Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered for his Wednesday general audience on Dec. 31, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media

Dec 31, 2025 / 08:08 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV used the Vatican’s final general audience of 2025 on Wednesday to invite Catholics to look back on the past year with gratitude and repentance, and to place what lies ahead in God’s hands.

In St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 31, the pope said 2025 brought both joy and sorrow, citing the jubilee pilgrimage of the faithful as well as “the passing of the late Pope Francis” and “the scenarios of war that continue to convulse the planet.”

“At its end,” Leo said, “the Church invites us to place everything before the Lord, entrusting ourselves to his providence, and asking him to renew, in us and around us, in the coming days, the wonders of his grace and mercy.”

He tied that end-of-year spiritual “dynamic” to the Church’s Te Deum observance, saying the hymn of praise and thanksgiving helps believers recognize God’s gifts and renew hope. Leo noted that the prayer includes lines such as: “You are God: We praise you,” “In you, Lord, is our hope,” and “Have mercy on us.”

According to the Vatican’s published schedule, Leo was set to celebrate first vespers for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, at 5 p.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by the Te Deum.

In his catechesis, the pope encouraged an honest examination of conscience, calling the faithful to reflect on God’s action over the past year, to evaluate their response to his gifts, and to ask forgiveness for times they failed to follow his inspirations or invest well the talents entrusted to them.

Leo also returned to a core jubilee image, describing life as a pilgrimage. “This reminds us that our whole life is a journey,” he said, one that reaches its true fulfillment in “the encounter with God and in full and eternal communion with him.”

The pope pointed to another emblematic jubilee practice, the passage through the Holy Door, describing it as a concrete sign of conversion and of the believer’s yes to God, who “invites us to cross the threshold of a new life, animated by grace, modeled on the Gospel.”

Looking to Christmas, Leo recalled St. Leo the Great’s preaching on the universal joy of Christ’s birth: “Let the saint rejoice … let the sinner rejoice … let the pagan take courage.” The pope said that invitation extends to all, including those who feel weak or fragile, because Christ has taken human frailty upon himself and redeemed it.

To close, Leo cited St. Paul VI’s reflection at the end of the 1975 Jubilee, saying its core message can be summed up in a single word: “love.” He then repeated Paul VI’s emphatic profession of faith, including: “God is love! … God is mercy! God is forgiveness! … God, yes, God is life!”

This story was first published by ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV greets a girl in a wheelchair during an audience with members of Italian Catholic Action on Dec. 19, 2025 at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican Media

Dec 31, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

2025 was filled with impactful moments — from the death of Pope Francis to the election of the first American-born pope, Leo XIV, to hundreds of thousands of young people who gathered in Rome for the Jubilee of Youth to the canonization of the Church’s first millennial saint.

Here are some of the top Catholic moments of 2025:

Death of Pope Francis

The new year began with Catholics around the world uniting in prayer for Pope Francis’ health as he entered the hospital on Feb. 14. He was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome due to a respiratory infection that progressed to bilateral pneumonia, requiring a prolonged hospitalization that lasted almost six weeks.

On March 23, Pope Francis was discharged from the hospital and gave a blessing from the hospital window to the faithful who were gathered.

Soon after, on March 29, the late pontiff was readmitted to the hospital with difficulty breathing. On April 21, the day after Easter, Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 from a stroke, coma, and irreversible cardiovascular collapse, according to the death certificate published just over 12 hours after Francis’ death.

More than 400,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square for the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26 as the world said goodbye to the first Latin American pope, who led the Catholic Church for 12 years.

Conclave and election of Pope Leo XIV

On May 7, 133 cardinal electors gathered in the Sistine Chapel for the start of the conclave. After four ballots, Cardinal Robert Prevost was elected on May 8 as the 267th pope of the Catholic Church and took the name Pope Leo XIV. A Chicago native, he became the first American pope in Church history.

Thousands gathered in St. Peter’s Square erupted in cheers as the bells of the basilica began to toll, confirming the election of a new pontiff. The crowds gathered as word spread throughout Rome that a new pope had been chosen.

Jubilee of Youth

One of Pope Leo’s first major events was the Jubilee of Youth, which was held in Rome from July 28 to Aug. 3. Roughly 1 million young adults from around the world filled the streets of Rome as each day was filled with different opportunities and events for the young people to experience the richness of the Catholic faith.

On Aug. 2, Pope Leo XIV was greeted by the largest crowd he had addressed during his pontificate thus far for the evening vigil at Tor Vergata, an outdoor venue 10 miles east of Rome. An estimated 1 million people were in attendance. The Holy Father arrived by helicopter and then drove through the grounds on the popemobile, waving to the cheering young people before the prayer service began.

