- 'The message of St. Óscar Romero is addressed to all without exception,' Pope tells pilgrims (Vatican Press Office)
St. Óscar Romero “repeated strongly that every Catholic must be a martyr, because martyr means witness, that is, a witness of God’s message to men,” Pope Francis told pilgrims from El Salvador. “On one occasion, he referred to confirmation as to the ‘sacrament of martyrs.’” - Synod fathers to vote on final document paragraph by paragraph; 1st draft already prepared (Crux)
“Rather than waiting for the drafting committee to do its work, the Synod office prepared its own working text to put before the group,” John Allen reported. “To some, that’s likely going to sound like an exercise in stacking the deck, essentially confronting the committee with a fait accompli.” - Pope Francis calls on religious believers to be builders of bridges, artisans of peace (Vatican News)
The Pontiff addressed his message to an Italian interreligious gathering for peace sponsored by the Community of Sant’Egidio. - Pope Francis canonizes Paul VI, Archbishop Romero, 5 other saints (Vatican Press Office)
In his homily for the canonization of Pope Paul VI, Archbishop Óscar Romero, and five other saints (video, booklet), the Pope emphasized that “Jesus is radical. He gives all and he asks all: he gives a love that is total and asks for an undivided heart.” The Pope used Paul VI’s chalice and wore Romero’s cincture during the outdoor Mass, which 60,000 attended. - Bishop Barron, at Synod, rues superficial religion texts, says gays and lesbians should be called to conversion (Catholic Herald)
“The Church’s first move in regard to everybody, in regard to gay and lesbians, is to reach out and say … ‘You are a beloved child of God,’” the Los Angeles auxiliary bishop said. “Now, having said that, the Church also calls people to conversion. So Jesus calls, but then he always moves people to fullness of life, and so the Church also has a set of moral demands to everybody, and it calls them to conversion.” - St. John Paul II left an indelible mark on the Church, Pope Francis says in letter (Vatican News)
The Pope wrote the letter on the occasion of a conference marking the 40th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s election. - Chinese leaders unleash mass detention of Muslims (New York Times)
Communist officials in Xinjiang (map) are targeting Uyghur Muslims. - At Synod, Polish bishops weigh in on discernment (Polish Episcopal Conference)
Bishop Marian Florczyk “emphasized that discernment does not mean approving every young person and each one’s actions or thoughts, but rather showing show people, in freedom and in truth, the moral value of their deeds,” according to the report. - Argentina feminist rally ends with Molotov bombs thrown at church (Crux)
According to the report, an estimated 50,000 feminists took part in the rally in Trelew, a city of 98,000. - Brazilian bishops decry intolerance, militarization (Fides)
“In the current electoral process, an anti-democratic movement wounds the supreme values ensured by the Constitution, appeals to hatred and violence, puts citizens against citizens and demonizes opponents,” Caritas and the bishops’ social pastoral commission warned. - Synod press briefing: bishops apologize to youth, cardinal says African issues have been overlooked (Vatican News)
On October 13, Cardinal Wilfrid Napier of South Africa, Cardinal Juan José Omella of Barcelona, and Ms. Corina Fiore Mortola Rodríguez, a lecturer in Song for Musical Theater in Guadalajara, spoke to the press. - 2 German states to investigate dioceses for abuse crimes (LifeSite News)
The two are Bavaria (map) and Lower Saxony (map). Munich is Bavaria’s capital, and Cardinal Reinhard Marx is archbishop of Munich and Freising. - In India, 7 Christians on trial for 2008 murder of Hindu leader (Fides)
Following the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, some 100 Christians died, and 50,000 fled their homes, during a 2008 anti-Christian pogrom in the eastern Indian state of Odisha (Orissa). Maoists claimed responsibility for the murder, but Christians are on trial. - Young people want a passionate faith that is 'intellectually and practically reliable,' English bishop says at Synod (Catholic Church in England and Wales)
Bishop Mark O’Toole of Plymouth is chairman of the Bishops’ Conference Department for Evangelization and Catechesis. - 'Coexistence group' tears down cross on Greek island that receives migrants, refugees (Greek City Times)
Pope Francis visited the island of Lesvos in April 2016. - Seminarian killed in Cameroon (Fides)
Archbishop Cornelius Fontem Esua of Bamenda said members of the military killed the seminarian after Mass. - At Synod, young participants discuss youth ministry, Iraq, scouting (CNS)
“In order to teach justice and mercy to our young people, the Church must first be a place of justice and mercy for our young people,” said Joseph Moeono-Kolio of Samoa. “Young people are tired of Pharisees, we need fathers.” - Prelates issue statements on Hurricane Michael (USCCB)
Hurricane Michael (October 7-16, 2018) was the 3rd-strongest hurricane in US history. - Irish bishop ordains diocese's 1st permanent deacons (Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference)
The Diocese of Down and Connor (map) is located in Northern Ireland. - Face abuse 'head-on,' don't 'run and hide,' synod youth say (Crux)
“This is the moment to not run and hide, but to face it upfront, and to have conversations about how to articulate the Faith to the generation that is questioning, especially because of this,” said Katie Prejean McGrady. “If, perhaps, those in power have lost credibility, then I think they need to apologize not only for what they’ve done, but then to also ask us what they need to do better —and then listen, with humility and openness, to our answers.”