By Krzysztof Bronk

In 1567, St Stanislaus Kostka left Vienna, Austria and crossed Germany on his way to Rome, hoping to enter the Society of Jesus against his father’s wishes. This year, young Polish pilgrims retraced the same 1,713-kilometer (1,064.5 miles) route to pray for vocations.

The pilgrimage marked the 300th anniversary of the canonization of St Stanislaus and was carried out as a relay, with 160 participants.

The first stage, from Vienna to Linz, began on Jul 3. “We wanted to remind the world and Europe of St Stanislaus,” said Bishop Szymon Stułkowski, who created the pilgrimage, which passed through Austria, Germany and Italy.

The dramatic journey of the young Stanislaus

On Sep 15, at the tomb of St Stanislaus in the Church of Sant’Andrea al Quirinale in Rome, the pilgrims gave thanks for their journey.  In his homily, Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda recalled the dramatic course of the young saint’s life.

While studying at the Collegium Nobilium in Vienna, Stanislaus discovered his vocation to the Jesuits. Anticipating opposition from his family, he fled Vienna. He first went to Germany, where he received support from St Peter Canisius, and then continued to Rome, where he was admitted to the novitiate.

Despite the many obstacles he faced, Stanislaus showed remarkable determination. The Cardinal noted that this strength came partly from his character and resolve, and partly from a supernatural source.

In Mary’s presence

While still in Vienna, Stanislaus endured a serious illness. During that time, he experienced a vision of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. She allowed him to hold the Child in his arms and made him understand that the hour of his death had not yet come and that he was to enter the Society of Jesus.

He would encounter Mary once more two years later, while already a Jesuit novice in Rome, at the hour of his death. St Stanislaus Kostka died on Aug 15, 1568, at just 18. He is the patron saint of novices and young Jesuits.

A lesson in resisting the vanity of the world

Cardinal Ghirlanda noted that St Stanislaus Kostka, who came from a wealthy and influential family, “fully understood the vanity of worldly things, in the sense that they disappear like mist, while what remains forever is the will of God.”

For this reason, the cardinal said, the Polish saint remains relevant today.

“The pagan society in which we now live is a constant temptation for all of us,” Cardinal Ghirlanda said. “In many ways, it attracts us with its vanity, and the Evil One deceives us by presenting it as something solid, as something that can give us happiness. St Stanislaus teaches us that we must resist it and remain faithful to God, even if this may lead to misunderstanding from those around us.” – Vatican News

By Fr Paweł Rytel-Andrianik 

The year 2030 will mark 2,000 years since the traditional date of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. Bethany Beyond the Jordan — today known as Al-Maghtas — is regarded as the site of Christ’s baptism.

Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II during his visit to this site on Sep 13 issued directives to improve the site to enhance the experience of Christian pilgrims and visitors.

“The Crown Prince emphasised the need to carefully plan for the 2030 millennium celebrations, commemorating two thousand years since the baptism of Jesus Christ, in a manner that reflects the profound history of the site and occasion, and reaffirms Jordan’s status as a premier global destination for Christian pilgrimage,” read a statement of The Royal Heshemite Court.

“The Crown Prince—accompanied by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, and chairman of the Baptism Site Commission’s board of trustees—was briefed on the services offered to pilgrims and visitors. Her Royal Highness Princess Miriam Ghazi, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Imad Hijazin, Director of the Office of the Crown Prince Zaid Baqain, and Baptism Site Commission Director General Abdullah Bawareed accompanied the Crown Prince on the visit,” it said.

Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II underlined the need to promote the Baptism Site more widely, in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Jordan Tourism Board, and all relevant partners.

At Al-Maghtas, in Jordan, archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of churches, chapels, hermits’ caves, and a baptistery — places of worship tied to Jesus’ Baptism. In 2015 this area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Three Popes have made pilgrimages there: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. – Vatican News

Vatican News

Hailed by the Jury as “an act of hope and healing“, Japanese director Hirokazu Koreeda’s film Look Back has won the prestigious SIGNIS Award at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.

