On November 10, the Catholic Relief delegation in the Gard department of France presented its 31st annual report. The document analyzes data from 919 beneficiary files covering 2,248 individuals. Eric Thimel, the local delegate, stated that 65.2 percent of those assisted are women, often heads of single-parent households. Foreign nationals account for over half of the recipients due to administrative precarity. The median income for assisted persons was 600 euros in 2025. Thimel highlighted that inflation has made food insecurity an absolute emergency, with nearly 61 percent of urgent requests being for food aid. The report aims to challenge stereotypes about poverty ahead of the presidential election.
A November 2026 report by Secours Catholique in France highlights a disconnect between public opinion and poverty realities. While 80% of respondents believe poverty has worsened over the last decade, 63% argue that social aid should be reserved for the most deserving individuals. The charity notes that stigma influences these views, despite data showing that 95% of their 2025 beneficiaries lived below the poverty line. The organization attributes the belief that aid discourages work to biased discourse, contrasting public perception with OECD data on intergenerational poverty transmission.
Translated from FrançaisAlso reported by 5 outlets
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Francis Prevost, arrived in Lima, Peru, on November 11 for a visit extending to November 17. During a speech at the Grand National Theatre, the Pontiff, who holds Peruvian citizenship and served as a missionary there, addressed political and religious leaders. He urged authorities to practice patient listening amid disagreements and to protect the environment through responsible resource exploitation. The Pope also emphasized social solidarity, care for vulnerable groups, and diplomatic patience to foster peace and national unity in the diverse South American nation.
A senior church leader in Cameroon discussed the ongoing Anglophone crisis. He explained that initial protests escalated into armed conflict between government forces and separatists, causing significant casualties, displacement, and long-term disruption to education. The leader highlighted the positive impact of a recent papal visit to the region. To preserve this peace message, he created a pastoral book based on the Pontiff's speeches. Schools are gradually reopening, but the leader warns that lost peace is hard to regain, emphasizing the need for continued reconciliation efforts in the affected areas.
The Catholic Bishops' Commission Rabita in Pakistan celebrates its 40th anniversary, evolving from a small initiative into a nationwide network for Islamic-Christian dialogue. Founded in 1985 following a request from Pope John Paul II, the commission fosters mutual understanding and protects human dignity. Father James Channan, director of a peace center in a major city, highlights achievements such as opposing forced conversions and blasphemy law abuses. The commission also promotes interfaith harmony in schools and government policies. Despite challenges like prejudice against minorities, the group aims to make dialogue a daily way of life for Christians and Muslims in Pakistan.
Members of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women in Accra, Ghana, have issued a statement demanding swift investigations into child sexual abuse. They assert that such acts are crimes requiring legal accountability, not merely internal disciplinary matters. The group urges authorities to investigate all reports professionally, regardless of the accused's status. They call for stronger child protection in schools and homes, accessible reporting mechanisms, and support for survivors. The council also highlighted the vulnerability of boys and emphasized that protecting children is a shared national responsibility requiring legislative and institutional oversight.
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Municipal leaders from five Christian villages in southern Lebanon have appealed to the country's Catholic bishops for urgent assistance. The mayors of Rmeich, Aïn Ebel, Debel, Qaouzah, and Alma el-Chaab asked the Council of Patriarchs and Bishops to help residents remain on their lands and support displaced people returning home. They requested housing aid, access to essential services, and protection for churches, including the Qaouzah church. The appeal, reported on November 9, also concerns the planned withdrawal of UNIFIL forces by 2027. Maronite Patriarch Béchara Raï described the requests as urgent and legitimate on November 8. Caritas Lebanon continues humanitarian convoys in the region since the conflict resumed in March 2026.
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A bishop in Nigeria condemned Catholics involved in deadly clashes over land disputes. He described the violence as shameful, noting that frequent killings erode respect for human life. The bishop warned that territorial fights cause believers to forget their shared Christian identity. He also highlighted economic struggles for rural farmers and political manipulation ahead of upcoming elections, urging moral reflection rather than partisan engagement. This appeal emphasizes unity and dignity amidst local conflicts.
Pope Leo XIV expressed concern over a significant decline in international humanitarian funding for displaced persons in a video message released on November 10, 2026. Addressing the International Catholic Commission for Migration during its assembly in Rome, the pontiff highlighted the impact of reduced aid from the United States and other traditional donors. According to the outlet, global assistance dropped nearly 30% between 2023 and 2025. The Pope urged Catholic organizations to find new ways to protect migrant children and address the root causes of displacement amid rising global inequalities and conflicts.
