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<title>OK Praha &#45; : Europe</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/rss/category/top-news</link>
<description>OK Praha &#45; : Europe</description>
<dc:language>en</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Copyright 2026 OK Praha! &#45; All Rights Reserved.</dc:rights>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo bestows title of ‘monsignor’ on USCCB’s general secretary</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-bestows-title-of-monsignor-on-usccbs-general-secretary</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-bestows-title-of-monsignor-on-usccbs-general-secretary</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV has bestowed the title of &quot;monsignor&quot; on Father Michael J.K. Fuller, general secretary of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The post Pope Leo bestows title of ‘monsignor’ on USCCB’s general secretary first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, bestows, title, ‘monsignor’, USCCB’s, general, secretary</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Vatican releases synod report on women’s role in Church leadership</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-releases-synod-report-on-womens-role-in-church-leadership</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-releases-synod-report-on-womens-role-in-church-leadership</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The study group calls for &quot;new spaces&quot; for women to exercise leadership in evangelization and administration in collaboration with ordained ministers.
The post Vatican releases synod report on women’s role in Church leadership first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vatican, releases, synod, report, women’s, role, Church, leadership</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Chaldean bishop pleads not guilty to felony charges, as resignation announced</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/chaldean-bishop-pleads-not-guilty-to-felony-charges-as-resignation-announced</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/chaldean-bishop-pleads-not-guilty-to-felony-charges-as-resignation-announced</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bishop Shaleta is due back in court for a preliminary hearing April 27, &quot;with an estimated duration of one and a half days.&quot;
The post Chaldean bishop pleads not guilty to felony charges, as resignation announced first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Chaldean, bishop, pleads, not, guilty, felony, charges, resignation, announced</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Wyoming governor signs ‘well&#45;intended’ but ‘fragile’ heartbeat law on abortion</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/wyoming-governor-signs-well-intended-but-fragile-heartbeat-law-on-abortion</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/wyoming-governor-signs-well-intended-but-fragile-heartbeat-law-on-abortion</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Gov. Gordon expressed concern that the new law would not survive a legal challenge under the state&#039;s &quot;current constitutional framework.&quot;
The post Wyoming governor signs ‘well-intended’ but ‘fragile’ heartbeat law on abortion first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Wyoming, governor, signs, ‘well-intended’, but, ‘fragile’, heartbeat, law, abortion</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>US Maronite bishops mourn priest killed in Israeli strike on Lebanon village</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/us-maronite-bishops-mourn-priest-killed-in-israeli-strike-on-lebanon-village</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/us-maronite-bishops-mourn-priest-killed-in-israeli-strike-on-lebanon-village</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Bishop Zaidan said the priest was injured in a second strike that took place &quot;right away&quot; after the first, and then &quot;died in the hospital.&quot;
The post US Maronite bishops mourn priest killed in Israeli strike on Lebanon village first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Maronite, bishops, mourn, priest, killed, Israeli, strike, Lebanon, village</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV warns of wider Middle East conflict</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-warns-of-wider-middle-east-conflict</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-warns-of-wider-middle-east-conflict</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ At his Sunday Angelus, the pope voiced alarm over violence and fear spreading from Iran across the region. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, warns, wider, Middle, East, conflict</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo says parishes should reflect a Church that ‘cares for her children’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-says-parishes-should-reflect-a-church-that-cares-for-her-children</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-says-parishes-should-reflect-a-church-that-cares-for-her-children</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The pontiff encouraged a Rome parish facing poverty and social challenges to show its closeness to those wounded and searching for hope. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, says, parishes, should, reflect, Church, that, ‘cares, for, her, children’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Large family with 13&#45;year&#45;old in seminary and a baby named Leo touches pope’s heart</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/large-family-with-13-year-old-in-seminary-and-a-baby-named-leo-touches-popes-heart</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/large-family-with-13-year-old-in-seminary-and-a-baby-named-leo-touches-popes-heart</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ When their 13-year-old son entered the minor seminary, his parents had no idea that one day the whole family would meet Pope Leo XIV, an encounter that was a special blessing for them all. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Large, family, with, 13-year-old, seminary, and, baby, named, Leo, touches, pope’s, heart</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV appoints new envoy to the U.S.</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-appoints-new-envoy-to-the-us</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-appoints-new-envoy-to-the-us</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia has till now served as the Vatican&#039;s representative to the United Nations in New York. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, appoints, new, envoy, the, U.S.</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Father Pasolini at the Vatican: Conversion and humility are paths to peace in times of conflict</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/father-pasolini-at-the-vatican-conversion-and-humility-are-paths-to-peace-in-times-of-conflict</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/father-pasolini-at-the-vatican-conversion-and-humility-are-paths-to-peace-in-times-of-conflict</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In a Lenten sermon to the pope, Roman Curia, and Vatican employees, Capuchin friar Father Roberto Pasolini drew the connection between humility, conversion, and peace in life of St. Francis of Assisi. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:00:18 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Father, Pasolini, the, Vatican:, Conversion, and, humility, are, paths, peace, times, conflict</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>València or Valéncia? Accent debate rumbles on in Spanish region</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/valencia-or-valencia-accent-debate-rumbles-on-in-spanish-region</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/valencia-or-valencia-accent-debate-rumbles-on-in-spanish-region</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It may seem like a storm in a teacup, but the argument over a single &#039;tilde&#039; (accent) on Valencia&#039;s name - and which way it faces - is more about politics and regional identity than it is about linguistics. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>València, Valéncia, Accent, debate, rumbles, Spanish, region</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>REVEALED: Spain&amp;apos;s best high&#45;yield savings accounts in 2026</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/revealed-spains-best-high-yield-savings-accounts-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/revealed-spains-best-high-yield-savings-accounts-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Finding a high-interest savings account may be more difficult in Spain than what you&#039;re used to back home, but there are still several options available. Here are the most interesting deals in March 2026. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>REVEALED:, Spains, best, high-yield, savings, accounts, 2026</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to safeguard your pet in Spain before you pass away</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/how-to-safeguard-your-pet-in-spain-before-you-pass-away</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/how-to-safeguard-your-pet-in-spain-before-you-pass-away</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ If you want to make sure that your pet is taken care of by the person of your choice in the event that you pass away, Spanish law now allows you to do this more easily. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, safeguard, your, pet, Spain, before, you, pass, away</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Row in Spain over claims foreign language assistants are used as &amp;apos;fake interns&amp;apos;</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/row-in-spain-over-claims-foreign-language-assistants-are-used-as-fake-interns</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/row-in-spain-over-claims-foreign-language-assistants-are-used-as-fake-interns</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain&#039;s Labour Ministry, the Ministry of Education and some of the country&#039;s regional governments are embroiled in an argument over the work responsibilities of foreign language assistants, with claims they&#039;re being used as &quot;fake interns&quot;. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Row, Spain, over, claims, foreign, language, assistants, are, used, fake, interns</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>In the face of the mystery of evil, Christians must be signs of hope, pope says</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/in-the-face-of-the-mystery-of-evil-christians-must-be-signs-of-hope-pope-says</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/in-the-face-of-the-mystery-of-evil-christians-must-be-signs-of-hope-pope-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo was visiting the Church of the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the working-class neighborhood of Quarticciolo in Rome March 1.
The post In the face of the mystery of evil, Christians must be signs of hope, pope says first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>the, face, the, mystery, evil, Christians, must, signs, hope, pope, says</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>USCCB president: Prayer, diplomacy needed in Middle East to avert ‘tragedy of immense proportions’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/usccb-president-prayer-diplomacy-needed-in-middle-east-to-avert-tragedy-of-immense-proportions</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/usccb-president-prayer-diplomacy-needed-in-middle-east-to-avert-tragedy-of-immense-proportions</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The leader of the U.S. Catholic bishops echoed Pope Leo XIV&#039;s call for deescalation and dialogue in the Middle East March 1.
The post USCCB president: Prayer, diplomacy needed in Middle East to avert ‘tragedy of immense proportions’ first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>USCCB, president:, Prayer, diplomacy, needed, Middle, East, avert, ‘tragedy, immense, proportions’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Catholic clergy call for prayer, peace after US&#45;Israel attacks on Iran, retaliatory strikes</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/catholic-clergy-call-for-prayer-peace-after-us-israel-attacks-on-iran-retaliatory-strikes</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/catholic-clergy-call-for-prayer-peace-after-us-israel-attacks-on-iran-retaliatory-strikes</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Catholic clergy are calling for prayer and peace following U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran Feb. 28 that killed Iran&#039;s supreme leader and prompted counterattacks.
The post Catholic clergy call for prayer, peace after US-Israel attacks on Iran, retaliatory strikes first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Catholic, clergy, call, for, prayer, peace, after, US-Israel, attacks, Iran, retaliatory, strikes</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope warns of ‘irreparable abyss,’ if diplomacy doesn’t take over violence in Iran, Middle East</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-warns-of-irreparable-abyss-if-diplomacy-doesnt-take-over-violence-in-iran-middle-east</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-warns-of-irreparable-abyss-if-diplomacy-doesnt-take-over-violence-in-iran-middle-east</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV issued a fervent appeal for return of diplomacy in the Middle East and Iran, condemning use of weapons that cause &quot;destruction, pain, and death.&quot;
The post Pope warns of ‘irreparable abyss,’ if diplomacy doesn’t take over violence in Iran, Middle East first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, warns, ‘irreparable, abyss, ’, diplomacy, doesn’t, take, over, violence, Iran, Middle, East</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Full text: Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus address given March 1, 2026</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/full-text-pope-leo-xivs-angelus-address-given-march-1-2026</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/full-text-pope-leo-xivs-angelus-address-given-march-1-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ (OSV News) — The following is the full text of Pope Leo XIV‘s Angelus address given March 1, 2026, at St. Peter’s Square. Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Today’s…
The post Full text: Pope Leo XIV’s Angelus address given March 1, 2026 first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Full, text:, Pope, Leo, XIV’s, Angelus, address, given, March, 2026</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The Spanish village which made English its official language</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/the-spanish-village-which-made-english-its-official-language</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/the-spanish-village-which-made-english-its-official-language</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Here&#039;s how one previously abandoned village in Spain managed to reinvent itself by making English its official language. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, Spanish, village, which, made, English, its, official, language</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>REVEALED: What Spain&amp;apos;s latest crime stats say about safety</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/revealed-what-spains-latest-crime-stats-say-about-safety</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/revealed-what-spains-latest-crime-stats-say-about-safety</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Has life in Spain become safer or more dangerous over the last year? Here&#039;s what you need to know about the Spanish Interior Ministry&#039;s most recent crime report. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>REVEALED:, What, Spains, latest, crime, stats, say, about, safety</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>12 must&#45;read articles before applying for Spanish citizenship</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/12-must-read-articles-before-applying-for-spanish-citizenship</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/12-must-read-articles-before-applying-for-spanish-citizenship</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ If you&#039;ve lived in Spain for the required amount of time and are thinking of applying for Spanish citizenship, here are 12 essential articles to guide you through the process and clear up some common doubts. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>must-read, articles, before, applying, for, Spanish, citizenship</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>EU questions legality of Spain&amp;apos;s new V&#45;16 emergency lights for drivers</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/eu-questions-legality-of-spains-new-v-16-emergency-lights-for-drivers</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/eu-questions-legality-of-spains-new-v-16-emergency-lights-for-drivers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The European Commission has questioned whether Spain’s new and mandatory V-16 emergency lights breach EU law, another blow for the controversial device which 28 million drivers have been told to buy for around €50 each. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>questions, legality, Spains, new, V-16, emergency, lights, for, drivers</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Unmarked graves on land once owned by Catholic slaveholders trigger search for descendants</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/unmarked-graves-on-land-once-owned-by-catholic-slaveholders-trigger-search-for-descendants</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/unmarked-graves-on-land-once-owned-by-catholic-slaveholders-trigger-search-for-descendants</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ (OSV News) — Sometimes “silent as the grave” isn’t just a metaphor. A team of student and professional history detectives — led by Laura Masur, assistant professor of anthropology at The…
The post Unmarked graves on land once owned by Catholic slaveholders trigger search for descendants first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Unmarked, graves, land, once, owned, Catholic, slaveholders, trigger, search, for, descendants</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Church channels international aid to Cubans, but assistance falls short</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/church-channels-international-aid-to-cubans-but-assistance-falls-short</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/church-channels-international-aid-to-cubans-but-assistance-falls-short</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Power outages have been common for years, Archbishop García added, so even when people had food, cooking it was not easy.
The post Church channels international aid to Cubans, but assistance falls short first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Church, channels, international, aid, Cubans, but, assistance, falls, short</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Washington Roundup: Board of Peace holds inaugural meeting; DHS funding stalemate continues</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/washington-roundup-board-of-peace-holds-inaugural-meeting-dhs-funding-stalemate-continues</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/washington-roundup-board-of-peace-holds-inaugural-meeting-dhs-funding-stalemate-continues</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ More than two dozen countries have accepted Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace, including Israel as well as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt.
