Over a century in the making, the Tower of Jesus Christ, designed by famed Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, will soon crown the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, making it the tallest Catholic church in the world. In a pre-recorded statement sent to OSV News Sept. 23, Jordi Faulí, the head architect overseeing the basilica’s construction, said that while the central spire and its terminal have been completed, workers are now focused on the cross that will crown it. “The cross is made up of seven large pieces that are assembled here and will then be lifted with the crane. The intention is to finish the cross in the next few months,” Faulí said.

At over 564 feet in height, the tower, upon completion, will make it the tallest Catholic church in the world, surpassing the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, which stands at 518 feet. It will also surpass the Ulmer Münster Lutheran church in Germany, which stands at 530 feet, making it the tallest church of any denomination in the world.

Professor Sanjose A. Thomas, Head of the Department of Sociology at Thevara Sacred Heart College, has been granted a copyright by the Canadian government. The copyright was awarded for his research on the role of artificial intelligence in social entrepreneurship.

AI as we call it today can revolutionize the way mankind think and take decisions on almost all matters including personal preferences. Online algorithms will change in near future to accommodate this dimension and beyond. The Canadian government granted the copyright to a research team of four—including Professor Sanjose and two American researchers—who demonstrated how artificial intelligence can drive significant advances in social and industrial entrepreneurship.

This is the first time a social scientist from Kerala has received an international copyright. Prof. Sanjose is the son of Adv. Jose Thomas, a former Kerala High Court lawyer from Palarivattom St. Martin’s De Porres Parish, and Mrs. Sheela Jose, a former manager at the Reserve Bank of India.

Bishops representing the Catholic Churches of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean have issued a strong appeal to world leaders gathering in New York for the UN General Assembly and the High-Level Event on Climate Action. In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, to the President of the 80th General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, and to Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Frameowrk Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the bishops express “good will and great concern” for the future of the planet, and urge leaders not to fall short of the 1.5°C limit agreed in Paris. “We the Bishops of the Global South are honoured to bring to your attention the Message… on the occasion of COP30 – A Call for Climate Justice and the Common Home: Ecological Conversion, Transformation and Resistance to False Solutions” the letter states. The statement, they add, has already been presented to Pope Leo XIV and to local Churches, as a sign of “shared responsibility and commitment to our common home.”

Recalling the words of Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ and Pope Leo XIV’s call for an integral ecology rooted in justice, the bishops stress that the urgency of the crisis leaves no space for delay or half-measures. “The Church will not remain silent,” they write. “We will continue to raise our voice alongside science, civil society, and the most vulnerable, with truth, courage and consistency, until justice is done.” The bishops underline that global warming, which reached 1.55°C in 2024, is not merely “a technical problem: it is an existential issue of justice, dignity and care for our common home.”

Rejecting false solutions

The letter denounces what it calls “false solutions” such as green capitalism, technocracy, the commodification of nature and extractivism, which, the bishops warn, “perpetuate exploitation and injustice.” Instead, they call for policies that prioritise equity, justice and protection. “Rich nations must pay their ecological debt with fair climate finance without further indebting the Global South,” the bishops demand, insisting on the need for a just transition that does not leave the most vulnerable behind.

Addressing world leaders as they prepare for COP30 in Brazil, the bishops express confidence in the power of dialogue: “We remain confident that genuine dialogue, grounded in truth and justice, can guide the international community towards the profound transformations required,” the letter reads. “The urgency of this moment leaves no room for delay, compromise, or half-measures.” The statement is signed by Cardinal Jaime Spengler of Brazil, President of CELAM; Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao of India, President of FABC; and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of Congo, President of SECAM.

Mexican migrants attempting to cross the U.S. border are facing increasingly dangerous and inhumane conditions. Following a recent meeting in Piedra Negras, Coahuila, the bishops from along the Mexico-U.S. border once again denounced the dire circumstances affecting thousands of people. They issued a strong appeal—not only to governments but also to civil society—calling for accountability of the violations against human dignity faced by those fleeing war, violence, and extreme poverty.

The bishops described the migratory route through Mexico as “the most dangerous in the world.” According to the International Organization for Migration, migrants escaping devastating conditions in their home countries face exponentially greater risks as they travel through Mexican territory.

Since January, the U.S. has blocked key legal avenues for seeking asylum, including applications via the CBP One app and humanitarian permits. On top of that, there have also been forced transfers, families separated, and deportations to third countries. The level of insecurity along the route is deeply concerning as kidnappings, extortion, forced labour, and sexual violence have become everyday dangers.

The dismantling of migrant shelters, driven by U.S. policy, has further deepened migrants’ vulnerability and invisibility—particularly in peripheral areas where they live in fear of being detained or forcibly removed and where they lack access to basic services.