Minneapolis school shooting

The Catholic community was shaken when a school shooting took place on Aug. 27 at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. Two children were killed and 20 were injured. The shooter was identified as Robin Westman — who was born “Robert” and identified as a transgender woman — who died by suicide shortly after shooting through the windows of the church during a weekday school Mass.

The Holy Father sent his condolences and offered prayers for the victims. He described the event as an “extremely difficult” and “terrible” tragedy.

Canonization of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati

On Sept. 7, two of the Church’s most beloved blesseds became saints: Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati. The canonizations of the two men, promulgated before an estimated 70,000 people in St. Peter’s Square, were the first of Leo XIV’s pontificate.

During his homily, the pope said: “Today we look to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Carlo Acutis: a young man from the early 20th century and a teenager from our own day, both in love with Jesus and ready to give everything for him.”

“Dear friends, Sts. Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces,” he added.

Newman made doctor of the Church

The Catholic Church gained a new doctor of the Church on Nov. 1 , when Pope Leo XIV declared St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church, recognizing the English cardinal and theologian — one of the most influential converts from Anglicanism — as a towering figure of faith and intellect in modern Catholicism.

“Newman’s impressive spiritual and cultural stature will surely serve as an inspiration to new generations whose hearts thirst for the infinite and who, through research and knowledge, are willing to undertake that journey which, as the ancients said, takes us ‘per aspera ad astra,’ through difficulties to the stars,” the pope said in his homily.

Pope Leo featured at NCYC

On Nov. 21, Pope Leo took part in his first digital encounter with American youth during the National Catholic Youth Conference, which took place Nov. 20–22 in Indianapolis.

The conference featured Catholic speakers, daily Mass and adoration, music and worship, breakout groups and workshops, and interactive exhibits with games, vendors, meetups, and live radio shows.

The main attraction of the conference was the hourlong live, virtual dialogue the pope had with those in attendance. Five young people were chosen to ask the Holy Father questions, which ranged from prayer to technology to friendships and the future of the Church. Pope Leo gave those gathered invaluable advice regarding the several different topics discussed.

First papal trip to Turkey and Lebanon

Pope Leo visited Turkey and Lebanon during his first papal trip from Nov. 27–Dec. 2. The wide-ranging international visit included historic ecumenical encounters, deeply symbolic gestures of prayer, and pastoral visits to Christian communities under pressure. The Holy Father highlighted the importance of unity, peace, and fraternity, and brought encouragement to a region marked by ancient faith and present suffering.

Pope Leo XIV walks through the Holy Door carrying the jubilee cross while leading the Holy See’s pilgrimage on June 9, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media

Dec 31, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

2025 was the Jubilee Year of Hope — and the news often seemed determined to put that promise to the test. But from conversions to hidden acts of heroism, miracles amid the ashes, and powerful gestures from Pope Leo XIV, these eight stories show why this extraordinary year can truly be remembered as a time when hope shone bright.

1. Tabernacle survives Los Angeles wildfires

In Pacific Palisades, California, Corpus Christi Catholic Church burned to the ground during the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, but firefighters found the tabernacle completely intact amid the ashes, with the Blessed Sacrament preserved. The image of the untouched tabernacle quickly went viral, becoming a powerful sign of Christ’s presence and hope for a parish community that had lost almost everything.

2. ‘I only kneel before God’: A martyr in Myanmar

In Myanmar, Father Donald Martin Ye Naing Win was killed on Feb. 14 after reportedly refusing to kneel before armed men, declaring: “I only kneel before God.” His last words and martyrdom spread across Catholic media as a stark witness that fidelity to Christ is worth more than life itself, even amid violent persecution.

3. Three priest brothers care for their mother with Alzheimer’s

A moving story from Brazil showed three priests — Father Sildo César da Costa, Father Sérgio Luís da Costa, and Father Silvano João da Costa — who are brothers, taking turns caring for their elderly mother suffering from Alzheimer’s. Their hidden, daily sacrifice offered a living catechesis on the Fourth Commandment and reminded many that priesthood and family love are not opposed but can be beautifully united in humble service.

4. Large family devoted to Sacred Heart walks away from serious crash

A large Catholic family, consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, survived a serious car accident without losing a single member. They publicly thanked the Lord and the Virgin Mary for their protection, renewing interest in enthroning the Sacred Heart in homes and in trusting God in moments of danger.

“It all happened in a matter of seconds,” José María Mayoral, the father of the family, who lost control of the car and crashed into the median, then into the right guardrail, and finally rolled over before coming to a stop, told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

According to Mayoral, several truck drivers and families who witnessed the accident stopped to help. “They all agreed on one thing: It was a miracle that no one was hurt,” he added.

For the family, the explanation was clear: Their devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was not just a tradition “but a living and profound trust.”

