We begin the week with the Pope in Castelgandolfo, undoubtedly a return to normality that turns the page on the customs of the previous pontificate. The abundance of topics that continue to appear in the daily news continues to surprise us. With the Pope on vacation and the Roman Curia immersed in the lethargy typical of these dates, we continue to see how many extremely interesting news stories are generated.
Yesterday’s Angelus in Castelgandolfo.
From the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to dedicate time to “significant moments of silence and prayer” during the summer. This summer, Leo XIV decided to spend part of his vacation at the Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, unoccupied since 2012. The residence has been used by popes as a country retreat for more than 400 years and was a favorite place of Benedict XVI and Saint John Paul II. Pope Francis never left the Vatican during the summer of his 12-year pontificate, choosing instead to remain at Casa Santa Marta, buried in eco-friendly air conditioning, and decided to convert the papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo into a museum.
Commenting on Sunday’s Gospel, which contains the parable of the sower, Leo XIV highlighted “the generosity and trust” with which God deposits his word and power in the hearts of believers. “Jesus himself, the Word made flesh, who gave his life for our salvation, is the seed that the Father continues to sow throughout the world so that, by dying, it may bear much fruit.” “Therefore, let us resolve, especially during these summer vacation days, to dedicate time to listening to, reading, and meditating on the Word of God, thereby fostering—along with rest and healthy recreation—significant moments of silence and prayer.”
After praying the Angelus, Leo XIV reiterated his call for peace in war-torn regions, lamenting that “the winds of war are blowing again in the Middle East, in Ukraine, and in many other parts of the world, sowing violence, terror, and death.”
Letter from Leo XIV to the young people gathered in Covadonga.
We have it on our Infovaticana: «Leo XIV to the young people of the JEMJ». Jesus Sanz Montes, Archbishop of Oviedo, presided this Sunday over the closing Mass of the III edition of the Youth Eucharistic Marian Day, held since Friday in Covadonga: “the drums of war startle us and political corruption saturates us with its sewers.” Sanz Montes took the opportunity to read a letter from the Holy Father addressed to the nearly two thousand young people gathered for the event. “We need the sweet call to build bridges that open the way to fraternal exchange, overcoming the old temptation to erect borders that uselessly pit us against each other or to dig trenches in which to hide.” “From here emerge Christian families who consider courtship as God commands, learning what fidelity forever means.” “Vocations to religious life in any of its forms are also born; calls to the priesthood to give life to the Good Shepherd who distributes the sacraments of his grace.” The organization’s intention is to repeat the event in July, again in Covadonga. Although they acknowledge that the possible increase in the number of participants, which has been happening every year, could be the greatest challenge: “We have to assess the possibilities we have of offering more places, especially because of the accommodations, which is the most complicated issue,” but despite the difficulties, they would like to prioritize “staying in Covadonga, because it is a very special place.”
Catastrophe and Wonder.
On September 14, Pope Leo XIV will visit the Vatican Apostolic Library and inaugurate the exhibition “AQVA.” This exhibition is part of a broader exhibition cycle titled “Catastrophe and Wonder,” dedicated to reflecting on natural elements as a mirror of humanity’s fears and hopes. Leo XIV, who inaugurates the “Catastrophe and Wonder” exhibition cycle that seeks to foster dialogue between contemporary art and the centuries-old heritage of the Vatican Library.
The Apostolic Library in Azerbaijan.
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Holy See, Ilgar Yusif Oğlu Mukhtarov, in a gesture of cultural diplomacy and to strengthen cultural ties between the Vatican and Azerbaijan, invited the Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church, Archbishop Giovanni Cesare Pagazzi, who traveled to Azerbaijan from June 24 to 27, 2026, accompanied by the prefects of the Vatican institutions. They were able to visit the operational headquarters and exhibition building of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which has funded various cultural projects in the Vatican. In Baku, the delegation was received by Vice President Leyla Aliyeva and met with senior representatives of various institutions, including the Office of Religious Affairs, the Academy of Sciences, the Department of Manuscripts, the National Library, the Shamakhi Mosque, the Abgora See, and the Catholic Church of the Immaculate Conception. In the Azerbaijani capital, the delegation also met with Archbishop Vladimír Fekete, Apostolic Prefect of Azerbaijan.
The new Bishop of Eichstätt.
