Awaiting his first programmatic document —the publication of his first encyclical is expected soon— curiosity grows about the topics the Pope will choose to address: some bet on a social document, others on the impact of the artificial intelligence revolution, others on poverty, or even on a markedly “Christocentric” and spiritual text. In the first months of his pontificate, the Pope laid the foundations for an ecclesial vision centered on listening, dialogue, and closeness to people’s lives. During the meeting with the bishops ordained last year (September 11, 2025): «The crisis of faith and its transmission —observed Leo XIV— calls us to rediscover the passion and courage for a new proclamation of the Gospel. At the same time, many people considered distant are knocking on the doors of the Church again or seeking new forms of spirituality, which do not always find adequate expression in traditional pastoral proposals».
Pope Leo XIV at the Jubilee of Workers of Justice, received in audience this morning in St. Peter’s Square. The reason is that there was no space elsewhere, there were 15,000 registered, a great success for the first justice jubilee. In his speech, he encouraged considering justice as a virtue that «orders our conduct according to reason and faith». It is not enough to apply the law: we must nourish the thirst for justice that dwells in every person and that allows us to build the common good. Justice must combine the dignity of the person, relations with others, and the community dimension, always placing at the center the value of each human being, especially when they are victims of oppression or exclusion. «Evangelical justice does not depart from human justice, but questions it and reformulates it», urging it toward the search for reconciliation. A State without justice is not a State: Pope Leo XIV has declared his commitment to law and justice before jurists from around the world. Meanwhile, on Monday, a long-awaited appeal process begins in the Vatican. Pope Leo XIV has committed to the principles of the rule of law and justice. Quoting St. Augustine: «Without justice, no State can be administered. There can be no law in a State where there is no true justice». Among the guests was the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. The Catholic is considered one of the most conservative judges in the United States and has consistently voted against abortion rights.
Who knows if Leo XIV was informed of all the legal problems threatening the Holy See with the Becciu process, and how he will decide to proceed. Pope Leo faces the poisoned inheritance, one more, the Becciu process, a complex matter, with many unexpected twists. It remains to be seen what will happen and if anything will change. Will he follow the path traced by Pope Francis or will it derail under the weight of the unfavorable London sentences, the other open fronts on the Vatican finances issue, and Leo XIV’s will to reform the process? The appeal in the case relating to the management of the Secretariat of State’s funds will begin tomorrow. The Court of Appeal is presided over by Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, whom Leo XIV received in private audience on September 18. It will face a complex trial, divided into three parts, which ended with accusations, absolutions, and a verdict that, in the worst case, demonstrated a lack of understanding of how affairs should be managed within the Vatican organization.
This is a trial against the Vatican system, with everyone against everyone. Because the Tribunal and the Gendarmerie demonstrated that they did not appreciate or accept the work and autonomy of the Financial Intelligence Authority. It seems like a trial against a system, a method of work that granted the Secretariat of State broad autonomy in managing its funds. Even the Secretariat of State had to defend its autonomy, losing it, and moreover facing the surreal demand to return to the IOR the money it had donated to the Pope. And, according to canon law, the Holy Father and the Secretariat of State are synonymous.
The process arises from an internal short circuit, from a complaint by the Institute for Religious Works itself, which first accepted to help the Secretariat of State with a cash advance (to be repaid with interest, to mutual benefit) and then, suddenly, reversed course, staging a great paradox: the state «bank» (not the central bank) denouncing the government, and the «Head of State» ruling in favor of the bank, which should instead be obliged to serve the government. In the end, we find ourselves faced with a destroyed Vatican system, with mutual collaboration between departments and entities linked to the Holy See called into question and with a Secretariat of State without financial autonomy. All this affects the Holy See more than one might think, and concerns not only the fate of the accused, but the legal stability of the State of Vatican City.
