Edition of Thursday, September 24

Pope Leo XIV will travel more than 19,000 miles on 14 flights during a trip to Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay from Nov. 6 to 17, according to a Vatican schedule released Sept. 21. This visit marks the first trip to Latin America of his pontificate and his longest international journey to date.

During the 12-day trip, the pope will celebrate nine public Masses, visit seven cathedrals, and preside over two prayer vigils in stadiums. The journey begins Nov. 6 with a 14-hour, 6,900-mile flight from Rome to Montevideo, Uruguay. He will visit Uruguay from Nov. 6 to 8, marking the first papal visit to the country since 1988.

The itinerary includes a 2,200-mile flight from Buenos Aires to Lima and a military helicopter flight on Nov. 14 to the Andes mountain town of Santa Cruz de Succhabamba, Peru. The trip concludes in Chiclayo, Peru, where the pope served as bishop from 2015 to 2023. The final flight from Lima to Rome will cover 6,700 miles.

President Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 22 that he must decide whether to reach a deal with Iran or to annihilate the Islamic Republic. During his speech, Trump stated he might choose to destroy the nation quickly to prevent it from killing or destroying other countries and people, adding that he could drive them into hell without hope for future generations.

These comments repeat a threat that Pope Leo, Catholic bishops, and other world leaders have denounced as morally unjustifiable. Trump suggested a deal might be reached after the election. He also noted that while the Republican Party is running in the midterm election, he is not running, having previously won in a landslide.

The president's remarks come as his approval rating for foreign affairs reached 29% in a CNN/SSRS survey, a decline pollsters attribute to the Iran war. Following the speech, Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi met with U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner for three hours, though reports indicate deep distrust remains.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his hope that the example of Archbishop Fulton Sheen will inspire people to find new ways of spreading the Gospel with joyful enthusiasm. During a general audience on September 23, the pope spoke about the upcoming beatification of the American bishop, which was scheduled for September 24 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Archbishop Sheen was a media pioneer known for his 1950s television program "Life is Worth Living" and served as the bishop of Rochester, New York, from 1966 to 1969. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the papal legate, is scheduled to preside at the beatification Mass.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle declared Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen blessed during a Mass in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 24, 2026.

During his homily, Cardinal Tagle highlighted the piety and missionary zeal of the American evangelizer. He noted that Sheen represented values such as humility, solidarity with the poor and sick, and a living connection to Christ. Sheen was a 20th-century theologian, teacher, preacher, and pioneer in Catholic communications.

The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations appealed to Pope Leo XIV and other global faith leaders to help save Ukrainian civilians facing starvation due to a Russian blockade. In a Sept. 19 appeal, the council called for urgent action to address a humanitarian catastrophe in Oleshky, a city in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region.

The council reported that more than 6,000 people, including approximately 200 children, are trapped in a gray zone near the front line under temporary Russian occupation. According to the council, Russian forces have imposed a humanitarian blockade, with the last food supplies delivered to the area at the end of May. The Institute for the Study of War confirmed in a Sept. 17 assessment that Oleshky has not received food deliveries since May 26.

The Institute for the Study of War stated that Russia has used deprivation and bureaucratic mismanagement as weapons, leaving thousands at risk of starvation, disease, and abuse. Drone attacks, mines, and occupation forces have prevented residents from fleeing the area. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha noted in a Sept. 21 post that Russian officials have repeatedly refused to allow humanitarian aid or evacuations.

The Permanent Council of the Italian Episcopal Conference met in Rome from September 21 to 23 to discuss ways to transmit faith in a modern context. Led by President Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the bishops addressed an invitation from Pope Leo XIV for Church communities to be more free to announce Christ.

The council emphasized the importance of critical thinking to help believers engage with cultural changes. The bishops noted that faith can no longer be assumed as a given, even for those active in parishes. To address this, the council suggested focusing on adult formation, the role of schools in protecting the capacity to think, and the revision of Church structures.

