We Are Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish

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Vatican City, Nov 9, 2025 / 07:15 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to contemplate “the mystery of unity and communion with the Church of Rome” and to recognize that “the true sanctuary of God is Christ who died and rose again” during his Sunday Angelus on the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said in his catechesis that the Lateran, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the seat of Peter’s successor, “is not only a work of extraordinary historical, artistic, and religious value, but it also represents the driving force of the faith entrusted to and preserved by the Apostles, and its transmission throughout history.”

He noted that this mystery “shines forth in the artistic splendor of the building,” which contains “the 12 large statues of the Apostles, the first followers of Christ and witnesses of the Gospel.”

The pope urged Christians to look beyond appearances and to see the Church’s deeper reality. “This points to a spiritual perspective, which helps us to go beyond the external appearance, to understand that the mystery of the Church is much more than a simple place, a physical space, a building made of stones,” he said.

Recalling the Gospel account of Jesus cleansing the Temple, Leo XIV said: “In reality, the true sanctuary of God is Christ who died and rose again. He is the only mediator of salvation, the only redeemer, the one who, by uniting himself with our humanity and transforming us with his love, represents the door that opens wide for us and leads us to the Father.”

“United with him,” he continued, “we too are living stones of this spiritual edifice. We are the Church of Christ, his body, his members called to spread his Gospel of mercy, consolation, and peace throughout the world, through that spiritual worship that must shine forth above all in our witness of life.”

The pope cautioned that the sins and weaknesses of believers, together with “many clichés and prejudices,” often obscure the mystery of the Church. “Her holiness, in fact, is not dependent upon our merits,” he said, “but in the ‘gift of the Lord, never retracted,’ that continues to choose ‘as the vessel of its presence, with a paradoxical love, the dirty hands of men.’”

“Let us walk then in the joy of being the holy people that God has chosen,” Leo XIV concluded, inviting the faithful to pray: “Let us invoke Mary, Mother of the Church, to help us welcome Christ and accompany us with her intercession.”

After praying the Angelus, the pope expressed his closeness to the people of the Philippines, where a massive typhoon has caused widespread destruction.

“I express my closeness to the people of the Philippines who have been hit by a violent typhoon: I pray for the deceased and their families, as well as for the injured and displaced,” he said.

He also noted that the Church in Italy was observing its annual Thanksgiving Day and joined the Italian bishops in encouraging “responsible care for the land, combating food waste, and adopting sustainable agricultural practices.”

Finally, Leo XIV made a heartfelt appeal for peace amid ongoing conflicts. “If we truly want to honor their memory,” he said of recent war victims, “we must stop the wars and put all of our efforts into negotiations.”

The pope concluded by greeting groups of pilgrims from around the world and wishing everyone “a blessed Sunday.”

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

Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nov 9, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, concluded a five-day pastoral visit with migrants and displaced Catholics under the theme “Raising Hope to Foster a Culture of Care.”

From Nov. 1–5, Czerny met with internally displaced Catholics near Dhaka and visited Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar, highlighting urgent issues of migration, poverty, and social justice.

Bangladesh hosts two vulnerable communities: approximately 50,000 internally displaced Catholics in Dhaka and Narayanganj, and nearly 1.1 million Rohingya refugees and migrants in Cox’s Bazar — considered the largest refugee camp in the world.

The visit sought to affirm the Church’s solidarity with these groups and encourage collaboration among Church leaders, government agencies, and humanitarian organizations.

Message of faith for displaced Catholics

On Nov. 2, Czerny celebrated Mass with more than 600 Catholics in Modonpur, Narayanganj, an industrial area where many migrants from rural Bangladesh live in precarious conditions. Many have fled their ancestral villages seeking better livelihoods, often working in factories under difficult circumstances.

“You are poor, but you gather to worship God,” Czerny told the faithful. “As you pray, God will answer your prayers. You will be blessed.”