The World Catholic Association for Communication (SIGNIS) international jury, composed of members from Germany, Italy, Venezuela and the Czech Republic, praised the film as a poignant tool for transformation, describing it as “a bridge through which pain can be transformed into purpose and the courage to move forward renewed.”

The SIGNIS Film Prize, which was established in 1948, is the oldest independent award at the Venice Film Festival.

Announcing the winner, this is how the SIGNIS jury motivated its choice:

“Following the story of two girls who are different from one another but united by their passion for manga, this moving film tells the story of the birth of a creative vocation, nurtured through tireless dedication and professional commitment. Hirokazu Kore-eda sensitively captures the strength of human solidarity, showing how mutual support and the gift of friendship lead the protagonists out of isolation and towards discovering their place in the world.

The film also touches on a profound spiritual dimension: the recognition of artistic talent as a transcendent gift, received with gratitude and cultivated through commitment. In confronting guilt, tragic loss and the harsh blows of fate, Look Back reveals that acceptance and reconciliation emerge from honouring the bond of friendship that has shaped their lives.

Finally, artistic creation emerges as an act of hope and healing, a bridge that transforms pain into purpose and rekindles the courage to move forward.”

SIGNIS, which has presented the oldest independent award at the Venice Film Festival since 1948, accompanied the honour with the following citation:

What is SIGNIS

SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication, was established in 2001 through the merger of the International Catholic Association for Radio and Television (UNDA) and the International Catholic Organisation for Cinema and Audiovisual (OCIC), organisations that had been active since 1928.

With members in more than 100 countries, SIGNIS works across cinema, television, radio, media education, the internet and new technologies. It is represented through SIGNIS, ecumenical and interreligious juries at around 40 international film festivals, including Venice, as well as Berlin, Cannes, Monte-Carlo, Buenos Aires, Havana, Washington DC, Nyon, Leipzig, Trento and San Sebastián. – Vatican News

By Bezawit Assefa Bogale – Addis Ababa

The Eucharistic celebration for the official installation of Archbishop Tesfaye (Tesfasilasie) Tadesse Gebresilasie, M.C.C.J., as the new Archbishop of Addis Ababa was held on Sep 6, 2026, at the Nativity Catholic Cathedral in Addis Ababa.

Conducted in accordance with the canon law and traditions of the Catholic Church, the installation ceremony was presided over by Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, Archbishop Emeritus of Addis Ababa.

The celebration began with a symbolic rite in which Archbishop Tesfaselassie knocked three times on the cathedral door before entering.

The three knocks represented the Holy Trinity and marked the beginning of the Eucharistic celebration and his formal assumption of leadership of the Archdiocese.

A message from Pope Leo XIV was presented by the representative of the Holy See. The papal letter officially announced Archbishop Tesfaselassie’s appointment and conveyed the Holy Father’s message of communion, gratitude, and encouragement.

In his homily, Archbishop Brian Udaigwe, Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia, expressed his best wishes to the new Archbishop and encouraged him to shepherd the Archdiocese in the example of Christ, the Good Shepherd, leading with love, humility, and the power of the Cross.

Archbishop Tesfaselassie, in turn, pledged to serve the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa through the grace and love of Christ.

He received the symbols of his pastoral ministry, including the liturgical vestments and the shepherd’s staff, from Cardinal Berhaneyesus and was formally installed in the Archbishop’s See.

This solemn act signified the continuity of apostolic leadership and the Church’s mission in the Archdiocese of Addis Ababa.

The Eucharistic celebration brought together Ethiopian Catholic Bishops and episcopal delegates, representatives of the Holy See, bishops and priests from several African countries, AMECEA delegates, representatives of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, diplomats, leaders of partner organizations, superiors of religious communities, priests, religious brothers and sisters, lay faithful, and numerous invited guests.

For nearly 27 years, Cardinal Berhaneyesus faithfully served as Archbishop of Addis Ababa, guiding the local Church with dedication and pastoral wisdom.

During the celebration, various individuals and institutions expressed their gratitude for his long and fruitful service to the Church in Ethiopia.

Archbishop Tesfaselassie brings to this new responsibility a wealth of pastoral and missionary experience.

