pope Leo XIV encouraged people to also seek consolation in the Virgin Mary, who keeps repeating: “I am your mother.” He also recalled that, as St. Paul suggests, “when one receives consolation from God, one is then capable of offering consolation to others.”

“Those we love and who have been taken from us by sister death are not lost nor have they disappeared into nothingness. Their life belongs to the Lord, who, as the good shepherd, embraces them and holds them close to himself and will return them to us one day so that we may enjoy eternal and shared happiness,” he affirmed.

As part of the program, Pope Leo XIV blessed wax medals depicting the paschal lamb, the “agnus Dei,” a symbol “to remember that the mystery of Jesus, of his death and resurrection, is the victory of good over evil.”

“He is the lamb who gives the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who never leaves us, comforts us in need, and strengthens us with his grace,” the pope told them.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV is pictured here with his Augustinian brothers in Rome on Sept. 15, 2025. / Credit: Courtesy of Augustinian Foundation Worldwide

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 15, 2025 / 13:00 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Monday received the participants of the general chapter of the Order of St. Augustine, with whom he said he felt “at home.” In his address, he reflected in particular on the theme of love, which the order’s founder, St. Augustine, “placed at the center of his spiritual quest.”

At the beginning of his Sept. 15 address, the Holy Father expressed his gratitude to Father Alejandro Moral, OSA, for his years of service and extended a warm welcome to the newly-elected prior general, Father Joseph Farrell, OSA.

Referring to the general chapter as an opportunity to reflect on the gift received, the challenges, and the current situation of the order, he reminded the Augustinians of the importance of “interiority in the journey of faith.”

He emphasized that this interiority is not “an escape from our responsibilities” but rather “a return to ourselves and then emerge with greater motivation and enthusiasm for the mission.”

“Returning to ourselves,” he added, “renews our spiritual and pastoral drive: We return to the source of religious life and consecration so that we may offer light to those the Lord places on our path.”

Vocations and the formation of young people

He then reflected on what he considers “a fundamental theme”: vocations and initial formation. Pope Leo XIV advised “not to fall into the error of imagining religious formation as a set of rules to observe, things to do, or even as a ready-made habit to be worn passively.”

On the contrary, he clarified that love is at the heart of everything and that “the Christian vocation, and in particular the religious vocation, is born only when one perceives the attraction of something great, of a love that can nourish and satisfy the heart.”

Therefore, he reiterated that it is essential to help young people in particular “to glimpse the beauty of the call and to love what, by embracing the vocation, they can become.” He added: “Vocation and formation are not predetermined realities: They are a spiritual adventure that involves a person’s entire history, and it is above all an adventure of love with God.”

Thus, he emphasized that love, which St. Augustine “placed at the center of his spiritual quest,” is also a fundamental criterion for the dimension of theological study and intellectual formation.

“In the knowledge of God, it is never possible to reach him only with our reason or with a set of theoretical information; it is, above all, a matter of allowing ourselves to be surprised by his greatness, of questioning ourselves and the meaning of events to discover in them the traces of the Creator, and above all, of loving him and making him loved,” he noted.

He also exhorted his Augustinian brothers to be generous and humble, two qualities that are born precisely from love, to have as their reference the “ineffable gift of divine charity,” and to be “faithful to evangelical poverty.”

Finally, he asked them not to forget “our missionary vocation,” recalling that since 1533 the Augustinians have proclaimed the Gospel throughout the world.

“This missionary spirit must not be extinguished, because it is sorely needed today as well. I urge you to revive it, remembering that the evangelizing mission demands the witness of humble and simple joy, availability to service, and participation in the life of the people to whom we are sent,” he emphasized.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Front view of Westminster Cathedral, London. / Credit: Adrian Pingstone on Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 15, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The first Catholic funeral of a member of the British royal family since the Anglican Reformation will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Sept. 16, that of the duchess of Kent, who converted to Catholicism in 1994.

