«O Emmanuel, Rex et legifer noster, exspectatio Gentium, et Salvator earum: veni ad salvandum nos, Domine, Deus noster».
There are days when we don’t know where to start. We leave things ‘too’ Italian, not because they aren’t interesting, but because life doesn’t allow it and we run the risk of making a treatise rather than a presentation.
The papal ‘auguri’ to the curia have been the traditional setting for Pope Francis’s scoldings. The faces yesterday were very serious, but when Leo XIV appeared at the entrance of the Hall of Blessings, everyone noticed his usual jovial and serene face, and a hearty shared laugh with his Roman collaborators broke the ice. Even before the words, the atmosphere relaxed among the members of the Curia. The very carefully designed scenography, as has become customary in this pontificate, especially in contrast with the last one; if we compared it to Benedict XVI, we still haven’t arrived, but we’re on the right path. For the first time in 11 years, the red papal chair has been used by Pope Leo XIV during the audience with the Roman Curia. It has its symbolism because it is the one used as gestatoria, but without the ‘poles’ of the bearers, all a sign. The chair displays the two traditional shields of the reigning Pope. Pope Francis used the red throne outside of liturgy in his first audience with the Cardinals in March 2013 where he stumbled on the platform; it was the last time.
In his 2014 Christmas speech, Francis framed his intervention as a public diagnosis: a list of “diseases” and temptations, with a deliberately harsh lexicon, designed to shake and expose internal dynamics. Leo XIV does not renounce pointing out drifts and risks, but he does so within a polite approach speaking of friendship, fraternity, loyalty in relationships. A serene and non-aggressive climate produces a measurable effect: it lowers defenses, increases availability to recognize a problem without experiencing it as humiliation, and makes it possible to assume responsibilities without seeking an enemy. Let us hope that we can move in the curia from acting out of fear to acting out of conviction. In these first months of the pontificate, many have perceived a more relaxed atmosphere. It is curious that the media narrative continues with the schemes and tones inherited from the previous stage: polarization, dramatization, a lexicon of confrontation, a Pope who “reprimands” and a Curia that “receives.” The difference between Francis and Leo XIV is evident; the first resorted to percussion as a lever, with the risk of accumulating resentments; the second shows that the truth can be told without adopting the register of confrontation, and that even this “blessed Curia” changes more easily when it feels called to communion and not subjected to ridicule and public shame. «Sometimes bitterness also invades us when, perhaps after many years of serving the Curia, we observe with disappointment that certain dynamics linked to the exercise of power, the obsession with prestige, and the pursuit of personal interests take a long time to change. And we ask ourselves: Is it possible to be friends in the Roman Curia? To have relationships of fraternal friendship?”.
Pope Leo XIV writes a apostolic letter to priests, urging them to be proactive, to combat laziness and isolation, and to be cautious about the dangers of social networks. For the first news is that it breaks with the tradition of grossly insulting priests. In the letter “A Fidelity That Generates the Future” , on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the Conciliar Decrees ‘Optatam Totius’ and ‘Presbyterorum Ordinis’, we read that “a fidelity that generates the future is the one to which priests are also called today, aware that persevering in the apostolic mission offers us the possibility of questioning the future of the ministry and helping others to experience the joy of priestly vocation.” He warns of a risk : “We enclose ourselves in ourselves by rejecting the challenge of evangelization and adopting a lazy and defeatist attitude.” “In our contemporary world, characterized by a fast-paced lifestyle and the anxiety of being hyperconnected, which often makes us frantic and leads us to activism, there are at least two temptations that insinuate themselves into our fidelity to this mission.” He addresses the issue of pedophilia in the Church: “In recent decades, the crisis of trust in the Church unleashed by abuses committed by members of the clergy, which fill us with shame and call us to humility, has made us even more aware of the urgency of integral formation that ensures the growth and human maturity of candidates for the priesthood, along with a rich and solid spiritual life”.
Leo XIV expressed his concern about the shortage of priests in some countries. Instead of changing the norms governing priestly ordination, currently reserved for single men, he proposes other improvements. “Everyone is called to examine the fruitfulness of the Church’s pastoral work.” While the so-called vocational crisis is often linked to the social and cultural trends of a country, the Church must have the courage to make attractive offers to young people and create an environment in which the disposition to accept priestly vocation and live a life of total dedication grows. “Let us remember: there is no future without consideration of all forms of vocation.” “Only priests and religious who are humanly mature and spiritually stable can assume the commitment of celibacy and proclaim the Gospel of the Risen Lord with credibility”.