The outcome of the process is that the Vatican forum «no longer seems like an impartial forum respectful of the fundamental rules of law», with the consequence that «this clause will be progressively abandoned in international contracts». The responsibilities of Pope Francis are very clear who had «supreme but not absolute power», but whose actions have undermined the general balance between canon law and Vatican law, because canon law «is not a foreign body, but the primary normative source of the Vatican legal system». The process becomes «a test for the entire institutional structure», to the point that one wonders if «it can still be said that Vatican justice conforms to shared international standards, or if it is sliding toward an opaque form of exceptional jurisdiction». It is not the sovereignty of the Holy See that is at stake, but the use made of it. Sovereignty cannot be transformed into arbitrariness. It must be exercised with respect for human rights, also because it is the Holy See itself that defends, worldwide, the protection of human dignity.
The critical issues are highlighted in the book «The Becciu Process» » and reveal what has been termed «the Vaticanization of the Holy See». Vatican law prevailed over that of the Holy See, to the point that the latter was subjected to state criteria not applicable to it. The 800-page sentence that underpinned the case did not settle the matter, but opened a new debate on the very effectiveness of a Vatican Tribunal in which the Pope intervenes with four rescripts in an ongoing trial to «fill regulatory gaps». The sentence has also created new legal interpretations, which sometimes seem to confuse or mix canon law, the law of the State of Vatican City, and Italian jurisprudence, to the point of theorizing that embezzlement can occur simply because funds have been embezzled, without any personal benefit. Above all, it has opened the way for those who, in reality, seek to undermine the very independence of the Holy See.
Also by Boni, Ganarin, and Tomer: «The violation of the principles of criminal legality and due process in canon law. What legal repercussions does it have in Italian law?» The text begins with the way the scourge of abuses has been addressed, the object of «unprecedented media attention», which, driven by the need to administer justice, has given rise to «numerous emergency measures» that have undermined «the fundamental core of guarantees for the parties involved». «Using as a point of comparison the conclusions of Italian law and jurisprudence, it has been observed that, according to the ‘zero tolerance’ approach adopted by the last pontiffs to combat abuse and strongly favoring the alleged injured party, the canonical legal system exhibits alarming concessions to the pillars of criminal legality and due process: these concessions are unimaginable and unacceptable in state legal systems. This trend has also been consolidated in the legal system of the State of Vatican City, closely linked to that of the Church, although secular, as eloquently demonstrated by the trial involving, among others, Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu».
In addition to justice, there are other news and according to the British newspaper The Sun , His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla will travel to Rome and the Vatican City State, for a two-day state visit scheduled for October. This will be the only international commitment of the British sovereign this autumn. The Kings will meet with the new Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV. The visit to the Vatican was initially scheduled for April, but was postponed due to the health of Pope Francis, Charles and Camilla spent a few days in Italy and had a brief private audience with the pontiff, coinciding with their twentieth wedding anniversary. The meeting, which lasted about twenty minutes and was held behind closed doors, took on particularly significant symbolic value: according to rumors, Pope Francis blessed the royal couple’s union, despite the Catholic Church’s traditional position on marriage and divorce. King Charles III, 76 years old, continues his treatment after being diagnosed with cancer 19 months ago.
Interesting statistical summary of the Church in Austria. The picture that emerges from the statistics of the Catholic Church in Austria for the year 2024 leaves no doubt: the Austrian Church remains an economically solid institution, thanks above all to the Kirchenbeitrag (church tax), but continues to go through a period of pastoral and demographic contraction. At the end of 2024, there were 4.56 million registered Catholics , out of a population of approximately 9 million. Those who left the Church were 47,353 , while those who entered and returned stopped at just over 7,500. The net loss continues, and the erosion particularly affects young people, who are increasingly distant from the sacraments. The data on the sacraments confirm this trend: Baptisms: 36,705 First Communions: 45,685 Confirmations: 39,677 Marriages: 7,537 Funerals: 71,531. In 2024, there were: 1,764 diocesan priests (1,619 resident in the diocese), 1,193 religious, 763 permanent deacons and 2,591 nuns, with a very high average age. The most promising signs at the vocational level come above all from religious and monastic communities that seriously preserve their own charism: where consecrated life is lived authentically, it continues to attract and generate new vocations. Economically, the Austrian Church remains one of the strongest in Europe. In 2024, the dioceses recorded: Total revenues: 763.8 million euros Total expenses: 784.3 million euros .
