In a highly anticipated report on the alleged decades long apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medjugorje, the Vatican’s doctrinal office on 19 Sept. endorsed prudent devotion to Mary at the popular pilgri-mage site in Bosnia and Herze-govina yet withheld any decla-ration on whether the alleged visions are supernatural in origin.
The Sept. 19 note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), signed by prefect Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández and approved by Pope Francis in an Aug. 28 audience, grants a “nihil obstat” to the spiri-tual experience at Medjugorje. The authori-tative judgment means that pilgrims may continue to visit and pray at the site, as some 40 million people from around the world have done since the apparitions allegedly first began 43 years ago.
Six children, who are now middle-aged, first reported experiencing visions of the Blessed Mother, originally on a hilltop near the rural village of Medjugorje, on June 24, 1981. The Vatican’s report notes that the remote site, formerly part of Yugoslavia, is now widely “perceived as a space of great peace, recollection, and a piety that is sincere, deep, and easily shared.”
While it offers no definitive judgment on the supernatural authenticity of the alleged apparitions, the Vatican’s report highlights the abundant good fruits that have come from Medjugorje.
“The positive fruits are most evident in the promotion of a healthy practice of a life of faith, in accordance with the tradition of the Church,” the report states.
It points to “abundant conversions, a frequent return to the sacraments (parti-cularly, the Eucharist and reconciliation), many vocations to priestly, religious, and married life, a deepening of the life of faith, a more intense practice of prayer, many reconciliations between spouses, and the renewal of marriage and family life.”
“It should be noted,” the report emphasizes, “that such experiences occur above all in the context of pilgrimages to the places associated with the original events rather than in meetings with the ‘visionaries’ to be present for the alleged apparitions.”
Fernández presented the report in a two-hour-long press conference at the Holy See Press Office on Sept. 19. The prelate quoted Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s 1985 statement that emphasized separating the question of supernatural origin from spiritual fruits.
Fernández pointed out that Ratzinger said even if modern critical thinking might question some aspects, “this doesn’t detract from the fact that those pilgrimages were fruitful, useful, important for the life of the Christian people.”
On this view, he added, Pope Francis said there was “no magic wand” to determine the authenticity of the phenomena, but “the spiritual pastoral fact cannot be denied.”

Faith leaders and climate activists in Africa announced their support on September 20 for an international treaty to halt the production and use of fossil fuels, the main cause of climate change, analogous to non-proliferation treaties governing the production of nuclear weapons.
“As people of faith, we have a moral duty to protect God’s creation,” said Ashley Kitisya, the African coordinator of the Laudato Si’ Movement, the global network of Catholics working to ameliorate climate change in the spirit of Pope Francis’ encyclical of the same name. “The Fossil Fuel Treaty gives us a tangible way to act on this duty by advocating for the preservation of our environment for future generations.”
Kitisya spoke at a media briefing organized as part of the Season of Creation, an event observed annually by Christian denominations and Christian climate activists from Sept. 1 to Oct. 4. Following the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios’ declaration in 1989 of Sept. 1 as a day of prayer for creation, the World Council of Churches and Roman Catholic Church leaders joined the movement and sponsored prayer and action to call attention to climate change.
The 2024 theme, “To Hope and Act with Creation,” urges Christians and the world at large to reflect on what organizers say is a sacred responsibility in caring for the Earth. The Fossil Fuels Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative began in September 2022, when Vanuatu, a tiny Pacific island state, called for the negotiation of such an agreement at the U.N. General Assembly. In December of that year, Tuvalu, another state in the South Pacific, made a similar call at the plenary of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Since then, momentum has grown, with the Vatican, the European Parliament and 101 Nobel Laureates endorsing it. “We are making progress, but there is still so much work to be done. We must continue to build momentum, to engage more communities of faith, and to push for governments and international bodies to recognize the urgent need for this treaty,” said Kitisya.

Pope Francis definitively ruled out the possibility of visiting France for the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral on his re-turn flight on September 13 from Southeast Asia. Speaking during an in-flight press conference on the papal plane today, the pope resolutely stated: “I will not go to Paris.” French President Emmanuel Macron invited Pope Francis to visit Paris for the long-awaited reopening of the historic cathedral, which is set to take place on 8 December, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Pope Francis traditionally celebrates the Marian feast with the city of Rome in the piazza at the foot of the Spanish Steps. In 2019 the world mourned the damage done to the medieval Paris cathedral by a fire that devastated the 315-foot-tall oak spire and timber roof of the eight-centuries-old cathedral.

