Photo ©: Vatican Media (ANS – Saurimo) – On Monday, April 20, 2026, during the eighth day of his apostolic journey in Africa, Pope Leo XIV spent a significant part of his visit in Saurimo, the capital of Angola’s Lunda Sul province. Though brief, the visit was meaningful, bringing attention and dignity to a region rich in diamonds yet marked by extreme poverty. Warm Welcome … Continue reading Pope Leo XIV’s Appeal for a Nation of Justice and Peace: “Angola, Remain Faithful to Your Christian Roots!”

Photo ©: Vatican Media (ANS – Luanda) – “I come to Africa primarily as a shepherd, as head of the Catholic Church, to be with, to celebrate with, to encourage, and to accompany all African Catholics.” With these clear words, Pope Leo XIV reiterated the purpose of his extended journey to Africa during the flight on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from Cameroon to Angola. Following … Continue reading Pope Leo Urges the Nation: Follow Mary “to Be, Like Her, Workers for Justice and Peacemakers”

Photo: Vatican Media (ANS – Bamenda) – After leaving Yaoundé, Pope Leo XIV traveled to Bamenda, also in Cameroon, where he was welcomed by a large and jubilant crowd. This northwestern region has long been marked by tensions and violence—a crisis largely forgotten by the world—which over the past decade has resulted in thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Yet the … Continue reading Pope Leo XIV in Bamenda, Calling for Hope and Interfaith Cooperation

Photo ©: Vatican Media (ANS – Yaoundé) – The third day of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Africa saw him travel from Algeria to Cameroon, the second of four countries on his apostolic journey to the continent. Upon arriving in the capital, Yaoundé, the Holy Father met with political and institutional leaders, visited an orphanage, and held a private meeting with local bishops. On the … Continue reading Pope Leo XIV: “The World Thirsts for Peace… Enough of War!”

Photo ©: Vatican Media (ANS – Annaba) – On his second day in Algeria, Pope Leo XIV traveled from Algiers to Annaba, the ancient Hippo, where Saint Augustine—of whom Leo XIV is a spiritual son—served as bishop for 34 years. The day’s schedule included several engagements, concluding with a return to the Algerian capital in the evening after Mass. After a flight of just over … Continue reading A Son of St. Augustine, Dressed in White, Returns to Hippo

(ANS – Algiers) – Peter returns to Africa. Three years after Pope Francis’ visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congoand South Sudan in early 2023, Pope Leo XIV is embarking on a long pilgrimage across the African continent, with his first stop in Algeria—the land of Saint Augustine, of whom he is a spiritual son—and which will then take him to Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. It is an 11-day journey that Pope Leo had … Continue reading The Pope’s Journey to Africa: A Missionary and Peacemaker

(ANS – Olgiate Comasco) – In a message signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of the new complex in Olgiate Comasco named after St. John Bosco, Pope Leo XIV encouraged people to appreciate the role of oratories as “spaces of true fraternity” in the life of the Church and society. With this message, … Continue reading The Pope: Oratories Are Vital in Helping Young People Overcome Isolation

(ANS – Rome) – Barriers now line the courtyard, flags and banners hang from the windows of the Salesian Headquarters, and rows of chairs are being arranged to accommodate the hundreds of faithful expected. The preparations of the Sacred Heart community in Castro Pretorio for the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV are visible in every detail. On the morning of Sunday, February 22, 2026, … Continue reading The Many Voices of Anticipation: The Sacred Heart Community Prepares to Welcome Pope Leo XIV

(ANS – Vatican City) – Listening, fasting, and walking together: these are the three fundamental pillars on which one can base the journey of conversion during Lent proposed by Pope Leo XIV to all the faithful. His message, published by the Holy See Press Office, reminds us that this season can be a favorable opportunity to “place the mystery of God back at the center … Continue reading Holy Father’s Message for Lent 2026: Listening, Fasting, and Walking Together for True Conversion

(EWTN – Vatican) The PDF version of the Pope Leo’s Message for Lent 2026 or download below Dear brothers and sisters, Lent is a time in which the Church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed … Continue reading MESSAGE FROM POPE LEO XIV FOR LENT 2026: “Listening & Fasting”

(ANS – Rome) – It was announced today, January 23, by the Vicariate of Rome that Pope Leo XIV will make his first pastoral visit to the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Castro Pretorio on Sunday, February 22. The event is expected to be a historic moment of grace for the parish community and for the entire Salesian Family. The visit is … Continue reading Pope Leo XIV to Visit the Basilica of the Sacred Heart

(ANS – Vatican City) – Pope Leo XIV opened the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, recalling that Christ draws us to follow Him and warning that division within the Church scatters the faithful. “I am here to listen,” Pope Leo XIV said in his opening address at the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals taking place in the Vatican on January 7–8. The Pope began by expressing his … Continue reading Pope at Consistory: “It’s Not the Church that Attracts but Christ”