He shared that after this experience his mission became even more clear: “Continue spreading this devotion, continue to trust him, and continue to testify that, even in the midst of danger, his love is the safest refuge.”

5. Marriage restored through St. John Paul II’s theology of the body

The testimony of Carmen García and Carlos Mejía recounted how their deeply wounded marriage was healed through the catecheses of St. John Paul II and the Proyecto Amor Conyugal apostolate — a program being taught to married couples throughout dioceses in Spain that teaches the true meaning of marriage based on St. John Paul II’s “theology of the body.”

Their story shows that when couples embrace God’s plan for marriage, even relationships marked by atheism, infidelity, or deep wounds can be renewed and transformed.

6. Pope Leo XIV’s strong words for marriage and the family

During the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents, and the Elderly, Pope Leo XIV said during his homily on June 1 that marriage is “not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman” and called families “the cradle of the future of humanity.” His clear and hopeful teaching inspired parishes and movements to deepen catechesis, accompaniment, and defense of the family in a confused cultural climate.

7. Historic ecumenical moments in England and Rome

For the first time in 500 years, a pope and the king of England prayed together in the Sistine Chapel, as Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III led an Ecumenical Prayer for the Care of Creation on Oct. 23. This was historic as it marked the first time since the Protestant Reformation that a reigning British monarch and a pope have prayed together during a royal state visit to the Vatican.

In another historic gesture, more than 50 Catholic priests processed into Canterbury Cathedral to celebrate Mass in honor of the feast of the Translation of St. Thomas Becket on July 7, reconnecting England with its ancient Catholic roots and offering a powerful sign of reconciliation and remembrance. This historic event drew over 800 Catholics — the largest congregation to be in the cathedral since the Reformation — blending faith, history, and culture in a powerful tribute to England’s Catholic roots.

8. Saints and miracles

The beatification cause of Sister Clare Crockett — an inspirational young Irish religious sister who died in 2016 — officially opened on Jan. 12 in Madrid, Spain, formally recognizing her as a servant of God and drawing many young people to her joyful, radical witness.

Another story of hope was that of Antonia Raco, a 67-year-old Italian woman long affected by an incurable neurodegenerative illness who was announced as the 72nd official miracle taking place in Lourdes on April 16.

After bathing in the waters at Lourdes in 2009, Raco “began to move independently,” after which “the effects of the infamous illness immediately and definitively disappeared,” the Italian Diocese of Tursi-Lagonegro in Italy said in a statement.

“I had wanted to go to Lourdes since I was a child,” Raco recalled in a press conference on July 25. That wish came true in 2009, when she and her husband, Antonio, traveled to the shrine with the Italian pilgrimage association Unitalsi.

The experience, however, was not exactly as she had once imagined: She arrived in a wheelchair, already struggling to breathe and swallow.

On the second day, sanctuary volunteers brought her to the baths. “We prayed together. That’s when I heard a beautiful young female voice say three times: ‘Don’t be afraid!’”

Credit: udra11/Shutterstock

Dec 31, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The past year has seen several notable Catholics pass away — from public officials to the vicar of Christ himself.

Here’s a rundown of some prominent Catholics around the world who left us in 2025:

Pope Francis (Dec. 17, 1936 — April 21, 2025)

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, passed away at 7:35 a.m. on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. The 88-year-old pontiff led the Catholic Church for a little more than 12 years.

The first Latin American pope in history as well as the first Jesuit pope, Francis led the Church through significant canonical and catechetical reforms, urging the faithful to reach out and minister to those on the margins of society while preaching the mercy of God.

Upon his death he left the legacy of what Cardinal Kevin Farrell said was a life “dedicated to the service of God and his Church,” one that urged the faithful to “live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalized.”

Pope Francis was succeeded in the chair of St. Peter by Pope Leo XIV on May 8.

Mabel Landry Staton (Nov. 20, 1932 — Feb. 20, 2025)

Mabel Landry Staton, a trailblazing athlete who briefly set an Olympic record at the 1952 Summer Olympics, died on Feb. 20 at age 92.

Representing the United States at the Olympic games in Helsinki in 1952, Staton — known as “Dolly” after a nickname from her father — set a record in the long jump category at 19 feet 3.25 inches. Though the record only lasted for several minutes before New Zealand athlete Yvette Williams bested it, Staton would go on to win medals in the 1955 Pan American Games.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Staton served as a Eucharistic minister at St. Thomas More Church in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, as well as on the board of the Black Catholic Ministry of the Diocese of Camden.

According to the Inquirer, Staton “could still outsprint some of the local high school boys in her 70s.”

Alasdair MacIntyre (Jan. 12, 1929 — May 21, 2025)

Alasdair MacIntyre, a towering figure in moral philosophy and a Catholic convert credited with reviving the discipline of virtue ethics, died on May 21 at age 96.

