Edition of Friday, October 23

Catechists from the local churches of Abruzzo-Molise are meeting today, October 24, 2026, in Termoli for a regional conference titled "The spirituality of the catechist." The event takes place at the Santa Maria degli Angeli parish within the Diocese of Termoli-Larino.

The Abruzzo-Molise Episcopal Conference Regional Catechetical Office and the Regional Catechetical Council organized the gathering to facilitate community reflection. The program includes morning sessions featuring biblical scholar Rosalba Manes, who will lead a reading of 2 Tm 3,14-17, and theologian Marco Tibaldi, who will present a lecture to prepare participants for afternoon discussions.

The conference was rescheduled from April. Bishop Claudio Palumbo of Termoli-Larino serves as the regional delegate for the doctrine of faith, announcement, and catechesis.

The Society of African Missions (SMA) began its 39th International Spiritual Year on October 1, 2026, at the Brésillac Center in Abomey-Calavi, Benin. The year is dedicated to prayer, discernment, and preparation for missionary life.

Sylestre Tchegbéhou, SMA, provincial counselor and delegate of the Superior of the Benin-Niger Province, presided over the opening Mass. The formation team members Luc N’Dah, Andrzej Grych, Athanas Dotto, Abel Attikassou, and Antonio Porcellato concelebrated the liturgy with 42 seminarists.

The seminarists represent 12 countries. From Asia, participants come from India and the Philippines. From Africa, they represent Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Costa d’Avorio, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ciad, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia. This group marks the 39th class to participate in the program, which began in 1988.

Mommies Matter provides support to single, pregnant mothers in central Ohio through various practical and social services. Founded in 2018, the organization assists women during pregnancy, through childbirth, and into early motherhood.

The program offers maternity leave assistance, diapers, life-coaching sessions, and transportation via Uber rides. To foster community, the organization hosts monthly in-person enrichment gatherings where volunteers provide childcare and meals to help mothers build relationships with one another.

Founder and director Monica Flynn stated that the organization seeks to help every mother recognize her dignity and value.

The Diocese of Vitoria will host its third annual Holywins celebration on November 1 at the San Juan Bautista parish in Aretxabaleta. The event includes games and activities for children and families from 17:00 to 19:00 and features participation from the Peregrine Sisters of the Eucharist.

The festivities coincide with the installation of Father Francesco María de la Santísima Trinidad as the new priest for the Aretxabaleta and Goikolarra community. Bishop Juan Carlos Elizalde will preside over the solemn installation Mass at 12:30. Due to this ceremony, the regular 10:30 Mass is canceled.

The Diocese of Torino will host a residential formation week for priests from the Torino and Susa dioceses in Spotorno from November 9 to 13, 2026.

The program, titled "Rimanere umani," was created with the Facoltà Teologica to provide days of reflection, updates, and fraternity. While the sessions are designed for priests celebrating specific ordination anniversaries, such as 15, 20, or 25 years, the event is also open to all other priests in the dioceses.

The Diocese of Turin and Susa will begin its 2026-2027 catechesis program for young people on November 13, 2026. Titled "To See the Word," the program is led by Archbishop Roberto Repole and is designed for individuals between the ages of 18 and 30.

The sessions will take place at the Santo Volto complex located on via Val della Torre in Turin. This marks the fourth consecutive year the diocese has held this faith formation path for young adults.

The Diocesan Office of Catholic Education in Trujillo has released the official hymn for the upcoming visit of Pope Leo XIV to Peru. The song, titled “León, hermano del camino,” was performed by the Voces Vicentinas women's choir from the San Vicente de Paúl educational institution.

Jaime Montoya Ayala wrote the lyrics and music, while José Miguel Castro Biminchumbo provided the musical adaptation and choral direction. The music video features locations in Trujillo where Pope Leo XIV, formerly Father Robert Prevost, served. These locations include the Trujillo Cathedral, the Santo Tomás de Villanueva Convent, the Santa Rita de Casia parish, and the Nuestra Señora de Montserrat parish.

The Diocese of Osório will begin distributing 1,400 food baskets to families in vulnerable situations in the Litoral Norte gaúcho next week. The project will run for 12 months in partnership with the Cooperativa Econativa de Produtores Ecologistas Ltda.

The distribution is part of the Programa de Aquisição de Alimentos, a federal government program. The project involves an investment of R$ 87 mil to purchase products from family agriculture, including certified organic foods.

Father Luciano Motti, the pastoral coordinator of the Diocese, will coordinate the work with parishes, Pastorais Sociais, and Serviços de Caridade. The food baskets are intended for families previously registered by participating entities in accordance with municipal social assistance councils.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office for Child and Youth Protection will host a free one-hour virtual workshop on Nov. 20 at 1:00 p.m. to help professionals support grieving children and adolescents. The webinar, titled Walking Alongside: Becoming a Grief-Informed Ally for Children and Teens, is scheduled in recognition of Children’s Grief Awareness Month.