A member of the Comboni Missionaries, he has served the Church in numerous capacities at both national and international levels, culminating in his service as Superior General of the Comboni Missionaries worldwide.

By succeeding Cardinal Berhaneyesus, he now begins a new chapter of leadership and service for the Catholic Church in Ethiopia.

The celebration concluded with a deeply moving and symbolic gesture.

Cardinal Berhaneyesus and Archbishop Tesfaselassie knelt together before the altar and humbly asked for the prayers and solidarity of the Catholic faithful and all people of goodwill.

Their kneeling expressed the spiritual readiness of a shepherd to embrace, with humility and faith, all the responsibilities, sacrifices, challenges, and consequences that accompany service in the Church.

In that moment, the outgoing and incoming Archbishops offered a powerful witness to the true nature of Christian leadership: a ministry rooted not in authority or privilege, but in humble service, fidelity to God’s will, and reliance on the prayers of the People of God.

The ceremony was therefore not only the installation of a new Archbishop but also a powerful sign of generational continuity in Church leadership, reflecting the passing of pastoral responsibility from one shepherd to another in a spirit of faith, gratitude, communion, and hope. – Vatican News

By Christopher Wells

The Fourth Fratelli Tutti Synodal Encounter on North-South socio-environmental dialogue is meeting this week in Rome for discussions aimed at offering a multilateral response to the major transformations occurring in the Americas.

Promoted by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM) with the collaboration of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the three-day Meeting, from Sep 10-12, is addressing issues of continent-wide import, including the growth of artificial intelligence; human dignity; responding to the socio-environmental crisis; social friendship; community organization; and energy transition and protection of territories as a common good.

As the meeting kicked off on Thursday, USCCB Associate Secretary General Anthony Granado told Vatican Radio said the fourth edition of the Encounter, which was established in the light of the encyclical Fratelli tutti, published by Pope Francis in 2020, is now taking into account the indications provided by Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica humanitas. In this meeting, the Church is able “to bring together labour groups, civil society groups, business to talk about how we can have a shared common vision to promote the social teaching of the Church and promote the common good together in the times we’re living in.”

Bringing people to the table

Granado explained that the promoters of the Synodal Encounter have worked together “to find the ways we can bring people to the table, especially in light of things we’re seeing globally,” while focusing in particular on how groups throughout the Western Hemisphere can address questions of labour, immigration, the environment, “and, of course, artificial intelligence.”

Jill Rauh, the Executive Director of the USCCB’s Secretariat of Justice and Peace – who is also taking part in the Encounter – emphasized the Church’s role in bringing people together. “I think that the church plays a really important role in these meetings. The Church is the convener of these important conversations that are happening. And it is not only a meeting that is happening with people who work for the Church who are in the room, but there have been invitations extended, and there is the participation of many important individuals from the secular world, from the various sectors that are being represented. And we’re all in that room together to, to, to really identify some of the common values that we have that can be brought to those conversations.”

Finding common ground in a polarized society

In the context of the United States, Rauh expressed concern about the polarization in American society, and highlighted the importance of trying to hear and understand the experiences of dialogue partners, to see how shared experience “can identify something in common.” It is in those relationships, she said, “that we can address some of what may seem like polarities in those social and environmental questions where we can identify something in common and we can work together.”

Asked about concrete proposals and concrete actions that can be taken, Granado explained his role in the USCCB as bringing people together to influence public policy, law, and other areas in order “to advance the common good and promote human life and dignity.” He highlighted the Church’s robust teaching on social justice, including Leo XIII’s landmark encyclical Rerum novarum, and noted her longstanding concern for and significant contributions to questions of labour, the environment, and creation.

The Fourth Fratelli Synodal Meeting is intended “to promote fraternity through social dialogue by launching a ‘North-South shared responsibility agenda for multisectoral cooperation’.”

On Saturday, participants in the Encounter will have an opportunity to meet with Pope Leo XIV in a private audience at the Apostolic Palace. – Vatican News

By Vatican News

Cardinal Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar called for a renewed understanding of peace and legitimate defence as he addressed an international conference in Rome examining the Catholic Church’s approach to Gospel nonviolence.

