- Bl. Carlo Acutis, Pier Giorgio Frassati to be canonized September 7 (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV will preside at the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati on September 7, the Vatican has announced. The canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis had been scheduled for April 27, the Jubilee for Teenagers, but was postponed because of the death of Pope Francis. The canonization of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati had been set of November 20. The scheduled canonizations were announced at a consistory of cardinals on June 13. The same consistory also approved the canonizations of: Peter To Rot, a lay catechist martyred in Papua New Guinea in 1945; Bartolo Longo, a Satanic priest who converted to Catholicism; Ignazio Choukrallah Maloyan, the Armenian Catholic Archbishop of Mardin, a martyr who died in 1916, during the Armenian genocide, when he refused to embrace Islam; and María del Monte Carmelo Rendiles Martínez, founder of the Congregation of the Servants of Jesus; Maria Troncatti, professed religious sister of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians; andJosé Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, a Venezuelan doctor who died in 1919. - All share in God's wealth, Pope writes in message for World Day of the Poor (Vatican Press Office)
“The poor can be witnesses to a strong and steadfast hope, precisely because they embody it in the midst of uncertainty, poverty, instability and marginalization,” Pope Leo XIV writes in his message for World Day of the Poor. The World Day of the Poor will be observed on Sunday, November 16. The papal message for the occasion was released by the Vatican on June 13. In his message the Pope reminds readers: “The gravest form of poverty is not to know God.” He says that in our commitment to the common good, “our social responsibility is grounded in God’s creative act, which gives everyone a share in the goods of the earth.” - Beijing expresses appreciation for Pope Leo's 1st Chinese episcopal appointment (Fides)
Lin Jian, the spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, welcomed Pope Leo’s appointment of Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Lin Yuntuan of Fuzhou.“China is willing to work together with the Vatican to promote the continuous improvement of China-Vatican relations,” the spokesman said during a June 12 press briefing. “This appointment has enhanced understanding and mutual trust through constructive dialogue.” - Pope asks Croatian faithful to direct themselves to God, 'first truth and supreme good' (CWN)
In a recent Latin-language letter, Pope Leo appointed Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, as his special envoy to the June 14 commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Archdiocese of Rijeka, Croatia. - Archbishop of Tehran pleads for peace (AsiaNews)
Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu of Tehran issued a call for prayer “that peace through dialogue based on a consensus will prevail” after a series of Israeli air strikes against Iran. “It is with regret that we observe in these last few hours, once again, that peace is sought through preventive attacks instead of committing to dialogue around the negotiating table,” the cardinal wrote in a message to the AsiaNews service. Cardinal Mathieu recalled that last year, in a meeting with Iranian Muslim leaders, Pope Francis had said that the cardinal’s role in Iran was “to integrate, include and be in contact with the nation.” There are about 22,000 Catholics in Iran, of a population of over 84 million. The entire Christian population accounts for less than 1% of the people in the overwhelmingly Islamic nation. - Fathers Mazzolari, Milani, Di Liegro: Pope Leo praises 20th-century Italian priests (CWN)
In his June 12 address to clergy of the Diocese of Rome (CWN coverage), Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to three 20th-century Italian priests: - Congressmen include USCCB, Catholic Charities in immigration investigation (CatholicVote)
A Congressional investigation is seeking information about more than 200 organizations—including the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Charities USA—about how those groups were involved in the handling of immigrants during the Biden administration. Congressmen Mark Green and Josh Brecheen—the chairmen, respectively, of the Homeland Security Committee and Oversight Committee of the House of Representatives—sought information from non-government organizations (NGOs) that had worked with the government in resettling immigrants. The goal of the investigation is to determine if government funds were used “to facilitate illegal activity.” In their letter to the NGOs, the lawmakers explained their concern that the Biden administration had encouraged illegal immigration “by signaling to those who arrived illegally or without proper documentation that they could expect such assistance, all expensed to American taxpayers, once they arrived in the United States.” - Congo bishops decry politician's charges against Church (ACI Africa)
The Catholic bishops of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have denounced attacks against the public role of the Catholic Church by the country’s deputy prime minister, Jean-Pierre Bemba. The bishops’ conference issued a statement noting “with great consternation—but not real surprise—the nonsense spoken by Mr. Jean-Pierre Bemba” in which the politician had charged that the country’s bishops were plotting to destabilize the government of President Felix Tshisekedi. - Italian bishops, government sign accord to promote legal immigration (CWN)