(ANS – Rome) – With the closing of the last Holy Door, that of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, on Tuesday, December 6, 2026, the Solemnity of the Epiphany, the 25th Ordinary Universal Jubilee, proclaimed by Pope Francis with the bull Spes non confundit (“Hope does not disappoint”) and later carried forward by Leo XIV, came to a solemn conclusion. Although there were many ways to experience and savor … Continue reading Over 33 Million “Pilgrims of Hope:” Data from the 2025 Jubilee in Rome

(ANS – Vatican) – On the occasion of the 59th World day of Peace, celebrated on January 1, 2026, Pope Leo XIV shared his Message for this anniversary to the Church and the world. In the text, the Holy Father proposes the theme “Peace be with you all. Towards an unarmed and disarming peace,” referring to the greeting of the risen Christ. The Message invites us to rediscover peace as a … Continue reading World Day of Peace 2026: Pope Leo XIV Calls for an “Unarmed and Disarming” Peace

(ANS – Bkerké) – For his last event on the first full day in Lebanon, December 1, Pope Leo XIV met with young people in Bkerké, Lebanon. The event began with the testimonies of volunteers and young people, before two more asked the Holy Father questions. Then Pope Leo XIV urges them not to give into despair, rather to cultivate friendships rooted in genuine love and … Continue reading Pope to Young People: There is Still Time to Dream, Plan, and Do Good

(ANS – Vatican) – During the Mass for the canonization of martyrs Peter To Rot and Bishop Ignatius Choukrallah Maloyan, religious sisters Maria Troncatti, Vincenza Maria Poloni, and Carmen Rendiles Martínez, and lay people Bartolo Longo and José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of prayer and faith in order to live in the hope of God’s Providence: “When we are crucified by … Continue reading The Pope: Saints Are Not Champions of Ideals, but Witnesses to Christ’s Love

(ANS – Vatican City) – Taking up Francis’ desire “that all Christians come to appreciate the close connection between Christ’s love and his summons to care for the poor”, Pope Leo XIV issues his first Apostolic Exhortation, “Dilexi te”, as a call to Christ’s disciples “to recognize him in the poor and the suffering”. Pope Leo XIV’s first Apostolic Exhortation sees the love of Christ incarnated … Continue reading Pope Leo: Faith Cannot Be Separated from Love for the Poor

(ANS – Castel Gandolfo) – From October 1 to 3, the quiet beauty of Castel Gandolfo (Italy) hosted the  Raising Hope Conference. Over 400 participants, religious leaders, scientists, Indigenous voices, youth advocates, and civil society members to celebrate the 10th anniversary of  Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ powerful call to care for our common home. As member of the European Laudato Si’ Alliance (ELSiA), Don Bosco International (DBI) attended … Continue reading Raising Hope: An International Celebration for the 10th Anniversary of Pope Francis’ Encyclical Laudato Si’

Editor: This article highlights Pope Leo’s message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees and cites significant data on global trends from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). (Rome, Italy) – On October 4 and 5, 2025, the 111th World Day of Migrants and Refugees (GMMR) is celebrated, established by the Church in 1914 to bring the attention of ecclesial and civil communities to … Continue reading World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2025

(Vatican City) – At the end of the General Audience on September 24, Pope Leo XIV announced a Rosary for Peace in St Peter’s Square on October 11. This prayer initiative will be held on the day on which the Church remembers St John XXIII, the Pope of the encyclical Pacem in Terris. The Pontiff is thus continuing the tradition begun by his predecessors, who at difficult moments in the … Continue reading Popes and Prayers for Peace

(Vatican City, Vatican) – July 2025 – It was under the banner of friendship, affection, inclusion and familiarity that Pope Leo XIV visited the participants in Estate Ragazzi at the Vatican on Thursday morning, 3 July, in the Paul VI Hall. Before them he met three hundred children and young people from Ukraine, welcomed for the summer by Caritas Italiana. The three hundred and ten participants in … Continue reading Pope Leo XIV Meets With Participants of Estate Ragazzi and 300 Ukrainian Children and Young People

(ANS – Vatican City) – Pope Leo XIV presides at the Mass of Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry in Saint Peter’s Square, and invites the Church to walk together along the path of God’s love and remain united in one family. Greeting over 200,000 pilgrims, leaders from around the world, and representatives of Christian denominations, Pope Leo XIV marked the joyous start to his Petrine … Continue reading Pope Leo XIV at Inauguration Mass: ‘Let Us Walk Towards God and Love One Another’

(ANS – Vatican City) – The origin of the Pope’s bond with Our Lady Salus Populi Romani and his ability to empathize with the most suffering is presented in the testimony of his cousin, a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) and missionary in Thailand. Sister Ana Rosa Sivori is a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians, a missionary for sixty years in Thailand. On April 26, … Continue reading ‘He Had Our Lady in His Heart.’ Sister Ana Rosa Sivori, FMA, Recounts the Devotion of Her Cousin Francis