His seminal 1981 work “After Virtue” reshaped contemporary moral and political philosophy, emphasizing virtue over utilitarian or deontological frameworks.

Known by many as “the most important” modern Catholic philosopher, MacIntyre’s intellectual and spiritual journey spanned atheism, Marxism, Anglicanism, and ultimately Roman Catholicism.

James Hitchcock (Feb. 13, 1938 — July 14, 2025)

James Hitchcock — a noted historian of the Catholic Church, popular author, and longtime college professor — died on July 14 at age 87.

Hitchcock was remembered by friends and colleagues as a man of prophetic insight who defended Church teaching and helped to make the Catholic intellectual tradition accessible for his students and readers.

Hitchcock taught history at Saint Louis University from the late 1960s until 2013. Some of the most popular of the dozen books he wrote include his one-volume “History of the Catholic Church: From the Apostolic Age to the Third Millennium,” published in 2012 by Ignatius Press.

Frank Caprio (Nov. 24, 1936 — Aug. 20, 2025)

Frank Caprio, who served as a Providence, Rhode Island, municipal court judge for nearly 40 years and came to be known as “America’s nicest judge,” passed away on Aug. 20 from pancreatic cancer.

Caprio gained worldwide fame for a lenient judicial style that blended justice, extreme empathy, and mercy when his courtroom was televised in a program called “Caught in Providence.”

The program began in 1999 and went viral in 2017, achieving hundreds of millions of views since then. The show was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 2021 and has a YouTube channel with nearly 3 million subscribers.

Caprio told EWTN News in February that he always kept in mind something his father, a hardworking Italian immigrant with a fifth-grade education, had impressed upon him: “What might seem like a small fine to some was something that many couldn’t afford.”

“Your case is dismissed” became Caprio’s signature phrase.

Thomas A. Nelson (March 1, 1937 — Aug. 16, 2025)

Thomas A. Nelson, the founder of TAN Books — a Catholic publishing house known for its books promoting traditional Catholicism in the post-Vatican II era — died Aug. 16 at age 88.

Nelson, who had previously worked as a teacher, founded TAN Books and Publishers Inc. in Rockford, Illinois, in 1967 and an accompanying printing plant in 1978. In addition to being Nelson’s initials, TAN is an acronym for the Latin phrase “Tuum Adoramus Nomen” (“Let Us Adore Thy Name”).

Under Nelson’s ownership, TAN became known for publishing orthodox Catholic books, including reprints of classic Catholic works on theology, Scripture, traditional devotions, the Traditional Latin Mass, and the lives of the saints as well as new titles on these subjects by contemporary authors.

Katharine, Duchess of Kent (Feb. 22, 1933 — Sept. 4, 2025)

The Duchess of Kent, who became the first senior British royal to be received into the Catholic Church since the 17th century, died on Sept. 4 at the age of 92.

Renowned for her natural charm, compassion for the sick and downtrodden, and commitment to serving others, the duchess was a much-loved and hardworking British royal whose popularity was enhanced by her own personal suffering and self-effacing nature.

She was received into the Church in January 1994 by Cardinal Basil Hume. Up until then, no senior royal had publicly been received into the Church since 1685.

Katharine spoke favorably of the Church’s moral precepts. “I do love guidelines and the Catholic Church offers you guidelines,” she once told the BBC. “I have always wanted that in my life. I like to know what’s expected of me.”

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt (Aug. 21, 1919 — Oct. 9, 2025)

Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the beloved Catholic nun who became known across the country at the age of 98 as the chaplain of the Loyola University Chicago men’s basketball team, died Oct. 9 at the age of 106.

Sister Jean was born Dolores Bertha Schmidt on Aug. 21, 1919, to Joseph and Bertha Schmidt. She was raised in a devout Catholic home in San Francisco’s Castro District.

In 1937, she joined the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and took the name Sister Jean Dolores. In 1991, she joined the staff at Loyola Chicago and three years later became part of the basketball team, first as an academic adviser before transitioning to chaplain.

Sister Jean led the team in prayer before each game — praying for her players to be safe, for the referees to be fair, and for God’s assistance during the game.

She also admitted to praying for the opposing team, though “not as hard.”

Sister Mary Michael of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, PCPA (Feb. 25, 1931 — Nov. 10, 2025)

Sister Mary Michael of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, PCPA, died on Nov. 10 at age 94 after roughly three-quarters of a century of religious life.

Sister Mary Michael was the last of the original five nuns who, along with EWTN foundress Mother Angelica, began the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Alabama.

Born Evelyn Shinosky on Feb. 25, 1931, to Joseph and Helen Shinosky, she entered Sancta Clara Monastery in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 15, 1951, and received the habit and her new name the following May.