In their final statement, the bishops called for immediate and coordinated action to “open safe and legal humanitarian corridors for the most vulnerable migrants and refugees.” They reaffirmed their belief that while every nation has the right to protect its borders, it also has the responsibility to safeguard human life and ensure migration is safe, orderly, and humane—this includes respecting the right to asylum.

“The Church reaffirms the urgent need for the rule of law that protects families, especially migrant and refugee families, who are now facing even greater hardships.”

We are on the brink of the abyss because there is a risk of an endless escalation that is frightening. The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, did not hide his concern about “the risk of a wider war” when responding to journalists’ questions about the Russian drone attack that violated Polish airspace. Speaking at the Vatican’s Casina Pio IV, on the sidelines of the international seminar on “Creation, Nature, Environment, for a World of Peace,” Cardinal Parolin said he shared the analysis expressed by the President of the Republic of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, who spoke of a level of tension similar to that which preceded the First World War. In this context, Cardinal Parolin observed, “If there really isn’t a moment of reconsideration regarding the path being taken, there is a risk of an endless escalation and thus also of the outbreak of a wider war.”

Cardinal Parolin also expressed concern about the war in the Middle East and the tragedy unfolding in Gaza. The Israeli escalation in the Strip – he said – “unfortunately does not stop, despite the many appeals that have been made, including by the Catholic Church and by the Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pizzaballa.”

On the other hand, the Cardinal highlighted the “truly admirable resilience” of the parish priest of the Holy Family Church in Gaza, Father Gabriel Romanelli, and of the people sheltered in the church in Gaza City, “They remain alongside people with disabilities and therefore do not want to give in to violence.”

The Cardinal expressed that the Holy See continues its diplomatic efforts tirelessly. “We are doing everything possible,” Cardinal Parolin said. “Our diplomacy is trying to make contact with all the involved parties; we talk, we insist—these are the tools we have to try to stop this escalation.”

Pope Leo XIV received the President of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors XIV, Archbishop Thibault Verny, Archbishop of Chambéry, in the Vatican on September 12. The encounter marks the first official meeting between the President of the Commission and the Holy Father, following Archbishop Verny’s appointment on July 15.

The Commission’s Secretary, Bishop Luis Manuel Alí Herrera, accompanied the Commission President. The audience was requested by Archbishop Verny in order to personally express his gratitude to the Holy Father for the trust placed in him through the appointment, and to present the Second Annual Report on Policies and Procedures for Protection in the Church.

This report, established at the initiative of Pope Francis in 2022, aims to assess the safeguarding capacities of local Churches, offering practical recommendations based on the concrete experiences of various ecclesial regions.

During the meeting, the Commission President underscored, the Commission’s commitment to continuing the mission entrusted to it by Pope Francis through Praedicate Evangelium, in the development of safeguarding policies, the drafting of the annual report, and support for local Churches through the Memorare Initiative.

“With humility and hope,” Archbishop Verny reaffirmed, “the Commission continues the mission entrusted to us, advancing the Holy Father’s vision of rooting throughout the Church a culture of prevention that tolerates no form of abuse: neither of power or authority, nor of conscience or spirituality, nor of sexual abuse.” 

In a meeting with bishops appointed in the last year, Pope Leo XIV exhorted them to address issues related to inappropriate behaviour on the part of the clergy: “They can’t be put away in a drawer.” At the end of his Sept. 11 morning address to the prelates participating in the formation course organized by the Holy See, the Holy Father engaged them in a fraternal dialogue, giving them the opportunity to convey their concerns and worries. The pontiff offered an overview of the challenges and issues bishops face at the beginning of a new ministry, such as fear, a sense of unworthiness, and the different expectations each had for their lives before being called.

As the Vatican noted in a statement released Sept. 12, the Holy Father also offered the bishops some valuable advice: “Remain close to the Lord, set aside time for prayer, and continue to live out unconditional trust in the Holy Spirit, the origin of one’s vocation.” He also exhorted them to be persevering disciples “who do not allow themselves to be frightened by the first difficulty; pastors close to the people and to priests, merciful and firm, even when it is a matter of making a judgment; capable of listening and dialogue, not just preaching sermons.”

Before answering questions, Pope Leo XIV encouraged the bishops to promptly address issues related to inappropriate behaviour on the part of the clergy: “They cannot be put away in a drawer; they must be addressed with a sense of mercy and true justice toward the victims and the accused.” The pontiff thanked the new bishops for accepting the ministry: “I pray for you; the Church appreciates your ‘yes’; you are not alone; together we bear the burden and together we proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

As 8 September marks International Literacy Day, UNESCO releases data and information showcasing that being literate enables people to think critically and navigate the “information-rich society and economy in a safe, effective and responsible manner.”

