Approximately 5,000 people from various faiths gathered in Assisi, Italy, for a three-day interreligious meeting titled 'Unarmed and Disarming Peace.' The event commemorated the 40th anniversary of the 1986 prayer day initiated by Pope John Paul II. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi warned against justifying violence, while Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I emphasized the need to disarm oneself before others. Pope Leo XIV sent a video message condemning holy wars and calling for dialogue. Hiroshima survivor Koko Kondo urged youth to build a world free from war. The next meeting is scheduled for Genoa in 2027.
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Milan and Brazil are commemorating Marcello Candia, an Italian businessman and missionary who died in 1983, on the 110th anniversary of his birth. According to Vatican News, Candia established medical and social facilities in Macapa and Marituba, Brazil, to aid the poor and those with leprosy. The Marcello Candia Foundation, founded in 1982, continues to fund these Amazonian projects. Events in Milan included a conference at Palazzo Marino and a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Mario Delpini. Alberto Scotti of Assocandia stated the foundation aims to sustain this humanitarian work. Candia is recognized for promoting lay missionary involvement and was declared Venerable by Pope Francis in 2014.
The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Leon XIV will visit Uruguay, Argentina, and Peru from November 6 to 17. In Uruguay, interest in the papal events has exceeded expectations. Tickets for the prayer vigil at Montevideo's Centenario stadium on November 7 sold out within three hours. Organizers have installed an outdoor screen for those without tickets. Similarly, mass tickets in Florida were quickly exhausted, prompting organizers to add 6,000 more spots. The Pope recently underwent surgery for a tumor, but doctors cleared him for travel. He expressed joy at returning to the continent where he spent much of his life.
Young students from Belarus and Poland, including Stanisław Rutkowski and Swietłana Krupenchyk, describe how a scholarship foundation in Lublin has changed their lives. Although they never met Pope John Paul II, the program inspired by his legacy provides academic support and a spiritual community. Participants like Katarzyna Danko and Roman Marian Vovk highlight the value of shared living, choir activities, and recent experiences in Rome. The foundation offers not only education but also emotional support and connections with benefactors who share similar migration experiences. According to the students, the initiative fosters personal growth and a sense of family among young people from different countries.
Jesuit Refugee Service centers in Catania and Palermo, Italy, assist migrants and refugees with integration programs. Initiated by laypeople connected to Ignatian spirituality, the network provides vocational workshops in sewing, ceramics, and cooking. These efforts led to the cooperative Kirmal cucine narranti, founded by individuals from Egypt, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Vietnam, and Italy. Coordinator Emanuele Cardella notes that the model attracts international academic interest. The centers also offer free Italian language classes and housing projects like Casa Betania for single mothers. Additionally, they conduct school meetings on asylum rights and interreligious dialogue to foster social inclusion.
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Polish pro-life organizations argue that protecting life requires tangible aid rather than just slogans. The Little Feet Foundation, led by Paulina Rylska, provides material, legal, and psychological support to pregnant women facing hardship. The Donum Vitae Foundation assists parents after miscarriage or stillbirth. The Polish Federation of Life Defense Movements issued an open letter on October 23, calling for accessible help for women under pressure to abort. The group states that protecting children and caring for mothers are not competing values, urging authorities to ensure no woman is left alone during crises.
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Cardinal Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, stated that the world still needs the 'Asisi method' to build peace. Speaking in Italy, he emphasized that religions cannot impose peace politically but can transform individuals internally. He highlighted the importance of joint witness by religious leaders, noting that united condemnation of violence is harder to ignore. Referencing Pope John Paul II and Pope Leo XIV, he argued that peace comes from God and requires religions to disarm from the logic of force. The Vatican official stressed that prayer and inner conversion are essential for lasting dialogue and conflict resolution.
A humanitarian worker continues her vital aid efforts in Myanmar despite ongoing armed conflict. The founder of a relief organization provides medical care, food, and evacuation support in regions such as Rakhine and Chin. She was previously arrested but resumed operations immediately after release. Her group assists civilians affected by the 2021 coup and recent natural disasters. According to the UN, millions need aid. She highlights the severe lack of legal protections and warns against romanticizing the population's suffering under the current regime, emphasizing the urgent need for safe access to vulnerable communities.
The United Nations reports a rapidly worsening humanitarian emergency in a besieged city in Yemen, where Houthi forces have cut off government-held areas for over 20 days. The World Food Programme states that 800,000 people, including 200,000 women and children, are isolated from aid. Water supplies have halved due to fuel shortages, and UNICEF notes that over 52,000 children suffer from acute malnutrition. The International Organization for Migration recorded nearly 260,000 internal displacements since June. The Pope appealed for an end to hostilities, citing the severe lack of food, water, and medical care for the trapped population.
In Rushoroza, Uganda, the Sisters of Our Lady of Good Counsel have reopened a special needs class at St. Mary Teresa Primary School in the Kabale diocese. The initiative aims to combat prejudice against disabled children, who were previously excluded from education. The sisters currently support 108 students and conduct awareness campaigns to foster social acceptance. They also provide nutritional guidance to reduce malnutrition and help families start small businesses. The project strengthens community trust and supports the spiritual life of the children, serving residents regardless of their religious affiliation.