Her passing marked the end of an era at EWTN and at the monastery — one that saw both the launch of the global Catholic network and the expansion of the religious community to include the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery.

Paul Badde (March 10, 1948 — Nov. 10, 2025)

Paul Badde, author of many well-known books such as “Benedict Up Close,” “The Face of God,” and “The True Icon,” died on Nov. 10 at the age of 77 after a long illness. Badde was also a veteran contributor to EWTN and CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

Born in Schaag, Germany — a small village on the Lower Rhine — he studied philosophy and sociology in Freiburg as well as art history, history, and political science in Frankfurt. Before embarking on a journalistic career, Badde worked as a teacher for several years.

A founding editor of Vatican Magazine, Paul and his wife, Ellen, had five children.

Sister JoAnn Persch (June 27, 1934 — Nov. 14, 2025)

Longtime immigrant rights advocate Sister JoAnn Persch died on Nov. 14 at age 91.

Two weeks before her death, Persch attempted to bring Communion to detainees at the Broadview, Illinois, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility where for decades the Sisters of Mercy ministered to migrants and refugees. Officials denied her entry.

Persch and Sister Pat Murphy were founding members of the Su Casa Catholic Worker House in Chicago, serving refugees from Central America who were survivors of war, torture, and political persecution.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Begum Khaleda Zia, former Bangladesh prime minister and chairperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, in 2010 at the Diploma Engineers Institute, Dhaka. | Credit: Mohammed Tawsif Salam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Dec 30, 2025 / 19:22 pm (CNA).

Catholic leaders in Bangladesh are mourning the death of Begum Khaleda Zia, an alumna of Catholic-run St. Joseph’s School who became the country’s first woman prime minister and maintained a lifelong bond with the Catholic community. She died Tuesday morning local time at age 80 at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka following a prolonged illness.

“She knew us and we had a good relationship with her,” said Bishop Gervas Rozario, vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh. “She protected minorities when she was in power.”

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which she led for decades, announced her passing. “Amma (Mother) is no more,” acting chairman Tarique Rahman told senior leaders. The interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, declared a three-day state of mourning and a public holiday for her funeral, to be held Wednesday at the National Parliament grounds.

From ‘putul’ to prime minister

Khaleda Zia’s journey began in the classrooms of Catholic-run schools. Born in 1945 in Jalpaiguri, she spent her formative years at St. Joseph’s School in Dinajpur, where she was affectionately nicknamed “putul” (doll) by her principal, Sister Pia Fernandes.

Father Albert Rozario recalled a memory from her time as the president’s wife. When taking her son for an admission test at St. Joseph’s School in Dhaka, she waited outside the gate until the principal, realizing who she was, invited her inside.

Politics was not her chosen path. It was thrust upon her by tragedy following the 1981 assassination of her husband, President Ziaur Rahman. As the BNP reeled from the loss of its founder, party leaders turned to the grieving widow to unite them and carry forward his legacy.

She rose to the challenge, becoming BNP chairperson in 1984. The woman once nicknamed “doll” as a girl led the movement against the military dictatorship of Hussain Muhammad Ershad, earning a reputation as an “uncompromising leader.”

Her perseverance paid off with an electoral victory in 1991, making her the first woman prime minister of Bangladesh.

Supporter of Christians

Her tenure was defined by reforms. She restored the parliamentary system and instituted the caretaker government model to oversee elections — a system meant to ensure fairness. She introduced free education for girls up to grade 10 and stipend programs for rural female students, boosting enrollment and literacy.

“She played a significant role in increasing access to education, expanding opportunities for women and girls and strengthening basic social services,” Bishop Rozario noted.

Her political life included three terms (1991–1996, a brief period in 1996, and 2001–2006) and intense rivalry. She endured imprisonment on corruption charges in 2018, release in 2020, and was finally acquitted in 2025 after a legal battle. Through it all, she remained a central figure in the nation’s consciousness.

For the Christian community, she was an ally. Father Albert Rozario, who celebrated Christmas with her three times, remembered her inclusive spirit. “She used to say, ‘Christmas is not only for Christians, it is for people of all religions.’” That she died during the Christmas season has added a layer of resonance for many.

Her passing has drawn condolences from across South Asia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi noted her “important contributions … to India-Bangladesh relations.” Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is traveling to Dhaka to pay his last respects alongside dignitaries from Pakistan, Bhutan, and the Maldives.

In a televised address, Chief Adviser Yunus captured the national sentiment: “Today, our entire nation stands still in deep grief and sorrow… With her death, the nation has lost a great guardian.”

Aerial view of St. Peter’s Square filled with thousands of mourners including clergy and dignitaries gathered for Pope Francis’ funeral Mass under a clear blue sky on April 26, 2025, in Vatican City. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

Dec 30, 2025 / 15:56 pm (CNA).

