Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris recently traveled to Rome to promote his new book on papal history and peace. In an interview with I.MEDIA, he addressed the recent wave of looting and violence affecting Paris and other French cities. Ulrich stated that while the attacks are unjustifiable, the Catholic Church must acknowledge the deep dissatisfaction felt by many, particularly young people. He suggested that the Church can play a vital role in restoring trust and offering hope to a society currently facing significant political and social challenges following Pope Leo XIV’s recent visit to France.
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Pope Leo XIV announced that Poland is dedicating the current year to Blessed Elżbieta Róża Czacka during a general audience on October 28. The initiative marks the 150th anniversary of her birth in 1876. Czacka, who lost her sight by age 22, founded numerous initiatives to assist blind individuals. According to the report, she traveled across Europe to study modern care methods and applied them to help others. The Vatican describes her as the 'blind mother of the blind' for her courageous acceptance of disability and her proactive efforts to support the visually impaired community in Poland.
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About 50 students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign wrote the entire Gospel of John in chalk on the campus quad. The project, led by resident advisors Conor Bergan and John Bierman, took three and a half hours to complete on the evening of October 19. The Newman Center, which houses nearly 600 students, organized the display. The event highlights the activity of the campus ministry at the large public university.
On October 17, 2026, Pope Leo XIV authorized the beatification of 20 diocesan priests from Ibiza and Formentera, Spain, who were killed during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. The ceremony was held at the Cathedral of the Virgin of the Snows in Ibiza and presided over by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro. According to the report, these men represented nearly half of the local clergy, as the diocese had only 53 priests at the time. The violence occurred after Republican forces took control of the islands, leading to a systematic eradication of Catholic life. Their liturgical memorial will be observed on November 6.
Pope Leo addressed the faithful on October 25 following his Sunday Angelus, urging prayers for global peace. He highlighted the upcoming interfaith gathering in Assisi, Italy, marking the 40th anniversary of the 1986 event convened by Saint John Paul II. Due to recent lung surgery, doctors advised against flying, so the Pope will not attend in person. Instead, he will send a message for the October 27 meeting. The Pope emphasized that wars cause widespread destruction and poverty, calling for dialogue and peace inspired by divine guidance.
The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in Vatican City has approved the causes of 1,068 martyrs over the last ten years. According to Aleteia, this figure vastly outnumbers other beatifications and canonizations. The majority of these cases stem from the Spanish Civil War, with 821 approvals. Other significant groups include victims of Nazism, communism, and conflicts in Algeria and Latin America. The Holy See notes that martyrdom accounts for roughly ten times as many recognitions as other causes, reflecting recent historical persecutions. This data highlights the Church's ongoing process of examining earthly lives to identify individuals for sainthood.
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