What is beyond doubt is that he does not hide what he thinks and that Rome cannot claim it did not know what it was appointing. The subject in question is named Christian Würtz, and he foresees new debates around priestly celibacy. Asked about a possible relaxation of the mandatory celibacy rule, Würtz told Bavarian radio and television: “I think we must weigh this very carefully: What do we lose if we abolish mandatory celibacy and what do we gain? Undoubtedly, this will be an issue that will occupy us considerably in the near future.” Würtz also commented on the Synodal Way: “I believe the main task of a bishop is to be a servant of unity; that is very important to me. It is crucial that we do not get lost in internal factional struggles, but always seek what truly unites us and what is fundamental.” Regarding synodality, it is important to listen to one another, learn from one another, and not categorically assert one’s own opinion from the outset. Würtz encouraged asking: “What really motivates the other opinion? What theological reasons exist?” He considers his task to be to dialogue with everyone to discern God’s will in all this. In general terms, “The Church must always be reformed; this has been the case since its beginnings.” “If we remain stagnant and nothing changes, then the Church does not move forward.” When asked about the fact that he had voted in favor of the reform in the Synodal Way and his predecessor in Eichstätt had not, Gregor Maria Hanke, Würtz said: “I think it goes too far to deduce fundamental differences between him and me from this.”
The Saint Benedict of Norcia Award for Pizzaballa.
On the liturgical feast of Saint Benedict, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem received the first edition of the International Saint Benedict of Norcia Award, dedicated this year to peace. Pizzaballa himself made clear the connection between the Umbrian city and the Holy Land. “The war, especially in Gaza, has devastated the social fabric, the life of families and communities. Rebuilding all this will take a long time. We have no institutions, we do not know whom to turn to, we do not know who makes the decisions.” “From their experience as earthquake victims, I bring to the Holy Land the desire of the people to stay and start over, trusting that solutions will be found.” “The old balances have been broken, the new ones too, the transition will be long.” “We need Saint Benedict’s method to lay the foundations for the reconstruction of humanity as a whole.” A method that does not eliminate conflict but transcends it: “We must not erase conflict; rather, we must explain it in schools and teach that it can be addressed in another way.”
The networks of complicity in the United States.
When Pope Francis died in 2025, more than 75% of U.S. Catholics viewed him favorably and consistently gave him positive ratings throughout his pontificate. In June 2026, 78% of U.S. Catholics expressed favorable opinions about Pope Leo XIV. Anyone who has seen the documentary “Sexual Abuse in the Church: Code of Silence,” by French investigative journalist Martin Boudot, knows that when Pope Francis was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he covered up countless cases of sexual abuse despite having lied in writing that clerical sexual abuse “never occurred in my diocese.” The extremely high popularity of Pope Leo XIV was favored by “The Peru of Pope Leo XIII,” a one-hour special report by Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) that is the antithesis of Boudot’s documentary on “The Argentina of Pope Francis.” The production, like much of EWTN’s biased reporting, avoids any mention of Leo’s record of mismanaging sexual abuse in the Augustinian Order and in the Diocese of Chiclayo. These delicacies seem to have earned their responsible party promotions to Vatican prefectures.
Leo was greatly influenced by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, whom he cited on more than one occasion. Most U.S. Catholics who heard about Bernardin and the sexual abuse accusation filed by Stephen Cook, a former seminarian, believed that Cook had retracted the accusations before dying. However, the report that Cook received 3 million dollars in an out-of-court settlement with Bernardin to silence him was corroborated by other victims of sexual abuse who knew him personally. Former Attorney General Lisa Madigan discovered that Cardinal Blase Cupich and the bishops of Illinois concealed the names of at least 500 accused clerics, receiving complaints against 690 priests, but publicly identifying only 185. Among the abusers whose names were not disclosed is Cardinal Joseph Bernardin. In addition to being accused of conspiring with Bishop Russell to abuse “Agnes” in 1957, Bernardin was also accused in a criminal complaint filed in Wisconsin in 2023 of joining Theodore McCarrick in abusing James Grein in a house near Lake Geneva in April 1977.
Archbishop Lenga against the excommunication.
Archbishop Jan Pawel Lenga, former Bishop of Kazakhstan known for having survived communism and for his open criticism of Pope Francis, harshly criticized the excommunication imposed by the Vatican on the priests and laity of the Society of Saint Pius X. In a statement, he noted that the FSSPX had tried for years to contact the Vatican, which, he indicated, is occupied “by people completely corrupted by the world and who have been placed there to destroy the Catholic Church to its foundations.”