During the year 2025, the participation of the faithful in audiences and liturgical celebrations at the Vatican reached a total of 3,176,620 people.

The Vatican released on Dec. 30 the attendance figures for liturgical celebrations in 2025, a year marked by the Jubilee of Hope, the death of Pope Francis, and the election in May of Pope Leo XIV.

Under the pontificate of Pope Francis, who died on April 21, a total attendance of 262,820 faithful was recorded. The largest crowds were at the Angelus, with 130,000 people, followed by the liturgical celebrations, which drew 62,000 faithful.

The general and jubilee audiences were attended by 60,500 people, while the total for special audiences was 10,320. The months with the highest attendance were January and February, especially for the Angelus and liturgical celebrations.

Pope Francis did not preside over any ceremonies or hold any meetings or audiences during the month of March due to his extended stay at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

For Pope Leo XIV’s pontificate, which began on May 8, a total of 2,913,800 faithful attended various events. General and jubilee audiences had the greatest participation, drawing 1,069,000 people, followed by the Angelus, with 900,000 in attendance, and liturgical celebrations, which drew 796,500 faithful.

Special audiences brought together 148,300 people. The months with the highest attendance were September, October, and December, with October standing out for the large number of attendees at general audiences.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Father Sylvester Okechukwu of the Diocese of Kafanchan in Nigeria was found murdered on Ash Wednesday, March 5, 2025. | Credit: Diocese of Kafanchan, Nigeria

Dec 30, 2025 / 15:01 pm (CNA).

A total of 17 missionaries were killed worldwide during 2025, the Jubilee Year of Hope. With these figures, the number of missionaries and pastoral workers who have lost their lives by violence since the year 2000 to the present day has risen to 626.

On Dec. 30, Fides News Agency published its annual report, which documents the murders of missionaries and all Catholic Christians involved in pastoral activity who have died by violence.

The report includes priests, nuns, seminarians, and laypeople who died because of their faith in contexts often marked by violence, extreme poverty, and injustice. In many cases, they were true witnesses to the Gospel who remained faithful to their mission until the end, freely offering their lives to Christ.

Africa is once again the hardest-hit continent, with 10 missionaries murdered: six priests, two seminarians, and two catechists. Four deaths were recorded in the Americas — two priests and two nuns — while in Asia, a priest and a layperson were killed. In Europe, the report includes the murder of one priest.

Killed for their faith in Africa

In Burkina Faso, catechists Mathias Zongo and Christian Tientga were murdered, attacked by a group of armed men who were traveling on a motorcycle near the town of Bondokuy.

In Nigeria, diocesan priest Sylvester Okechukwu, pastor of St. Mary’s Church in Tachira, was killed in the Kaura local government area. Also in Nigeria, 21-year-old seminarian Andrew Peter died at the hands of armed men who attacked both the rectory and the church.

Father Godfrey Chukwuma Oparaekwe, parish priest at St. Ambrose Church in Ubakala, was murdered in June while trying to mediate a family dispute. Also killed were Father Matthew Eya, who was shot on the night of Sept. 19, and the young seminarian Emmanuel Alabi, who died from injuries sustained during his abduction.

In Kenya, Father Allois Cheruiyot Bett was shot and killed after armed men opened fire and one of the bullets struck him in the neck, causing instant death. In Sierra Leone, Father Augustine Dauda Amadu was murdered in his home, and Father Luka Jomo, a parish priest, was killed by shrapnel from an artillery shell along with two young men.

The report also included Father Tobias Chukwujekwu Okonkwo, a priest and pharmacist who was murdered near Ihiala, Nigeria, on the night of Dec. 26, 2024, but whose murder was not included in the report of that year.

Haiti, Mexico, and the United States

In the Americas, in Haiti, Sisters Evanette Onezaire and Jeanne Voltaire, members of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, were murdered on March 31 in Mirebalais, in central Haiti, by members of armed gangs.

In Mexico, Father Bertoldo Pantaleón Estrada — whose disappearance had been reported on Oct. 4 in Cocula, in Guerrero state — was found dead on Oct. 6 between the towns of Zumpango and Mezcala.

Father Arul Carasala, parish priest at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in Seneca, a town in northeastern Kansas, was shot and killed by a man in his rectory on April 3.

Tortured and murdered for Christ in Asia

In Myanmar, 44-year-old diocesan priest Donald Martin Ye Naing Win lost his life because of his faith, becoming the first Burmese Catholic priest murdered in the civil conflict that is ravaging the country. His lifeless body, mutilated and disfigured with stab wounds, was found on Feb. 14 by some parishioners on the grounds of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, where he served as parish priest.

In the Philippines, Mark Christian Malaca, a 39-year-old teacher at St. Stephen Academy in the city of Laur, was shot and killed on Nov. 4 by unknown assailants in the town of San Juan, where he resided.

