An Israeli air strike hits Khiam, Nabatieh region in southern Lebanon, on Sept. 25, 2024. / Credit: Mawan Semaan/ACI MENA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 3, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Patriarch Raï praises Lebanon border communities for staying on their land

Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Raï returned to southern Lebanon, visiting border villages that have endured years of instability, ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, reported Sept. 28.

Presiding over Mass in Marjeyoun, Raï praised local communities for their resilience and unwavering attachment to their land. “The south reminds Lebanon that salvation is for those who endure to the end,” he said, urging unity and strength in the face of loss. 

Raï called for a permanent peace built on Israeli withdrawal and the assertion of full Lebanese sovereignty, stressing that the army remains the nation’s sole legitimate defender. His message was both pastoral and political: Lebanon’s survival depends on the steadfastness of its people and the rebuilding of a state rooted in law, dignity, and faith.

Syria’s security breakdown puts Christians at risk

In Syria, a wave of violence continues to sweep across different regions, exposing civilians to daily dangers, ACI MENA reported Oct. 2. 

The killing of two young Christian men in Wadi al-Nasara this week sparked outrage among residents, who blocked roads and rang church bells in protest. Simultaneously, reports surfaced of a violent robbery targeting a Christian family in the same area and arbitrary arrests of believers in Maaloula.

These incidents underscore the fragility of local security and the increasing vulnerability of minority communities caught between lawlessness and repression. 

Iraq hosts official celebration of Nicaea’s 1,700th anniversary

On Sept. 27, the Catholic University of Erbil in Iraq hosted the opening of a three-day international academic conference, organized by the Assyrian Church of the East, to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325). ACI MENA reported that the event was held under the patronage and presence of Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III Royel, with the participation of Chaldean Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako.

Attendees included Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, along with senior government officials, bishops, clergy, representatives of several Apostolic Churches from around the world, scholars, and members of the public.

In his welcoming remarks, Royel described the conference as the only official celebration in Iraq marking the great anniversary of the Church’s first ecumenical council, which brought together the Fathers of the Church to unify their faith and doctrine. He underscored the importance of the Council of Nicaea, which produced the first shared Creed accepted by all Christians, at a time when unity of faith and participation in the sacraments was still maintained among different Churches.

Asian bishops hold synodal gathering in Bangkok suburb ahead of 2026 plenary assembly

Over 50 bishops and Church leaders gathered in Samphran, a western suburb of Bangkok, last week to discuss the final document produced by the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican in preparation for the 2026 Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) plenary assembly in Bali, according to Vatican News. 

“The purpose was to study and understand the final document of the synod together, reflect on our dioceses, and consider how the Church in Asia can put it into practice,” said Archbishop Anthony Weradet Chaiseri, vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand.

The gathering focused on discussions about how the final document relates to the FABC’s Bangkok Document from 2022, the reception of synodality across Asia, and “the need for transparency and accountability in a synodal Church.”

Catholic, Anglican Irish bishops meet in Dublin to discuss Gaza, AI 

Representatives from the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Church of Ireland House of Bishops gathered for a meeting at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute on Sept. 22 to discuss the tragedy continuing to unfold in Gaza and the role of the Church with respect to AI. 

“These meetings are held as part of an Irish response to the request some years ago from the International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission (IARCCUM) that there should be regular meetings between Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops in countries where both share a parallel diocesan structure,” said a Sept. 24 press release. “The next such gathering will take place in Maynooth in September 2026.”

Jesuit communities in India become completely solar powered 

Jesuit communities across India have been making the complete switch to solar-powered energy as a means of combating climate change, according to a report from UCA News. 

The coordinator of the Ecology Platform of Jesuit West Zone Provinces in India, Father Frazer Mascarenhas, told UCA that about 60 institutions “have achieved zero electricity bills for quite some time and demonstrated that it is a viable project to save the only home we have — the fragile Earth.”

The communities that made the switch join a wider project aimed at making all 110 Jesuit residences, schools, and institutions across India’s four Jesuit provinces of the western zone, which includes Bombay, Goa, Gujarat, and Pune.

DR Congo, Rwandan dioceses mark International Peace Day 

The Archdiocese of Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda’s Cyangugu Diocese have jointly planted a tree of peace to mark the International Day of Peace, ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, reported Oct. 1. 

Presiding over the ceremony, Bishop Edouard Sinayobye of Cyangugu said: “When we speak of peace and plant this tree, we pray for peace in the world and in our region. This tree is a symbol representing our dioceses.”

