Pope Leo XIV releases the theme for the 2026 World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which focuses on the need for pastoral care for minors on the move.

The Catholic Church’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees will focus this year on minors on the move, recalling the duty to welcome each one of them as the Gospel teaches us. “Even just one of these children” is the theme that Pope Leo XIV has chosen for 112^th day, which will be marked on Sunday, 27 September 2026.

The decision was announced by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. The title is a reference to Matthew 18:5: “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” “With this choice, the Holy Father intends to express the Church’s concern for minors directly involved in migration, recalling the duty to welcome each one of them as the Gospel teaches us. Dicastery also notes that this “is not the first time that the Popes have spoken authoritatively on this issue, but the current migration situation presents new challenges that seriously threaten the rights and dignity of the youngest among us and require urgent and effective responses. Therefore, this is not a matter of discussing numbers or percentages, because ‘even just one’ has the highest value.”

Pope Leo will release a message a few weeks ahead of the World Day.

The origins of the World Day of Migrants and Refugees can be traced to 1914, a few months before the outbreak of World War I. Touched by the drama of millions of Italians who had migrated abroad since the beginning of the 20th century, Pope Pius X called on all Christians to pray for migrants.

A few months later, his successor Pope Benedict XV instituted the Day of the Migrant to spiritually and economically support pastoral work for Italian emigrants. In 1952, Migrant Day took on a broader and more international connotation, and Churches around the world were called upon to choose a date to celebrate the day during the liturgical year.

St. John Paul II was the first pontiff to issue, each year since 1985, a message drawing attention to some of the specific realities and difficulties of people on the move, calling the Church to action. In 2004, the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People extended the day to refugees, calling it the World Day of Migrants and Refugees.

At the behest of St. John Paul II, since 2005, the World Day of Migrants and Refugees has been celebrated by the Universal Church on the 2nd Sunday after the Epiphany.

On the 104th World Day of Migrants and Refugees, January 14, 2018, Pope Francis announced that the day would be marked henceforth on the last Sunday of September. (Vatican News)

Addressing journalists in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV asks “all people of goodwill to always search for peace and to reject war,” calls for a return to the negotiating table to pursue peaceful solutions, and notes that attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law.

“Search always for peace and reject war.” Pope Leo XIV renewed that appeal for peace in a brief statement on Tuesday evening to a group of journalists waiting for him outside Villa Barberini, the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo. Against the backdrop of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and the U.S. President’s threat to destroy “the whole Iranian civilisation” on Tuesday night if Tehran does not comply with a deadline set by the White House to reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the Pope said he wished simply to say, once again, “asking all people of goodwill to always search for peace and not violence, to reject war—especially a war which many people have said is unjust, which is continuing to escalate and which is not resolving anything.”

“Today, as we all know, there has also been this threat against the entire people of Iran. And this is truly unacceptable! There are certainly issues of international law here, but even more, it is a moral question concerning the good of the people as a whole, in its entirety.”

The Pope did not neglect to shine the light on the wide-reaching consequences of the conflict and said, “We have a worldwide economic crisis, an energy crisis, and a situation in the Middle East of great instability, which is only provoking more hatred throughout the world.”

Thus, Pope Leo urged, “Come back to the table. Let’s talk. Let’s look for solutions in a peaceful way.”

The Pope went on to remember all those who are being unfairly harmed in the conflict.”Let’s remember, especially, the innocent: children, the elderly, the sick, so many people who have already become, or will become, victims of this continued warfare—and to remind all that attacks on civilian infrastructure are against international law, and that they are also a sign of the hatred, division, and destruction that the human being is capable of.”

The Pope reiterated that “we all want to work for peace. People want peace,” as he called on all people to do their part.

“I would invite the citizens of all the countries involved,” Pope Leo concluded, “to contact the authorities—political leaders, congressmen—to ask them, to tell them, to work for peace and to reject war and violence. Thank you very much.”

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(By Deborah Castellano Lubov, Vatican News)

Pope Leo XIV meets with a delegation of Italian Olympic and Paralympic athletes who competed at the Milan-Cortina Games, and upholds the value of sport as a place of encounter and self-mastery.

Following the close of the Milan-Cortina Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in mid-March, Pope Leo XIV met with the Italian athletes who participated in the world’s premiere sporting event. In his address, the Pope said the competition spread a “noble human, cultural, and spiritual message” throughout the world.

