On the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks recalls the faith that helped people through that day, highlights the memorials to mark the anniversary, and stresses that even in “our tragedies … we are never alone.”
The New York City Fire Department chief who was in charge on the day the World Trade Center was attacked recalls the chaos of that morning, the firefighters who gave their lives, and the human stories still etched in New York’s memory.
Successive popes from St. John Paul II to Pope Leo XIV who have repeatedly appealed for peace and reconciliation, reminding us that even in the face of unspeakable horror, evil and death do not have the final word.
Pope Leo XIV Sends Greetings for Jewish Autumn Holidays
The Jewish new year Rosh Hashanah began Sept. 10, beginning the Jewish High Holidays ending with Yom Kippur later in the month. Pope Leo’s message to Rome’s chief rabbi expressed hope that the holy days “may be an occasion of abundant blessings from the Almighty and a source of joy.”
UK Bishops Condemn ‘Flawed and Dangerous’ Assisted Dying Bill
As the UK’s House of Commons prepares to resume debate on an assisted suicide bill, Catholic bishops in England and Wales warn that it “does not protect vulnerable people.” A similar bill failed to pass the House of Lords in April.
Caritas in Nepal: Food, Children, Human Trafficking Top Priorities
Catholic aid organizations continue providing aid to Nepal, which was hit Aug. 26 by a flood caused by a melting glacier. A local aid worker warns of the risk of girls being abducted.
Human Dignity Must Be Defended as God’s Gift, Pope Says
At his Wednesday general audience Pope Leo continued his catechesis on the Second Vatican Council’s document on Church engagement with the world, “Gaudium et Spes.” The dignity of every human person, he said, is a permanent gift of God’s love that must be defended with “the light and strength of the Gospel.”
Nine Killed in Southern Lebanese Village After Israeli Strike
A series of airstrikes by the Israeli military across southern Lebanon on Sunday came as retaliation for what the Israeli military said were drone attacks by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group on troops in occupied areas of the country.
Ukraine: ‘Exhaustion, but Also Resilience’ Amid Air Attacks
Attacks by Russia against Ukraine continue to intensify in scale and impact upon residents. The head of a Catholic aid network says the Ukrainian population is living under almost constant air-raid alerts, preparing for power cuts and relying on local humanitarian networks to rebuild lives damaged by years of conflict.
Russia is leaving the door open to new peace talks with Ukraine following a weekend of intense American diplomacy, but major obstacles remain to ending the war, now in its fifth year.
As Pope Leo visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Italy Sept. 8, feast of the Birth of the Mary, he appealed again for peace in the world. “Let us allow peace to grow within us,” he said. “It will blossom in the world. And the Mother of Good Counsel will accompany us in this mission.”
Two Bishops Consecrated in China
Archbishop Andrea Ding Yang was consecrated on Sept. 8 as Archbishop of Chongqing in China. Pope Leo had approved his candidacy July 28 within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China.
Under the same framework a week earlier, Bishop Paolo Liu Honggang was consecrated bishop of Datong (Shanxi), China.
Pope: Emphasis on Individual Freedom Leaves Us Less Free
Speaking to bishops associated with the Focolare Movement, Pope Leo observed how modern societies have become marked by individualism in which freedom is increasingly presented as “absolute autonomy,” so that people may pursue happiness “without any moral, natural, or even human limits.”
Despite the emphasis on individual freedom, “people today frequently feel less free to be their genuine selves or follow their highest ideals, out of a hidden fear of being judged or of not fitting in,” he said.
“The answer to the sad divisions that plague our world lies not in forming more committees or launching more projects, but in going back to the source of our unity in the Holy Trinity.”
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