Also speaking during the Sept. 28 event, Telesphore Mugisha Buhendwa, a member of the Justice and Peace Commission of Bukavu Archdiocese, expressed joy in meeting with counterparts from the Rwandan diocese. He further noted planting the tree of peace symbolized cooperation and hope, demonstrating that people in border regions can live in harmony, fostering collaboration and mutual respect.

Catholic bishops call for peaceful election in Ivory Coast

Catholic bishops of the Episcopal Conference of the Ivory Coast have joined the Higher Council of Imams, Mosques, and Islamic Affairs in calling for calm and “restraint” ahead of the country’s Oct. 24 presidential election, ACI Africa reported on Oct. 1. 

“Today again, we unfortunately see verbal violence, particularly on social media, which has intensified since the Constitutional Council’s decision on the final list of candidates for the Oct. 25 election,” the religious leaders said in a joint statement, lamenting that every presidential election since 1990 has been marked by “weakened social cohesion.”

The religious leaders called on politicians to use politics as an instrument of building society and encouraged elections officials to carry out their duties with full transparency. 

Timothy Schmalz’s latest sculpture, soon to be installed at Ave Maria University in Florida, depicts Jesus covering the fatal wound of slain Christian activist Charlie Kirk. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Ave Maria University

CNA Staff, Oct 3, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The day after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, renowned Catholic sculptor Timothy Schmalz began working on a sculpture no one had commissioned: Jesus comforting the slain conservative Christian activist, the fatal wound to his neck covered by Christ’s pierced hand. 

“Shocked and devastated” upon hearing of the Turning Point USA founder’s assassination, Schmalz told CNA in an interview that he entered his studio at 4 a.m. the following day and began building up the sculpture with his hands as “a form of prayer.” 

“I had an audio recording of the Old Testament playing in the background and Charlie’s voice debating at the same time as I sculpted,” he said. 

When he first formed the face of Jesus, Schmalz said it was screaming with rage, reflecting the rage he himself felt at the time. 

“This was the murder of a human being. It was also a violent attack on the premise that we can have discussions as decent human beings,” said Schmalz, who had listened to Kirk regularly and admired him for his courage and energy. “When he was murdered, it was like our freedoms were murdered as well.”

“Another reaction I had was horror at seeing the murder on video over and over again,” he said. “Can you give this person some dignity? Not only are people absolutely barbarically rude when it comes to social media, but now you have this other layer of removing things that are sacred: the idea that a human life should not be murdered.”

Seeing it posted everywhere made it “seem more barbaric and animalistic,” he said. 

“All of this really compelled me to do something positive within this horrible situation,” Schmalz said. “I wondered, how would Charlie, who loved Jesus, want to be represented?”

“As I worked, Jesus’ face became less angry and more compassionate,” he said.

“Hopefully, that will be how our society becomes. Hopefully, like my sculpture of the face of Christ, it will change. I had him enraged and then it turned. I hope our world will also turn from that rage.”

“My hope with the sculpture is that it gives some dignity to the human life of Charlie and to all of us. We are slowly moving away from this dignity in culture today,” he lamented, saying he wanted to do what he could to make the world “more kind and peaceful.”

‘If we are in a culture war, we have to fight it with culture’

“We are in a culture of nihilism, and our secular society has to be challenged,” he said. “If we are in a culture war, we have to fight it with culture.” 

“I have spent my life doing sculptures like my piece ‘Angels Unawares’ that presents the truth that all human life is sacred,” he said.

The day after Kirk’s death, Schmalz and his 16-year-old daughter, who he had been unaware also followed Kirk, began talking about “important issues like abortion.” She told Schmalz she had joined the high school debating club because of Kirk.

“It was the first time I had such a conversation about deep issues with my daughter,” he said.

A fortuitous meeting

Schmalz told CNA that after showing Ave Maria University President Mark Middendorf photographs of the sculpture, which was still in its early stages, at a fortuitous meeting in Orlando in mid-September, Middendorf told him “that belongs on our campus” and asked if the school could receive the first bronze casting.

Schmalz agreed, and the sculpture will soon be installed at the Catholic school in southwest Florida. 

Middendorf told CNA that the Ave Maria University community, which has had an active Turning Point USA chapter for years, responded immediately to news of Kirk’s passing. An on-campus Mass was offered for the repose of Kirk’s soul on the evening of his death.