For Sujon Das, 28, a machine operator originally from Thakurgaon, the encounter was deeply moving. “Cardinal Czerny admired us,” Das told CNA. “I had night duty on Nov. 3, but after work I joined the Mass. Normally we cannot attend Sunday Mass because we only get Fridays off — and sometimes we work even then.”

Das recalled a painful memory: “On Aug. 5, 2024, during political unrest, miscreants set fire to our church. Still, we keep our faith.” The violence occurred during widespread unrest following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which resulted in attacks on religious minorities across Bangladesh.

Father Ajit Victor Costa, who ministers regularly in Modonpur, explained why so many Catholics migrate to the area. “For existential reasons and better livelihood, they come to industrial zones seeking jobs,” he explained. “Most are landless and worked as day laborers in villages, earning very little. Migration continues, and many families remain separated.”

During his homily, Czerny praised those who serve migrants and refugees: “Communities that welcome migrants can be a living witness to hope — a promise of a present and future where the dignity of all as children of God is recognized.”

Solidarity with Rohingya

On Nov. 3, Czerny traveled to Cox’s Bazar to visit Rohingya who fled violence in Myanmar.

During a tour of Caritas Bangladesh’s humanitarian programs, he expressed concern about dwindling global support.

“The situation is very difficult, with funding cuts and less attention from the world,” Czerny said during his visit to the migrant camp. “The world should show more solidarity, not less. All organizations — Christian and others — must respond to real needs and continue to support those who suffer.”

Czerny assured them of the Church’s commitment. “I hope one day you can return safely to your homeland and live in peace and dignity,” he said.

Abdul Rahman (not his real name), 55, a Rohingya refugee, voiced gratitude. “Caritas Bangladesh stands with us, offering love and care — clean water, sanitation, shelter, and hope,” Rahman said. “Even when the world forgets, Caritas remains close.”

CNA is using pseudonyms for Rohingya refugees at their request for security reasons.

Children welcomed the visitor from the Vatican with songs and drawings. “Please help us with more play and learning materials,” said Mohammad Nur (not his real name). Czerny called their joy “a sign of hope and life that inspires us all to keep serving with compassion.”

Justice and peace at the heart of mission

On Nov. 4 in Dhaka, Czerny inaugurated the 50th anniversary of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace of Bangladesh, praising its work on human rights, child protection, climate change, migration, and anti-trafficking efforts.

He also visited children in drug rehabilitation centers, orphanages, and migrant shelters. “The care you receive is good,” he told them, “but think also about what kind of service you can offer to others.”

At a press conference later that day, Czerny reflected on the challenges facing both communities. “For those in the camps, being stateless, unemployed, and confined for years is intolerable,” he said. “The international community has not been able to provide a solution to the Rohingya crisis, and that needs to change.”

Call to action

Czerny’s visit underscored the Church’s mission to accompany those on the margins.

“The Holy Spirit sends us to others,” he reminded the faithful. “The care you bring to migrants and refugees is a trace of the Spirit — a sign of salvation and hope.”

Archbishop Bejoy N. D’Cruze of Dhaka, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, expressed his gratitude to Czerny for the pastoral visit.

“I am confident that this visit will be a blessing for the Catholic Church in Bangladesh,” D’Cruze said. “I believe it will further inspire and strengthen our commitment to inclusive human development.”

Vatican City, Nov 9, 2025 / 06:40 am (CNA).

At the Basilica of St. John Lateran on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV urged Christians to build the Church on “solid foundations” rooted in Christ rather than on “worldly criteria” that demand immediate results and overlook the value of patience and humility.

Celebrating Mass for the solemnity of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica — the cathedral of the bishop of Rome and the oldest church in the city — the pope reflected in his homily on the meaning of this feast and on the Church as a living temple built of “living stones.”