Priest murdered in Poland

In Europe, Fides News Agency reported the murder of Father Grzegorz Dymek, a 58-year-old priest who was found strangled in the rectory of his parish in Poland on Feb. 13. The priest had served in Our Lady of Fatima Parish since its founding in 1998.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Family Day celebrations at St. Austin's Msongari Parish. | Credit: St Austin's Msongari Communications

Dec 30, 2025 / 13:34 pm (CNA).

Parishioners of St. Austin’s Msongari Parish, Kenya’s oldest inland Catholic church in the Archdiocese of Nairobi, have been told to find belonging in small groups within the parish — such as small Christian communities, Catholic Women Association, Catholic Men Association, and other apostolic entities within the parish.

In his homily on Dec. 14 during St. Austin’s Msongari 2025 Family Day celebration, Bishop David Kamau Ng’ang’a said that faith is best experienced as a community and not as an individual. It is in a community anchored in faith that weak Christians find a “backup” in their struggles, he said.

“Faith must be lived within a community. When Jesus resurrected from the dead and appeared to the apostles, one of them was not there. And when he was told ‘We have seen the Lord,’ he did not believe,” Kamau said. “Thomas was not able to see the Lord because he was not in the community.”

He added: “The community helps you to experience the love of God,” and he appealed to those gathered to “join a group. You need a backup. Don’t stay alone. You may not survive.”

Members of the parish celebrated their 2025 Family Day under the theme “Anchored in Faith, Alive in Hope,” a celebration of 126 years of evangelization in the east African country.

In his homily, the bishop underlined the importance of strengthening the family at home, in Christian communities, and at the parish level. He challenged the parishioners to ask themselves if their own families are stable.

“How far are we building our own families back at home?” he asked, adding: “If you have no home where you come from, then you don’t have a home even here either.”

The bishop said there are two families that every Christian should take as models: the family of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and that of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

“Love is what unites these two families,” he said, adding: “There was love, dialogue, and understanding in the family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. That is why God entrusted his Son to that family.”

As part of the celebrations, St. Austin’s Msongari Parish also launched seven newly established small Christian communities. At the launch, Kamau challenged the parish to “do even better,” adding: “Without small Christian communities, it will be difficult to build the Church.”

Further underscoring the importance of the small communities, he said: “You come here only on Sundays. How about the other days? That is why we build small Christian communities where we live to come together and pray together.”

“We bring the life in our small Christian communities here in our Church. This is why small Christian communities are important,” he reiterated, adding that the aim should be to build the parish to become a home “such that even if you are rejected out there, where you are working, you feel welcome when you come here.”

The bishop also expressed his admiration of St. Austin’s Church, noting that the historic parish had planted seeds of faith across what later became the Archdiocese of Nairobi and the Machakos and Kitui dioceses.

He said: “I am always proud of St. Austin’s Parish and the Holy Ghost Fathers because the Holy Ghost Fathers brought faith to the Archdiocese of Nairobi. I am also talking about Machakos and Kitui. They too were started by Holy Ghost Fathers. The old missionaries are the ones who taught us, even in those days.”

In his address at the Family and Fun Day celebrations, Father Henry Omwoyo, the pastor of St. Austin’s Msongari Parish, said the event was more than “just a date on the calendar” for the parish whose story began in 1899, when three missionaries of the Holy Ghost Fathers — Emile Augustin Allgeyer, Alain Hémery, and Blanchard Dillenseger — traveled inland from the Kenyan coast.

“We celebrate 126 years of God’s faithfulness, love, and grace poured out upon our parish family,” Omwoyo said. “From humble beginnings in 1899, when the pioneer Spiritan missionaries held the first Mass under the expansive African sky, to today, we stand as a vibrant, living community, deeply rooted in faith and alive in hope.”

He noted that for over a century, the parish has been a beacon of faith and unity in inland Kenya and has come to include communities such as the Catholic International Community and the Communauté Catholique Francophone de Nairobi.

“For decades, this parish has offered a home, a spiritual haven where generations have encountered Christ through sacraments, catechesis, outreach, prayer, fellowship, and service,” he said.

The parish also announced the projected opening of its prayer garden, a project that commenced as part of the parish’s 125 years of faith celebration.

Described as “a sanctuary of peace, reflection, and prayer for all who seek God’s voice,” St. Austin’s prayer garden will be dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and is scheduled to officially open in May 2026 on the eve of Pentecost Sunday.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s African news partner, and has been adapted by CNA.

Credit: Zolnierek/Shutterstock

Dec 30, 2025 / 10:45 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV warned about the danger that gambling poses to many families during a Dec. 29 audience with members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities.