To understand the situation, the Kirchenbeitrag, the religious tax, like in Germany, is the mandatory contribution that every registered Catholic in Austria must pay annually to their diocese. Introduced in 1939, after the state stopped directly funding the Church, it has become the main source of financial support for Austrian dioceses. The amount is calculated based on the faithful’s taxable income and corresponds to an average of 1.1% of their net annual income , with reductions or exemptions for those facing economic difficulties, students, retirees, or large families. The average contribution is around 300-400 euros per person per year . The 70% of the Austrian Church’s total income comes from the Kirchenbeitrag, which funds priests’ and collaborators’ salaries, pastoral, charitable, and educational activities, as well as the maintenance of churches and parishes. However, it is also the reason why thousands of people choose to formally leave the Church each year: leaving officially is the only way to no longer have to pay.
It is always good to know all the reactions to Pope Leo XIV’s interview. Article by Michael J. O’Loughlin published on the website Outreach (United States) on September 18, 2025. «Pope Leo XIV offered the most extensive reflections to date on his pastoral approach toward LGBTQ Catholics, stating that “everyone is invited” to the Catholic Church, but added that it is “very unlikely, certainly in the near future, that the Church’s doctrine” on sexuality will change». «I confess, it’s something that always runs through my mind, because, as we saw in the Synod, every topic affecting LGBTQ+ people generates great polarization within the Church». «For now, given what I have already tried to demonstrate and live as my style of being pope in this historical moment, I try not to continue polarizing or promoting polarization in the Church».
«This is probably the first time a Pope has openly used the terms “LGBT” or “LGBTQ”, words that were the source of heated debates during the Synod. Although he admitted that “he does not have a precise plan at this moment” for the pastoral care of LGBTQ people, Leo said he is trying to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, whose words and welcoming gestures have been widely praised by LGBTQ Catholics». Pope Leo: «What I am trying to say is what Francis said very clearly when he repeated: ‘everyone, everyone, everyone'». «Everyone is invited, but I don’t invite someone because of their specific identity. I invite someone because they are a son or daughter of God. They are all welcome; let us learn to know and respect each other».
The rainbows don’t seem very happy: «Some LGBTQ Catholics hoped that Francis would go further and change the doctrine so that the Catholic Church would be more inclusive. Leone, for his part, stated that first the hearts of people must change. «People want the Church’s doctrine to change, they want attitudes to change». » I think we need to change attitudes before even thinking about changing what the Church says on a given topic». “It seems very unlikely to me that, certainly in the near future, the Church’s doctrine, in what it teaches about sexuality, in what it teaches about marriage, will change”.
Martin SJ said he found Leo’s words «very encouraging» and in line with those of Pope Francis: «My impression (and this was my impression already when I met him a few weeks ago) is that Pope Leo’s approach to LGBTQ Catholics is a continuation of Pope Francis’s approach, which is good for everyone», Leo’s use of the term «LGBTQ» is «a step forward».
Leo did not explicitly mention the German controversy, but said that creating a ritual text for these situations «goes specifically against the document approved by Pope Francis». “This does not mean that those people are bad, but I think it is very important to understand again how to welcome those who are different from us, how to welcome those who make decisions in their lives and respect them”. «We must support families, what they call the traditional family». «The family is father, mother, and children. I think the role of the family in society, which has sometimes been affected in recent decades, must be recognized and strengthened again».
The Holy See’s media seem willing to fix what they don’t like too much. Reading the newspaper is «the morning prayer of the modern man», today this story is full of short circuits. We move between fake news, ingeniously refined variants, half-sentence quotes within a long blank page, wrapped in something completely different. The Church’s media are not immune and Avvenire and L’Osservatore Romano, publications of the Episcopal Conference and the Holy See, offer us examples. Avvenire dedicated considerable space to the volume containing the first interview granted by the Pope, titled Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century, published in Peru. A snippet appears on the cover, the bad news is that the information is not found anywhere.
