Pope Leo XIV Calls for Peace and Justice in Africa Visit
Pope Leo XIV used his first general audience after returning from a ten-day journey to Africa to urge the world to confront injustice and embrace peace. Speaking to thousands in St. Peter’s Square on April 29, the pope said his April 13-23 trip to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea was meant to deliver “a message of peace at a moment marked by conflicts and frequent violations of international law.” He denounced neo-colonial attitudes and called for fair distribution of wealth, sustainable development, and an end to corruption, particularly in resource-rich nations. In Algeria, he emphasized interreligious coexistence, recalling the legacy of St. Augustine. In Cameroon, he pressed for reconciliation and opportunities for youth. In Equatorial Guinea, he was moved by prisoners who prayed with him in the rain, calling it “a genuine sign of the Kingdom of God.” In Angola, he praised the Church’s role in reconciliation after civil war, declaring, “A free Church for a free people.” Pope Leo said the journey allowed African Catholics to express “the joy of being God’s people” while offering him “an inestimable treasure for my heart and my ministry.” CNS (Edited).
Pope Denounces Frequent Violations of Press Freedom
Pope Leo XIV marked 3, May 2026, UNESCO’s World Press Freedom Day with a heartfelt appeal at the conclusion of the Regina Caeli prayer, urging remembrance of journalists who have fallen victim to war and violence. He denounced violations of press freedom, both overt and covert, and called for solidarity with those who risk their lives to report the truth. Reflecting on the Gospel, the Pope spoke of the “home” promised by the
Risen Christ, contrasting worldly exclusivity with the joy of openness and inclusion. He emphasized that in God’s kingdom, gratitude replaces competition and no one is forgotten. Last night, during the ordination of four new auxiliary bishops at St. John Lateran, Pope Leo warned against systems that crush the weak and exalt only the strong. He encouraged the new bishops to reach out to society’s “rejected stones,” affirming that in Christ, all are called to be part of the Church’s living edifice and human fraternity. AN (Edited
Vatican Honors Pope Leo XIII with Asteroid Naming
The Vatican Observatory has announced that an asteroid has been named in honor of Pope Leo XIII, who established the observatory in 1891. The celestial tribute recognizes his commitment to bridging faith and science, marking a symbolic gesture that links the Church’s historical support for astronomy with the wider scientific community. The Pope Leo XIII asteroid is one of four discovered by Lithuanian astronomer Kazimieras Cernis and Jesuit Father Richard P. Boyle, a Vatican Observatory astronomer. The pair detected the bodies using the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, or VATT, on Mount Graham, Arizona, constructed in partnership with the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory. The remaining three asteroids have been named for other key figures in the history of the Vatican Observatory, which traces its roots to the solar calendar reform of Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 an effort that corrected a widening gap between the calendar and the seasons incurred by the Julian calendar. UCAN (Edited).
From Childhood Mischief to Priesthood
Christian Sguazzino was ordained a priest by Pope Leo XIV on April 26 in St. Peter’s
Basilica, during the fourth Sunday of Easter, traditionally dedicated to vocations. His journey to priesthood carries a curious anecdote: as a child at the parish of San Giovanni della Croce, he once caused such disruption during Mass that the assistant parish priest threatened him and his friends with excommunication. “At that time there wasn’t even a proper liturgical hall; instead, the celebrations were held in tents. My friends and I naturally caused quite a bit of chaos. So one day the assistant parish priest threw us out and told us we would be excommunicated!” Sguazzino recalled with humor. Despite his youthful mischief, he also remembered faithfully attending daily Mass after his First Communion, often bringing a friend along after playing soccer. Reflecting on his vocation, he emphasized the influence of “many priests happy to be priests: their testimony was fundamental.” His story highlights transformation and the power of example in shaping a calling. Other newly ordained priests shared diverse paths to their vocation: inspiration from a priest uncle, experiences in non-Catholic families, musical journeys abroad, the Neo-Catechumenal Way, and even work in a liquor factory. For Sguazzino, however, the memory of childhood antics contrasts with his enduring joy of being in the Church, delighting in the altar and tabernacle-a reminder that youthful rebellion can blossom into lifelong devotion. Zenit (Edited).
Marathon record-breaker offers powerful witness of faith
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe etched his name into sporting history at the London Marathon. crossing the finish line in 1 hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds the first man ever to complete an official marathon in less than two hours. The achievement, hailed as a breakthrough in human endurance, instantly became one of the year’s defining athletic milestones. Yet it was what followed that gave the moment unexpected resonance. As cameras zoomed
in, Sawe quietly made the Sign of the Cross. The simple gesture, contrasted with the roar of elite sport and underscored a sense of gratitude and faith at the height of triumph. For many, the image of a champion pausing to entrust his victory to God may linger even longer than the record-breaking time itself a reminder that greatness and humility can meet in a single fleeting gesture. Aleteia (Edited).
Indian Nuns Regain Voting Right after Legal Battle
Some 55 nuns from the Missionaries of Charity (MC) congregation were able to cast their votes during the West Bengal state assembly polls in eastern India after they challenged their removal from the electoral roll. The nuns from the congregation founded by St. Teresa of Kolkata voted in the second round of the election on April 29 after the Election Commission of India (ECI) restored their names after scrutiny, said a nun from the order’s headquarters in the West Bengal state capital Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). All the nuns are voters in the Chowringhee constituency in Kolkata, and 35 of them registered their Mother House as their permanent address. Their names were included in the supplementary voter list published on April 28. The nuns, most of them born outside the state, noticed their names were missing in the voter list published on February 28. They approached a judicial tribunal to challenge the removal of their names under the ECI’s controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. The MC sources say the tribunal called 120 nuns for a hearing before the first round of voting on April 23. While some nuns were cleared, others were left pending because they failed to provide the necessary documents, such as birth certificates and parental certificates. The nuns were allowed to reclaim their place on the voter list after weeks of uncertainty, according to Farrell Shah, director of Social Communications for the Archdiocese of Calcutta, based in the state capital. UCAN (Edited).