Caritas Switzerland is addressing the persistent belief that poor people are responsible for their own situation. The organization has been working for 125 years to shift public attitudes toward poverty. Although the social safety net has strengthened over the last century, approximately 360,000 working individuals in Switzerland still earn insufficient income to support their families. The outlet emphasizes that poverty is fundamentally a matter of human dignity rather than just financial status. This ongoing campaign highlights the continued prevalence of economic precarity among the active population in the country.
On November 26, 2026, the Bethlehem Project celebrated its twentieth anniversary in Anderlecht, Belgium. Founded in 2006 following a call by Cardinal Godfried Danneels, the initiative converts unused ecclesiastical buildings into affordable housing for low-income families. Nearly 700 people have already found homes through the program, which operates primarily within the Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels. The project is supported by the King Baudouin Foundation, which has awarded nearly two million euros for renovations. The jubilee event took place at the Sainte-Anne Village, a site housing over 200 residents. Organizers note that continued donations remain essential as renovation costs rise.
Translated from FrançaisAlso reported by 2 outlets
Pope Leo XIV visited Argentina in November 2026, drawing crowds of up to 2.5 million people. On November 10, he urged young Argentines to preserve their freedom from appearance obsession during a vigil in Buenos Aires. He also celebrated mass in Córdoba and met with survivors of clerical abuse. The visit marks the first papal trip to the country in nearly 40 years. According to the outlet, the pontiff emphasized holiness in public life and highlighted the importance of supporting people with disabilities.
Translated from FrançaisAlso reported by 13 outlets
The United Nations Population Fund plans to operate on 44 women suffering from obstetric fistulas in a region of Cameroon before the end of the year. A UNFPA representative organized a coordination meeting in a city to address the health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic. The organization states that untreated fistulas cause depression and social isolation. A multisectoral platform has been established to ensure synergistic interventions and eliminate the condition through coordinated efforts across various communities.
The Saint-Rémi-de-la-Vigne church in Bordeaux, France, will host an evening on November 12 to support the association Pour un sourire d’enfant. The event features a screening of a film by Patrice Leconte and a testimony from Sinoun. Sinoun is a Cambodian woman who was rescued from working at a Phnom Penh dump. She now works for the association. The gathering aims to highlight her journey from poverty to employment. The event takes place at 8 p.m. in the Bacalan district.
On November 9, 2026, in Yomou, Guinea, Catholic, Protestant, and Muslim leaders gathered to welcome Apostolic Nuncio Jean-Sylvain Emien Mambé. Despite a six-hour delay and heavy rain, the community remained united. Mayor Pauline Guémou praised the event as a symbol of religious tolerance. Mambé conveyed the Pope's blessings for peace and unity. The visit highlighted interfaith cooperation in the region.
UNIFIL vehicles entered the Christian village of Deir Mimas in southern Lebanon, marking a first since a clash between the Lebanese army and Israeli forces on September 18. The area lies within the Israeli-occupied buffer zone near the Beaufort Castle. This movement contrasts with statements from Israeli politician Gadi Eisenkot, who denied rumors of an Israeli withdrawal and declared that war objectives remain unmet. The presence of UNIFIL, rather than just the Lebanese army, highlights the ongoing security tensions in the region as local Christians attempt to organize amid the conflict.
A former conservatory in the 15th arrondissement of Paris was inaugurated on November 9 as an emergency shelter for homeless women. The event was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony performed by Arouna, a 12-year-old boy who attended with his mother. Arouna expressed his happiness at finally having a roof over their heads, describing the new facility as a safe place where he can do homework and meet friends. The transformation of the historic building aims to provide immediate housing and security for vulnerable women in the French capital.
A priest from Burkina Faso and a nun from Mexico will share their experiences at the Night of Witnesses event organized by the AED. The priest, who survived terrorism in a specific diocese, promotes hope despite violence. The nun supports families of the disappeared in Mexico amid armed group brutality. The event, originally created in France, now takes place internationally. It honors martyrs by reading their names and processing their portraits, aiming to remember those killed for their faith in hostile contexts.
In Togo, Archbishop Isaac Jogues Agbémenya Kodjo Gaglo has urged the faithful to pray following a tragic boat accident on Lake Togo. The incident occurred on November 8 when a wooden pirogue carrying pilgrims returning from the diocesan pilgrimage in Togoville capsized in the Vo prefecture. According to the Togolese Ministry of Security, three people died and fifteen were rescued out of eighteen passengers. The archbishop described the event as a painful trial for the Church and offered condolences to the victims' families while thanking the security forces for their rescue efforts.
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