The duchess of Kent — born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley — died on Sept. 4 at Kensington Palace at the age of 92. She was raised as an Anglican and in 1961 was married in that communion to Prince Edward, duke of Kent and grandson of King George V.

Her conversion to Catholicism began in the wake of personal loss and suffering.

In 1975, while pregnant with her fourth child, the duchess fell ill with measles and, following medical advice, had an abortion for medical reasons. In 1977, she became pregnant again and in a speech to the British Congress of Obstetrics, declared that human life was a gift from God and of unique value, as every birth is a miracle. She also paid tribute to those who fight to protect life and family.

However, she lost the baby at 36 weeks, an experience she described as “devastating” and viewed as punishment for the abortion performed two years earlier.

The duchess continued to practice Anglicanism and made the first of several visits to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham with the then-Anglican archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1992, the general synod of the Church of England approved the ordination of female priests. This led to the conversion of several Anglicans to Catholicism. The duchess of Kent would enter the Catholic Church in January 1994.

The duchess of Kent’s conversion was historic, as no member of British royalty had been received into the Catholic Church since the late 17th century, at least publicly. In 1685, King Charles II converted to Catholicism on his deathbed, although he had an Anglican funeral.

The duchess herself described her conversion as a “long-considered personal decision” and that she was drawn to the consolation and clarity of the Catholic faith. “I love guidance, and the Catholic Church offers it to you,” she once told the BBC. “I’ve always wanted that in my life. I like to know what’s expected of me.” In 2001, her son, Nicholas Windsor, also joined the Catholic Church.

Upon learning of the duchess’ death, Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster recalled “with fondness her presence in our community, especially her participation in the pilgrimage to Lourdes, as well as her lifetime of public service.”

The royal family’s website reported that the duchess of Kent’s funeral “will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 2 p.m. U.K. time.” The Mass will be attended by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

“Her royal highness’ coffin will be taken by hearse to Westminster Cathedral on Monday, 15th September, where the Rite of Reception and vespers will take place, on the eve of the Requiem Mass. Thereafter it will rest overnight in the Lady Chapel,” the announcement added.

Following the funeral, the duchess of Kent’s remains will be transferred to the Royal Burial Ground in Frogmore, Windsor.

“Flags will be half-masted at all official royal residences flying the Union flag on the day of the funeral,” the website reported.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV presides over an ecumenical commemoration of the martyrs and witnesses of faith of the 21st century at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Sept. 14, 2025. / Credit: Elias Turk/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 14, 2025 / 12:38 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV led an ecumenical commemoration of the martyrs and witnesses of faith of the 21st century at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Sunday, stressing that “even though they have been killed in body, no one can silence their voice or erase the love they have shown.”

The Sept. 14 liturgy brought together Orthodox, Eastern, and Protestant leaders along with ecumenical organizations and Vatican officials.

“Through his cross, Jesus revealed to us the true face of God, his infinite compassion for humanity,” the pope said. “He took upon himself the hatred and violence of the world to share the lot of all those who are humiliated and oppressed.”

Pope Leo, speaking on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, said that many believers still share in Christ’s cross.

“Like him, they are persecuted, condemned, and killed,” the pope said, pointing to women and men — religious, laypeople, and priests — who have died for their fidelity to the Gospel, their fight for religious freedom, and their solidarity with the poor.

The pope described their witness as “a hope filled with immortality” because it continues to spread the Gospel, cannot be silenced, and stands as a prophecy of the victory of good over evil.

He recalled Sister Dorothy Stang, murdered in Brazil after telling her killers “This is my only weapon” as she held up her Bible. He also remembered Father Ragheed Ganni, a Chaldean priest shot in Mosul, and Brother Francis Tofi, an Anglican religious killed in the Solomon Islands.

“Unfortunately, despite the end of the great dictatorships of the 20th century, to this day the persecution of Christians has not ended,” the pope said.

“We cannot and do not want to forget,” he said. “Just as in the first centuries, so too in the third millennium, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of new Christians.”