Speaking to participants at the conference Unarmed and Disarming Peace: The Church’s Emerging Paradigm Shift to Gospel Nonviolence, Cardinal Bo stressed that nonviolence should not be understood as passivity or as a withdrawal from the responsibility to protect people.

Rather, he said, nonviolent strategies can offer an effective response to violence in a world increasingly marked by armed conflicts and new military technologies.

Hosted by the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence, a project of Pax Christi, the Cardinal’s message was broadcast to participants who are taking part in a 10-day international initiative that will conclude on Sep 11 with a pilgrimage to Assisi that draws inspiration from St Francis and St Clare.

“Nonviolent strategies are not a lack of defence; they are a more effective form of defence,” Cardinal Bo said in his message, pointing to civilian-based defence, unarmed civilian protection and active nonviolent resistance as ways of putting legitimate defence into practice.

Investing in peace

The Cardinal called for greater investment in diplomacy, restorative justice, early-warning peace networks and systematic de-escalation. Such approaches, he said, can protect human dignity without reproducing the logic of violence.

“True legitimate defence must be unarmed in its methods and disarming in its effects,” he explained.

This, he added, represents a broader challenge to the Church to move nonviolence beyond the status of an optional or secondary vocation and place it at the heart of Catholic life and teaching.

‘Peace is possible’

Drawing on the experience of the Church in Myanmar, Cardinal Bo spoke of a people who, despite years of conflict and displacement, continue to proclaim that “Peace is possible” and “Peace is the only way.”

He stressed that nonviolence does not mean withdrawing in the face of danger or accepting injustice. “Rather, it is a refusal to emulate the very evil we seek to eradicate,” he said, adding that choosing nonviolence requires courage.

“Nonviolence is not for cowards,” Cardinal Bo said.

The Cardinal also connected the call to nonviolence with the Gospel witness of Jesus and the legacy of figures such as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr and emphasised that peacebuilding requires both structural change and an inner transformation of the human person.

“An unarmed peace in society is impossible without a disarming peace in the soul,” he said, calling for the rejection of fear, hatred, dehumanisation and the desire for revenge that can perpetuate cycles of violence.

Pope Leo XIV’s blessing

Participants in the Rome conference also received a message and blessing from Pope Leo XIV, delivered by Archbishop Giovanni Ricchiuti, President of Pax Christi Italy.

The gathering brings together theologians, pastoral leaders, peacebuilders, educators and practitioners to consider how Gospel nonviolence might move toward the centre of Catholic life and teaching.

The two-day conference, hosted by the Catholic Institute for Nonviolence, a project of Pax Christi International, that continues through Sep 10 with an intensive formation programme bringing together participants from different countries and conflict-affected contexts. – Vatican News

By Fr Łukasz Bankowski

Celebrations marking the end of the harvest season exist in many countries, but Polish “dożynki” have their own distinctive traditions. Elaborate wreaths are woven from ears of grain, flowers, herbs and fruit, while bread is baked from the newly harvested grain. Before the music, dancing and festivities begin, the fruits of the harvest are brought before the altar in thanksgiving.

At the General Audience, Pope Leo XIV referred precisely to this dimension of the celebrations.

“Let us entrust to the Lord the work of farmers, thanks to whom we do not lack our daily bread,” he said. “May Mary, the most beautiful among the flowers of the earth, watch over your families and your fields.”

Harvest wreaths brought to Jasna Góra

One of the most important destinations for Poland’s harvest celebrations is the Jasna Góra shrine in Częstochowa, the country’s principal Marian sanctuary. Every year, farmers from across Poland travel there carrying harvest wreaths that represent their towns and regions.

During this year’s celebrations, bishop Krzysztof Nitkiewicz told the gathered faithful that the wreaths speak of the faith and work of entire families who, in gathering the harvest, cooperate with the Creator.

“The earth must be treated with respect, like a mother,” he stressed.