8 September marks International Literacy Day (ILD). Started in 1967, the day serves as a reminder to world leaders, policy-makers, and the public of the “critical importance of literacy for creating more literate, just, peaceful, and sustainable society.” As a fundamental right for everyone, literacy is a gateway that enables people to enjoy other human rights, more freedoms, and global citizenship.

This year’s theme is “Promoting literacy in the digital era”, which is focused on keeping literacy as a crucial part of the technological landscape. UNESCO releases a fact sheet for the 2025 Literacy Day, highlighting that the importance of literacy reaches beyond traditional paper-based writing and reading. Rather, “it now serves as a foundation for digital skills, safe and critical engagement with digital texts and tools, and an inclusive digital transition.”

Between 2015 and 2024, literacy rates among adults (people aged 15+) rose slightly from 86% to 88%. Central and Southern Asia are the two regions with the fastest progress, where adult literacy grew from 72% to 77%. Sub-Saharan Africa also saw an increase from 65% to 69%.

In 2024, the global youth (people aged 15-24) reached 93% — which showed a growth in basic education. Yet, UNESCO reports that progress “remains inadequate and uneven” as 739 million adults still lacked basic literacy skills in 2024.

A census taken from 2015-2024 reveals more than half of the world’s illiterate adults – 441 million people – is found in just 10 countries around the world. UNESCO argues the consistent gaps in literacy rates limit the opportunities and “reinforce social and economic inequalities, especially for women, older adults and marginalized people.”

In this technologically-driven world, literacy remains an essential part of life. It gives everyone a chance to fully participate in the digital world. More than giving people access to the internet, being literate enables users to think critically and navigate the “information-rich society and economy in a safe, effective and responsible manner.”

The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said violence in the Gaza Strip is the result of years of dehumanizing rhetoric and called for the replacement of hateful language with speech that opens horizons and new paths. Cardinal Pizzaballa issued this call in a video message released during the Venice Film Festival, where the Silver Lion prize was awarded to Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s film “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” which recounts the last moments of a 5-year-old girl killed in 2024 in Gaza.

“You’ve already heard the news, so there’s no need to delve into the dramatic daily story of what we’re experiencing. The images are also very significant; unfortunately, they speak of destruction, of death, of so much pain. One of the problems we’re experiencing is precisely this: We’re so overwhelmed by pain that there seems to be no room for the pain of others,” he said.

Cardinal Pizzaballa added that “we are also experiencing a climate of deep hatred, increasingly entrenched within both populations, Israeli and Palestinian, that seems to have no end.”

He said this hatred is demonstrated not only in violence but “also in language … I believe that the violence we are witnessing is also the result of years of violent and dehumanizing language.”

Cardinal Pizzaballa explained that if others are dehumanized through language, “creating a culture, a way of thinking, the transition to actual physical violence is only a matter of time, and unfortunately, we are witnessing it.”

“This war must end as soon as possible. We know it makes no sense to continue it. It’s time to stop … But we know that the end of the war we long for, despite what the news reports say, will not be the end of the conflict, it will not mark the end of the hostility, of the pain this hostility will cause,” he noted.

The patriarch therefore encouraged believers and all those involved in culture to “work hard” to create “a different narrative.” “We have left the narrative to the radicals, to the extremists on both sides,” he said. “Instead, we must have the courage of a different language, one that opens horizons, that opens new paths,” he encouraged. “This is what I hope for, and I believe it is possible … we need your help.”

The Catholic Church will commemorate the liturgical memorial of St. Carlo Acutis on Oct. 12 and of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati on July 4. The two young men were canonized Sept. 7 by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

In the case of St. Carlo Acutis, the Italian teenager who died in 2006 and was beatified in Assisi in October 2020, his feast day was set for Oct. 12, coinciding with the anniversary of his death from fulminant leukemia at the age of 15.

The decree of the then-Congregation — now Dicastery — for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, promulgated after the beatification, set the date for the calendars of the dioceses of Assisi and Milan in addition to authorizing its celebration in other communities that requested it.

Pier Giorgio Frassati, a young man from Turin who died in 1925 and was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1990, will be commemorated every year on July 4, also coinciding with the day of his death. His memorial Mass is celebrated especially in Italy and in youth communities that consider him a patron and spiritual role model.

Both saints, commemorated on the date they passed into eternal life, have become role models of faith and commitment for young people. Acutis is known for his witness of faith in the digital world and his love for the Eucharist, and Frassati was described by St. John Paul II as a “man of the Beatitudes.” Their intense spiritual life and commitment to charitable works continue to inspire new generations of Catholics around the world.