Pope Leo reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s commitment to keep alive the memory of martyrs from every Christian tradition, noting the collaboration of the Vatican’s Commission of New Martyrs with the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

Recalling the “ecumenism of blood” discussed at the Vatican’s recent Synod on Synodality, he said that the witness of Christian martyrs is “more eloquent than any word: Unity comes from the cross of the Lord.”

The pope ended by citing the words of Abish Masih, a Pakistani boy killed in an attack on a Catholic church who had written in his notebook: “Making the world a better place.” That dream, Pope Leo said, should inspire Christians today “to bear courageous witness to our faith, so that together we may be leaven for a more peaceful and fraternal humanity.”

The service also included prayers from representatives of different Churches for persecuted Christians, the conversion of persecutors, and a united Christian stand for justice, peace, and solidarity with the poor.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Illuminated drones reproduce Michelangelo’s “Pietà” over St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Sept. 14, 2025. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA

Vatican City, Sep 14, 2025 / 10:45 am (CNA).

St. Peter’s Square became the stage for an unprecedented spectacle on Saturday night as tens of thousands gathered for “Grace for the World,” a massive concert closing the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity.

The event opened with breathtaking symbolism: More than 3,000 drones illuminated the night sky above the basilica, tracing the image of Pope Francis, framing Michelangelo’s dome and Bernini’s colonnade in light. The display, a first for the Vatican, drew reverent silence before the crowd erupted in applause.

The moment was accompanied by a stirring duet of “Amazing Grace” performed by world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli and American singer Teddy Swims. Their voices rose over the hushed square, blending with the faint hum of the drones in an atmosphere of solemnity and awe.

After that, the Roman sky became a vast canvas. The drones depicted the hands from Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam,” followed by a monumental dove of peace and finally a striking image of the “Pietà,” Michelangelo’s famous marble sculpture housed in St. Peter’s Basilica. The projections, clear against the night, prompted ovations and a forest of cellphones lifted high to capture the scene.

Also projected was the icon of “Salus Populi Romani,” venerated in the Basilica of St. Mary Major and cherished by Pope Francis.

The innovative display set the tone for the evening: a call to universal fraternity, dialogue among cultures, and hope in times of global crisis. For the first time in history, St. Peter’s Square was transformed into an open-air arena for a concert of this scale.

The event marked the conclusion of the two-day World Meeting on Human Fraternity, which brought together 500 participants, including Nobel laureates, academics, cultural leaders, and experts in technology and the environment. Fifteen dialogue panels explored themes such as peace, care for the planet, technology’s impact, and the future of humanity.

In his greeting to the audience, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and president of the Fratelli Tutti Foundation, proclaimed: “In the midst of shadows, we see the possibility of a rebirth: the capacity to resist, to innovate, to build bridges.”

Bocelli, a practicing Catholic and one of the world’s most acclaimed tenors, was among the evening’s central performers. He opened with Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” transforming the square into a place of silence and emotion.

Colombian singer Karol G drew some of the loudest ovations of the night. She performed “Mientras me curo el cora” in a gospel-inspired style and closed with a moving duet with Bocelli of “Vivo per lei.” Dressed in an elegant, understated outfit, she was greeted with flags, shirts, and chants from fans who had crowded the front rows.

Alongside the music came urgent appeals for peace and justice. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Mozambican activist Graça Machel, and Iraqi Nobel laureate Nadia Murad all called for an end to war and violence, urging greater commitment to human dignity and fraternity.

Pope Leo XIV was not present at the concert, but organizers thanked him for his support and noted that he celebrates his 70th birthday Sunday.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV at a window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace leads pilgrims in reciting the Angelus, on Sept. 14, 2025, the pope’s 70th birthday. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Sep 14, 2025 / 09:55 am (CNA).

On Sunday, his 70th birthday, Pope Leo XIV presided at the recitation of the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. From the early morning hours, the square had filled up with the faithful carrying banners, flags, and congratulatory signs to celebrate the pope’s milestone.