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Experts and activists addressed a peace forum in Italy, organized by a religious community. A speaker described the war in Sudan as an imposed conflict driven by resource exploitation, citing a specific massacre. Another explained that Myanmar's civil war has shifted from political grievances to competition over natural minerals. A UNHCR representative emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid for millions of displaced people, including Sudanese refugees and Rohingya minorities. The event aimed to restore dignity to victims of forgotten wars and promote dialogue among those affected by these ongoing crises.
Archbishop Filippo Iannone Filipazzi visited students of the Catholic University of Lublin (KUL) studying inside the Lublin Remand Centre. He conveyed greetings from Pope Leo XIV and emphasized that the Church has not forgotten the inmates. Rector Mirosław Kalinowski highlighted the program's 14-year history of providing higher education to prisoners. Forty new students, including four women, began the academic year. Since the program's inception, 63 graduates have completed their studies, aiming to foster inner freedom and community among those incarcerated.
Glenda Katya Alvarado Caceres, a 54-year-old Peruvian woman, shared her gratitude for the Sant'Egidio Community during an international meeting in Assisi, Italy, from October 25 to 27. After moving to Italy in 2019, she faced homelessness and depression until the community provided housing and work. She now cares for Alzheimer's patients and plans to return to Peru. Alvarado Caceres fondly remembers Pope Leo XIV, formerly Bishop Robert Prevost, from his time in Chiclayo, Peru. She describes him as humble and helpful, recalling how he delivered medical supplies during the pandemic. She prayed for his health during recent hospitalization and believes his upcoming visit to Peru will bring spiritual renewal to her hometown.
Hundreds of cathedrals and landmarks across multiple countries will be illuminated in red this November to symbolize the blood of martyrs. The initiative, organized by Portawie Pracy dla Polaków (PKwP), aims to raise awareness for Christians facing persecution. Participating sites include the Austrian President’s residence, Christ the King monument in Portugal, and the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Significant participation is expected in Austria, the Netherlands, Germany, and Ireland. Events also extend to Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines, where a special collection will support suffering believers. According to PKwP data, over 413 million Christians live in countries with serious religious freedom violations.
The first Ibero-American Forum of Mary Cities took place in a city in Argentina. Over 40 participants, including bishops and local officials from various Marian sanctuaries, attended the event organized by CELAM and CAF. Speakers emphasized that Marian sanctuaries foster social cohesion and economic development. A local mayor noted religion's significant economic role, while a bishop highlighted support for migrants. The forum inaugurated an Alley of Mary Cities and proposed future meetings in another capital. This gathering occurs shortly before a Pope's scheduled visit to the major national sanctuary to celebrate Mass.
Pro-life student associations in the UK are encountering significant opposition on campuses. At the University of Manchester, members of the Manchester Pro-Life Society were blocked from accessing their stall during a fair by protesters holding signs demanding the group's dissolution. In Leeds, a proposed Students for Life chapter was denied official recognition despite initial support. Meanwhile, at the University of St Andrews, members withdrew from an event to avoid conflict with feminist groups. Despite these challenges, young activists report growing interest in pro-life causes, often linked to renewed Christian faith, and continue to establish organizations and seek support for pregnant students across British universities.
Religious sisters in Europe are responding to spiritual searches among young adults and families. In France, over 13,000 adults received baptism during Easter 2026, with many being young people seeking faith. In Paris, Franciscan Missionaries of Mary host gatherings combining prayer and meals for youth aged 18 to 35. In the UK, FCJ Sisters support university students in Manchester, London, and Oxford through retreats. Nazareth Sisters assist Polish emigrants in Paris and London, while also supporting families in Benicassim, Spain, and Pozza di Fassa, Italy. These efforts highlight the ongoing presence of sisters among those exploring or living their faith.
Approximately 2,500 scouts from across Europe have gathered in Vézelay, France, for their annual 51-year-old pilgrimage to the Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene. The event coincides with ongoing student protests in the country. Martin de Villeneuve, the national commissioner, states that Pope Leo XIV’s recent message to French youth serves as a binding commitment for the scouts. The pilgrimage’s theme focuses on vocation and life’s meaning, offering participants a space for reflection away from civil unrest. Bishop Matthieu Rougé of Nanterre is assisting with the event. The group plans to continue this spiritual focus at upcoming European meetings in Santiago de Compostela.
The Knights of Columbus in Ukraine are providing psychological and spiritual support to veterans and their spouses in the Zaporizhzhia region. Father Oleksandr Bohomaz, a Greek Catholic priest in Zaporizhzhia, notes that returning soldiers and their wives face significant emotional challenges after years of war and occupation. To address these issues, the organization funded a series of retreats combining counseling, prayer, and evangelization. Mykola Mostowiak, the State Delegate for Ukraine, emphasized that the initiative aims to strengthen hope and help communities prepare for the veterans' reintegration. The program has already facilitated two civil couples converting to religious marriages, with further retreats and a pilgrimage planned.
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