At the beginning of his address, delivered in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican, the Holy Father explained that “the incarnation of the Son of God brings us face to face with a child, whose gentle fragility is in stark contrast to the crushing power of King Herod.”

In this context, he emphasized that “the massacre of the innocents ordered by him not only represents a loss of a future for society but is also a manifestation of an inhuman power that does not know the beauty of love because it disregards the dignity of human life.”

On the contrary, the pope explained that the birth of the Lord “reveals the most authentic aspect of all power, which is above all responsibility and service,” and noted that all authority must “embody the virtues of humility, honesty, and communion.”

The pontiff thus alluded to the public commitment of the Italian association, reminding them of the importance of listening “as a social dynamic that activates these virtues,” specifically “to the needs of families and individuals, especially caring for the most vulnerable, for the good of all.”

Pope Leo XIV focused his attention on certain realities that require special attention, such as the difficulties faced by families and young people as well as the loneliness of the elderly and the “silent cry of the poor.”

In this regard, he emphasized that “our cities are not anonymous places but rather faces and stories that must be safeguarded like precious treasures.”

He also quoted Venerable Giorgio La Pira, known as “the holy mayor” of Florence, who maintained that his fundamental duty was to care for and alleviate anyone who was suffering. In this way, the pope stated that “social cohesion and civic harmony require, first and foremost, listening to the least among us and the poor.”

He then urged the members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities to “become models of dedication to the common good, fostering a social alliance for hope.”

Problem of gambling addiction

After lamenting that cities are experiencing forms of marginalization, violence, and loneliness “that demand to be addressed,” Pope Leo specifically warned against gambling, “which ruins many families.” Citing the latest report from Caritas Italy, he emphasized that this type of gambling addiction is a “serious problem of education, mental health, and social trust.”

“We cannot forget other forms of loneliness from which many people suffer: mental disorders, depression, cultural and spiritual poverty, and social abandonment. These are signs that indicate how much hope is needed. To bear witness to it effectively, politics is called to forge authentically human relationships among citizens, promoting social peace,” the pontiff said.

He also urged that administrative activity promote “the talents of individuals, giving cultural and spiritual depth to cities.”

At the end of his address, he asked the members of the association to have “the courage to offer hope to the people, planning together the best future for their lands, in the logic of integral human development.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Afternoon prayers for an ecumenical youth gathering organized by the Taize Community are taking place in the Accor Arena, which can accommodate more than 20,000 people. Credit: Vilacor, via Wikimedia Commons

Dec 30, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Thousands of young Catholics and other fellow Christians from various traditions are in Paris this week ushering out 2025 and ushering in 2026 as part of an ecumenical gathering organized by the Taizé Community.

The city of Paris and the entire Île-de-France region are the setting for the 48th European Meeting, a pilgrimage from Dec. 28, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026, in which 15,000 young people ages 18–35 are participating, including 1,000 Ukrainians.

The event includes the participation of nearly 60 brothers out of the 80 who make up the Taizé Ecumenical Community, founded in 1940 with the mission of “being a sign of unity in the Church and in the human family.”

The program includes communal prayer in the large churches of Paris, various local initiatives, testimonies of hope, and workshops. The afternoon prayers take place in the Accor Arena, which can accommodate more than 20,000 people.

Numerous families in Paris and the Île-de-France region have generously welcomed the young people into their homes while various parishes, schools, and sports centers have also made their facilities available.

For Brother Mathew Thorpe, current prior of the community, this event is a call “to break free from our algorithms and experience mutual listening, an opening of the heart to welcome others as they are,” he told the French newspaper La Croix.

He also noted that this year’s gathering includes a psychological support center located in the Notre-Dame de l’Arche d’Alliance (Our Lady Ark of the Covenant) church to provide assistance to young people who have been victims of abuse.

The Taizé brother emphasized that this encounter also offers “a space for young people to listen to Christ in the depths of their being” and expressed his hope that it would help them “go forward in their journey with Christ.”

“The important thing is that they receive something that inspires them to become pilgrims of peace and hope, wherever they are, in their local church, in their places of commitment, to help others eliminate the barriers that divide our society,” he said.

From Spain, 22-year-old Pedro del Río Granado arrived in Paris with other youth from the Archdiocese of Madrid. For this student, the Taizé European Meeting “is a very important experience” and an opportunity to begin the year with God.

Brother Alois, who succeeded Brother Roger, the founding prior of Taizé, said on behalf of the community that this experience “helps us understand the Gospel.”

“We Christians can show that there is something that unites us in Europe, something that keeps us together,” he emphasized.

A few days before the meeting began, Eastern Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in a message addressed to young people reminded them that “the world needs your clear vision, your courage, and your capacity for hope.”

“It needs young peace builders, capable of resisting violence, exclusion, and contempt for others. It needs witnesses of a humble faith, understood not as power but as service,” he said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.