The post Washington Roundup: Board of Peace holds inaugural meeting; DHS funding stalemate continues first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Washington, Roundup:, Board, Peace, holds, inaugural, meeting, DHS, funding, stalemate, continues</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>ICE ‘mega centers’ for mass detention ‘challenge the conscience,’ says USCCB bishop</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/ice-mega-centers-for-mass-detention-challenge-the-conscience-says-usccb-bishop</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/ice-mega-centers-for-mass-detention-challenge-the-conscience-says-usccb-bishop</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ (OSV News) — A Texas bishop and head of the U.S. Catholic bishops’ migration committee is sounding the alarm over the Trump administration’s plans to acquire massive warehouses all over…
The post ICE ‘mega centers’ for mass detention ‘challenge the conscience,’ says USCCB bishop first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>ICE, ‘mega, centers’, for, mass, detention, ‘challenge, the, conscience, ’, says, USCCB, bishop</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Cardinal Dolan: Vance ‘apologized’ for ‘out of line’ comments about US bishops and immigration</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/cardinal-dolan-vance-apologized-for-out-of-line-comments-about-us-bishops-and-immigration</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/cardinal-dolan-vance-apologized-for-out-of-line-comments-about-us-bishops-and-immigration</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan said U.S. Vice President JD Vance &quot;apologized&quot; for &quot;out of line&quot; comments he made against the nation&#039;s Catholic bishops over immigration.
The post Cardinal Dolan: Vance ‘apologized’ for ‘out of line’ comments about US bishops and immigration first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cardinal, Dolan:, Vance, ‘apologized’, for, ‘out, line’, comments, about, bishops, and, immigration</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Vatican official says Notre Dame controversy shows need for dialogue on abortion</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-official-says-notre-dame-controversy-shows-need-for-dialogue-on-abortion</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-official-says-notre-dame-controversy-shows-need-for-dialogue-on-abortion</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Church should engage with universities about how to take “an ethical approach” to the dignity of unborn life, the president of the Pontifical Academy for Life said. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vatican, official, says, Notre, Dame, controversy, shows, need, for, dialogue, abortion</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>St. Peter’s marks 400 years with newly opened areas and digital access</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/st-peters-marks-400-years-with-newly-opened-areas-and-digital-access</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/st-peters-marks-400-years-with-newly-opened-areas-and-digital-access</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Vatican will open new parts of St. Peter’s — including the full terrace — and roll out a “SmartPass” digital entry system as it marks the basilica’s 400th anniversary. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>St., Peter’s, marks, 400, years, with, newly, opened, areas, and, digital, access</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘Aventine procession’: A centuries&#45;old tradition Pope Leo XIV will lead for the first time</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/aventine-procession-a-centuries-old-tradition-pope-leo-xiv-will-lead-for-the-first-time</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/aventine-procession-a-centuries-old-tradition-pope-leo-xiv-will-lead-for-the-first-time</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The brief Ash Wednesday walk between two hilltop basilicas marks the start of Lent in Rome. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Aventine, procession’:, centuries-old, tradition, Pope, Leo, XIV, will, lead, for, the, first, time</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV eliminates committee created by Francis for World Children’s Day</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-eliminates-committee-created-by-francis-for-world-childrens-day</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-eliminates-committee-created-by-francis-for-world-childrens-day</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV has eliminated the Pontifical Committee for World Children’s Day, transferring the committee’s functions to the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, eliminates, committee, created, Francis, for, World, Children’s, Day</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV, in first Roman parish visit, calls for ‘disarming’ meekness</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-in-first-roman-parish-visit-calls-for-disarming-meekness</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-in-first-roman-parish-visit-calls-for-disarming-meekness</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The pontiff urged “coherence between faith and life” and persistent prayer for peace. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, first, Roman, parish, visit, calls, for, ‘disarming’, meekness</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spain bids farewell to month of constant storms</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-bids-farewell-to-month-of-constant-storms</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-bids-farewell-to-month-of-constant-storms</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ After a series of successive heavy storms which have flooded many parts of Spain, the worst of the bad weather may now have passed, the state weather agency reports. But that doesn&#039;t mean clear skies everywhere just yet. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, bids, farewell, month, constant, storms</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Europe, UK seek closer ties a decade after Brexit</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/europe-uk-seek-closer-ties-a-decade-after-brexit</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/europe-uk-seek-closer-ties-a-decade-after-brexit</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Ten years after the referendum that led to Brexit, Britain and the European Union must close ranks in an increasingly unstable world, their leaders said on Saturday. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Europe, seek, closer, ties, decade, after, Brexit</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>VIDEO: What&amp;apos;s going on with Spain&amp;apos;s mass amnesty of migrants?</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/video-whats-going-on-with-spains-mass-amnesty-of-migrants</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/video-whats-going-on-with-spains-mass-amnesty-of-migrants</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ For The Local&#039;s new Top Stories video series, James Savage sits down with The Local Spain&#039;s Conor Faulkner to talk through the country&#039;s proposed mass regularisation of over 500,000 undocumented migrants. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>VIDEO:, Whats, going, with, Spains, mass, amnesty, migrants</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Inside Spain: The struggle to save up and the darkest January in 30 years</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-the-struggle-to-save-up-and-the-darkest-january-in-30-years</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-the-struggle-to-save-up-and-the-darkest-january-in-30-years</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In this week’s Inside Spain we look at why more than half of Spaniards end the month with less than €50 in all their bank accounts, and how the darkest January in thirty years in mainland Spain has put a damper on the Spanish lifestyle. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 16 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Inside, Spain:, The, struggle, save, and, the, darkest, January, years</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Lent’s CRS Lent Rice Bowl collection seen as more critical than ever after USAID cuts</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/lents-crs-lent-rice-bowl-collection-seen-as-more-critical-than-ever-after-usaid-cuts</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/lents-crs-lent-rice-bowl-collection-seen-as-more-critical-than-ever-after-usaid-cuts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Deep slashes to USAID funding have now made the annual Rice Bowl collection more essential than ever for Catholic Relief Services.
The post Lent’s CRS Lent Rice Bowl collection seen as more critical than ever after USAID cuts first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Lent’s, CRS, Lent, Rice, Bowl, collection, seen, more, critical, than, ever, after, USAID, cuts</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pew survey finds dip in Catholic support for Trump agenda</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pew-survey-finds-dip-in-catholic-support-for-trump-agenda</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pew-survey-finds-dip-in-catholic-support-for-trump-agenda</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Support for President Donald Trump&#039;s agenda has dipped across Catholic and Protestant groups, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.
The post Pew survey finds dip in Catholic support for Trump agenda first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pew, survey, finds, dip, Catholic, support, for, Trump, agenda</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Bishop in British Columbia calls for prayer after mass shooting that ‘has traumatized us all’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/bishop-in-british-columbia-calls-for-prayer-after-mass-shooting-that-has-traumatized-us-all</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/bishop-in-british-columbia-calls-for-prayer-after-mass-shooting-that-has-traumatized-us-all</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ TUMBLER RIDGE, British Columbia (OSV News) — On the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes — the Church’s World Day of the Sick — Bishop Stephen Jensen of Prince George called…
The post Bishop in British Columbia calls for prayer after mass shooting that ‘has traumatized us all’ first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Bishop, British, Columbia, calls, for, prayer, after, mass, shooting, that, ‘has, traumatized, all’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Catholic advocates speak out as ICE data shows just 14% arrested have violent criminal records</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/catholic-advocates-speak-out-as-ice-data-shows-just-14-arrested-have-violent-criminal-records</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/catholic-advocates-speak-out-as-ice-data-shows-just-14-arrested-have-violent-criminal-records</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Catholic immigration advocates are speaking out after an internal federal document showed most individuals arrested in immigration crackdowns over the past year do not have violent criminal records.
The post Catholic advocates speak out as ICE data shows just 14% arrested have violent criminal records first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Catholic, advocates, speak, out, ICE, data, shows, just, 14, arrested, have, violent, criminal, records</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>In pastoral letter, Baltimore archbishop calls for renewed political culture</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/in-pastoral-letter-baltimore-archbishop-calls-for-renewed-political-culture</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/in-pastoral-letter-baltimore-archbishop-calls-for-renewed-political-culture</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The pastoral is &quot;about the qualities of mind and heart that we as citizens, believers and leaders ought to be striving to bring to our political culture,&quot;
The post In pastoral letter, Baltimore archbishop calls for renewed political culture first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>pastoral, letter, Baltimore, archbishop, calls, for, renewed, political, culture</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV approves new statutes of Pontifical International Marian Academy</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-approves-new-statutes-of-pontifical-international-marian-academy</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-approves-new-statutes-of-pontifical-international-marian-academy</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV approved the new statutes of the Pontifical International Marian Academy, founded to promote and coordinate Mariological and Marian studies worldwide. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, approves, new, statutes, Pontifical, International, Marian, Academy</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV prays for victims of attacks in Nigeria</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-prays-for-victims-of-attacks-in-nigeria</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-prays-for-victims-of-attacks-in-nigeria</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In his Angelus catechesis, the pope said true joy is found in communion with Christ and lived through concrete acts of charity. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, prays, for, victims, attacks, Nigeria</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Cuba’s bishops headed to Vatican this month to meet with Pope Leo XIV</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/cubas-bishops-headed-to-vatican-this-month-to-meet-with-pope-leo-xiv</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/cubas-bishops-headed-to-vatican-this-month-to-meet-with-pope-leo-xiv</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The country’s bishops will travel to Rome from Feb. 16–20 to present to Pope Leo XIV “the vicissitudes, sorrows, joys, and hopes of the Church in Cuba.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Cuba’s, bishops, headed, Vatican, this, month, meet, with, Pope, Leo, XIV</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Leo XIV meets with founder of Sant’Egidio Community</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/leo-xiv-meets-with-founder-of-santegidio-community</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/leo-xiv-meets-with-founder-of-santegidio-community</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV and Sant’Egidio Community founder Andrea Riccardi discussed the role Christians and the Church are called to play in promoting peace in the midst of various world conflicts. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Leo, XIV, meets, with, founder, Sant’Egidio, Community</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘Historic occasion’: Pope Leo XIV meets with same&#45;sex attraction ministry Courage International</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/historic-occasion-pope-leo-xiv-meets-with-same-sex-attraction-ministry-courage-international</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/historic-occasion-pope-leo-xiv-meets-with-same-sex-attraction-ministry-courage-international</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ “We talked about the importance of chastity, how it heals and strengthens and restores the person,&quot; said Courage International Executive Director Father Brian Gannon. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Historic, occasion’:, Pope, Leo, XIV, meets, with, same-sex, attraction, ministry, Courage, International</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spain, Portugal brace for fresh storm after flood deaths</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-portugal-brace-for-fresh-storm-after-flood-deaths</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-portugal-brace-for-fresh-storm-after-flood-deaths</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain and Portugal on Saturday braced for another storm heading for the Iberian peninsula, just days after the floods caused by Storm Leonardo killed at least one person in each country. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, Portugal, brace, for, fresh, storm, after, flood, deaths</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>UK confirms ETA price hike for European travellers as rules set to toughen</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/uk-confirms-eta-price-hike-for-european-travellers-as-rules-set-to-toughen</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/uk-confirms-eta-price-hike-for-european-travellers-as-rules-set-to-toughen</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The UK government is set to further increase the cost of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for travellers from Europe, coinciding with the implementation of tougher entry rules. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>confirms, ETA, price, hike, for, European, travellers, rules, set, toughen</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Inside Spain: End of supermarket small talk and Alicante housing scandal</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-end-of-supermarket-small-talk-and-alicante-housing-scandal</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-end-of-supermarket-small-talk-and-alicante-housing-scandal</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In this week’s edition of Inside Spain we look at how Mercadona is trialling a new system which spells changes in the ways Spaniards shop, and how an Alicante&#039; public housing complex meant for low-income families has been bought up by the city&#039;s elite. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Inside, Spain:, End, supermarket, small, talk, and, Alicante, housing, scandal</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What the mobility deal between the EU and India will mean for skilled workers</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/what-the-mobility-deal-between-the-eu-and-india-will-mean-for-skilled-workers</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/what-the-mobility-deal-between-the-eu-and-india-will-mean-for-skilled-workers</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As part of the landmark trade agreement announced on January 27th, the EU and India adopted a ‘mobility framework’ that aims to make it easier for Indian students, researchers and young professionals to move to the EU. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, the, mobility, deal, between, the, and, India, will, mean, for, skilled, workers</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spain&amp;apos;s PM urges caution as more heavy rain heads for flood zone</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spains-pm-urges-caution-as-more-heavy-rain-heads-for-flood-zone</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spains-pm-urges-caution-as-more-heavy-rain-heads-for-flood-zone</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has pleaded for caution from flood-hit residents as more heavy rainfall this weekend is expected to drench parts of the Iberian Peninsula already saturated by a deadly storm. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spains, urges, caution, more, heavy, rain, heads, for, flood, zone</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Happiness cannot be bought, hoarded, only shared with others, pope says</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/happiness-cannot-be-bought-hoarded-only-shared-with-others-pope-says</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/happiness-cannot-be-bought-hoarded-only-shared-with-others-pope-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ VATICAN CITY (CNS) — A lack of faith in Christ leads to many delusions, such as believing the arrogant will always rule and only money can buy happiness, Pope Leo…
The post Happiness cannot be bought, hoarded, only shared with others, pope says first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Happiness, cannot, bought, hoarded, only, shared, with, others, pope, says</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Historic San Diego parish opens new center to help immigrants amid deportation fears</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/historic-san-diego-parish-opens-new-center-to-help-immigrants-amid-deportation-fears</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/historic-san-diego-parish-opens-new-center-to-help-immigrants-amid-deportation-fears</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ SAN DIEGO (OSV News) — Immigrants have worshipped at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church since it opened its doors more than 100 years ago in San Diego, starting with exiles…
The post Historic San Diego parish opens new center to help immigrants amid deportation fears first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Historic, San, Diego, parish, opens, new, center, help, immigrants, amid, deportation, fears</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Illinois pitching for funds to shore up abortion tourism denounced as ‘macabre’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/illinois-pitching-for-funds-to-shore-up-abortion-tourism-denounced-as-macabre</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/illinois-pitching-for-funds-to-shore-up-abortion-tourism-denounced-as-macabre</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;Pro-life and pro-parents&#039; rights Americans need to start paying attention to what&#039;s going on in our state, because this is officially a national problem.&quot;
The post Illinois pitching for funds to shore up abortion tourism denounced as ‘macabre’ first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Illinois, pitching, for, funds, shore, abortion, tourism, denounced, ‘macabre’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A nation within the Church: Consecrated life, lived from the inside</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/a-nation-within-the-church-consecrated-life-lived-from-the-inside</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/a-nation-within-the-church-consecrated-life-lived-from-the-inside</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The World Day for Consecrated Life is celebrated annually Feb. 2. Consecrated life reaches back to the very beginnings of the Church, to that moment when the first disciples heard Christ&#039;s call to &quot;leave everything&quot; and follow him.