(ANS – Vatican City) – Following the announcement his passing away on Easter Monday, Vatican News offers an overview of the highlights of Pope Francis’ pontificate, his journeys, reforms, writings, work for peace and human fraternity, and outreach to the poor and migrants. Pope Francis became the first of many things. The first Jesuit pope, the first pope from Latin America, the first one to choose … Continue reading Pope Francis: Twelve years of New Paths, Processes, and Open Doors

(ANS – Vatican City) – In his homily at the Requiem Mass for Pope Francis, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, recalls the highlights of his intense and prophetic 12 years of pontificate marked by his closeness to the people, especially the least and the last amongst us, and his deep love for the Church open to everyone. Over two hundred … Continue reading Requiem Mass for Pope Francis: 250 Thousand People in the Square, the Funeral Procession Greeted by Long Applause

(ANS – Vatican City) – The Cardinals present in Rome have agreed to begin the conclave on May 7th, 2025. The date was set on Monday morning by the approximately 180 cardinals present (just over a hundred of whom are electors) gathered for the fifth General Congregation in the Vatican. The conclave will take place in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, which will remain closed to … Continue reading Conclave to elect new Pope to begin on May 7th

(ANS – Vatican City) – Amid tears and long waits in line, thousands of faithful crowded Via della Conciliazione and St Peter’s Square to pay their last respects to Francis in the Vatican Basilica. “For me it was an act of duty to come and say goodbye to a Pontiff who has given so much to me;” “I was struck by the fact that he always … Continue reading Queues Beneath the Sun, Prayers and Gratitude. Everyone’s Final Farewell to the Pope

(ANS – Madrid) – In these days of anticipation at the funeral of the 266th Pontiff of the Catholic Church and of projections towards the forthcoming Conclave, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, was approached by various media to recount his direct experience with Pope Francis and to receive indications from him on the … Continue reading Cardinal Fernández Artime, SDB: ‘Francis has sought, by every means, to have a Church ever closer to the lowliest, the most afflicted of humanity’

(ANS – New Delhi) – “I would like us to once again have hope and trust in others, even in those who are not close to us or come from distant lands… because we are all children of God.”— Pope Francis, in his final message. In a time of growing walls and shrinking compassion, Pope Francis stood as a bridge-builder, a voice of conscience, and a father … Continue reading Pope Francis: Shepherd of the Migrants and Refugees

(ANS – Rome) – “Love, reverence, respect the Supreme Pontiff, Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth. He who is with the Pope is on God’s side,” Don Bosco taught his boys. Devotion to the Holy Father is one of the three ‘special loves’ that he always passed on as part of his spirituality, and today it shines through clearly in the moving words full of gratitude … Continue reading Pope Francis, Unforgettable Throughout the Salesian World

Saint Peter’s Square Easter Sunday, 20 April 2025 Mary Magdalene, seeing that the stone of the tomb had been rolled away, ran to tell Peter and John. After receiving the shocking news, the two disciples also went out and — as the Gospel says — “the two were running together” (Jn 20:4). The main figures of the Easter narratives all ran! On the one hand, “running” could express … Continue reading Easter Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis – Read by Cardinal Angelo Comastri

(ANS – Vatican City) – The world mourns for Pope Francis at his ‘transitus’, to use a word that is both rich in meaning and familiar to the Church and the Franciscan spiritual tradition to describe one’s passing. His death, no doubt, is the end of a remarkable era. He leaves behind a great legacy. Pope Francis has many firsts to his credit: the first Latin … Continue reading “Transitus” of Francis: End of an Era and a Great Legacy. Pope Francis (1936-2025)

(ANS – Rome) – The Rector Major of the Salesians of Don Bosco and the entire Salesian Congregation join the whole Church around Pope Francis, who rose with Christ this morning. Grateful for his constant attention and repeated encouragement to go out and ‘share the mission of bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth,’ especially where the poorest and most abandoned young people live, … Continue reading The Salesian Congregation in Prayer for Pope Francis: Faithful Servant Risen in Christ

(ANS – Rome) – Pope Francis spent 38 days as a patient at Gemelli Polyclinic, from February 14 to March 23, 2025. These were challenging weeks for an 88-year-old battling bilateral pneumonia. Medical reports did not hide the gravity of his condition, the crises he faced, or the complexity of his clinical picture. Yet, throughout these difficult days, a flood of prayers accompanied his recovery—personal prayers, … Continue reading Welcome Home, Holy Father!

(ANS – Rome) – On March 13, Pope Francis marked the twelfth anniversary of his election as Pontiff from the Roman hospital where he has been hospitalized for nearly a month. This period of stillness comes after one of the most intense years of his papacy, filled with the Jubilee, Synod, Consistory, international and domestic travels, and visits to Roman parishes. On this day, the Pope … Continue reading  “I Accompany You from Here”: The Anniversary of the Pontificate at Gemelli, with Eyes on the World