“Sport, when it is lived authentically, does not remain merely a performance,” he said. “It is a form of language, a story made of gestures, effort, waiting, falls, and new beginnings. “Athletes showcased their well-trained bodies but also their stories of sacrifice, discipline, and perseverance.

“In the Paralympic competitions in particular “we observed how limitation can become a place of revelation: not something that hinders the person, but something that can be transformed, even transfigured, into rediscovered qualities.” Pope Leo praised the athletes’ solidarity with the many men and women of their families and teams who supported their sporting journey.

Sport, helps mature character and requires a firm spirituality, as athletes learn to know their body without idolizing it and to govern their emotions. “Training the mind together with the limbs, sport is authentic when it remains human, that is, when it remains faithful to its first vocation: to be a school of life and of talent,” Sport teaches us that true success is measured in the quality of our relationships, mutual esteem, and shared joy.

Recalling his letter Life in Abundance, released ahead of the Olympic Games on February 6, 2026, Pope Leo said an abundant life achieves harmony between corporeality and interiority. He recalled the ancient tradition of the Olympic truce, saying its value rings true in our time marked by polarization, rivalry, and conflict “By your presence,  you made visible this possibility of peace as a prophecy that is anything but rhetorical: breaking the logic of violence in order to promote that of encounter.”

At the same time, he added, sport carries the temptation to win at all cost, even through doping, or to succumb to market forces that raise athletes to celebrity status or reduces them to an image or number.

Pope Leo thanked the Olympic and Paralympic athletes for their witness that it is possible to compete without hatred, win without humiliating others, and lose without losing one’s sense of self-worth.

“Sport, if lived well,” he said, “becomes a laboratory of reconciled humanity, where diversity is not a threat, but a richness.” Pope Leo XIV noted the presence of the Cross of Athletes, which he said gathers the prayers, expectations, hopes, fears, and sufferings of all athletes under the banner of the Risen Christ.

“I entrust you with a mission,” he said, “to continue ensuring that the human person remains at the centre of sport in all its expressions.”… (By Devin Watkins Vatican News)

On the occasion of the launch of the NASA Artemis II Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, in an interview with Vatican media, affirms that “space must remain a common good, with clear legal norms and a sense of responsibility toward all humanity and future generations.”

Artemis II mission is the second mission of NASA’s Artemis lunar program and the first to carry astronauts. The mission includes a crew of four astronauts who will travel beyond Earth’s orbit to perform a wide flyby of the Moon, without landing. It represents an intermediate step toward Artemis III, the mission aimed at returning astronauts to walk on the lunar surface 53 years after Apollo 17, which concluded on December 14, 1972.

Space has increasingly become a subject of discussion within the United Nations. The number of satellites in orbit has grown exponentially in recent years, highlighting how space has become a constant theme in debates related to geopolitics, security, and international relations.

To explore the significance of space missions, the Caritas in Veritate Foundation, chaired by Archbishop Ettore Balestrero, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations Institutions in Geneva, has produced and released a video “Outer Space and Humanity at the Crossroads: A New Frontier of the Common Good.” The video offers and synthesizes reflections on the purpose of exploring the universe, bringing into dialogue science, theology, and international law, as well as the principles that should govern humanity’s relationship with it and among human beings in the face of this work of God.

The Mission of the Holy See in Geneva and the Caritas in Veritate Foundation, which works in collaboration with it, are concerned with space, which is God’s creation and obeys His laws. To reach Heaven, a supernatural concept, human beings must behave well also in space, which is instead a geographical concept, belonging to the physical and biological order. Space is not terra nullius; it is not a lawless field of conquest governed by the principle “first come, first served.” This is the origin of the publication’s title Space and Humanity at a Crossroads, and also of the content of the video. Humanity is already making decisions about space, moral decisions that will have long-term impacts and can either build up or destroy humanity.

The official Church cannot remain indifferent because of the above said reason.

Looking at space from an ethical perspective urges us to ask: “Is it right to pursue everything that we are technologically capable of achieving? How should we do it? What kind of reality and order do we want to build?” The ethical and multilateral perspective is precisely what the Foundation’s document… propose.

Space must remain a common good, with clear legal norms that, where necessary, are updated with a sense of responsibility toward all humanity and future generations.

It is the change in perspective experienced by all astronauts in space: the Earth appears small, fragile, without borders or divisions, a symbol of shared belonging and collective responsibility. This image contrasts with the reality of wars, abuses, and violence that emerge when we return to viewing the planet up close. Pope Benedict XVI recalled this in words that remain relevant today, during a dialogue with astronauts aboard the International Space Station: “I think it must be obvious to you how we all live together on one Earth and how absurd it is that we fight and kill each other. “So space too is a common home, with rules to be respected.