The post A nation within the Church: Consecrated life, lived from the inside first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>nation, within, the, Church:, Consecrated, life, lived, from, the, inside</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A Quaker, a Bavarian monk and a Catholic king: Exploring Catholic history in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/a-quaker-a-bavarian-monk-and-a-catholic-king-exploring-catholic-history-in-pennsylvania-new-york-and-new-jersey</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/a-quaker-a-bavarian-monk-and-a-catholic-king-exploring-catholic-history-in-pennsylvania-new-york-and-new-jersey</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Catholic life took shape unevenly, shaped as much by law and political culture as by migration and missionary effort.
The post A Quaker, a Bavarian monk and a Catholic king: Exploring Catholic history in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Quaker, Bavarian, monk, and, Catholic, king:, Exploring, Catholic, history, Pennsylvania, New, York, and, New, Jersey</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Money is A Moral Question</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/money-is-a-moral-question</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/money-is-a-moral-question</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Money is not neutral. It never has been. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:00:16 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Money, Moral, Question</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Analysis: Most undocumented migrants in Spain not Africans on boats but working Latinos</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/analysis-most-undocumented-migrants-in-spain-not-africans-on-boats-but-working-latinos</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/analysis-most-undocumented-migrants-in-spain-not-africans-on-boats-but-working-latinos</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain&#039;s blanket regularisation of around 500,000 undocumented migrants has caused debate and misconceptions, but data shows who&#039;s set to benefit from the measure, and who the vast majority of Spain&#039;s migrants without papers really are. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Analysis:, Most, undocumented, migrants, Spain, not, Africans, boats, but, working, Latinos</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>What are the rules and tax implications of house swapping in Spain?</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/what-are-the-rules-and-tax-implications-of-house-swapping-in-spain</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/what-are-the-rules-and-tax-implications-of-house-swapping-in-spain</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Home exchanges are becoming an increasingly popular way of having a cheap holiday in Spain, but what are the rules and regulations surrounding the practice, and are there any tax implications? ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, are, the, rules, and, tax, implications, house, swapping, Spain</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Spain&amp;apos;s La Liga to pay fans for tip&#45;offs on bars showing football illegally</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spains-la-liga-to-pay-fans-for-tip-offs-on-bars-showing-football-illegally</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spains-la-liga-to-pay-fans-for-tip-offs-on-bars-showing-football-illegally</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spanish football fans can earn €50 ($60) for giving La Liga tip-offs about venues showing football illegally, the Spanish league said Wednesday. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spains, Liga, pay, fans, for, tip-offs, bars, showing, football, illegally</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Today in Spain: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-thursday</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-thursday</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain rescues elderly sailor 11 days adrift in Mediterranean, Susan Sarandon to be honoured at Spain&#039;s top film awards and more news on Thursday January 29th. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Today, Spain:, roundup, the, latest, news, Thursday</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>&amp;apos;It took three appointments to get my TIE card renewed in Spain&amp;apos;</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/it-took-three-appointments-to-get-my-tie-card-renewed-in-spain</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/it-took-three-appointments-to-get-my-tie-card-renewed-in-spain</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Local Spain&#039;s reporter Esme Fox goes over the trials and tribulations of renewing her TIE residency card in Spain, comparing her experiences to that of other foreigners who&#039;ve faced issues and contradictive information from immigration officials. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>It, took, three, appointments, get, TIE, card, renewed, Spain</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>A lesson plan for holiness</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/a-lesson-plan-for-holiness</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/a-lesson-plan-for-holiness</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Over the years, the Sermon on the Mount has been called many things.
The post A lesson plan for holiness first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>lesson, plan, for, holiness</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>‘Complex’ political moment has challenges, opportunities, March for Life president says</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/complex-political-moment-has-challenges-opportunities-march-for-life-president-says</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/complex-political-moment-has-challenges-opportunities-march-for-life-president-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A “complex” political environment presents both challenge and opportunity for the pro-life movement, said Jennie Bradley Lichter.
The post ‘Complex’ political moment has challenges, opportunities, March for Life president says first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Complex’, political, moment, has, challenges, opportunities, March, for, Life, president, says</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Democrats for Life, other pro&#45;life groups launch Legislating for Human Dignity coalition</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/democrats-for-life-other-pro-life-groups-launch-legislating-for-human-dignity-coalition</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/democrats-for-life-other-pro-life-groups-launch-legislating-for-human-dignity-coalition</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;Our vision here is to restore the dignity in policymaking.&quot;
The post Democrats for Life, other pro-life groups launch Legislating for Human Dignity coalition first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Democrats, for, Life, other, pro-life, groups, launch, Legislating, for, Human, Dignity, coalition</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>MN Catholic Conference director, other faith leaders call for ‘off&#45;ramp’ to immigration enforcement ‘crisis’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/mn-catholic-conference-director-other-faith-leaders-call-for-off-ramp-to-immigration-enforcement-crisis</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/mn-catholic-conference-director-other-faith-leaders-call-for-off-ramp-to-immigration-enforcement-crisis</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ ST. PAUL, Minn. (OSV News) — Urging federal, state and local elected officials in Minnesota to chart an “off-ramp from this crisis” of increased federal immigration enforcement, Minnesota Catholic Conference…
The post MN Catholic Conference director, other faith leaders call for ‘off-ramp’ to immigration enforcement ‘crisis’ first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Catholic, Conference, director, other, faith, leaders, call, for, ‘off-ramp’, immigration, enforcement, ‘crisis’</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Police chief: 37&#45;year&#45;old Minneapolis resident dies in shooting involving federal agents</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/police-chief-37-year-old-minneapolis-resident-dies-in-shooting-involving-federal-agents</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/police-chief-37-year-old-minneapolis-resident-dies-in-shooting-involving-federal-agents</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Minneapolis city officials are reporting a fatal shooting involving federal agents occurred in south Minneapolis Jan. 24.
The post Police chief: 37-year-old Minneapolis resident dies in shooting involving federal agents first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://www.osvnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/20260124T1130-MCC-JOINT-STATEMENT-ICE-1811888.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Police, chief:, 37-year-old, Minneapolis, resident, dies, shooting, involving, federal, agents</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV receives lambs on feast of St. Agnes</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-receives-lambs-on-feast-of-st-agnes</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-receives-lambs-on-feast-of-st-agnes</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV meets a pair of lambs blessed for the feast of the Roman virgin and martyr St. Agnes in the Urban VIII Chapel in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Jan. 21, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 21, 2026 / 10:30 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday received a pair of lambs to be blessed for the feast day of the Roman virgin and martyr St. Agnes — the first time a pope has welcomed lambs at the Vatican, part of a centuries-old tradition, since 2017.The presentation took place in the 17th-century Urban VIII Chapel in the Apostolic Palace, where the lambs’ bleats punctuated the brief ceremony Jan. 21. The wool of the blessed lambs will be used to make pallia — narrow white vestments worn by metropolitan archbishops.It was a tradition for the pope to bless the lambs every year on the feast of St. Agnes until Pope Francis discontinued the practice after 2017.Pope Leo XIV meets a pair of lambs blessed for the feast of the Roman virgin and martyr St. Agnes in the Urban VIII Chapel in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Jan. 21, 2026. | Credit: Vatican MediaSt. Agnes, who was killed in Rome in A.D. 304 at the age of 12 or 13 for being a Christian, is associated with the lamb as a symbol of her purity and because her name means “lamb” in Latin.The lambs — carried in baskets dressed in white with red roses for St. Agnes’ virginity and martyrdom — were later blessed in the Mausoleum of Constantina, an ancient church close to the Minor Basilica of St. Agnes Outside the Walls, which is temporarily closed.The Benedictine nuns of the Basilica of St. Cecilia will take over care of the lambs, shearing them during Holy Week, then weaving their wool into pallia, which the pope will bestow on new metropolitan archbishops on June 29, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.Pope Leo XIV meets a pair of lambs blessed for the feast of the Roman virgin and martyr St. Agnes in the Urban VIII Chapel in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Jan. 21, 2026. | Credit: Vatican MediaThe pallium is a narrow, circular band of white wool with pendants hanging down the front and the back. It is adorned with six small black crosses and three pins (called spinulae), which resemble both thorns and the nails used to crucify Jesus.It is bestowed on the Latin-rite patriarch of Jerusalem and metropolitan archbishops — the diocesan archbishops of the primary city of an ecclesiastical province or region — as a symbol of communion, authority, and unity with the pope and his pastoral mission to be a shepherd for the people of God. The pope also wears the pallium over his chasuble when he is celebrating Mass.Before the vestments are bestowed on the metropolitan archbishops, they are placed for a time in a spot near the tomb of St. Peter, under the main altar of St. Peter’s Basilica, to reinforce the bishop’s connection to Peter through apostolic succession. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, receives, lambs, feast, St., Agnes</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV to French Catholic media: Keep the heart of communication in an age of AI</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-to-french-catholic-media-keep-the-heart-of-communication-in-an-age-of-ai</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-to-french-catholic-media-keep-the-heart-of-communication-in-an-age-of-ai</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV waves to crowds in St. Peter’s Square after praying the Angelus on Jan. 18, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 22, 2026 / 04:45 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV urged Catholic journalists to double down on truth, human connection, and the voices of the vulnerable as artificial intelligence reshapes the communications landscape.In a message signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on the pope’s behalf, Leo addressed the Fédération des Médias Catholiques ahead of its Saint François de Sales gathering in Lourdes, scheduled for Jan. 21–23.“To face this era marked — including in the world of communications — by the rise of artificial intelligence, we urgently need to return to what matters most: matters of the heart, the centrality of good relationships, and the ability to connect with others without excluding anyone,” the pope’s message said. That call, he added, is answered by “the service to truth that Catholic media can offer everyone, including those who do not believe.”The pope specifically encouraged Catholic communications professionals to be “sowers of good words” and to amplify voices “that courageously seek reconciliation,” helping to “disarm hearts filled with hatred and fanaticism” in a world he described as “fragmented and polarized.”He also urged journalists to tune in to those most likely to be overlooked.The message called on Catholic media to act like antennas, picking up and passing along “the experiences of the vulnerable, the marginalized, those who are alone — and those who need to discover the joy of feeling loved.”Leo’s message also pointed to Father Jacques Hamel, the French priest murdered at the altar while celebrating Mass in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray on July 26, 2016. He was killed by two attackers who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group; both were later shot dead by police.Noting that the federation has created an award in Hamel’s honor for journalists committed to peace and interreligious dialogue, the pope wrote that Hamel “was a witness to the faith, even to the point of death,” and believed deeply in dialogue and “patient, mutual listening.” He was convinced, the message said, that it is urgent “to know how to be close to others, without exception.”This story     was first published by ACI Stampa, the Italian-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, French, Catholic, media:, Keep, the, heart, communication, age</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Why the Church dedicates a week of prayer for Christian unity</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/why-the-church-dedicates-a-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/why-the-church-dedicates-a-week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Dominican Father Nelson Medina discusses this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. | Credit: “EWTN Noticias”/Screenshot

Jan 22, 2026 / 10:00 am (CNA).
