A new photography exhibition by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, organized in collaboration with the John Paul II Youth Foundation, has opened at Borgo Laudato si’ in the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo and will remain open to visitors until the end of July.

 the The photography exhibition “Man and Nature: Fragile Balances” was inaugurated on Friday, 3 July, at Borgo Laudato si’ in the Pontifical Gardens of Castel Gandolfo.

Promoted by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s Italian branch in collaboration with the John Paul II Youth Foundation, for visitors to view and reflect on humanity’s place within Creation.

The exhibit, which brings together the winning photographs of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Environmental Photography Award, took place under the patronage of the Embassy of the Principality of Monaco to the Holy See and with the support of the Borgo Laudato si’, the Fondazione Scudieri, Delta Ingegneria and GIMET. 

Appointed by the Pope on 15 June after his candidacy was approved under the terms of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, Bishop Joseph Chang Yanfeng had served in various roles within the diocese and, since 2021, as its diocesan administrator.

The episcopal ordination of Joseph Chang Yanfeng took place on Wednesday, 22 July, in China. Pope Leo XIV appointed him Bishop of Chifeng, in the Province of Inner Mongolia, on 15 June, having approved his candidacy under the terms of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China.

Bishop Chang Yanfeng was born on 4 April 1984 in Beizhen, Liaoning Province. He attended the Shenyang Major Seminary and studied at the Catholic University of Daejeon in South Korea, where he earned a degree in Biblical Theology. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Chifeng on 18 November 2010.

From 2010 to 2013, he worked in the diocesan curia while simultaneously serving in several parishes. He was subsequently appointed parish priest of Chifeng Cathedral and later of Lindong. Since 15 October 2021, he has served as Diocesan Administrator of Chifeng.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis as the Holy See’s new Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York, where he will represent the Holy See at the UN headquarters.

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis as the Holy See’s new Permanent Observer to the United Nations (UN) in New York.

The appointment was announced on Saturday by the Holy See Press Office.

Lebanese-born Archbishop El-Kassis, Titular Archbishop of Roselle, has until now served as Apostolic Nuncio to the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, as well as Apostolic Delegate to the Arabian Peninsula.

He was ordained in 1994, and he entered the Holy See diplomatic service in 2000, working in Indonesia, Sudan, Turkey, and the Secretariat of State. The Holy See maintains Permanent Observer status at the United Nations, enabling it to participate in the work of the General Assembly and other UN bodies.

The Bishops of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) have pledged to make young people the Church’s shared pastoral priority for the next four years, while calling on political leaders across the region to end the exploitation of youth

Archbishop Gervas John Mwasikwabhila Nyaisonga of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mbeya, Tanzania, has been elected as the new Chairman of AMECEA. Archbishop Nyaisonga presided over the closing Eucharistic celebration of the 21st AMECEA Plenary Assembly held at the Loreto Msongari Grounds in Nairobi. The Archbishop reflected on the biblical readings of the day. Acknowledging the responsibility entrusted to him, the Archbishop said he identifies with Solomon’s prayer for wisdom.

In their Final Message issued at the conclusion of the 21st AMECEA Plenary Assembly, the region’s Bishops reaffirmed their commitment to listening attentively to the hopes, concerns and sufferings of young people, promising concrete action to accompany them in the life and mission of the Church.

The Bishops’ message, released on 26 July 2026, outlines a pastoral vision inspired by the Assembly’s theme, “AMECEA’s Synodal Journey with Young People: Building Bridges of Communion, Hope, Justice and Good Governance.”

The Bishops pledged to strengthen youth participation in both ecclesial and civic life by establishing and reinforcing dedicated youth desks across the region, forming Catholic digital missionaries to evangelise in the digital age, promoting education, mentorship, entrepreneurship and skills development, and strengthening safeguarding policies and accountability in youth ministry.

They also committed themselves to deepening collaboration and solidarity among AMECEA’s member Episcopal Conferences while engaging governments, regional institutions and development partners to advocate for the safe and lawful movement of young people, greater civic participation and peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue.

AMECEA is an acronym for Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa. It is a Catholic service organisation for the National Episcopal Conferences of the eight countries of Eastern Africa, namely Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, South Sudan – Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Djibouti and Somalia are affiliate members.

In his Angelus address from Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the Kingdom of God as a treasure that transforms lives, calling Christians to recognise what truly matters.

Pope Leo XIV reflected on the mystery of the Kingdom of God as a treasure that transforms human life during his Angelus address on Sunday, 26 July, delivered from Castel Gandolfo, where he is taking a summer break.

Commenting on the Gospel parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great value (Mt 13:44-52), the Pope said that the Kingdom of God brings a joy so profound that leaving everything behind is no longer experienced as a loss, but as a gain.

 “Encountering his Kingdom marks a turning point that does not limit life but enlarges it,” Pope Leo said. “If anything must change on our part, it is only so that our lives may be opened to greater possibilities, not fewer.”

The Pope noted that Jesus reveals the beauty of the Kingdom through images drawn from the lives of ordinary people: farmers, merchants, fishermen and scribes, women preparing bread, builders, administrators, shepherds and farmers.

Through these examples, Jesus shows that the Kingdom can be encountered in many different circumstances and calls everyone — men and women, young and old, poor and rich — to a profound renewal.

Pope Leo said that the Church today reflects this same diversity, bringing together people of different origins, cultures and responsibilities, all called to recognise their unity in Jesus Christ. “He is the hidden treasure, the pearl of great price, the net that gathers those who are scattered.

From the beginning, Jesus gathered around himself people who otherwise might never have met, showing that God does not show partiality and that his love is especially directed towards those who are small and overlooked. Pope Leo invited the faithful to ask for the gift sought by the young King Solomon: the wisdom to recognise what is truly valuable.

Castel Gandolfo: Pope Leo XIV appeals for an end to violence in the Holy Land and the Middle East, urging dialogue, diplomacy, and prayers for peace.

Pope Leo XIV renewed his urgent appeals for peace in the Holy Land and across the Middle East during his Angelus address in Castel Gandolfo, expressing deep concern over the escalating violence and calling for an immediate return to dialogue.

“I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the Holy Land,” the Pope said, noting that “many civilians have recently fallen victim, both in the West Bank and in Gaza.”

He called for “a return to negotiations aimed at achieving a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person, and for the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, particularly those that violate the respect due to and the status quo of the holy sites of every religious faith.”

Pope Leo also renewed his appeal regarding the situation throughout the Middle East, where, he said, “the intensification of military operations has once again brought violence and destruction, placing the lives of countless civilians in grave danger and worsening the shortages of drinking water and electricity.”  “I urge all parties involved to suspend their attacks and urgently reopen avenues of dialogue and diplomacy, so that the peace so greatly desired by the entire region may be achieved without delay,” Pope Leo said. Prayers for peoples throughout the world affected by war. Pope Leo XIV encouraged everyone to continue praying for all peoples throughout the world who are suffering because of war.