The session is intended for educators, counselors, administrators, and other professionals working with young people. Presenters Kelly Petersohn, a bereavement specialist, and Sarah Behm Guillén, director of the Eluna Resource Center, will discuss how grief affects different age groups. They will also share practical support strategies and resources for families navigating loss.

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone celebrated the annual White Mass for Medical Professionals on Oct. 22 at Mater Dolorosa Church. The Mass took place on the feast day of St. John Paul II.

A panel discussion titled "Faith at Work: Living the Catholic Faith in Secular Health Care" followed the liturgy. The panel included pediatric rheumatology specialist Dr. Cristina Saiz, nurse practitioner Amelia Komp, and nurse practitioner Dolores Meehan.

The Diocese of Osório elected a new diocesan coordinator for the Pastoral da Pessoa Idosa during a diocesan assembly held on October 22. The assembly took place at the parish hall of Nossa Senhora da Conceição in Osório.

The meeting included Bishop Jaime Pedro Kohl, priests, religious sisters, parish coordinators, and leaders from the 13 parishes where the ministry operates. Participants attended a lecture by Dr. Carmen Andrade from the Federal University of Santa Maria regarding the challenges of aging and the mission of the pastoral care for the elderly.

Outgoing coordinator Odete Meregalli presented a review of activities conducted between 2022 and 2026. Her report focused on work within local communities, particularly with elderly people in situations of social vulnerability. The new coordinator will serve for the 2026 to 2030 term.

The Polish Center for Shroud Studies invites the public to the sixth Day of the Shroud on October 24, 2026, at the Dominican Monastery in Lublin. Archbishop Stanisław Budzik, the Metropolitan of Lublin, serves as the honorary patron for the event.

The program includes presentations by Wojciech Kucewicz from AGH, Jan S. Jaworski from UW, and Władysław Sinkiewicz from UMK. Roman Bogacz from UPJP2 and Krzysztof Kaucha from KUL will also present, followed by Zbigniew Treppa from UG. After a panel discussion, the afternoon schedule includes a Rosary and Mass. The event will conclude with an online meeting with Aldo Guerreschi, the heir to Giuseppe Enrie's Shroud photographic materials. The center organized the day to coordinate researchers and pastoral workers studying the Shroud to promote scientific research and spiritual encounters with Christ.

The Archdiocese of Newark is highlighting Respect Life Month this October, an annual observance celebrated by the Catholic Church in the United States.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities provides digital and print materials, such as posters, prayer cards, and graphics, for use in parishes, schools, and ministries. These resources include webinars and action guides to assist with parish engagement.

A novena scheduled for October 22 to 30 focuses on protecting human life from conception to natural death. Each day of the novena includes a specific prayer intention, a reflection, and suggested actions. The Respect Life Office of the Archdiocese of Newark also serves as a liaison to clergy, religious, and laity to support the dignity of life and assist people in need.

The Diocese of Oviedo began a new course for the Teams of Our Lady on Sunday, October 18. Married couples and their accompanying priests met at the San Vicente de Paúl parish in Gijón to establish objectives and discuss the upcoming year's curriculum.

The Teams of Our Lady is a movement for marital spirituality that uses a specific methodology to help couples reflect on their faith within marriage. This year's program focuses on communion within the family. The curriculum consists of eight specific topics and a final review meeting.

Natalia Mouriz, who serves as a sector leader for Asturias and Cantabria alongside her husband Sergio, noted that the movement originated in France in 1939. The group meets in small sets of four or five married couples to study designated aspects of faith and marriage.

The Catholic community of travelers in the Diocese of Saint-Denis held a prayer vigil on October 1, 2026, at Sainte-Geneviève de Rosny. The event included singing, praise, and a reading of the Gospel.

The diocese scheduled similar prayer vigils for November 23, December 21, and January 18. These gatherings are open to everyone. Future meetings are intended to include teaching sessions to further gather the community of travelers.

The Diocese of Saint-Denis celebrated its 60th anniversary on Sunday, October 18, 2026. The anniversary coincided with the feast of the patron saint, Denis, and the 100th anniversary of the Œuvres Pontificales Missionnaires.

The day included guided tours of the Notre-Dame des Missions church in Épinay-sur-Seine and a walk to the Saint-Denis Basilica Cathedral. Religious congregations in the diocese hosted conferences, stands, and workshops during the afternoon. Bishop Étienne Guillet presided over the Mass that concluded the event.