Friar Nelson Medina, a Colombian Dominican priest who holds a doctorate in fundamental theology, explained why it is important for the Catholic Church to celebrate and promote a     Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Jan. 18–25), which in 2026 has the theme “One Body, One Spirit.”“There are two reasons, one theological and one biblical, both extremely important. The theological reason is that the fruit of sin is always division, and therefore the victory over sin is always unity around the truth and love in Christ,” the priest emphasized in an interview with “EWTN Noticias,” the Spanish-language broadcast edition of EWTN News.“Then we have a biblical reason, which is that Christ Our Lord, as appears in chapter 17 of the Gospel according to St. John, prayed precisely for this intention. It is clear that it was from the depths of his heart, precisely in the hours leading up to his sorrowful passion and therefore to our redemption,” Medina emphasized.“So it is something that God wants, it is a common objective for the Church, and it is an initiative to which we should all unite.”Regarding the theme of this year’s week of prayer — “One Body, One Spirit” — the friar emphasized that “it is very interesting to see the Church from this dual perspective ... When we speak of unity in the Spirit, we are talking about that working [of the Spirit] which is interior, because the Spirit precisely comes into our hearts, as Romans 5:5 says.”“But then the unity of the body is also necessary, that is, a unity that is visible. It’s not just that we have general charity towards other people; it’s that it is visibly evident that we believe in the same God, that we believe in the same Scripture, and that we celebrate the same sacraments with a common understanding and truth,” the Dominican priest pointed out.What is the aim of Christian unity?On this point, Medina emphasized “the ecumenism of theology; serious theological study is truly indispensable, especially to avoid superficiality. Sometimes people think that for there to be ecumenism, it’s enough for us to simply get together, share a meal, and take a nice picture with people smiling. That’s not the case.”The Dominican priest explained that this unity helps address serious issues such as “gender ideology, the disregard for the dignity of human life with euthanasia, and all pro-life issues. It is necessary that, together with other Christians, and even with people of other religious beliefs, when appropriate, we understand that we are on the same side.”“And we shouldn’t underestimate this effort for the causes of defending life, ecology, and justice because in this collaborative work, prejudices are often broken down and doors are opened,” he emphasized.Regarding the work of priests, Medina continued, this unity among Christians is also important, because “we priests have quite a lot of work to do, because I think we move between two extremes ... on the one hand, parishes where nothing is done [for Christian unity], apart from perhaps putting up a poster on the parish bulletin board; nothing else is done. And others where a lot is done, but sometimes causing confusion.”“And this, too, we must warn against as a danger. For example, I learned of a case where some religious invited Anglicans to attend, and then everyone started receiving Communion, as if full Eucharistic unity had already been achieved,” he recalled.That, the Dominican priest lamented, “which should have been a very beautiful ceremony, ended up being a source of scandal for many people.”Medina noted that “formation is needed. It is a noble ideal, a pressing and unavoidable task for the Church, but it must, of course, have very clear parameters and guidelines from our pastors so that it does not end up being a fleeting enthusiasm, but also so that it does not produce this type of doctrinal or liturgical confusion.”This story     was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Why, the, Church, dedicates, week, prayer, for, Christian, unity</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Mexico’s Cardinal Aguiar: Pope Leo XIV would like to visit Mexico ‘soon’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/mexicos-cardinal-aguiar-pope-leo-xiv-would-like-to-visit-mexico-soon</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/mexicos-cardinal-aguiar-pope-leo-xiv-would-like-to-visit-mexico-soon</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Cardinal Aguiar and his auxiliary bishop, Francisco Javier Acero Pérez, OAR, met with Pope Leo on Jan. 14, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 16, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA).
The primatial archbishop of Mexico, Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, has invited Pope Leo XIV to visit the country. The cardinal extended the invitation during their Jan. 14 meeting at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, shortly before the Wednesday general audience.According to a statement released later by the Archdiocese of Mexico, during the audience Aguiar renewed the invitation he had first extended to the pope a few days after the conclave for him to travel to the country.“In response, the Holy Father expressed his gratitude and his desire and interest in visiting our country soon to entrust his pontificate to Our Lady of Guadalupe,” the press release indicated.In addition, Aguiar shared with Pope Leo XIV the progress and development of the synodal process underway in the Mexican diocese.In this context, the pontiff expressed his gratitude for the work of the religious communities, pastoral workers, and laypeople, and encouraged them to continue strengthening this path of listening, discernment, and pastoral co-responsibility.During the meeting, the Holy Father expressed his joy at the pilgrimage that the archdiocese will make Saturday, Jan. 17, to the Guadalupe Basilica at the beginning of the pilgrimage season to the sacred shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe at Tepeyac.The cardinal was accompanied by Francisco Javier Acero Pérez, OAR, auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese. The communications office of the primatial archdiocese of Mexico invited all the faithful to join in prayer for the Holy Father and for the fruits of the synodal journey that the Mexican Church continues to undertake.This story     was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by the EWTN News English Service. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Mexico’s, Cardinal, Aguiar:, Pope, Leo, XIV, would, like, visit, Mexico, ‘soon’</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Former U.S. ambassador to Holy See weighs in on Vatican diplomacy in Venezuela, U.S.</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/former-us-ambassador-to-holy-see-weighs-in-on-vatican-diplomacy-in-venezuela-us</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/former-us-ambassador-to-holy-see-weighs-in-on-vatican-diplomacy-in-venezuela-us</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Former United States Ambassador to the Holy See Francis Rooney speaks to “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Catherine Hadro on Monday, May 12, 2025. | Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”/Screenshot

Jan 17, 2026 / 10:00 am (CNA).
Francis Rooney, former U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, said Pope Leo XIV’s papacy marks a period of opportunity for the Church in the U.S. in an interview this week with “EWTN News In Depth.”The former diplomat and congressman highlighted Leo’s measured approach to diplomacy in light of U.S. involvement in Venezuela. “He’s always calm, he’s always careful, and he’s very judicious in his comments,&quot; Rooney said in a report that aired Jan. 16.“The Holy See has a long tradition of intervening in hostage situations and situations of marginalized people or people under great stress and change, like a regime change,” Rooney said.The Vatican’s move to host opposition leader María Corina Machado this week, he said, likely had diplomatic intentions to strengthen her standing. “I think it’s predictable that [Pope Leo XIV] would want to shore up her position on the international stage as well as he can,” Rooney said. “So a pre-Trump meeting with the Holy Father is a global expression of her importance right now.”Reacting to     a speech by Pope Leo     to diplomats at the Vatican, during which the Holy Father lamented that “peace is no longer sought as a gift and a desirable good,” Rooney pointed out that while Leo does not do so in the same manner as Pope Francis, “he speaks very clearly and says a lot of the same things.”“[Leo’s] willing to call out bad activities by world leaders. He’s willing to call out the actions of Trump undermining the post-World War II order and creating potential consequences of bad actions by other people like North Korea, Russia, China,” he said, adding: “He’s not at all like Pope Francis. He’s calm, deliberate.”Rooney served as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See from 2005 to 2008. He was a Republican member of the U.S. House from Florida from 2017 to 2021.“The Church has a love-hate relationship with the United States. They resent our power, but they love our money, and they love our number of Catholics in the United States,” he said. “So this is an opportunity for Pope Leo to close that gap, earn more respect for the United States for the important role it plays in the Church, and also in Latin America.”U.S. President Donald Trump met with Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, on Jan. 12. Rooney, whose congressional Florida district included Fort Myers and Naples, speculated the closed meeting likely revolved around immigration.“We have Alligator Alcatraz down here near where we live, and a lot of migrants are being kicked out of the country who have no criminal record,” Rooney said. “I think most Americans would agree that we need workers. If theyve been living here a long time, some of their kids have gone to school with our kids, they should be able to stay and have an orderly rational plan for citizenship like President George W. Bush tried to accomplish but didn’t get it done.”“On the other hand, if they’re criminals, they should go. I don’t think anybody would argue that we shouldn’t police the border and have a strong border,” he said, concluding that Coakley and the president likely “spoke about that a great deal.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 25 Jan 2026 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Former, U.S., ambassador, Holy, See, weighs, Vatican, diplomacy, Venezuela, U.S.</media:keywords>
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<title>Andalusia train crash: How has rail travel been affected in Spain?</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/andalusia-train-crash-how-has-rail-travel-been-affected-in-spain</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/andalusia-train-crash-how-has-rail-travel-been-affected-in-spain</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Approximately 200 trains have been cancelled this Monday after two high-speed trains collided near the Andalusian city of Córdoba on Sunday night, leaving at least 39 people dead and 123 injured. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Andalusia, train, crash:, How, has, rail, travel, been, affected, Spain</media:keywords>
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<title>Q&amp;amp;A: What we know about the cause of Spain&amp;apos;s deadly train collision</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/qa-what-we-know-about-the-cause-of-spains-deadly-train-collision</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/qa-what-we-know-about-the-cause-of-spains-deadly-train-collision</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The high speed train crash in southern Spain that left at least 39 people dead on Sunday evening has been described as &quot;very strange&quot;. Transport authorities are under pressure to explain how it happened. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Q&amp;A:, What, know, about, the, cause, Spains, deadly, train, collision</media:keywords>
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<title>What is the EU&amp;apos;s anti&#45;coercion &amp;apos;bazooka&amp;apos; it could use against US?</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/what-is-the-eus-anti-coercion-bazooka-it-could-use-against-us</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/what-is-the-eus-anti-coercion-bazooka-it-could-use-against-us</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Calls are growing louder for the European Union to deploy its powerful &quot;anti-coercion instrument&quot; in response to US President Donald Trump&#039;s threats to impose tariffs in the standoff over Greenland. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, the, EUs, anti-coercion, bazooka, could, use, against, US</media:keywords>
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<title>Deadly Spanish train crash a &amp;apos;night of deep pain for our country&amp;apos;, PM says</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/deadly-spanish-train-crash-a-night-of-deep-pain-for-our-country-pm-says</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/deadly-spanish-train-crash-a-night-of-deep-pain-for-our-country-pm-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain&#039;s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the train crash in Andalusia that left 39 people dead as a &quot;night of deep pain&quot; for the country. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Deadly, Spanish, train, crash, night, deep, pain, for, our, country, says</media:keywords>
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<title>LATEST: Death toll from train crash in southern Spain rises to 39</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/latest-death-toll-from-train-crash-in-southern-spain-rises-to-39</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/latest-death-toll-from-train-crash-in-southern-spain-rises-to-39</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ At least 39 people were killed and 123 injured after two high-speed trains collided near the Andalusian city of Córdoba on Sunday night. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>LATEST:, Death, toll, from, train, crash, southern, Spain, rises</media:keywords>
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<title>US bishops praise DHS policy change on wait times for religious worker visas</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/us-bishops-praise-dhs-policy-change-on-wait-times-for-religious-worker-visas</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/us-bishops-praise-dhs-policy-change-on-wait-times-for-religious-worker-visas</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;Our appreciation&quot; for efforts supporting the religious worker visas program &quot;cannot be overstated,&quot; said the USCCB&#039;s president and its migration chair.
The post US bishops praise DHS policy change on wait times for religious worker visas first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>bishops, praise, DHS, policy, change, wait, times, for, religious, worker, visas</media:keywords>
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<title>Senate hearing examines abortion pill after FDA approval of new generic version</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/senate-hearing-examines-abortion-pill-after-fda-approval-of-new-generic-version</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/senate-hearing-examines-abortion-pill-after-fda-approval-of-new-generic-version</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A Senate committee held a hearing on the abortion pill Jan. 14 as the Trump administration faces scrutiny from some pro-lifers over the Food and Drug Administration&#039;s recent approval of a new generic form of the drug.
The post Senate hearing examines abortion pill after FDA approval of new generic version first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Senate, hearing, examines, abortion, pill, after, FDA, approval, new, generic, version</media:keywords>
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<title>Rubio says US closely working with Catholic Church to get Cuba humanitarian aid</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/rubio-says-us-closely-working-with-catholic-church-to-get-cuba-humanitarian-aid</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/rubio-says-us-closely-working-with-catholic-church-to-get-cuba-humanitarian-aid</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ WASHINGTON (OSV News) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Jan. 14 that the first in a series of direct humanitarian shipments to Cuba “in close partnership with the Catholic…
The post Rubio says US closely working with Catholic Church to get Cuba humanitarian aid first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Rubio, says, closely, working, with, Catholic, Church, get, Cuba, humanitarian, aid</media:keywords>
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<title>Vatican completes official mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV for papal basilica</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-completes-official-mosaic-portrait-of-pope-leo-xiv-for-papal-basilica</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-completes-official-mosaic-portrait-of-pope-leo-xiv-for-papal-basilica</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The circular mosaic, known as a tondo, will be installed in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
The post Vatican completes official mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV for papal basilica first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vatican, completes, official, mosaic, portrait, Pope, Leo, XIV, for, papal, basilica</media:keywords>
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<title>Report: More than 388 million Christians worldwide face ‘high levels’ of persecution</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/report-more-than-388-million-christians-worldwide-face-high-levels-of-persecution</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/report-more-than-388-million-christians-worldwide-face-high-levels-of-persecution</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ More than 388 million Christians -- or 1 in 7 believers worldwide -- face &quot;high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith,&quot; according to a new report.
The post Report: More than 388 million Christians worldwide face ‘high levels’ of persecution first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jan 2026 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Report:, More, than, 388, million, Christians, worldwide, face, ‘high, levels’, persecution</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV proclaims Franciscan Jubilee Year</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-proclaims-franciscan-jubilee-year</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-proclaims-franciscan-jubilee-year</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ St. Francis of Assisi. | Credit: Paolo Gallo/Shutterstock

Jan 12, 2026 / 17:21 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During this time of grace, which will extend until January 2027, the faithful are granted the opportunity to obtain a     plenary indulgence.This Franciscan Jubilee Year, considered a gift for the entire Church and an occasion for authentic spiritual renewal, was inaugurated on Jan. 10 with     a decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See.Until Jan. 10 of next year, the faithful can obtain this grace under the usual conditions — sacramental confession, Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope — by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis anywhere in the world.Furthermore, the elderly, the sick, and those who, for serious reasons, cannot leave their homes can obtain the plenary indulgence by spiritually joining in the jubilee celebrations and offering their prayers, pains, or sufferings to God.In a world where “the virtual takes over the real, disagreements and social violence are part of everyday life, and peace becomes more insecure and distant every day, this Year of St. Francis spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities, to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ,” the decree states.For     the Order of Friars Minor, this time is also an opportunity for the faithful to become “models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace.”On the occasion of this anniversary, Pope Leo XIV addressed     a letter to the ministers general of the Franciscan Family Conference in which he emphasized that “in this era, marked by so many seemingly endless wars, by internal and social divisions that create distrust and fear, he continues to speak. Not because he offers technical solutions, but because his life points to the authentic source of peace.”In this regard, he highlighted that St. Francis reminds us that “peace with God, peace among people, and peace with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”This story     was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, proclaims, Franciscan, Jubilee, Year</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The story behind Pope Leo XIV’s new papal staff</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/the-story-behind-pope-leo-xivs-new-papal-staff</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/the-story-behind-pope-leo-xivs-new-papal-staff</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV introduced a new papal staff on Jan. 6, 2026, during the closing of the Holy Door | Credit: Vatican Media / null

Jan 12, 2026 / 12:25 pm (CNA).