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, and Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi have signed a memorandum of understanding. The Italian bishops’ newspaper reported that the two-year agreement has the “aim of enhancing legal migration, allocating reception and inclusion initiatives to migrants who are entitled to it.” - Cardinal vicar: 809 diocesan priests in Rome, over 7,000 other clergy (CWN)
During Pope Leo XIV’s audience with the clergy of the Diocese of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina offered an overview of the priests who serve there. - Jesuit superior in Holy Land: Our leaders 'seem to have no conscience' (CWN)
Father David Neuhaus, SJ, superior of the Jesuits in the Holy Land, lamented the suffering there in a front-page article in the June 12 edition of the Vatican newspaper. - African religious superiors urged to address sexual abuse of nuns (CWN)
In a recent address to the Conference of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar, a Zambian religious sister urged the superiors to address the sexual abuse of nuns by priests or other sisters. - USCCB: 'Tell the Senate to reject cuts to lifesaving aid' (USCCB)
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has urged the faithful to “let your Senator know that you are deeply concerned about the proposed rescissions package eliminating lifesaving assistance programs.”“Last week, the White House sent a package of cuts to already appropriated aid, called rescissions, to Congress for approval,” according to the action alert, distributed via email on June 12. “This new rescissions package has passed the House and is expected to eliminate even more vital international assistance programs that families and children depend on.”“Funding for these programs was already approved by both Democrats and Republicans in March,” the bishops’ conference continued. “Millions of vulnerable people worldwide, including women and children, have been impacted by the disruption of international humanitarian and development assistance by the administration.” - Lebanese president meets with Pontiff (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV met on June 13 with President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon. A brief Vatican statement issued after the meeting said that the conversation had focused on the hope that Lebanon, “through the stabilization and reform process, would experience a new season of political harmony and economic recovery, enabling it to strengthen the ideals of coexistence among faiths and the promotion of development that characterize it.” The meeting also included a more general discussion of the need for peace in the Middle East. - Spanish PM discusses human dignity with Pontiff, invites him to visit Spain (CWN)
Pope Leo XIV and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez spoke by telephone on June 11. - Gallup poll finds jump in belief that religious influence is growing (Washington Times)
A new Gallup poll reports a sharp increase in the number of Americans who believe that the influence of religious faith is growing. Gallup found that 34% of adults in the US see religious influence as on the rise, as against only 20% who felt the same way last year. Although a majority of Americans (59%) say that the influence of faith is in decline, that number is down dramatically from the results of a similar survey last year, in which 75% of respondents saw religion in decline. - CCHD highlights efforts to promote affordable housing in California (USCCB)
The Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the US bishops’ anti-poverty program, highlighted its efforts to promote affordable housing in California in its new newsletter.“In March 2025, the state’s median home price was a staggering $884,350, according to the California Association of Realtors, and it’s expected to rise again this year,” the newsletter stated.In 2023, the program had an operating deficit of $11,412,329, leading to net assets of negative $2.3 million at year’s end. Ralph McCloud, who was named director of CCHD in 2008, resigned from his position in 2024. - Pope restores tradition of imposing pallium on archbishops (CWN)
Pope Leo will impose the pallium on new archbishops during Mass on June 29, restoring a tradition that was discontinued by Pope Francis in 2015. - Pope thanks priests of Rome diocese, encourages unity (Vatican News)
“I thank you for your lives given in service to the Kingdom,” Pope Leo XIV told the priests and deacons of the Rome diocese at a June 12 meeting. In an upbeat address, the Holy Father emphasized the need for unity in the lives of the clergy: unity with Jesus Christ, with each other, and with the Church. He recognized that “this communion is today hindered by a cultural climate that promotes isolation or self-reference.” Pope Leo assured the clerics of Rome that “I would like to help you, to walk with you, so that each one may regain serenity in his ministry; but precisely for this, I ask you for a renewed effort in priestly fraternity, which is rooted in a solid spiritual life, in the encounter with the Lord and in listening to His Word.” - Pope Leo encourages traditional June devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus (CWN)
At the conclusion of his June 11 general audience, Pope Leo encouraged devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus during June, the month dedicated to the Sacred Heart.