In his new book, “Word, Sacrament, Charism: Risks and Opportunities of a Synodal Church,” Cardinal Marc Ouellet challenges the Church to worry less about creating something new, and more about treasuring what is already there.
“The Church is experiencing a moment of listening to the Holy Spirit,” Ouellet told journalists during a presentation of the book, soon to be translated into English, on 24 September. The cardinal was referring to the synod on the theme of synodality, a three-year-long project that has involved all members of the church, from faithful to pastors and bishops.
Ouellet’s new book hopes to offer a new perspective for synodal discussions by suggesting that the church should promote and enable charisms, intended as gifts by the Holy Spirit that are given to every baptized Catholic. “My book would like to reawaken the interest in charisms in the church,” Ouellet said, “but they often don’t find the space to develop because they are not valued and recognized.”
“A clerical culture doesn’t leave much space for charisms,” said Ouellet, adding that there is a “generalized mentality by faithful who don’t see the work of the Holy Spirit among all the people of God.” The Vatican’s Code of Canon Law isn’t equipped to address the needs of charismatic movements, the cardinal said, adding that if the law “is applied rigidly there is a risk that charisms will be extinguished.”
Loosening the grip on charismatic movements would allow these groups to thrive and evangelize, the cardinal said. “Not just the visible and spectacular ones,” he said, “but also humble and discreet charisms of service: listening, welcoming, compassion, visiting the sick and the poor, catechists and reconciliation operators.”
Pope Francis has shown the way to do this in the church, Ouellet said, by allowing lay men and women to hold positions of power and influence in the church. In his 13 years at the head of the Vatican congregation overseeing bishops, Ouellet said he saw first-hand how the contributions of everyday faithful and their charism could be easily discarded. He also praised the Synod on Synodality’s inclusion of laity and lower-level clergy — one-quarter of the participants were not bishops — which he said teaches the bishops how to work closely with other faithful in the church.

Pope Francis has called on cardinals to work to achieve the goal of “zero deficit” in the economy of the Catholic Church through cost reduction, the search for external resources, and evangelical generosity.
In a Sept. 16 letter released by the Vatican Press Office, Pope Francis recalled that 10 years ago the reform of the Roman Curia began in the spirit of the principle “Ecclesia semper reformanda” (“the Church always reforming”). During this time, he pointed out, “despite the difficulties and, sometimes, that temptation of immobility and inflexibility in the face of change, many results have been accomplished in these years.”
Focused on the economic reform of the Holy See – “one of the topics that has most chara-cterized the general congrega-tions prior to the conclave,” he pointed out – Pope Francis said “an extra effort is now required from everyone so that a ‘zero deficit’ is not just a theoretical goal but an actually achievable objective.”
This objective is based on the awareness that “the economic resources at the service of the mission are limited and must be managed with rigor and seriousness so that the efforts of those who have contributed to the patrimony of the Holy See are not wasted.”
Along with the objective of not going into debt, the pontiff pointed out “the need for each institution to strive to find external resources for its mission, setting an example of transparent and responsible management in the service of the Church.”
In addition, Pope Francis called for setting an example on the cost reduction front by trying to avoid “the superfluous” and selecting priorities well, “favouring mutual collaboration and synergies.”
“We must be aware that today we are faced with strategic decisions that we must take with great responsibility, because we are called upon to guarantee the future of the mission,” the Holy Father indicated.

The Holy See Press Office released the theme Pope Francis has chosen for the Church’s 59th World Communications Day in 2025, Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts (cf. 1Pt 3:15-16).
The introductory text accompanying the theme notes that the topic aims to bring attention to the fact that in today’s world, ”too often communication is violent, aimed at striking and not at establishing the conditions for dialogue.” This calls for efforts “to disarm communication, to cleanse it of aggression.”
The theme description notes that the prevailing standard seems to be that of competition, opposition, and domination as can be seen in television talk shows to verbal wars on social media. It adds that for Christians, “hope is a person, and He is Christ.” And this hope is tied to community, since “when we speak of Christian hope we cannot disregard a community that lives the message of Jesus in such a credible way as to give a glimpse of the hope that it brings, and is capable of communicating the hope of Christ with deeds and words even today.”
World Communications Day is usually celebrated on the Sunday before Pentecost. Pope Paul VI established the Day in 1967 in the wake of the Second Vatican Council as an annual celebration that encourages reflecting on the opportunities and challenges that the media offer and how the Church can better communicate the Gospel message.

In a significant diplomatic move, Archbishop Georg Gänswein has formally assumed his position as the Vatican’s Apostolic Nuncio to the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. On Friday 6 September, the German prelate presented his credentials to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, marking the official start of his new diplomatic mission. Gänswein, once the trusted private secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, now steps into a role that bridges the Vatican’s relationship with a historically Catholic region during a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
Gänswein’s arrival in Vilnius was marked by a ceremonious display, with photographs from the Lithuanian presidential office capturing the archbishop in traditional clerical attire—a black cassock accented with a violet sash and cape—walking along the red carpet to the Presidential Palace. There, he delivered his credentials against the backdrop of the Lithuanian and Vatican flags, symbolizing the enduring diplomatic ties between the Holy See and Lithuania.
Archbishop Gänswein’s appointment to the Baltic region comes after a period of transition in his ecclesiastical career. Following the passing of Pope Benedict XVI, Gänswein was transferred back to his home archdiocese of Freiburg by Pope Francis in 2023 but without any specific role assigned. His new appointment as Apostolic Nuncio to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia in June 2024 signals a fresh chapter in his career, moving from his close ties with the late Benedict XVI to a critical diplomatic position in one of Europe’s most geopolitically sensitive regions.