Last week during the Jan. 6 closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV used a new papal staff, or ferula, which is used by pontiffs in solemn ceremonies and represents their leadership as bishop of Rome and supreme pastor of the entire Church.According to the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Holy See, popes have traditionally received this insignia after their election, when they took possession of their see in St. John Lateran Basilica.The papal staff, used only by the pope and topped with a cross or a crucifix, is different from the bishop’s crozier — the shepherd’s staff — which ends in a curve and is used by bishops and archbishops.It was St. Paul VI who, in 1965 on the occasion of the closing of the Second Vatican Council, used a silver ferula with a crucifix designed by the sculptor Lello Scorzelli. The pontiff began to use this cross with increasing frequency in liturgical celebrations, as his successors would later do.St. John Paul II also chose to use the papal ferula from the beginning of his pontificate. Even in the last years of his life, the late pontiff leaned on it while convalescing in his room.Benedict XVI used a ferula topped with a golden cross, previously used by Blessed Pius IX. Leo XIV used Benedict XVI’s ferula on May 18 during his first Mass as pope and has also used the one designed by Scorzelli for St. Paul VI.Pope Leo XIV waves during the inaugural Mass of his pontificate, held in St. Peter&#039;s Square on May 18, 2025. He stands in front of a Flemish tapestry depicting the dialogue between Jesus and Peter after the miraculous catch of fish. Credit: Vatican MediaThe new papal ferula used by Pope Leo XIV is in continuity with those used by his predecessors, linking the mission of proclaiming the mystery of love expressed by Christ on the cross with its glorious manifestation in the Resurrection.Furthermore, as the Vatican explains, its style is reminiscent of Scorzelli’s work, as it depicts Christ no longer bound by the nails of the Passion but with his glorified body in the act of ascending to the Father.The ferula bears the motto chosen by Pope Leo XIV: “ In illo uno unum,” (“In the one Christ we are one”), which captures the theological dimension of his magisterium, founded on the unity and communion that makes us the Church.The use of the papal ferula is seen as carrying a profound symbolic meaning: It expresses the specific mission of the successor of Peter to confirm his brothers in the faith and preside over the Church in charity.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV meets Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-meets-venezuelan-opposition-leader-maria-corina-machado</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-meets-venezuelan-opposition-leader-maria-corina-machado</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV meets Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado at the Vatican on Jan. 12, 2026. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 12, 2026 / 06:50 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican on Monday in an audience that was not initially included in the official schedule for the day.The meeting was added to the pontiff’s agenda in the Holy See’s noon news bulletin. The Vatican has not released any details about the audience.Machado, one of the leading figures of the Venezuelan opposition, has been a prominent voice in denouncing the institutional, economic, and humanitarian crisis facing the country.The Venezuelan politician, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in December, is also expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump this week.According to a post on X from Machado&#039;s political party, Vente Venezuela, the politician met with the pope to request his help in the release of all political prisoners in Venezuela.“Today I had the blessing and honor of being able to share with His Holiness and express our gratitude for his attention to what is happening in our country. I also conveyed to him the strength of the Venezuelan people who remain steadfast and in prayer for the freedom of Venezuela, and I asked him to intercede for all Venezuelans who remain kidnapped and disappeared,” Machado said after the meeting, according to a post on X from political organization Comando Con Venezuela.Machado also met with Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin on Jan. 12, according to Comando Con Venezuela.Nicolás Maduro is being held in a New York prison after appearing before a federal judge on various charges related to drug trafficking and terrorism following his capture by the U.S. military in the early hours of Jan. 3.Delcy Rodríguez, former vice president of Venezuela, has assumed the interim presidency of the country following Maduro’s arrest.In his Angelus message on Jan. 4, Leo XIV called for full respect for the country’s national sovereignty and for the human and civil rights of its people.“It is with deep concern that I am following the developments in Venezuela,” said the pontiff, stressing that “the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over every other consideration.”The pope urged cooperation to “build a peaceful future of collaboration, stability, and harmony” and emphasized that this effort must be made “with special attention to the poorest, who suffer because of the difficult economic situation.”In his address to the diplomatic corps on Jan. 9, Leo reiterated his call to respect “the will of the Venezuelan people” and for work “to safeguard the human and civil rights of all, ensuring a future of stability and concord.”Hannah Brockhaus contributed to this report.This story was first published on ACI Prensa, CNA&#039;s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. It was updated at 10:18 a.m. ET with the statement from Machado. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, meets, Venezuelan, opposition, leader, María, Corina, Machado</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>This is Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of January</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/this-is-pope-leo-xivs-prayer-intention-for-the-month-of-january</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/this-is-pope-leo-xivs-prayer-intention-for-the-month-of-january</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for the Jubilee of Prisoners in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 14, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 8, 2026 / 14:17 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of January is for the faithful to pray with the word of God.In a video released Jan. 7 on X, the Holy Father said that he is praying “that we may learn, practice, and love praying with the word of God.”“The gift of Scripture is God’s love letter to humankind,” he said. “Let’s pray that we all draw from this gift and get to know Our Lord.”‘Pray with the Pope’ initiativeThe Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and the Dicastery for Communication announced Jan. 7 the “Pray with the Pope” project. According to a press release, this is a new initiative in which the pope will share his monthly prayer intentions through both video and audio, “inviting the universal Church and all people of goodwill to unite spiritually, using the same prayer that will now be led by the pope himself.”“This initiative aims to increase the visibility of the pope’s prayer intentions, using a language suitable for prayer, in new formats, so as to better reach the faithful throughout the world, especially in today’s world of digital communication,” the press release stated.In the full video shared on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network website, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention.Here is the pope’s full prayer:Lord Jesus, living Word of the Father,in you we find the light that guides our steps.We know that the human heart lives restless, hungry for meaning,and only your Gospel can give it peace and fullness.Teach us to listen to you each day in the Scriptures,to let ourselves be challenged by your voice,and to discern our decisionsfrom the closeness to your heart.May your word be nourishment in weariness,hope in darkness,and strength in our communities.Lord, may your word never be absent from our lips or from our hearts — the word that makes us sons and daughters, brothers and sisters,disciples and missionaries of your kingdom.Make us a Church that prays with the word,that is built upon it and shares it with joy,so that in every person the hope of a new world may be born again.May our faith grow in the encounter with you through your word,moving us from the heartto reach out to others,to serve the most vulnerable,to forgive, build bridges, and proclaim life.Amen.“Pray with the Pope” is accessible on the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network     website and its digital platforms. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>This, Pope, Leo, XIV’s, prayer, intention, for, the, month, January</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo condemns ‘zeal for war,’ weak multilateralism in speech to diplomats</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-condemns-zeal-for-war-weak-multilateralism-in-speech-to-diplomats</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-condemns-zeal-for-war-weak-multilateralism-in-speech-to-diplomats</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV addresses ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives to the Holy See in the Apostolic Palace on Jan. 9, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 9, 2026 / 10:17 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV condemned the weakening of international multilateralism and the increased use of force in a speech to diplomats at the Vatican on Friday.He also said states should respect fundamental human rights, such as religious freedom and freedom of speech, and comply with international humanitarian law in     the lengthiest speech to date of his pontificate.“A diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force, by either individuals or groups of allies. War is back in vogue and a zeal for war is spreading,” he told ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives to the Holy See in the Apostolic Palace on Jan. 9. Currently, 184 states have diplomatic relations with the Holy See.“Peace is no longer sought as a gift and a desirable good in itself,” the pontiff continued. “Instead, peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion. This gravely threatens the rule of law, which is the foundation of all peaceful civil coexistence.”The Holy Father called for concern for the common good of peoples to take precedence over “the defense of partisan interests” amid escalating tensions, pointing in particular to Venezuela, for which he reiterated an appeal “to respect the will of the Venezuelan people, and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all.”Leo framed his speech, part of the annual new year greeting to the diplomatic corps, within St. Augustine of Hippo’s work of Christian philosophy “De Civitate Dei” (“City of God”).“The ‘City of God’ does not propose a political program. Instead, it offers valuable reflections on fundamental issues concerning social and political life, such as the search for a more just and peaceful coexistence among peoples. Augustine also warns of the grave dangers to political life arising from false representations of history, excessive nationalism and the distortion of the ideal of the political leader,” the pope said.He called “City of God,” written in the fifth century, highly relevant to the present time, marked by widespread migration and the “profound readjustment of geopolitical balances and cultural paradigms.”Pope Leo XIV greets ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives to the Holy See in the Apostolic Palace on Jan. 9, 2026. | Credit: Vatican MediaHuman rights short-circuitedLeo lamented what he called a “short circuit” of human rights around the world today, especially the right to life.“We firmly reiterate that the protection of the right to life constitutes the indispensable foundation of every other human right. A society is healthy and truly progresses only when it safeguards the sanctity of human life and works actively to promote it,” he said.He also called out the restriction of the right to freedom of expression, freedom of conscience, religious freedom, and the right to life in favor of other “so-called new rights,” so that “the very framework of human rights is losing its vitality and creating space for force and oppression.”“This occurs when each right becomes self-referential, and especially when it becomes disconnected from reality, nature, and truth,” he added.Christian persecutionPope Leo said     Christian persecution is one of the most widespread human rights crises today, with over 380 million believers around the world suffering high or extreme levels of discrimination, violence, and oppression.He recalled the victims of religiously motivated violence in Bangladesh, in the Sahel region, in Nigeria, and those killed or injured in the terrorist attack on the parish of St. Elias in Damascus in June.The pontiff also decried “a subtle form of religious discrimination against Christians” taking place even in Christian-majority countries in Europe and the Americas.“There, they are sometimes restricted in their ability to proclaim the truths of the Gospel for political or ideological reasons, especially when they defend the dignity of the weakest, the unborn, refugees and migrants, or promote the family,” he said.Leo also called for respect for the freedom of other religious communities and the rejection of all forms of antisemitism.Pope Leo XIV greets ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives to the Holy See in the Hall of the Blessing in the Apostolic Palace on Jan. 9, 2026. | Credit: Vatican MediaThe meaning of wordsThe Holy Father also spoke about debates over the meaning of words and how they are tied to attacks on freedom of expression.“Rediscovering the meaning of words is perhaps one of the primary challenges of our time. When words lose their connection to reality, and reality itself becomes debatable and ultimately incommunicable,” he said.“We should also note the paradox that this weakening of language is often invoked in the name of freedom of expression itself. However, on closer inspection, the opposite is true, for freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed precisely by the certainty of language and the fact that every term is anchored in the truth,” he noted.He called it painful to see the space for genuine freedom of expression rapidly shrink, especially in the West.“At the same time, a new Orwellian-style language is developing which, in an attempt to be increasingly inclusive, ends up excluding those who do not conform to the ideologies that are fueling it,” he said.A consequence of this, Leo said, is that the freedom of conscience, another fundamental human right, is increasingly questioned by states.The freedom of conscience, which “establishes a balance between the collective interest and individual dignity,” protects individuals “to refuse legal or professional obligations that conflict with moral, ethical, or religious principles deeply rooted in their personal lives,” such as military service, abortion, or euthanasia.“Conscientious objection is not rebellion but an act of fidelity to oneself,” he underlined.Life and the familyPope Leo urged states to protect the institution of the family as “the vocation to love and to life” manifested in the “exclusive and indissoluble union between a woman and a man” and implying a “fundamental ethical imperative for enabling families to welcome and fully care for unborn life.”Noting the increasing priority of raising birth rates, he emphasized life as a gift to be cherished and said “we categorically reject any practice that denies or exploits the origin of life and its development,” including abortion and surrogacy.He added that the Holy See is also concerned about projects aimed at financing cross-border mobility to increase access to abortion and “considers it deplorable that public resources are allocated to suppress life rather than being invested to support mothers and families.”Pope Leo XIV poses with ambassadors and other diplomatic representatives to the Holy See in the Sistine Chapel on Jan. 9, 2026. | Credit: Vatican MediaFor the sick and elderly, “civil society and states also have a responsibility to respond concretely to situations of vulnerability, offering solutions to human suffering, such as palliative care, and promoting policies of authentic solidarity rather than encouraging deceptive forms of compassion such as euthanasia,” he said.The pontiff underlined the inalienable dignity of every person and that migrants, as people, have “inalienable rights that must be respected in every situation.”“I renew the Holy See’s hope that the actions taken by states against criminality and human trafficking will not become a pretext for undermining the dignity of migrants and refugees,” he said.Pride and self-loveLeo recalled that in Augustine’s “City of God,” the saint interprets events and history according to a model of two cities. The city of God is characterized by God’s unconditional love and love for one’s neighbor, especially the poor, while the earthly city “is centered on pride and self-love (‘amor sui’), on the thirst for worldly power and glory that leads to destruction.”“While St. Augustine highlights the coexistence of the heavenly and earthly cities until the end of time, our era seems somewhat inclined to deny the city of God its ‘right of citizenship,’” the pope noted.“Yet, as Augustine notes, ‘Great is the folly of pride in those individuals who think that the supreme good can be found in this life and that they can become happy by their own resources,’” Leo said. “Pride obscures both reality itself and our empathy towards others. It is no coincidence that pride is always at the root of every conflict.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, condemns, ‘zeal, for, war, ’, weak, multilateralism, speech, diplomats</media:keywords>
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<title>Inside Spain: What foreigners think of the Spanish job market</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-what-foreigners-think-of-the-spanish-job-market</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-what-foreigners-think-of-the-spanish-job-market</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Immigration may be considered the primary reason why Spain’s economy is booming, but the macroeconomic data hides the struggles foreigners face when it comes to working here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Inside, Spain:, What, foreigners, think, the, Spanish, job, market</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>EU countries override France to greenlight Mercosur trade deal</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/eu-countries-override-france-to-greenlight-mercosur-trade-deal</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/eu-countries-override-france-to-greenlight-mercosur-trade-deal</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The EU gave the long-delayed go ahead on Friday to a huge trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur championed by business groups but loathed by many European farmers -- overriding opposition led by France. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>countries, override, France, greenlight, Mercosur, trade, deal</media:keywords>
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<title>Spain capitalising on wealthy Britons fleeing UK tax regime</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-capitalising-on-wealthy-britons-fleeing-uk-tax-regime</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-capitalising-on-wealthy-britons-fleeing-uk-tax-regime</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A recent report in the Spanish press has highlighted how wealthy individuals are fleeing the City of London and moving to Spain, with Spanish law firms capitalising on the trend. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, capitalising, wealthy, Britons, fleeing, tax, regime</media:keywords>
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<title>Spain won&amp;apos;t fine drivers without V&#45;16 light for &amp;apos;reasonable&amp;apos; amount of time</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-wont-fine-drivers-without-v-16-light-for-reasonable-amount-of-time</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-wont-fine-drivers-without-v-16-light-for-reasonable-amount-of-time</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain&#039;s Interior Minister has confirmed that drivers who haven&#039;t bought the new V-16 emergency light (compulsory since January 1st) will be given a grace period before being fined, but authorities are still being rather vague about when the deadline really is. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, wont, fine, drivers, without, V-16, light, for, reasonable, amount, time</media:keywords>
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<title>GUIDE: All the transport discounts available in Spain in 2026</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/guide-all-the-transport-discounts-available-in-spain-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/guide-all-the-transport-discounts-available-in-spain-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The era of free train travel in the years following the pandemic finished halfway through 2025, but thankfully there are still many discounts this year to help travellers out. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>GUIDE:, All, the, transport, discounts, available, Spain, 2026</media:keywords>
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<title>Indiana University running back carries Catholic values with him into playoffs</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/indiana-university-running-back-carries-catholic-values-with-him-into-playoffs</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/indiana-university-running-back-carries-catholic-values-with-him-into-playoffs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Indiana University running back Roman Hemby is one of numerous transfers who have helped turn the 2025 Hoosiers into a No. 1-ranked, unbeaten powerhouse.