Leo was visibly moved when musical groups in the square played “Happy Birthday,” a gesture greeted with applause, cheers, and the waving of signs bearing messages of gratitude and blessing.

“Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, commemorating the discovery of the cross by St. Helen in Jerusalem in the fourth century and the return of the precious relic to the Holy City by the Emperor Heraclius,” the pope said at the start of his reflection.

He explained that the day’s Gospel (Jn 3:13–17) presents Nicodemus as “one of the leaders of the Jews, a righteous and open-minded person … He needs light and guidance: He seeks God and asks the Teacher of Nazareth for help because he recognizes him as a prophet, a man who performs extraordinary signs.”

“The Lord welcomes him, listens to him, and eventually reveals to him that the Son of Man must be lifted up, ‘so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life’ … adding: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life,’” the pope said.

“God saves us by showing himself to us, offering himself as our companion, teacher, doctor, friend, to the point of becoming bread broken for us in the Eucharist. In order to accomplish this task, he used one of the cruelest instruments that human beings have ever invented: the cross,” Leo said.

“That is why today we celebrate the ‘exaltation’: for the immense love with which God has transformed the means to death into an instrument of life, embracing it for our salvation, teaching us that nothing can separate us from him and that his love is greater than our own sin,” he added.

After leading the Angelus, the pope noted the 60th anniversary of St. Paul VI’s institution of the Synod of Bishops, expressing hope that “this anniversary will inspire a renewed commitment to the unity and mission of the Church.” He also extended greetings to pilgrims from around the world.

At the close, he turned to a more personal meaning of the day: “Dear friends, it seems that you know that today I turn 70 years old. I give thanks to the Lord and to my parents; and I thank all those who have remembered me in their prayers. Many thanks to everyone! Thank you! Have a good Sunday!”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

null / Credit: Freedom Studio/Shutterstock

ACI MENA, Sep 14, 2025 / 08:09 am (CNA).

The death of Milad Farakh, a member of the Melkite Greek Catholic community from the village of Kafra in Syria’s Valley of Christians (Wadi al-Nasara), has stirred controversy on social media. About two weeks after his arrest and transfer to the Balouna Prison in Homs on charges of selling spoiled meat, reports emerged recently that he had died under torture, based on leaks.

A local source told ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, that the “spoiled meat” charge (Farakh was a butcher) was merely a cover to prevent unrest in the region. The source added that the security services themselves admitted Farakh had died under torture and issued an official apology. The officer responsible for interrogating him was also detained.

At the same time, the source stressed that media claims of “persecution of Christians” in Wadi al-Nasara do not reflect reality. 

“We have never felt any direct targeting. Relations between the local community and the security services are built on coordination, especially with the church authorities. Speaking of persecution here is inaccurate.” He summarized the main problems faced by detainees during investigations involve three things: denial of communication with their families, lengthy interrogation periods, and the use of torture.

From the perspective of Syrian security services, Farakh’s real charge was collaboration with foreign actors. 

“The authorities told us they had photos, videos, and audio recordings implicating him in the bombing of a car near the Valley Hotel about a month ago (officially attributed at the time to a fuel tank explosion), as well as in planting an explosive device in another location,” the source told ACI MENA. “He was also accused of receiving explosives and coordinating with outside groups to provoke media outrage and frame the events as persecution of Christians in Wadi al-Nasara, in order to establish an opposition front in the region.”urc

Despite these accusations, the source concluded: “We cannot confirm either his involvement or his innocence. He died before his side of the story could be heard or before a fair trial could take place.”

In a related development, the nearby city of Qusayr in Homs province recently witnessed a wave of arrests. Initially, they were described as an attempt to drive out Christians. Later it was learned that 30 people had been detained, most of them Muslims (both Sunnis and Alawites). Some have since been released, while about 15 remain in custody, including seven Christians, facing charges ranging from murder and rape to falsifying property records, according to the Syrian Ministry of Interior.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.