Next May, Pope Francis will undertake a significant trip to Turkey, an event that promises to be both ecumenical as well as politically relevant. This journey, announced by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, will commemorate the 1700 years of the first Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, held in 325 in present day Iznik, Turkey. Bartholomew I revealed that both religious leaders have agreed to celebrate this important anniversary at the end of May. Up to now, the Holy Father had mentioned this event as a possibility, but now the Patriarch has confirmed the date. This meeting will not only be a historical celebration, but also an opportunity for the Orthodox and Catholic Churches to discuss the possibility of unifying the date of Easter. At present, these Churches celebrate Easter on different dates, due to the use of the Gregorian (Catholics) and Julian (Orthodox) calendars. Although the Assembly of the Orthodox Bishops of Istanbul has shown its support to a common date, a concrete proposal is yet to be presented. In 2025, Easter will fall on the same day, April 20, for both Christian Traditions.
Pope Francis’ trip will have a broader framework, namely, the 2025 Ordinary Jubilee. Added now, to the more than eighty celebrations foreseen for the Holy Year, is this journey to Turkey, one of the most important ecumenical events in the history of the Church.

A foundation that supports a prominent Catholic movement in France is changing its name after revealing nearly 20 fresh abuse allegations against the famed Abbé Pierre, a formerly beloved Capuchin priest who died in 2007.
A Sept. 6 statement released by Emmaus International, a solidarity movement with over 400 member associations that seeks to combat poverty and homelessness worldwide, detailed new allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct by Pierre, who founded the movement in 1949.
A previous July 17 report from Emmaus had detailed allegations involving at least seven victims, including one who was a minor at the time of her alleged assault. Emmaus France said it first received a report from a woman accusing Pierre of sexual assault in 2023.
The group said it commissioned consulting firm Groupe Egaé to set up a system to allow additional alleged victims to come forward. Since then, Groupe Egaé said, at least 17 additional victims have come forward alleging “sexual violence committed by Abbé Pierre against girls and women.”
In light of the allegations against its founder, the Abbé Pierre Foundation, which provided nearly 4 million euros (about $4.4 million) in funding to Emmaus in 2023, has “decided to change its name and has begun the necessary paperwork,” Emmaus International said last week. In addition to the foundation name change, the Emmaus France board will submit a proposal for the removal of “Abbé Pierre, founder” from its logo at an extraordinary general assembly that will take place in December.

In a significant step towards the renewal of Vatican Diplomacy, Pope Francis designated Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Mumbai, one of the Pontiff’s principal advisers, Coordinator of a study group that will assess the role of Papal Representatives throughout the world. This move, promoted by the Pope’s reformist vision, seek that the Apostolic Nunciatures and other Holy See bodies operate in a more missionary and synodal way, in tune with the changes gestating in the Catholic Church.
The Nunciatures, which act as Embassies of the Vatican in the different countries, play a crucial role in the communication between the Pope and the local Churches, as well as in the representation of the Holy See to the Governments. Under the leadership of Cardinal Gracias, the study will focus on improving the functioning of these key institutions, guaranteeing that their work is not limited to a merely diplomatic role, but that it be more aligned with the pastoral and evangelizing mission of the Church.
Cardinal Gracias will not be alone in his task. Important figures such as Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General for the Synod of Bishops , and Monsignor Luciano Russo, Secretary of the Papal Representatives, will be at his side and contribute to the study that, according to Pope Francis’ expectations must be ready before June 2025.
This effort arises as part of a series of identified points by the Pope during the first session of the Synodal Assembly in October 2023. One of those issues is the need to redefine the relationship between the Papal Representations and the local Churches, ensuring that there is greater closeness and synergy between them. The final aim is that the Nunciatures be true bridges that foster understanding and cooperation on pastoral and ecclesial subject.
Although this topic will not be addressed directly in the next Synod session, planned for October 2024, it will offer participants a preliminary report, with the objective of detailing work plans and receiving feedback on the study’s progress.
On several occasions, Pope Francis has highlighted the importance of making the Church a more synodal institution, namely, that she listen and respond to the needs of the local communities. In this context, not only must the Nunciatures function as diplomatic delegations but also as vehicles that promote a spirit of collaboration and mission. This structural renewal is in consonance with the Pope’s pastoral focus, who has called the Church to come out of her traditional structures and be more active in evangelization and social commitment.