A tradition that travels with Poles

The tradition has also crossed Poland’s borders. In Bukovina, Romania, home to a historic Polish community, Poles in the village of Nowy Sołoniec begin their harvest celebration with Mass and the blessing of the produce. Regional dishes, music and performances by Polish folk groups follow, helping preserve Polish culture and pass it on to new generations.

An even more unusual example is the Polish Catholic Mission in Koblenz, Germany. Its faithful are mainly Polish economic migrants, with no farmers among them. Yet every year the church is decorated for the harvest celebration, and prayers are offered for farmers and for the year’s crops.

“Poles have a deeply rooted conviction that we should thank God for the fruits of the earth and for the good we receive,” Fr Tomasz Świątek, parish priest in Koblenz, told Vatican News.

There, perhaps, the enduring character of “dożynki” becomes particularly clear: a tradition born in the Polish countryside has survived even without fields or farmers. As Pope Leo XIV suggests, behind our daily bread are the earth, human labor and God’s blessing. – Vatican News

By Moriba Camara, S.J.

The 2026 West African Youth Days (JOAJ) open this Monday, Sep 7, in Accra, Ghana. Over the following four days, young Catholics from 16 West African countries will join together around the theme: “Take courage: young Catholics, actors and agents of peace and hope in West Africa.”

The first day is dedicated to welcoming the delegations and discovering Ghanaian culture. It will conclude with a welcome ceremony, followed by Eucharistic adoration with the Rosary and meditation.

On Tuesday, Sep 8, the young people will explore the topics of faith and culture, guided by the theme: “Rooted in faith, courageous in witness.” After the opening Mass, attention will turn to the subject of “Digital evangelization: Faith in the news feed – Using social media for mission” during a workshop. A cultural evening will then give the various delegations an opportunity to share the music, dances and artistic expressions of their respective countries.

Young people, agents of peace

The third day, Wednesday, Sep 9, will focus on leadership and social engagement under the theme “Strengthened for mission.” Catecheses with the bishops and the day’s workshops will address, among other topics, the role of young people in “social change in West Africa,” climate justice, peacebuilding, and the fight against terrorism, violent extremism and conflicts in the African subregion.

On Thursday, Sep 10, participants will spend a day focused on pilgrimage and solidarity under the theme, “Walking together in faith and service.” They will learn more about missionary vocations and take part in a Marian day at a parish in Accra, including a catechesis on Mary, the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. Mary will be presented as “Queen of Peace and a model disciple for young people.”

On Friday, Sep 11, the young people will be sent forth on mission under the theme “Go and help hope grow.” A catechesis with the bishops will prepare them to become “actors and agents of peace,” before the solemn closing Mass presided over by Archbishop Julien Kaboré, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana.

Finally, on the morning of Saturday, Sep12, the young people will return to their respective countries, carrying with them a mission of peace, hope and reconciliation. – Vatican News

By Vatican News

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, is formally launching a new interdisciplinary forum dedicated to exploring Jerusalem’s universal vocation and its significance for people both within the Holy Land and beyond.

“Within Your Gates: The Forum for the Universal Vocation of Jerusalem” is being launched in Jerusalem on Sep 7 2026. The initiative has been developed in partnership with the University of Notre Dame’s academic centre in Jerusalem and will bring together scholars and practitioners from different faith traditions and academic disciplines.

The forum seeks to examine Jerusalem’s universal mission while engaging with the realities of daily life in the city and the wider region. Its areas of research will include the theological significance of Jerusalem, the city’s universal vocation, the language of conflict and reconciliation, and questions of agency under conditions of constraint.

A response to the realities of the Holy Land

The initiative comes amid what the organisers describe as the tragic events that continue to affect the Holy Land. In a statement published by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Cardinal Pizzaballa described the forum as an opportunity to confront these realities while working collaboratively toward a better future for all Jerusalem’s residents.

“The mission of earthly Jerusalem is to become the image and mirror of heavenly Jerusalem, a prophecy and promise of that universal reconciliation and peace which God desires for the whole human family,” Cardinal Pizzaballa said. “It is to this mission that we must return.”