Lenga highlighted the pious, peaceful, and joyful atmosphere of the FSSPX consecrations, as well as the intense life of prayer and devotion to Christ, especially among the young people present in the Fraternity. He compared this atmosphere with the “absolute chaos” of the Vatican hierarchy, which he described as “wolves” who ultimately do not care about the salvation of souls but lead them astray from the right path. In fact, he wrote that many of these cardinals and bishops are immersed in a “schism.” The archbishop further emphasized that the current hierarchy has moved away from the fundamental teachings of Our Lord, for which thousands of martyrs shed their blood, and instead shields itself in the name of Christ, demanding obedience for its own benefit, not for His. Lenga concluded his statement by encouraging the members of the Society to remain faithful to Christ.
New chapter at the Basilica of Guadalupe.
The Guadalupian chapter, a collegiate body composed of thirteen priests, has the primary responsibility, in accordance with the apostolic brief Praestatem Pietatem of Saint John Paul II, of maintaining the cultic, liturgical, and sacramental ministry of the sanctuary. In addition, under the coordination of a rector, the canons collegially exercise priestly ministry. The lines of its organization place it directly under the tutelage of the Archbishop of Mexico. Of the fourteen effective members, seven have been appointed by the current archbishop and, according to his provisions, will remain in office for a determined period, usually six years. The others were appointed by the predecessor archbishop and retain their exercise until the retirement age established by canon law.
Strickland and Catholic universities.
Strickland on “Saturday Agenda. Catholic universities in the United States are abandoning the Church’s fundamental teachings on abortion and gender, and too many U.S. bishops are tacitly agreeing with them, criticizing a hierarchy that is “submitting to the culture” from the Vatican downward. A new report from Students for Life, from the Demetree Institute for Pro-Life Advancement, pointed to more than 100 Christian universities, including nine that received an F grade for having four or more links to pro-abortion groups. Among the underperforming schools was Villanova University, the Augustinian university on the outskirts of Philadelphia where Pope Leo XIV earned a degree in mathematics in 1977. “Catholic doctrine is clear, and too many Catholic universities simply do not offer Catholic teaching to their students; that has to change.”
With prelates like Cardinal Robert McElroy, appointed Archbishop of Washington in March 2025, shaping the U.S. hierarchy, Strickland said it is unlikely that significant change will be imposed anytime soon. He attributed the failure to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. “Frankly, those universities are not correcting themselves because many in the U.S. Episcopal Conference agree with their stance, and even if they disagree, they are not willing to do so.” This pattern is “epidemic” and extends “from the Vatican downward.” The truth, he added, “is not proclaimed by those who should proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ.” Abortion is a “black and white” issue in Catholic doctrine, and universities that promote or associate with pro-abortion groups betray their identity. “There is always hope because Christ is the head of the church, but without a doubt we are going through a crisis of faith in many corners of the world and of the church.”
The Waldensians.
The Waldensian experience prior to their adherence to the Reformation in September 1532 is usually shrouded in a halo of mysticism. The book by historian Bruna Peyrot, Waldensians: Women and Men in History, presents it with rigor and clarity. The author reminds us that the Reformed parishes of the valleys of Luserna, Perosa, and San Martino, in 1571, established an agreement that influenced their actions in the following decades. Six articles committed each community to respect the Calvinist creed, both ecclesiological and doctrinal. In other words, they had to organize themselves following the example of Calvin’s Geneva, autonomously from the Roman ecclesiastical structure. This was a “Pact of Union” inspired by the “Union” voted that same year in La Rochelle by the Huguenots at the National Synod of France.
They disguised themselves as priests.
They appeared dressed as priests, as high officials of the Italian Orthodox Church or of the Vicariate. Their disguises were worthy of the best Italian comedies. They promised false interest-free loans or million-dollar contracts for the renovation of religious buildings. In exchange, they demanded large sums of cash disguised as “charitable donations to the Church.” The Carabinieri arrested three men, aged between 57 and 73, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit aggravated fraud, identity theft, attempted theft, and document forgery. The operational leadership of the gang was composed of men from the old guard of Roman organized crime, with criminal records and convictions dating back to the late 1960s and early 1970s. Thanks to the expertise of one of the suspects, an expert in property records, the group conducted preliminary searches of properties to contact their victims, identified mainly among construction contractors, owners of commercial premises, and owners of hospitality establishments.
Some close, others open.