The post Indiana University running back carries Catholic values with him into playoffs first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Indiana, University, running, back, carries, Catholic, values, with, him, into, playoffs</media:keywords>
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<title>Vatican sees record number of visitors during Jubilee year, officials say</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-sees-record-number-of-visitors-during-jubilee-year-officials-say</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-sees-record-number-of-visitors-during-jubilee-year-officials-say</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ An estimated 33 million visitors and pilgrims came to the Vatican to celebrate the Jubilee Year, exceeding early forecasts, officials said.
The post Vatican sees record number of visitors during Jubilee year, officials say first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vatican, sees, record, number, visitors, during, Jubilee, year, officials, say</media:keywords>
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<title>New Orleans archbishop apologizes to abuse survivors as settlement takes effect</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/new-orleans-archbishop-apologizes-to-abuse-survivors-as-settlement-takes-effect</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/new-orleans-archbishop-apologizes-to-abuse-survivors-as-settlement-takes-effect</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ (OSV News) — Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond of New Orleans has issued a formal apology to abuse survivors in that archdiocese, following last month’s court approval of a $230 million…
The post New Orleans archbishop apologizes to abuse survivors as settlement takes effect first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>New, Orleans, archbishop, apologizes, abuse, survivors, settlement, takes, effect</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Jesuit missionaries and a log chapel: Exploring the Catholic history of Delaware</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/jesuit-missionaries-and-a-log-chapel-exploring-the-catholic-history-of-delaware</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/jesuit-missionaries-and-a-log-chapel-exploring-the-catholic-history-of-delaware</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As the nation marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution this year, this series will examine the origins of the church and Catholic life in each of the 50…
The post Jesuit missionaries and a log chapel: Exploring the Catholic history of Delaware first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Jesuit, missionaries, and, log, chapel:, Exploring, the, Catholic, history, Delaware</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>As Maduro faces New York trial, uncertainty lingers for Venezuelan migrants</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/as-maduro-faces-new-york-trial-uncertainty-lingers-for-venezuelan-migrants</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/as-maduro-faces-new-york-trial-uncertainty-lingers-for-venezuelan-migrants</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Millions of Venezuelans live abroad due to the situation in Venezuela, including in the U.S.
The post As Maduro faces New York trial, uncertainty lingers for Venezuelan migrants first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Maduro, faces, New, York, trial, uncertainty, lingers, for, Venezuelan, migrants</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo XIV on New Year’s Eve: The future is in God’s hands</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-on-new-years-eve-the-future-is-in-gods-hands</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-on-new-years-eve-the-future-is-in-gods-hands</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV presides over first vespers (evening prayer) in St. Peter&#039;s Basilica in anticipation of the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on Dec. 31, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media.

Dec 31, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV at a New Year’s Eve prayer service reflected on God’s divine plan of salvation for the world — and the hope of ordinary people.“The world moves forward in this way, propelled by the hope of so many simple people — unknown to the world but not to God — who, despite everything, believe in a better tomorrow, because they know that the future is in the hands of the One who offers them the greatest hope,” the pope said in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 31.Leo presided over first vespers (evening prayer) in anticipation of the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. The liturgy included hymns, Psalms, readings from Scripture, and the singing of the “Te Deum,” a Latin hymn of thanksgiving from the early Church.In his homily, the pontiff spoke about God’s plan versus the plans the world makes.“In our own time we feel the need for a wise, benevolent, merciful plan — one that is free and liberating, peaceful and faithful, like the plan that the Virgin Mary proclaimed in her canticle of praise: ‘From generation to generation his mercy is upon those who fear him’ (Lk 1:50),” he said.But, Leo noted, the world is enveloped in other plans: “Strategies aimed at conquering markets, territories, spheres of influence — armed strategies, cloaked in hypocritical rhetoric, ideological proclamations, and false religious motives.”However, the holy Mother of God sees things with God’s eyes, the pope continued. She knows that “with the power of his arm the Most High scatters the schemes of the proud, casts the mighty from their thrones and lifts up the lowly, fills the hungry with good things and sends the rich away empty.”Pope Leo XIV presides over first vespers (evening prayer) in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 31, 2025, in anticipation of the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. | Credit: Vatican MediaThe Holy Father referenced the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 4, that “when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children.”The apostle presents the mystery of Christ as “a great plan for human history,” Leo said. “A mysterious plan, yet one with a clear center, like a lofty mountain illuminated by the sun in the midst of a dense forest: This center is the ‘fullness of time.’”On the vigil of the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, he emphasized Mary’s motherhood and her role in the revelation of the great mystery and paradox of “a God who is born of a virgin.”Pope Leo XIV presides over first vespers (evening prayer) in St. Peter’s Basilica in anticipation of the Jan. 1 solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on Dec. 31, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media“The mother of Jesus is the woman with whom God, in the fullness of time, wrote the Word that reveals the mystery,” he said. “He did not impose it; he first proposed it to her heart, and once her ‘yes’ was received, he wrote it with ineffable love in her flesh,” he said.“Thus God’s hope became intertwined with Mary’s hope,” he added.Pope Leo pointed out that the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, concludes the Octave of Christmas and “spans the passage from one year to the next and extends over it the blessing of the One ‘who is, who was, and who is to come’ (Rv 1:8).”“The liturgy of the first vespers of the Mother of God possesses a singular richness, deriving both from the dizzying mystery it celebrates and from its placement at the very end of the solar year,” he said.Recalling that the Church is at the end of the Jubilee Year 2025, he added that the “Te Deum” prayer, to be sung at the end of the liturgy, “seems to expand so as to give voice to all the hearts and faces that have passed beneath these vaults and through the streets of this city.”Pope Leo XIV visits the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 31, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media“We thank God for the gift of the jubilee, which has been a great sign of his plan of hope for humanity and for the world. And we thank all those who, during the months and days of 2025, have worked in service to the pilgrims and to make Rome more welcoming,” he said.“What can we wish for Rome?” he continued. “That it may be worthy of its smallest ones: of children, of elderly people who are alone and frail, of families who struggle most to make ends meet, of men and women who have come from afar hoping for a dignified life.”After the prayer service, Pope Leo visited the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square, a papal custom, while the Swiss Guard Band gave its annual Christmas concert.He then personally greeted the band and some of the people gathered in the square.    