There is no doubt that what is happening, what is happening, in the United States, has a great impact on the rest of the world. A long article today analyzes the complex situation of ‘Christianity’ in the United States. Trump in his campaign announced his desire to «reintroduce religion» in the United States and defined it as a «just crusade» against «atheists, globalists, and Marxists.» The stance of American Catholics is certainly very different from that of evangelical sects. While several bishops, including the Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, have openly supported Trump’s reelection, it should be remembered that the alternative was Kamala Harris, who found nothing better for her electoral campaign than to constantly wave the flag of abortion rights. Pope Francis also intervened on the subject, with a letter sent to the pastors of the Catholic Church. In November last year, the entire Catholic Episcopal Conference sent a message, approved by a large majority (216 yes, 5 no, 3 abstentions), in which the bishops expressed their dissent over rhetoric that “vilified immigrants” and over the “indiscriminate mass deportations” currently underway. Not all Christians are the same, neither in the United States nor in the rest of the world, where radical differences are evident, even among Catholics themselves.
Andrea Gagliarducci analyzes the appointment of the new Archbishop of New York, and does not doubt that there are reasons to think that the era of Francis has come to an end, at least with regard to episcopal appointments. Some present him with an essentially Franciscan profile. Hicks served as auxiliary to Cardinal Blase Cupich in Chicago before being appointed suffragan bishop of Joliet, and Cupich is widely considered as Francis’s eyes and ears in the United States. The appointment is subject to multiple interpretations. It is true that the new Archbishop of New York was Cardinal Cupich’s right-hand man in Chicago, but Hicks was also the colleague whom the late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago had designated to direct the archdiocesan seminaries at that time. Dolan’s retirement at 75 is a way of saying that Cupich’s days are numbered; he is already over 76.
If Pope Francis had been alive, the choice would have fallen on a more polarizing bishop, as happened with the decision to appoint Cardinal Robert McElroy as Archbishop of Washington. Prevost, as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, was responsible for managing the transition process and was already working to find candidates who would not generate polarization. Leo XIV is a pope of a new generation, alien to the debate of the Second Vatican Council, more pragmatic in managing the crises of our time and less susceptible to polarization. And this is probably the type of bishop we expect: bishops capable of telling the truth and, at the same time, defending the less privileged . Bishops neither progressives nor conservatives, difficult to label, a pontificate not of rupture, but of adjustment, a pontificate of renewal, but within tradition; everything points to this pontificate being a search for balance.
Interesting other appointments that indicate the direction the pontificate is taking. Pope Leo XIV appointed Father Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez as bishop-elect of the Diocese of Palm Beach, Florida, after accepting the resignation of Bishop Gerald Barbarito. Born and ordained in the Dominican Republic, he has defended many illegal immigrants sought by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service (ICE) as pastor of the mostly Hispanic parish of Our Lady of Sorrows in Queens, New York. Trump’s residence in Mar-a-Lago is within Rodríguez’s future diocese. Nor is he a sharpshooter as some present him: “The president is doing very good things, not only for the United States, but for the whole world. But regarding migrants, migration policy, we want to help.” “We want to support the president as a church because we believe we can do better… than we are doing now.” “When it comes to enforcing immigration laws, we shouldn’t focus on deporting five-, twelve-, or nine-year-old children, people who have never committed any crime. That’s why we’re here to help.” Rodríguez became a U.S. citizen in 2018, about six years after being incardinated in the Diocese of Brooklyn, New York. A bad sign is that he is liked by Martin who praised Rodríguez as a «dynamic preacher.» The new bishop went through Cuba and doesn’t seem to like it much: “It was the happiest time of all my formation, because being there with people who have nothing, including freedom, people who have been deprived of important parts of dignity and respect… when you’re involved in that kind of situation, with the poorest of the poor, you understand Jesus more, what the Gospel is about, what faith is about.» Willy Guardiola, president of the Palm Beach Right to Life League and founder of Christian on a Mission, has described Rodríguez as “very pro-life”.
Misko, priest of the Diocese of Austin, Texas, appointed bishop of Tucson, Arizona. He was ‘a cook before a friar’ and before entering the seminary, he worked in the restaurant industry between 1991 and 2000. He will replace Bishop Edward Joseph Weisenburger, who served as bishop of Tucson from 2017 and was appointed archbishop of Detroit in February.
It will take time to rid ourselves of the scourge of abortion; the direction is good. Abortions are rare in Indiana following stricter enforcement of requirements. The latest Induced Termination of Pregnancy Report from the Division covers from July 1 to September 30, 2025, shows that 42 abortions were performed in the third quarter of 2025, compared to 41 in the same quarter of the previous year. This figure represents a 98% decrease in abortions compared to before the full enforcement of the state’s pro-life laws, which prohibit most abortions during pregnancy. The law also requires medical care for any baby who survives an abortion attempt. Abortion is never medically necessary, and neither illness nor circumstances of conception can justify the murder of an innocent child in his mother’s womb. The report mentions an induced termination of pregnancy in which the fetus was born alive, although it offers no further details. There are already twelve states that currently prohibit all or most abortions. Now the fight is on the unregulated interstate distribution of abortion pills , legal protection and financial support for interstate travel for abortions , the construction of new abortion centers near shared borders between pro-life and pro-abortion states, the conversion of liberal states into sanctuaries for those who wish to evade or violate the laws of their more pro-life neighbors, and the incorporation of abortion rights into state constitutions. It’s a long road, the direction is, without a doubt, the right one.