The Church’s central message is that we must not turn space into a jungle. It offers humanity a kind of second chance, inviting us to avoid many of the mistakes made on Earth. Space must be explored with responsibility, solidarity, and respect for subsidiarity, for the benefit of present and future generations. We must prevent it from becoming a theatre of uncontrolled competition, or worse, conflict. The first practical step the Holy See urges is respect for the Outer Space Treaty, signed by about 120 states, including all major spacefaring nations. In force for nearly sixty years (since 1967), it clearly establishes that the exploration and use of space must be carried out for the benefit and in the interest of all countries. The treaty defines space as the “province of all humankind.” The Holy See calls for strengthening existing legislation, not abandoning it, to avoid leaving some countries behind and to preserve care for creation, for example, through joint projects to remove space debris… (By Fabio Colagrande and Eugenio Murrali Vatican News)

The Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations has issued a poignant statement highlighting the ethical and legal risks of surrogacy, asserting that technology has “run laps around ethics.” During a side event of the 70th Commission on the Status of Women, the Mission emphasized that while some see surrogacy as a compassionate solution for aspiring parents, the practice often facilitates the systemic exploitation of women and children.

Central to the Holy See’s concern is the economic disparity inherent in the industry. The statement notes that surrogate mothers often cite financial necessity as their primary motivation, creating a “perverse competition” where the wealthy commission children from the poor. If poverty were eradicated, the Mission suggests, the surrogacy industry might struggle to survive. Furthermore, the document warns that even “altruistic” models can disguise payments or involve familial pressure on vulnerable women who lack independent legal or medical counsel.

The commodification of children is equally scrutinized. The Mission argues that surrogacy treats children as “products” rather than gifts, especially in cases where prenatal diagnoses of disability lead to rejection. Citing the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Holy See affirms a child’s right to be created through an act of love and to know their parents. Referencing both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV, the statement concludes that transforming gestation into a negotiable service violates human dignity and distorts the family. Consequently, the Holy See calls for a global end to surrogacy in all forms to protect against such violence.

In a landmark ruling, India’s Supreme Court has allowed the removal of life support of a 31-year-old man who has been in a vegetative state for more than a decade.

This is the first instance of court-approved passive euthanasia – the act of withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment – in India. The man, Harish Rana, had not left a will specifying directives for his treatment before he had an accident.

India legalised passive euthanasia in 2018 but active euthanasia – any act that intentionally helps a person kill themselves – remains illegal.

Rana was an engineering student at Punjab University in Chandigarh when he fell from the fourth-flour balcony of his paying guest accommodation. Rana suffered serious head injuries after falling and remained in a comatose state since then.

He has been breathing with the help of a tracheostomy tube and is fed through a gastrostomy tube. He cannot speak, see, hear or recognise anyone, his parents have said. Over the years, his parents petitioned courts several times to allow their son’s life support system to be removed.

They have said in interviews to local media that they had exhausted all their savings caring for Rana and were worried about what would happen to him after they died.

In 2024, they approached the Delhi High Court seeking passive euthanasia for their son, but their plea was rejected on the grounds that Rana hadn’t been placed on life-support machines and was hence “able to sustain himself without any external aid”, the court noted.

They then went to the Supreme Court, which also declined their plea.

In 2025, they approached the Supreme Court again, saying that their son’s condition had deteriorated and that he was being kept alive “artificially” through life support machines.

The Supreme Court agreed to consider their case after two medical boards assessed Rana’s condition. The boards also noted that he had permanent brain damage and had suffered huge bed sores. According to the law governing living wills in India, two medical boards must certify that a patient meets the necessary criteria before their life support can be withdrawn. The court order paves the way for the medical boards to “exercise [their] clinical judgement regarding the withdrawal of treatment” for Rana. (BBC News)

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are visiting Assisi this month to venerate the bones of St Francis, which are on display for the first time since his death 800 years ago. Before this year, St. Francis’ bones had been visible to the public just once in the 800 years since his death—for a single day in 1978.