«The word genocide is used more and more frequently». Officially, the Holy See does not believe that any statement can be made on the matter at this time. «There is a very technical definition of what genocide could be. But more and more people are raising the issue». The newspaper of the Italian bishops reduces it to a tepid silence, diligently scattered throughout a long article. Andrea Tornielli, in L’Osservatore Romano, ignores the hot topic and writes a correct and courteous editorial, citing for the umpteenth time the repeated appeals of Pope Leo XIV to fully respect international law expressing his closeness to the Palestinian people. The disguised news is that the Church’s stance is no longer aligned with the global progressive chorus. Leo does not pronounce «genocide», and the word seems to still have meaning.
Very welcome news, it indicates a good path. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the main agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for biomedical research, responsible for approximately 28%, or about $26.4 billion, of the total funds used annually for biomedical research in the United States, have decided not to renew a dozen multi-million dollar grants for research projects involving human fetal tissue. The funding for such research originally began under the Biden administration. The National Institute for Medical Research was still actively funding 17 projects included in the «human fetal tissue» category, which should have received funding until 2026. The journalistic investigation into the extent of this funding, disclosed since September 9 , comes while congressmen and senators Republicans are already working to include, in a 2026 spending bill, a provision that would suspend or prohibit all funding for research with human fetal tissue obtained through abortions. We are on the path to the prohibition of the trade in aborted human embryonic tissue, but it still does not mean a total prohibition of experiments with human embryo tissue created in the laboratory, which also constitute unique and inviolable human life. There is still no absolute prohibition regarding experimentation with embryos, but a decisive step has been taken in the protection and respect for the human life of the fetus.
If Europe is becoming Islamized, things don’t seem to be improving in the United States and Mamdani is emerging as mayor of New York, a potential springboard to lead the Democrats nationally. A Muslim and openly anticapitalist candidate can govern the world’s financial capital. What’s happening? After September 11, 2001, the election of a Muslim candidate with views similar to communism was not imaginable. Zohran Mamdani, if the vote were held now, would receive 43.8% of the votes. The New York elections could be a preview of what the American left will be like, even nationally. This would be the second radicalization of the Democratic Party in less than twenty years. In the first phase, under Obama, the party completely abandoned Christian values and embraced a European-style progressivism. In the second phase, which could begin in New York, it embraced socialism and favored Muslim candidates.
The recent decision to expel the Cistercian monks from the Charterhouse of Pavia marks the end of an era: a stable presence since 1968, now with the transfer planned to the Abbey of Casamari and the site’s management entrusted to the Ministry of Culture starting January 2026. Another story of a meritorious centenary institution that ends. The Charterhouse of Pavia, also known as the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie , was founded in the late 14th century, the first stone was laid in 1396. The monastery was entrusted to the Order of Carthusians. In 1782, Emperor Joseph II suppressed the Charterhouse monastery and the monastery’s assets were confiscated. After the suppression of the Carthusians in 1782, the Cistercian Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie was founded in 1784, which lasted until 1798. Meanwhile, it also passed into the hands of the Carmelites in 1798, to then close, reopen, etc.
Only in 1968 , after the Second Vatican Council, was the Charterhouse entrusted again to the Cistercian monks of the Casamariensis Congregation , originating from the Abbey of Casamari. Since then, for nearly 60 years, that Cistercian community resided in the Charterhouse, contributing not only to the spiritual care of the place, but also to its management, relations with visitors, and monastic life as a religious and cultural presence. The Casamariensis Congregation has decided that the Cistercian monks leave the Charterhouse. Starting January 1, 2026, the monumental complex will be managed by the Ministry of Culture, through the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Lombardy. Monasteries are becoming fewer and fewer, communities are aging more and more, and they abandon what they consider unsustainable. The superior of the Cistercians, Lepori, rules that he does not want «to close monasteries», but «to accompany them in death». Lepori seems to have a tendency to suppress communities , especially those with economic interests or other times ideological hatred prevails . Another monastery reduced to a monument like so many others, precious but silent, devoid of the life that animated it
«…if you were not faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will trust you with the true one?»
Good reading.