We are on the eve of Christmas and it is a good sign that more and more people in the United Kingdom plan to attend church during the Christmas period, according to a survey published on December 14. The survey results come after reports of April found significant increases in adult baptisms and church attendance, particularly within the Catholic Church. The study revealed that 45% of respondents intended to attend church during Christmas, compared to 40% who said they had attended the previous year. Around 60 percent of Generation Z respondents, defined in the survey as those between 18 and 28 years old, said they planned to attend a religious service or event during Christmas, the highest proportion of any age group. The survey also revealed growing interest among those who do not identify as Christians. 34% of non-Christian respondents said they planned to attend a religious service or event this Christmas, compared to 30% the previous year.
We continue with good news that indicates the Woke world is crumbling. Professional athletes have too often succumbed to the amplification of woke ideology and the promotion of leftist causes; it is starting not to be so and it is refreshing to see NFL players not ashamed of their religious beliefs and defending them courageously. Some 60 current and former high-profile NFL players and coaches signed a letter asking Washington, DC leaders, including President Donald Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, to demand urgent U.S. intervention in Nigeria, where Christians have been attacked by radical Islamists Watson, Super Bowl champion, has spoken at the March for Life on multiple occasions, including speeches in 2017, 2021 and 2024. In 2018, donated an ultrasound machine to the Severna Park Pregnancy Clinic in Maryland. In 2020, he premiered a pro-life documentary with filmmaker Jason Jones titled «Divided Hearts of America.» The letter is signed by Steve Stenstrom (president of Sports Spectrum), Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons, Jameis Winston of the New York Giants, Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers, CJ Stroud of the Houston Texans, and TreVeyon Henderson of the New England Patriots.
We leave many things in the inkwell, but we don’t want to leave out our friend The Wanderer who offers in his latest entry the result of a healthy ‘dispute’ from which an interesting study by Javier Aizpún is born, which you can download for free from here. «Javier develops very interesting and novel ideas; for example, the approach he makes to the liturgical problem from architecture. He argues that liturgical changes from the very beginnings of the Church were due to their adaptation to previous architectural changes in the temples. It is a very suggestive thesis, although it can also be very debatable.» “We are not only witnessing the end of Modernity; we are at the end of the era that began with the Gregorian reform and gave rise to Western Christendom. A change of era of colossal dimensions. Sometimes I have the feeling that traditionalists do not exactly intend to return to Tradition, but to the neo-scholastic system that arose from the Council of Trent, and it is not exactly the same. This system will be good or bad… but its end is inevitable, since it dies with Modernity, because it is part of it. Traditionalists, much to their chagrin, are part of Modernity. I discovered this by researching the life of my maternal grandfather, who was a Carlist and died tortured in the Madrid chekas of ’36. Carlism died during the Spanish transition and now liberalism is dying. Never had so much been heard about liberalism in Spanish politics as now, but it all sounds like an epitaph. If traditionalists want to survive, they will have to defend Tradition and forget about the system. It is complex, because we all form part of the system and, sometimes, it is difficult to distinguish what belongs to the system or to the true Tradition…”. “What is Tradition then? An Eastern rite in Aramaic?” The rest is in his documented response. Leaving aside the interesting study, when we see these things we cannot help but ask ourselves why, having first-class priests, we end up with third-class bishops, and we are very generous. A mystery that invades our time and that has no easy answer.
And we finish. Pope Leo XIV could visit Spain in June 2026, marking the return of a pontiff to the country, 15 years after Benedict XVI’s last visit to Madrid in August 2011. The trip, not yet officially confirmed, is expected to last several days, with two confirmed destinations: Barcelona and Madrid. During his visit to Barcelona, scheduled for June 10, Leo XIV will participate in the commemoration of the centenary of Antoni Gaudí’s death at the Sagrada Familia and could preside over the beatification of the architect. Leo XIV’s second stop in Madrid would aim to consolidate «a deep and necessary renewal» of the Iberian Church; other possible destinations include Santiago de Compostela, on the occasion of the 2027 Compostela Holy Year; Alba de Tormes, for the centenaries of St. John of the Cross and the School of Salamanca; and Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) or Toledo.
«Oh Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver, hope of the nations and savior of the peoples: come to save us, Lord our God.»
«What will this child turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.»
Good reading.