“The millennial history of the Church teaches us that with God’s help, a true community of faith can only be built with humility and patience,” he said. “Such a community is capable of spreading charity, promoting mission, proclaiming, celebrating, and serving the apostolic magisterium of which this temple is the first seat.”

The pope drew on the image of the basilica’s physical foundations to speak about the spiritual foundations of the Church. “If the builders had not dug deep enough to find a solid base on which to construct the rest, the entire building would have collapsed long ago,” he said. “As laborers in the living Church, we too must first dig deep within ourselves and around ourselves before we can build impressive structures. We must remove any unstable material that would prevent us from reaching the solid rock of Christ.”

Citing St. Paul’s words that “no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ,” the pope encouraged Christians to “constantly return to Jesus and his Gospel and be docile to the action of the Holy Spirit,” warning against “overloading a building with heavy structures whose foundations are too weak to support.”

Pope Leo XIV also cautioned against haste and superficiality in serving God’s kingdom. “Let us dig deep, unhindered by worldly criteria, which too often demand immediate results and disregard the wisdom of waiting,” he said.

Reflecting on the Gospel story of Zacchaeus, the pope said that when Jesus calls believers to take part in God’s great project, “he transforms us by skillfully shaping us according to his plans for salvation.” The image of a “construction site,” he added, captures “the concrete, tangible efforts of our communities as they grow every day, sharing their charisms under the guidance of their pastors.”

Acknowledging that the Church’s current journey — particularly in the context of the Synod — requires perseverance, he urged the faithful not to be discouraged. “Let us not allow fatigue to prevent us from recognizing and celebrating this good, so that we may nourish and renew our enthusiasm,” he said. “After all, it is through charity in action that the face of our Church is shaped, making it ever clearer to all that she is a ‘mother,’ the ‘mother of all Churches,’ or even a ‘mom,’ as St. John Paul II said when speaking to children on this very feast day.”

Turning to the liturgy, the pope said it is “the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed... the source from which all its power flows.” He called for particular care for the liturgy at the See of Peter, so that it “can serve as an example for the whole people of God.”

“It must comply with the established norms, be attentive to the different sensibilities of those participating, and keep with the principle of wise inculturation,” he said. At the same time, it should remain “faithful to the solemn sobriety typical of the Roman tradition,” ensuring that “the simple beauty of the rites expresses the value of worship for the harmonious growth of the whole body of the Lord.”

“I hope that those who approach the altar of Rome’s cathedral go away filled with the grace that the Lord wishes to flood the world,” Pope Leo XIV concluded.

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

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ACI MENA, Nov 9, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

For the first time in over 15 years, the Maronite Church in Syria celebrated a solemn Mass at the ancient shrine of St. Maron in the village of Brad, northwest of Aleppo.

A pilgrimage to the site, organized by the Maronite Scouts, drew more than 80 participants, young and old, reviving one of the most sacred Christian sites in the region known as the “Dead Cities.”

Father Ghandi Mahanna, who led the liturgy, reminded worshippers that “the true presence of God is found in every human heart,” urging them to live faith through love.

The group also visited the nearby ruins of St. Simeon the Stylite’s Church and the cave chapel once home to the hermit Toufic Ajib, which suffered partial damage during the war.

Accompanied by security forces ensuring safe passage, the pilgrims expressed hope that religious tourism to Syria would soon revive, reaffirming that “Syria was beautiful, and still is.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

More than a million people had fled vulnerable areas ahead of the storm’s projected landfall in Aurora province – expected for later Sunday – with officials urging residents to heed evacuation orders.

At the conclusion of the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV expresses his deep gratitude to those who work to build peace in countries experiencing war. He also offers prayers for the people of the Philippines, hit by Typhoon Fung-wong.

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During his weekly Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV reminds the faithful that "the true sanctuary of God is Christ" who is "the only mediator of salvation, the only Redeemer, the One who, by uniting Himself with our humanity, and transforming us with His love, represents the door that opens wide for us and leads us to the Father."

Read all