The final communiqué also highlighted the role of the laity in bringing Christian thought into public spaces where collective decisions are made. This discussion included reflections on the 50th anniversary of the ecclesial conference on evangelization and human promotion, referencing the contributions of Monsignor Enrico Bartoletti.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Silvio Pereira de Castro as the new auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of São Miguel Paulista in Brazil. The appointment, which fulfills a request from Bishop Algacir Munhak for pastoral assistance, also assigns de Castro the titular see of Mauriana.

A member of the local clergy, de Castro has served as the rector of the diocesan seminary since 2010. He was ordained a priest on February 18, 2006, and has held several roles within the diocese, including cathedral vicar, diocesan bursar from 2012 to 2025, and parish vicar for the São Benedito pastoral area. Born in Cianorte, he studied philosophy in São Paulo and theology at the Pontifical Faculty of Theology Nossa Senhora da Assunção.

His episcopal ordination is scheduled for December 19 at the diocesan cathedral. De Castro indicated that his motto will be "With Mary to serve."

Pope Leo XIV will meet with sexual abuse victims and address French bishops during his visit to Lourdes on September 27. The private meeting with victims and the speech to the bishops are part of his pastoral visit to France scheduled from September 25 to 28.

The visit comes as the Church in France continues to manage the aftermath of a 2021 report by the Independent Commission on Sexual Abuse in the Church (CIASE). That commission estimated that hundreds of thousands of children were likely abused over a 70 year period. According to a survey conducted in France before the trip, the prevention of and fight against clerical abuse was the second most requested topic for the pope to address, following peace and global conflict.

Pope Leo XIV appointed Francesco Cesareo to the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences, a Vatican commission tasked with preserving historical truth. The appointment, announced Aug. 25, adds the Philadelphia-based educator to the research-oriented group that advises the Pope and the Curia on matters of historical importance.

Cesareo serves as an adjunct professor of history at Villanova University and St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. He stated that the commission works to nurture and pass historical truth to future generations while ensuring that information remains accessible and is not distorted by ideological perspectives.

The committee was established by Pope Pius XII in 1954 following World War II to address the challenges of political propaganda and information control. Cesareo's appointment comes as the Pope warns that failing to understand history accurately could result in a more dangerous political and technological future.

Pope Leo XIV received Portuguese President António José Martins Seguro for an audience at the Apostolic Palace on September 24, 2026. Following the meeting with the Pope, the President met with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, at the Secretariat of State.

During the discussions at the Secretariat of State, officials expressed satisfaction with the strong relations between the Holy See and Portugal. The talks covered socio-economic developments and the promotion of the common good.

The leaders also addressed regional and international issues, specifically the impact of global conflicts, migration, the importance of multilateralism, and respect for international law. They emphasized the urgent need for a constant commitment to supporting peace.

Pope Leo XIV received an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus the Good Shepherd from Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi during an audience on September 24.

The Apostolic Nuncio presented the image, which comes from Milejczyce in the Diocese of Drohiczyńskiej. Archbishop Filipazzi also gave the Pope a book titled "Pensieri sul soprannaturale," which contains selected thoughts from Cardinal Giuseppe Siri.

Pope Leo XIV will lead a prayer vigil for 80,000 young people on Friday, September 25, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The event is part of the Pope's apostolic journey to France, which continues until September 28.

Bishop Étienne Guillet said the youth are attending not only to celebrate but also to listen, pray, and seek God. Guillet noted that 1,500 of the expected participants are from the Seine-Saint-Denis department. The program will feature various figures of holiness from Church history in France.

The stadium gates open at 17:30, followed by musical performances from various artists starting at 18:30. The official vigil begins two hours after the music starts, featuring the Ecclesia Cantic choir of 2,500 singers, an orchestra, and a gospel music collective.

Pope Leo XIV has released a message for the 112th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, scheduled for Sunday, September 27, 2026. The theme, "Even just one of these children," focuses on the vulnerability of minors who are forced to leave their homes due to war, poverty, violence, and environmental disasters.

The Pope notes that millions of children and adolescents are displaced annually and calls on the conscience of the faithful to recognize their unique stories and needs. The message serves as an invitation for parishes to celebrate the liturgy on Sunday with a focus on reflection and fraternity regarding migrants.