Europe

As declining birth rates reshape the West, a global conversation on marriage and family is gaining urgency ahead of an October gathering in Rome convened by Pope Leo XIV.

Belarus’s foremost Catholic dissident has urged Church leaders not to ignore the plight of his country’s political prisoners amid a continuing crackdown on religious freedoms.

In his new book, Salvatore Cernuzio recounts a revealing remark from Pope Francis: when asked his thoughts on then-Cardinal Robert Prevost, the pope replied: “He’s a saint.”

“The Lord transformed her soul,” and Sister Clare “no longer longed for anything other than to have Christ as her only love.”

According to the French bishops’ conference, newly baptized individuals come from a wide variety of social backgrounds, and each has a “unique” story.

Taking the stage to greet the crowd was Cardinal José Cobo of Madrid, who began by reading a message from Pope Leo sent to those gathered.

“We recall that the Pope is not a political counterpart, but the Successor of Peter, called to serve the Gospel, the truth, and peace.”

Bishop Santasiero denied the allegations and also requested that InfoVaticana send him a copy of the documents in their possession.

“He wanted to live his life fully for himself, he wanted to find joy and what he had discovered, he couldn’t bear for others not to know.”

“If you’re a Catholic and you don’t fully back the government, it’s seen as grave disloyalty. This is why we face serious problems here.”