“I admired Charlie’s search for truth,” Middendorf said. “Engaging in peaceful dialogue with others who believe things contrary to ourselves is profoundly needed in our current climate. My hope is that our students will continue to engage our culture with courage, sharing the truths of our faith.”On Sept. 14, the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Middendorf said Deacon Mark Miravalle in his homily recalled one of Kirk’s own remarks: “When asked, ‘Why does God allow suffering or evil?’ Kirk had once responded: ‘Wrong question. The right question is: What did God do about it? The answer: the cross.’”

Statue to stand as ‘lasting tribute to Charlie Kirk’s fearless witness’

Middendorf said the sculpture will serve as a “profound and lasting tribute to Charlie Kirk’s fearless witness, bold defense of life, and unwavering love for Jesus Christ.”

The university president told CNA he also wants the sculpture “to serve as inspiration for students to live and share their faith with heroic courage and to use their God-given gifts to transform the culture and seek the salvation of souls, which is why Tom Monaghan built this university, and why I and all our faculty and staff are here.”

The bronze sculpture will not be the first piece of Schmalz’s work on campus. Monaghan commissioned him to make the university oratory’s crucifix. In addition, along the school’s rosary wall, Schmalz also made a sculpture depicting the Annunciation.

Art as a form of evangelization

The acclaimed artist attributes his success to seeing his work as a form of prayer and his studio as a chapel, in a sense. He also sees his work as a form of evangelization, which he said is “unique” in the current art world that does not value beauty or truth.

“If the truth of our faith were presented in an awesome way, you would have more people coming to Christ. People are spiritually starving out there. We need to reach out to them however we can,” including through beautiful art, he said.

“My mission is to use artwork to bring peace to the world,” Schmalz said. “We have to be better humans.”

Pope Leo-inspired statue in the offing

Earlier this week, the artist met with Pope Leo XIV to present his idea for a new sculpture titled “Peace Be With You,” inspired by the pope’s first message to the world upon being elected pontiff in May.

Schmalz’s works are on display all over the world. He created a sculpture of the Blessed Virgin Mary pregnant with Jesus that will be displayed on the grounds of the state capitol in Austin, Texas, after that state’s Legislature approved in May the installation of what it calls the “Texas Life Monument.”

Earlier versions of the 8-foot-tall statue were erected in Rome in 2022 at the Church of San Marcello al Corso and at the national seminary of The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

The Canadian artist’s “Homeless Jesus” statue, inaugurated in March 2016 during the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in Vatican City, is now installed in more than 50 locations around the world, including Hong Kong, the end of the Camino de Santiago in Spain, and in Capernaum in Israel.

Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi (left), the secretary-general of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, meets with Latin patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa in the Holy Land during a Sept. 27–30, 2025, trip to the region. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Italian Bishops’ Conference

Rome Newsroom, Oct 2, 2025 / 14:46 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi announced a major joint project between Italy’s bishops and the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem: the opening of a hospital in Gaza.

An armed police officer talks to a member of the local community outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, north Manchester, England, on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. / Credit: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

EWTN News, Oct 2, 2025 / 10:40 am (CNA).

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales released Bishop John Arnold’s statement following the assault at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.

A 13th-century fresco of St. Francis of Assisi by the Florentine painter Cimabue, one of the earliest depictions of the saint, is located in the lower church of the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Assisi, Italy.  / Credit: Jacob Stein/Crux Stationalis

Rome Newsroom, Oct 2, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Oct. 4 will therefore be a public holiday in Italy starting in 2026, after having been a public holiday until 1977.

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London, England, Oct 1, 2025 / 14:35 pm (CNA).

A bioethicist in the United Kingdom said legalizing assisted dying there could threaten hospices’ survival.

Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca, relator of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. / Credit: Diocese of Vitoria

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 1, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The relator for the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, Monsignor Melchor Sánchez de Toca, said the lives of the saints “pierce our conscience.”

The flag of Slovakia, pictured in the country’s capital, Bratislava. / Credit: RossHelen/Shutterstock

Rome, Italy, Sep 30, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).

Slovakia’s recently-amended constitution, which aims to protect family, marriage, and parenthood, has been called an “important step” by the Conference of Bishops of Slovakia.

Saint Jerome Writing, a painting by Caravaggio, dated to 1605–06. / Credit: Public domain

CNA Staff, Sep 30, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

The Vulgate became the predominantly used Bible of the Middle Ages and has endured to this day.

null / Credit: maxuser/Shutterstock

Rome, Italy, Sep 29, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

What exactly is transhumanism, and how does the Church approach it?