Now, to mark the 800th anniversary of the saint’s passing, they are on display for a whole month.
Some 220,000 pilgrims have already come to see the relics, and the friars in Assisi, the central Italian hill – town where Francis lived and where his mortal remains now lie, think that the number might reach as high as 400,000. Each of these visitors leaves the city “knowing they have encountered St. Francis,” says Fr. Benedict La Volpe, a Franciscan from Australia who ministers to pilgrims in Assisi. “They have encountered the spirit of Francis, the person of Francis, who speaks to them today, 800 years after his death.”
A press release from the Basilica where St. Francis is buried said that the display of the relics was “an invitation to rediscover the heritage left to us by Francis, a man whose message of peace and fraternity continues to speak to the heart of humanity.”

St. Francis chose to be buried outside Assisi’s city walls, in a spot known as the Hill of Hell (Collo d’inferno) where criminals were put to death. Today’s extraordinary Basilica, constructed on two levels with world-famous frescoes by Giotto, was purpose-built to house his remains. In the lower Basilica, groups of visitors line up to view St. Francis’ skeleton. The pilgrims, a number of them wheelchair-bound, each take a few seconds to pray in silence in front of the bones.

What message does the saint’s life hold for us today? Reflecting on his legacy, the “inner peace” Francis found in his encounter with Jesus—a peace, he says, which is the foundation of the political peace which today seems more elusive than ever.

What St. Francis teaches us, is that the sort of interior peace which comes from encountering God can “grow in our hearts, and be extended throughout our community, and then into the world as well.”

In a profound meditation titled “If Anyone Is in Christ, He is a New Creation,” Father Roberto Pasolini, Preacher of the Papal Household, addressed Pope Leo XIV and the Roman Curia on the transformative power of fraternity. Drawing inspiration from the conversion of St. Francis of Assisi, the Capuchin friar presented fraternity not merely as an ideal, but as a “serious and urgent” responsibility and a gift essential for true conversion.

Father Pasolini argued that fraternity serves as the most eloquent evidence of the Gospel’s impact, acting as a concrete space where God refines our humanity and softens our rigidities. He exhorted listeners to look beyond personal sustenance and view others as individuals entrusted to them for the purpose of mutual transformation.

Referencing the biblical narrative of Cain and Abel, he warned that rifts between brothers often stem from a “problem of perspective,” urging the Curia to examine any internal resentment or “Cain-like” tendencies.
For St. Francis, fraternity provided an opportunity to practice the “merciful logic of the Gospel,” especially when relationships are wounded.

Rather than defending personal rights, Pasolini noted, the Gospel calls for seeking the “greatest possible good”—recognizing even those who hurt us as brothers loved by the Lord. By maintaining an eternal perspective, Christians can ensure no one is excluded from their hearts. In an era of global conflict, Pasolini concluded that fraternity must be lived as a present duty, proving that faith does not separate but calls us to a deeper, more capable love.

Religious communities in South Korea participate in a special lecture on artificial intelligence, calling for wisdom, responsibility, and the commitment to human dignity. “Artificial intelligence mimics human communication, and for this reason, it must be used carefully and responsibly,” was one of the concepts introduced at a special lecture on artificial intelligence and ethics in South Korea. The lecture took place at the Jeongdong Franciscan Church Cathedral in Seoul. Fr. James, professor at the Catholic University of Korea, delivered the two-hour lecture, titled “Faith in the Face of Technology: AI Ethics.”
Around 250 participants attended the event, many of them women religious, reflecting the growing interest within Church communities in understanding the ethical implications of rapidly developing technologies.
According to the report of the Catholic Times of Korea artificial intelligence has already become an integral part of everyday life. Many religious communities are already using AI tools for searching data, creating content, and assisting in evangelization.
However, AI also carries risks because it can imitate human language and thought in ways that may blur the distinction between human intelligence and machine-generated responses.
“Artificial intelligence mimics human communication, and for this reason it must be used carefully and responsibly.”
According to reports, to illustrate the potential dangers, the case of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old boy in the United States who reportedly died by suicide after prolonged interactions with an AI chatbot..The chatbot allegedly developed an emotionally intimate relationship with the teenager and reinforced his suicidal thoughts. The tragic case, which remains under legal examination in the United States, has raised global concerns about the ethical responsibilities involved in developing and using AI technologies.

Such examples highlight the urgent need for ethical reflection. “We should not reject artificial intelligence, but we must understand how it should be used.” AI, like other technological developments, can also be seen as a sign of humanity’s creative capacity. “AI is evidence of humanity’s ability to participate responsibly in God’s creative work,” he said. “But it must always serve humanity and contribute to the common good according to the teachings of the Church.”
“Machines are a gift of human creativity granted by God, But they remain creatures of creatures. We must ensure that they never deprive us—God’s creatures—of our freedom and dignity.”