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.”

Pope Leo XIV sends a message to Archbishop Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her installation, recalling the progress and challenges in Catholic–Anglican relations. The Archbishop’s installation ceremony in Canterbury Cathedral took place on 25 March 2026

Pope Leo XIV has sent a message to Sarah Mullally on the occasion of her installation as Archbishop of Canterbury, assuring her of his prayers and invoking “grace, mercy, and peace… in truth and love”.

The installation service, historically known as an enthronement, took place in Canterbury Cathedral on 25 March. In the presence of some 2,000 guests, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, it marks the symbolic start of Dame Sarah’s public ministry as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In his message, the Pope notes that the office entrusted to the new Primate of the Anglican Communion carries significant responsibilities, not only within the Diocese of Canterbury but also across the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion. He observes that she begins her ministry “at a challenging moment in the history of the Anglican family,” and prays that she may be strengthened with wisdom and guided by the Holy Spirit, drawing inspiration from Mary, the Mother of God.

         The message recalls the historic meeting in 1966 between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey, when Catholics and Anglicans committed themselves to “a new stage in the development of fraternal relations, based upon Christian charity.” This commitment, he highlights, has borne fruit over the past sixty years.

In his message, the Pope refers to the work of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), established following that encounter, stating that it has contributed to greater mutual understanding and has supported a more effective common witness, particularly in the face of contemporary global challenges.

At the same time, he acknowledges that the ecumenical journey has encountered difficulties. He recalls the 2016 Joint Declaration signed by Pope Francis and Justin Welby, which noted that “new circumstances have presented new disagreements.”

These differences, he adds, do not prevent Christians from recognising one another as brothers and sisters in Christ by virtue of their common baptism.

Thus, the Pope expresses his belief that dialogue should continue “in truth and love,” so that Christians may come to know together the grace, mercy and peace of God and offer these to the world.

Pope Leo XIV writes that the unity sought by Christians is directed toward the proclamation of Christ, recalling the prayer of Jesus, “that the world may believe”. He also cites an address of Pope Francis to Anglican Primates in 2024, which stated that divisions among Christians risk hindering their common vocation to make Christ known.

The witness of a reconciled and united Christian community, he affirms, contributes to the clarity of the proclamation of the Gospel.

The Pope’s message was delivered on Thursday, 26 March in Canterbury Cathedral at the conclusion of a common prayer service presided over by Archbishop Mullally and the Pope’s envoy, Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. The liturgy marks the 60th anniversary of the 1966 meeting between Pope Paul VI and Archbishop Michael Ramsey. During the celebration, the same kneeler used in the 1982 encounter between Pope John Paul II and Archbishop Robert Runcie was used. The 2026 Catholic delegation included Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and Father Martin Browne, an official of the Dicastery; Cardinals Vincent Nichols and Timothy Radcliffe; Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham, co-chair of ARCIC; Archbishop Richard Moth of Westminster and many other catholic Dignitaries.

Pope Leo XIV praises the work of the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa to foster fraternity between Christians and Muslims, saying that their common witness shows how religions can work together to promote peace and the common good.

“In a world increasingly marked by religious radicalization, division, and conflict, your common witness shows that it is possible to live and work together in peace and harmony, despite cultural and religious differences.”  Pope Leo XIV gave this encouragement to the delegation from the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA), headquartered in Kenya, a pan-African Christian organization founded in 1959 with the objective of building good relations between Christians and Muslims on the continent.

Quoting the Declaration Nostra Aetate on the relation of the Church to non-Christian religions, Pope Leo recalled that the Catholic Church calls for mutual understanding and respect for the followers of other religions, affirming that she “rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions,” for they “often reflect a ray of that truth, which enlightens all men and women.” 

“Every authentic journey toward unity and communion undertaken by Christians and by people of good will,” the Pope said, “is the work of the Holy Spirit and requires hearts open to encounter and dialogue so as to embrace one another in genuine fraternity.”

“In a world increasingly marked by religious radicalization, division, and conflict,” he stressed, “your common witness shows that it is possible to live and work together in peace and harmony, despite cultural and religious differences.”

The Pope reiterated that religions bear a great responsibility “to help our people to break free from the chains of prejudice, anger, and hatred; to help them rise above egoism and self-centeredness; to help them overcome the greed that destroys both the human spirit and the earth.”   In this way, the Pope said, we can lead our people to become prophets of our time, with “voices that denounce violence and injustice, heal division, and proclaim peace for all our brothers and sisters.” Pope Leo XIV concluded with an invitation for those present to go forward as artisans of peace, witnesses of hope, and builders of true fraternity.

The late American Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified at a Mass presided over by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle on September 24, 2026, in St. Louis, Missouri, according to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

Venerable Fulton J. Sheen of the United States is set to be beatified on Thursday, September 24, 2026, in St. Louis, Missouri. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, will preside at the beatification Mass, representing Pope Leo XIV.

After his heroic virtue was recognized, Fulton Sheen was declared Venerable in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. In 2019, Pope Francis authorized a decree recognizing a miracle through his intercession. This recognition cleared Archbishop Sheen for beatification, after which he will have the title “Blessed.”

The future Blessed Fulton Sheen was known for his dynamic preaching, especially on television and radio.

Born to an Irish family in El Paso, Illinois, on May 8, 1895, Sheen discovered his call to the priesthood at the age of 24 and was ordained a priest in 1919.

He pursued higher studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington (US), the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. 

He returned to the U.S. in 1926 and began teaching at the Catholic University of America, a position he held until 1950. Sheen served as the Bishop of Rochester, New York, from 1951 to 1969, and Pope Paul VI later appointed him as the Titular Archbishop of Newport, Wales, in 1969. 

A gifted teacher and speaker, Sheen’s homilies were much appreciated. In 1930, he began participating in the Sunday radio program entitled “The Catholic Hour,” which reached an estimated four million listeners at the height of its popularity.

In 1951, he began hosting a weekly television series, “Life is Worth Living,” on matters of faith that attracted some 30 million viewers.     He died in New York at the age of 84, on December 9, 1979.