        Pope Leo celebrates First Vespers of the Feast of Saint Mary, Most Holy Mother of God and Te Deum of Thanksgiving on New Year’s Eve in St. Peter’s Basilica, emphasizing in his homily the paradox of “a God born of a virgin, blessing the passing of one year to the next with Him,… pic.twitter.com/nKFQuNCDgh— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) December 31, 2025 ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, New, Year’s, Eve:, The, future, God’s, hands</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Key dates on the agenda of the pope and Vatican for 2026</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/key-dates-on-the-agenda-of-the-pope-and-vatican-for-2026</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/key-dates-on-the-agenda-of-the-pope-and-vatican-for-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile in St. Peter’s Square in October 2025. Credit: Vatican Media

Jan 1, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV is preparing for a very busy year at the Vatican in 2026, with important events such as the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope and his first consistory of cardinals since his election on May 8, 2025.1. Closing of the Jubilee of Hope — Jan. 6On Jan. 6, the solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Pope Leo XIV will celebrate the Mass and perform the rite for the closing the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica, bringing to an end the Jubilee of Hope that Pope Francis began on Dec. 24, 2024. This liturgical act officially closes a year that, according to the papal bull     Spes non Confundit, has been experienced as “a time of grace and hope” for the global Church.Pope Leo XIV walks through the Holy Door carrying the jubilee cross while leading the Holy See’s pilgrimage on June 9, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media2. Extraordinary consistory of cardinals — Jan. 7–8Following the conclusion of the jubilee, the pope has convened an extraordinary consistory of cardinals for Jan. 7–8. This type of meeting is usually reserved for discussing major doctrinal, institutional, or pastoral issues affecting the entire Church. Its scheduling in the days immediately following the close of the holy year underscores the pope’s intention to set a new course after the intense experience of the jubilee.3. Extraordinary restoration in the Sistine Chapel — JanuaryBeginning in January, the Vatican Museums will undertake extraordinary conservation work on Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” fresco in the Sistine Chapel, which will continue until March, with the expectation of completion before Holy Week. This project addresses the need to preserve the masterpiece in light of the impact of millions of visitors each year.4. Appeal hearing in the Becciu case — Feb. 3The appeal hearing in the case concerning the management of funds by the Secretariat of State of the Holy See in the purchase of a building in London has been postponed until Feb. 3. Spanish judge Alejandro Arellano Cedillo, dean of the Roman Rota, presides over the three-judge panel hearing the appeal of 77-year-old Cardinal Angelo Becciu. On Dec. 16, 2023, the cardinal was convicted of embezzlement and barred from holding public office. He was also fined 8,000 euros ($9,400).5. Second World Children’s Day — Sept. 25–27Pope Leo XIV has announced the celebration of the second World Children’s Day, which will take place in Rome Sept. 25–27. Organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life, this event aims to bring together thousands of children and families from around the world for a time of encounter, prayer, and celebration for peace and the future of children.Pope Leo XIV blesses a newborn baby. Credit: Vatican MediaPossible international trips for Pope Leo XIV in 2026Although the official travel schedule is not yet finalized, the pontiff has expressed a desire to visit several countries during 2026:— Algeria, an African country with deep ties to St. Augustine, is still in the planning stages as part of a possible continental itinerary.— Argentina and Uruguay have been mentioned as possible destinations, along with an extended visit to Peru and Mexico, with a particular interest in visiting the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most visited Marian shrines in the world.— There is also a strong possibility of an upcoming papal trip to Spain.This story     was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Key, dates, the, agenda, the, pope, and, Vatican, for, 2026</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV urges prayers for peace in bloodied nations and wounded families</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-urges-prayers-for-peace-in-bloodied-nations-and-wounded-families</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-urges-prayers-for-peace-in-bloodied-nations-and-wounded-families</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for recitation of the Angelus on Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 1, 2026 / 02:30 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday urged Catholics to pray for peace, “first, among nations bloodied by conflict and suffering,” and also “within our homes, in families wounded by violence or pain,” during the Angelus address on the first day of 2026.Greeting pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 59th World Day of Peace, the pope     reflected on the start of a new year as a time to renew hope and reconciliation.“While the rhythm of passing months repeats itself, the Lord invites us to renew our times by finally ushering in an era of peace and friendship among all peoples,” he said. “Without this desire for the good, there would be no point in turning the pages of the calendar and filling our diaries.”Leo also looked back on the jubilee, which he said “is about to end,” noting that it has taught the Church to cultivate hope for a new world by converting hearts to God, so as “to transform wrongs into forgiveness, pain into consolation, and resolutions of virtue into good works.”The pope then turned to the Marian feast, saying Christmas today “directs our gaze towards Mary, who was the first to experience Christ’s beating heart.” He evoked “the silence of her virginal womb,” where “the Word of life presents himself as a heartbeat of grace.”“God, the good creator, has always known Mary’s heart and our hearts,” Leo said. “By becoming man, he makes his heart known to us.” He added that the heart of Jesus “beats for every man and woman,” both for those who welcome him and for those who reject him.“His heart is not indifferent to those who have no heart for their neighbor,” the pope said. “It beats for the righteous, so that they may persevere in their dedication, as well as for the unrighteous, so that they may change their lives and find peace.”At the end of the Angelus, Leo greeted the tens of thousands of pilgrims in the square and offered “good wishes of peace.” He also returned to the theme of the World Day of Peace, recalling that it has been celebrated on Jan. 1 since 1968 at the request of St. Paul VI.In his message for the day, Leo said he wanted to repeat the wish he felt the Lord gave him at the start of his pontificate: “Peace be with you all!”“A peace that is unarmed and disarming, which comes from God, a gift of his unconditional love, and is entrusted to our responsibility,” he said.“Dear friends, with the grace of Christ, let us begin today to build a year of peace, disarming our hearts and refraining from all violence,” the pope continued.Leo also expressed appreciation for peace initiatives held around the world, mentioning a national march held the previous evening in Catania and greeting participants in a march organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio.He offered greetings as well to a group of students and teachers from Richland, New Jersey, and to the Romans and pilgrims present.Finally, the pope noted that 2026 marks the eighth centenary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi, and he invoked a biblical blessing for the new year: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.”“May the Holy Mother of God guide us on our journey in the new year,” Leo said. “Best wishes to everyone!”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, urges, prayers, for, peace, bloodied, nations, and, wounded, families</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Leo XIV: The world is saved by welcoming all without fear</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/leo-xiv-the-world-is-saved-by-welcoming-all-without-fear</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/leo-xiv-the-world-is-saved-by-welcoming-all-without-fear</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Jan. 1, 2026. | Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 1, 2026 / 02:05 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV called Catholics to a steadfast openness to other people, warning that peace will not be built through force or exclusion, as he celebrated his first liturgy of the new year on Thursday.“The world is not saved by sharpening swords, nor by judging, oppressing, or eliminating our brothers and sisters,” the pope said in his homily for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Rather, he added, it is saved by “tirelessly striving to understand, forgive, liberate, and welcome everyone, without calculation and without fear.”As is customary for the Jan. 1 Mass, a large group of diplomats accredited to the Holy See attended the liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica, underlining the international scope of the Church’s prayer for peace on the World Day of Peace, observed each year on the first day of January.A blessing for a new beginningAt the start of his     homily, Leo XIV pointed to the ancient biblical blessing proclaimed in the liturgy: “May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord let his face shine on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord uncover his face to you and bring you peace” (Num 6:24-26). He recalled that this blessing was addressed to a people set free, Israel after slavery in Egypt, and he drew a parallel to the Christian life at the opening of a new year.“For each of us, every day can be the beginning of a new life, thanks to God’s generous love, his mercy, and the response of our freedom,” he said. The coming year, he continued, can be seen “as an open journey to be discovered,” lived with confidence “free and bearers of freedom, forgiven and bringers of forgiveness,” trusting in “the closeness and goodness of the Lord who accompanies us always.”Mary’s ‘yes’ and the human face of mercyThe pope centered his reflection on the mystery of the Incarnation and Mary’s decisive role in salvation history. “By her ‘yes,’ she helped give a human face to the source of all mercy and benevolence: the face of Jesus,” he said.Leo XIV invited the faithful to contemplate God’s love through Christ’s life: “Through his eyes — first as a child, then as a young man and as an adult — the Father’s love reaches us and transforms us.”He urged Catholics to begin the year with renewed confidence in that love: “Let us ask the Lord to help us experience at every moment, around us and upon us, the warmth of his fatherly embrace and the light of his benevolent gaze.”‘Unarmed and disarming’ peaceEchoing the theme he chose for this year’s     World Day of Peace message, Leo XIV returned repeatedly to the image of God’s humility revealed in the Nativity. Citing St. Augustine, he emphasized “the complete gratuity of his love” and described God’s approach to humanity as one of radical vulnerability.“As I emphasized in the message for this World Day of Peace, God presents himself to us ‘unarmed and disarming,’ as naked and defenseless as a newborn in a cradle,” the pope said.That divine “style,” he suggested, is the model for Christian action in a world tempted by coercion, retaliation, and fear. Christian witness, he said, should reflect a God who does not overwhelm but invites, and who heals rather than humiliates.Mary the disciple who ‘laid aside every defense’Leo XIV also reflected on Mary’s path after Bethlehem, presenting her not only as mother but also as disciple. He described her as one who followed Jesus “with the heart of a humble disciple… all the way to the cross and the Resurrection.”“To do so, she too laid aside every defense,” he said, renouncing “expectations, claims, and comforts,” and “consecrating her life without reserve to the son she had received by grace.”In Mary’s divine motherhood, the pope added, the Church sees “the meeting of two immense, ‘unarmed’ realities”: God, who “renounces every privilege of his divinity to be born in the flesh” (cf. Phil 2:6-11), and the human person who embraces God’s will, offering “the greatest power she possesses: her freedom.”A renewed missionNear the end of the homily, Leo XIV recalled a Jan. 1 homily of St. John Paul II that invited Christians to begin again with courage after the Jubilee of 2000. As the Church approaches the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope, Leo XIV urged the faithful to return to the Nativity with faith and then step forward with renewed commitment.“Let us approach it as the place of ‘unarmed and disarming’ peace par excellence,” he said, and then, “like the humble witnesses at the grotto,” to set out once more, “glorifying and praising God” (Lk 2:20) for what they have seen and heard.“This be our commitment and our resolve for the months ahead, and, indeed, for the whole of our Christian lives,” he concluded.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Leo, XIV:, The, world, saved, welcoming, all, without, fear</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo XIV ends 2025 urging Catholics to examine conscience and entrust new year to God</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-ends-2025-urging-catholics-to-examine-conscience-and-entrust-new-year-to-god</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-ends-2025-urging-catholics-to-examine-conscience-and-entrust-new-year-to-god</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered for his Wednesday general audience on Dec. 31, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media

Dec 31, 2025 / 08:08 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV used the Vatican’s final general audience of 2025 on Wednesday to invite Catholics to look back on the past year with gratitude and repentance, and to place what lies ahead in God’s hands.In St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 31, the pope said 2025 brought both joy and sorrow, citing the jubilee pilgrimage of the faithful as well as “the passing of the late Pope Francis” and “the scenarios of war that continue to convulse the planet.”“At its end,” Leo said, “the Church invites us to place everything before the Lord, entrusting ourselves to his providence, and asking him to renew, in us and around us, in the coming days, the wonders of his grace and mercy.”Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile to pilgrims gathered for his Wednesday general audience on Dec. 31, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican MediaHe tied that end-of-year spiritual “dynamic” to the Church’s Te Deum observance, saying the hymn of praise and thanksgiving helps believers recognize God’s gifts and renew hope. Leo noted that the prayer includes lines such as: “You are God: We praise you,” “In you, Lord, is our hope,” and “Have mercy on us.”According to the Vatican’s published schedule, Leo was set to celebrate first vespers for the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, at 5 p.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica, followed by the Te Deum.In his     catechesis, the pope encouraged an honest examination of conscience, calling the faithful to reflect on God’s action over the past year, to evaluate their response to his gifts, and to ask forgiveness for times they failed to follow his inspirations or invest well the talents entrusted to them.Leo also returned to a core jubilee image, describing life as a pilgrimage. “This reminds us that our whole life is a journey,” he said, one that reaches its true fulfillment in “the encounter with God and in full and eternal communion with him.”Pope Leo XIV greets a young pilgrim during his Wednesday general audience on Dec. 31, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican MediaThe pope pointed to another emblematic jubilee practice, the passage through the Holy Door, describing it as a concrete sign of conversion and of the believer’s yes to God, who “invites us to cross the threshold of a new life, animated by grace, modeled on the Gospel.”Looking to Christmas, Leo recalled St. Leo the Great’s preaching on the universal joy of Christ’s birth: “Let the saint rejoice … let the sinner rejoice … let the pagan take courage.” The pope said that invitation extends to all, including those who feel weak or fragile, because Christ has taken human frailty upon himself and redeemed it.To close, Leo cited St. Paul VI’s reflection at the end of the 1975 Jubilee, saying its core message can be summed up in a single word: “love.” He then repeated Paul VI’s emphatic profession of faith, including: “God is love! … God is mercy! God is forgiveness! … God, yes, God is life!”This story was     first published by ACI Stampa, CNA’s Italian-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, ends, 2025, urging, Catholics, examine, conscience, and, entrust, new, year, God</media:keywords>
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<title>Two Brits in Spain awarded British Empire Medals</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/two-brits-in-spain-awarded-british-empire-medals</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/two-brits-in-spain-awarded-british-empire-medals</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Former Calvià councillor Katherine Mentink-Duncan and Alicante firefighting commandant Terence Curran are two Britons based in Spain who this year have been awarded British Empire Medals for their services to the community. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Two, Brits, Spain, awarded, British, Empire, Medals</media:keywords>
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<title>Spain seeks removal of ads for rentals in Israeli settlements</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-seeks-removal-of-ads-for-rentals-in-israeli-settlements</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-seeks-removal-of-ads-for-rentals-in-israeli-settlements</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain’s leftist government has ordered seven online platforms to remove more than 100 listings for vacation rentals in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, seeks, removal, ads, for, rentals, Israeli, settlements</media:keywords>
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<title>LISTED: What will get more expensive in Spain in 2026?</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/listed-what-will-get-more-expensive-in-spain-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/listed-what-will-get-more-expensive-in-spain-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Food, electricity, internet, transport, rents, mortgages and more - How much will daily costs increase in 2026 in Spain, and will there also be some price drops? ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>LISTED:, What, will, get, more, expensive, Spain, 2026</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>How to find out if your car has been towed in Spain and what to do</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/how-to-find-out-if-your-car-has-been-towed-in-spain-and-what-to-do</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/how-to-find-out-if-your-car-has-been-towed-in-spain-and-what-to-do</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Have you returned to where you parked your car in Spain only to find that it&#039;s no longer there? Don&#039;t panic, as it&#039;s not necessarily been stolen. It could well have been towed; this is who to call and what to do if so. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, find, out, your, car, has, been, towed, Spain, and, what</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>&amp;apos;Brexit is not done&amp;apos;: How Britons in Europe are still fighting for their rights</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/brexit-is-not-done-how-britons-in-europe-are-still-fighting-for-their-rights</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/brexit-is-not-done-how-britons-in-europe-are-still-fighting-for-their-rights</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Five years on from the end of free movement, Britons living throughout Europe are still dealing with the consequences of Brexit. Fiona Godfrey, from British in Europe, tells The Local the battle to secure rights is still ongoing and that things could get more complicated. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:00:02 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Brexit, not, done:, How, Britons, Europe, are, still, fighting, for, their, rights</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Redemptorist priest’s explosive dispatches revealed Vatican II’s hidden conflicts</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/redemptorist-priests-explosive-dispatches-revealed-vatican-iis-hidden-conflicts</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/redemptorist-priests-explosive-dispatches-revealed-vatican-iis-hidden-conflicts</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Dispatches revealed the council&#039;s unseen conflicts -- factions working to block reforms, curial power plays and intense exchanges shaping the church&#039;s future.
The post Redemptorist priest’s explosive dispatches revealed Vatican II’s hidden conflicts first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Redemptorist, priest’s, explosive, dispatches, revealed, Vatican, II’s, hidden, conflicts</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Priest gets kidney from principal — and love, support, prayers from parishes, students</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/priest-gets-kidney-from-principal-and-love-support-prayers-from-parishes-students</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/priest-gets-kidney-from-principal-and-love-support-prayers-from-parishes-students</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Father Torres said he never expected &quot;this much love from the community, and for Jillian, of course, the huge sacrifice she is making.&quot;
The post Priest gets kidney from principal — and love, support, prayers from parishes, students first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Priest, gets, kidney, from, principal, —, and, love, support, prayers, from, parishes, students</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>At home with Jesus</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/at-home-with-jesus</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/at-home-with-jesus</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The feast of the Holy Family, which is situated appropriately between Christmas and New Year&#039;s Day
The post At home with Jesus first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>home, with, Jesus</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>From Chicago to Peru to Rome, Pope Leo remains ‘one of us,’ say US Catholics</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/from-chicago-to-peru-to-rome-pope-leo-remains-one-of-us-say-us-catholics</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/from-chicago-to-peru-to-rome-pope-leo-remains-one-of-us-say-us-catholics</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) — A day before Pope Leo XIV spoke by livestream to teens at the 2025 National Catholic Youth Conference, Kristie Hughes Dugan — president of Little Flower Catholic…
The post From Chicago to Peru to Rome, Pope Leo remains ‘one of us,’ say US Catholics first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>From, Chicago, Peru, Rome, Pope, Leo, remains, ‘one, us, ’, say, Catholics</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Delaware law enforcement, governor, community mourn loss of trooper in fatal shooting</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/delaware-law-enforcement-governor-community-mourn-loss-of-trooper-in-fatal-shooting</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/delaware-law-enforcement-governor-community-mourn-loss-of-trooper-in-fatal-shooting</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Delaware State Police are mourning the Dec. 23 fatal shooting of a 10-year veteran of the force who was an alum of a Catholic high school in the Wilmington Diocese.
