With the words “pilgrims” and “hope” representing key themes of Pope Francis’ pontificate, he has last month approved “Pilgrims of Hope” as the motto for the Holy Year 2025.
The motto aims to give a concise sense of the full meaning of the jubilee journey.

The Catholic Church worldwide is showing good progress and “much joy” after the opening of the synodal process, but there also have been some “uncertainties” and challenges, said the ordinary council of the Synod of Bishops. By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service.

Hundreds of men and women belonging to religious orders attended the Mass for the celebration of Candlemas — the feast of the Presentation of the Lord — which also marks the Vatican celebration of the World Day for Consecrated Life on 2 February at the Vatican.

Speaking during his weekly general audience, Wednesday 26 January, Pope Francis has said that parents, in particular, often must grapple with situations or problems that are out of their control, such as when their child is sick or has a chronic illness. “How much pain is there!”.

American Archbishop Charles Balvo, a veteran of the Vatican’s diplomatic service for more than 30 years, will assume the role of Apostolic Nuncio to Australia. Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President Archbishop Coleridge said Archbishop Balvo “comes to us at a complex and challenging time in the Church and in Australia.

The Vatican announced that Pope Francis sent more than 100 000 euros ($113 868) for the relief of the population, in relief aid to the Philippines after typhoon Rai struck in December. The pope also will send 100 000 euros to help migrants stranded on the border of Belarus and Poland and to Caritas Poland, which has been working to assist them. By Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service.

“What is Christmas? Is it a tree? A statue of a baby with a woman and a man nearby? Yes, it is Jesus, the birth of Jesus,” he said, so “stop for a bit and think of Christmas as a message, a message of peace.”

Anyone who has followed the pontificate of Pope Francis will know that he consistently encourages the young to learn from their elders and to remember their roots.

Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, Archbishop Arthur Roche has this week released a letter saying Catholic men and women formally installed in the new ministry of catechists are not simply religious education teachers but are engaged in “the proclamation and transmission of the faith”.

Pope Francis greets people as he leaves an ecumenical prayer with migrants in the Church of the Holy Cross in Nicosia, Cyprus, Dec. 3, 2021. During his trip, Pope Francis continued to hone his teaching on migration, appealing for action but also acknowledging that not every country can accept all newcomers. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) Spending a bit of time with young people before leaving Gre...