The Cardinal will serve as Chair of the Board of Promoters and will present his vision for the initiative at the launch event in Jerusalem. The gathering will include scholars and practitioners who serve on the forum’s Board of Promoters or Advisory Committee.

From conversations to an established forum

According to the forum’s description, the initiative grew out of a series of closed conversations begun by Cardinal Pizzaballa in response to the situation in the Holy Land. The conversations sought to develop a new perspective on the region’s future and translate that perspective into theological guidance and pastoral practice.

Beginning in 2024, the process developed into five workshops held over two years in partnership with Notre Dame’s academic centre in Jerusalem. The workshops brought together scholars and practitioners from different religious and disciplinary backgrounds.

The experience led to the recognition of the need for a permanent structure to continue the work, resulting in the establishment of Within Your Gates in September 2026.

Research rooted in Jerusalem

The forum describes itself as a platform for applied interdisciplinary research and outreach rooted in the concrete realities of Jerusalem while addressing questions with a wider relevance.

Its work will place the common good of Jerusalem’s residents at the centre, while inviting people from other faith traditions to contribute to and shape its mission. The initiative aims to foster encounters and research across ethnic, religious and political lines.

The organisers also envisage collaboration among a wide range of disciplines, including theology, philosophy, history and political science, as well as fields such as architecture, management and literature.

The forum will be led by Dr Daniel Schwake and builds on more than three years of cooperation with the University of Notre Dame’s academic centre in Jerusalem and other colleagues from the university.

At the heart of the initiative is the conviction that Jerusalem’s complexity need not prevent the city from fulfilling its universal vocation. Rather, the forum argues that this complexity can itself become a source of reflection and inspiration for humanity. – Vatican News

By Roberto Paglialonga

Liechtenstein’s parliament has approved, by 13 votes to 12, a bill that would legalise abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy. The assembly subsequently rejected, by the same margin, a proposal to put the measure to a referendum.

The bill would significantly ease the principality’s current abortion laws, according to which abortion is currently punishable by up to three years in prison for doctors who perform it, with limited exceptions, including serious danger to the woman’s life or health, pregnancy resulting from a sexual crime, or pregnancy involving a girl under 14. The law also prohibits the dissemination of information about abortion and services available abroad.

The prince’s veto

The legislation must now be approved by Hereditary Prince Alois, who has exercised the powers of head of state since 2004 after his father, Prince Hans-Adam II, delegated them to him.

Alois has six months to sanction the law. If he does not do so by the deadline, expected in March 2027, the legislation is considered rejected.

A change in the law therefore appears unlikely. In an interview with the Liechtensteiner Vaterland about three months ago, Alois indicated that he would veto legislation of this kind, citing “the central legal interest of the protection of life”.

Popular initiative

The bill originated in a popular initiative that collected 4,970 signatures over several months, roughly a quarter of the electorate. Only 1,000 signatures were required for the proposal to be submitted to parliament. The initiative called for abortion to be non-punishable during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, the repeal of the ban on information about abortion and the coverage of abortion costs by health insurance.

A similar initiative was rejected by voters in 2011, when more than 52% voted against it.

The Church’s position

The Catholic Church also opposed the 2011 initiative. On 21 August, Bishop Benno Elbs, apostolic administrator of the Archdiocese of Vaduz, published a statement recalling the Church’s teaching on the protection of unborn life.

“The unborn child possesses an intrinsic and inalienable dignity from the beginning and therefore deserves the same protection afforded to every human life,” he wrote. Referring also to words spoken by St John Paul II during his 1985 visit to Liechtenstein, Elbs said that “this responsibility must not be forgotten even today”.

The bishop called for “a society in which women and couples are not left alone and in which saying yes to life becomes possible”.

Liechtenstein has not had a maternity ward for several years, meaning that women must travel abroad to give birth. Elbs expressed concern that women have to seek maternity care in neighbouring countries while the country discusses creating conditions for abortion at home.

“My desire is that together we can build a society in which every child is welcomed and every mother and father receive the support they need to make the right decision for their child,” he said. “A society that protects life must also be a society that does not abandon people in difficulty.” – Vatican News