The post Delaware law enforcement, governor, community mourn loss of trooper in fatal shooting first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Delaware, law, enforcement, governor, community, mourn, loss, trooper, fatal, shooting</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV highlights Gaza, Yemen, migrants in first Christmas Urbi et Orbi message</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-highlights-gaza-yemen-migrants-in-first-christmas-urbi-et-orbi-message</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-highlights-gaza-yemen-migrants-in-first-christmas-urbi-et-orbi-message</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV delivers his Christmas &quot;Urbi et Orbi&quot; message at the Vatican on December 25, 2025. / Daniel Ibañez/ EWTN News

Vatican City, Dec 25, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
In his first Christmas “Urbi et Orbi” message as pope, Leo XIV urged the world to embrace “responsibility” as the sure way to peace, while pointing in particular to the suffering of people in Gaza, Yemen, and those fleeing war and poverty as refugees and migrants.Before an estimated 26,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 25, the pope appeared at the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to deliver the traditional Christmas blessing “to the city and to the world,” eight months after his May 8 election.In one of the most evocative passages of the message, the pope cited at length from “Wildpeace,” a poem by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai, contrasting “the peace of a cease-fire” with a deeper peace that arrives unexpectedly — “like wildflowers” — after exhaustion and conflict.“Responsibility is the sure way to peace,” Leo said. “If all of us, at every level, would stop accusing others and instead acknowledge our own faults, asking God for forgiveness, and if we would truly enter into the suffering of others and stand in solidarity with the weak and the oppressed, then the world would change.”The pope framed his appeal around the Christian proclamation that Christ “is our peace,” adding: “Without a heart freed from sin, a heart that has been forgiven, we cannot be men and women of peace or builders of peace.”Turning to concrete “faces” of contemporary pain, Leo said that in becoming man, Jesus “took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent.”He also named those who have lost jobs, underpaid workers who are exploited, and prisoners “who often live in inhumane conditions.”Leo offered “a warm and fatherly greeting” to Christians, “especially those living in the Middle East,” recalling his recent trip to Turkey and Lebanon. “I listened to them as they expressed their fears and know well their sense of powerlessness before the power dynamics that overwhelm them,” he said.“From God let us ask for justice, peace and stability for Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Syria,” the pope continued, as he invoked Scripture on righteousness and peace.He also prayed “in a particular way for the tormented people of Ukraine,” asking that “the clamor of weapons cease,” and that the parties involved — “with the support and commitment of the international community” — find “the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue.”In a wider survey of global crises, the pope said: “From the Child of Bethlehem, we implore peace and consolation for the victims of all current wars in the world, especially those that are forgotten, and for those who suffer due to injustice, political instability, religious persecution and terrorism,” naming Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He prayed as well for Haiti, asking that “all forms of violence in the country will cease,” and called for a future of reconciliation for Myanmar.Leo also included a specific appeal for Latin America, asking that “the Child Jesus inspire those in Latin America who hold political responsibilities,” so that amid the region’s challenges “space may be given to dialogue for the common good, rather than to ideological and partisan prejudices.”He concluded by urging the faithful to open their hearts to those in need: “On this holy day, let us open our hearts to our brothers and sisters who are in need or in pain,” before offering “heartfelt good wishes for a peaceful and holy Christmas!”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, highlights, Gaza, Yemen, migrants, first, Christmas, Urbi, Orbi, message</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>PHOTOS: Pope Leo meets the tiniest members of the flock — babies</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/photos-pope-leo-meets-the-tiniest-members-of-the-flock-babies</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/photos-pope-leo-meets-the-tiniest-members-of-the-flock-babies</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV blesses a baby on All Saints Day’ 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Dec 25, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has welcomed and greeted a plethora of babies at the Vatican since his election on May 8. As Christians everywhere celebrate the birth of Jesus, who came into this world as a baby, it’s a perfect time to highlight many of these sweet “pontiff meets babies” moments.Pope Leo XIV holds a baby during an audience at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV blesses a baby during his general audience  in St. Peter’s Square on June 18, 2025, at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV greets a young attendee at a Pentecost prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Square, Saturday, June 7, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAPope Leo XIV blesses a baby during his Wednesday general audience on Aug. 6, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNAPope Leo XIV blesses a baby during his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Basilica on Aug. 13, 2025, at the Vatican. Due to the heat, the pope gave his address in Paul VI Audience Hall but also greeted pilgrims in other locations. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo meets a family at the general audience on Aug. 27, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo embraces a crying baby in St. Peter&#039;s Square on Sept. 6, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo ambraces a baby at his general audience on Aug. 27, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV blesses a baby during the general audience on Sept. 3, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV blesses a baby during his general audience on Sept. 24, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNAPope Leo XIV blesses a baby during his general audience on Sept. 24, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV greets a baby during his general audience on Sept. 24, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV blesses a baby during his jubilee audience on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV greets a family in Rome. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV greets a baby at his general audience in St. Peter&#039;s Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNAPope Leo XIV pauses to embrace a baby in the crowd during Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 12, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo greets young children and families in St. Peter&#039;s Basilica Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV greets a baby during his general audience in St. Peter&#039;s Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo blesses a baby on All Saints&#039; Day 2025. Credit: Vatican Media ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>PHOTOS:, Pope, Leo, meets, the, tiniest, members, the, flock, —, babies</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope, at Christmas Day Mass, says wars fed by falsehoods send young people to their deaths</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-at-christmas-day-mass-says-wars-fed-by-falsehoods-send-young-people-to-their-deaths</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-at-christmas-day-mass-says-wars-fed-by-falsehoods-send-young-people-to-their-deaths</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass in St. Peter&#039;s Basilica at the Vatican on December 25, 2025. / Daniel Ibañez/ EWTN News

Vatican City, Dec 25, 2025 / 06:35 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Christmas Day deplored the “falsehoods” used to justify wars that leave young people “forced to take up arms” and “sent to their deaths,” while also drawing attention to the humanitarian suffering of displaced people, including families living in tents in Gaza.In his first Christmas as pope, Leo celebrated Christmas Day Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, reviving a practice not seen since 1994 during the pontificate of St. John Paul II. Reflecting on the prologue of St. John’s Gospel, the pope said in his homily that the Christmas liturgy highlights a striking contrast: God’s Word, which acts with power, comes into the world in utter weakness.“The ‘Word’ is a word that acts,” Leo said. Yet, he added, “the Word of God appears but cannot speak. He comes to us as a newborn baby who can only cry and babble.”Leo said the mystery Christians celebrate at Christmas cannot be separated from the vulnerability of those whose dignity is assaulted by war, displacement, and poverty. He urged Catholics to let Christ’s birth pierce complacency and move them toward tenderness and solidarity.“‘Flesh’ is the radical nakedness that, in Bethlehem as on Calvary, remains even without words – just as so many brothers and sisters, stripped of their dignity and reduced to silence, have no words today,” he said.In one of the homily’s most striking passages, Leo connected the Gospel image of the Word “pitching” his tent among humanity with the reality faced by families living in makeshift shelters amid conflict.“Dear brothers and sisters, since the Word was made flesh, humanity now speaks, crying out with God’s own desire to encounter us. The Word has pitched his fragile tent among us,” he said, before asking: “How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold; and of those of so many other refugees and displaced persons on every continent; or of the makeshift shelters of thousands of homeless people in our own cities?”The pope also described the toll of war in terms of both shattered communities and wounded consciences.“Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds,” he said. “Fragile are the minds and lives of young people forced to take up arms, who on the front lines feel the senselessness of what is asked of them and the falsehoods that fill the pompous speeches of those who send them to their deaths.”Leo framed Christmas as a proclamation that peace is not merely a hope for the future but a gift already present in Christ, even when few recognize it. Quoting Jesus’ words to the disciples, he said: “‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you’ (Jn 14:27).”That peace, he said, begins not in rhetoric but in concrete compassion that listens, stays close, and responds to suffering.“When the fragility of others penetrates our hearts, when their pain shatters our rigid certainties, then peace has already begun,” he said. “The peace of God is born from a newborn’s cry that is welcomed, from weeping that is heard. It is born amidst ruins that call out for new forms of solidarity.”The pope warned that believers can bury what the Gospel calls “the power to become children of God” by keeping their distance from the vulnerable.“Becoming children of God is a true power – one that remains buried so long as we keep our distance from the cry of children and the frailty of the elderly, from the helpless silence of victims and the resigned melancholy of those who do the evil they do not want,” he said.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Christmas, Day, Mass, says, wars, fed, falsehoods, send, young, people, their, deaths</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Full text: Pope Leo XIV’s Christmas night homily</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/full-text-pope-leo-xivs-christmas-night-homily</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/full-text-pope-leo-xivs-christmas-night-homily</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV venerates a statue of the child Jesus during the celebration of Christmas Mass during the Night in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 24, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

Vatican City, Dec 24, 2025 / 17:31 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV celebrated Christmas Mass during the Night in St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday. The Mass was attended by an estimated 6,000 people inside the basilica, while around 5,000 people gathered outside in St. Peter&#039;s Square, according to the Vatican.Below is the full text of the pope’s Christmas night homily:Dear brothers and sisters,For millennia, across the earth, peoples have gazed up at the sky, giving names to the silent stars, and seeing images therein. In their imaginative yearning, they tried to read the future in the heavens, seeking on high for a truth that was absent below amidst their homes. Yet, as if grasping in the dark, they remained lost, confounded by their own oracles. On this night, however, “the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined” (Is 9:2).Behold the star that astonishes the world, a spark newly lit and blazing with life: “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Lk 2:11). Into time and space — in our midst — comes the One without whom we would not exist. He who gives his life for us lives among us, illuminating the night with his light of salvation. There is no darkness that this star does not illumine, for by its light all humanity beholds the dawn of a new and eternal life.It is the birth of Jesus, Emmanuel. In the Son made man, God gives us nothing less than his very self, in order to “redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own” (Titus 2:14). Born in the night is the One who redeems us from the night. The hint of the dawning day is no longer to be sought in the distant reaches of the cosmos, but by bending low, in the stable nearby.The clear sign given to a darkened world is indeed “a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger” (Lk 2:12). To find the Savior, one must not gaze upward, but look below: The omnipotence of God shines forth in the powerlessness of a newborn; the eloquence of the eternal Word resounds in an infant’s first cry; the holiness of the Spirit gleams in that small body, freshly washed and wrapped in swaddling clothes. The need for care and warmth becomes divine since the Son of the Father shares in history with all his brothers and sisters. The divine light radiating from this Child helps us to recognize humanity in every new life.To heal our blindness, the Lord chooses to reveal himself in each human being, who reflect his true image, according to a plan of love begun at the creation of the world. As long as the night of error obscures this providential truth, then “there is no room for others either, for children, for the poor, for the stranger” (Benedict XVI, Homily, Christmas Mass during the Night, 24 December 2012).These words of Pope Benedict XVI remain a timely reminder that on earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person. To refuse one is to refuse the other. Yet, where there is room for the human person, there is room for God; even a stable can become more sacred than a temple, and the womb of the Virgin Mary become the Ark of the New Covenant.Let us marvel, dear brothers and sisters, at the wisdom of Christmas. In the Child Jesus, God gives the world a new life: his own, offered for all. He does not give us a clever solution to every problem, but a love story that draws us in. In response to the expectations of peoples, he sends a child to be a word of hope. In the face of the suffering of the poor, he sends one who is defenseless to be the strength to rise again. Before violence and oppression, he kindles a gentle light that illumines with salvation all the children of this world. As St. Augustine observed, “human pride weighed you down so heavily that only divine humility could raise you up again” (St. Augustine, Sermon 188, III, 3). While a distorted economy leads us to treat human beings as mere merchandise, God becomes like us, revealing the infinite dignity of every person. While humanity seeks to become “god” in order to dominate others, God chooses to become man in order to free us from every form of slavery. Will this love be enough to change our history?The answer will come as soon as we wake up from a deadly night into the light of new life, and, like the shepherds, contemplate the child Jesus. Above the stable of Bethlehem, where Mary and Joseph watch over the newborn Child with hearts full of wonder, the starry sky is transformed into “a multitude of the heavenly host” (Lk 2:13). These are unarmed and disarming hosts, for they sing of the glory of God, of which peace on earth is the true manifestation (cf. v. 14). Indeed, in the heart of Christ beats the bond of love that unites heaven and earth, Creator and creatures.For this reason, exactly one year ago, Pope Francis affirmed that the Nativity of Jesus rekindles in us the “gift and task of bringing hope wherever hope has been lost,” because “with him, joy flourishes; with him, life changes; with him, hope does not disappoint” (Homily, Christmas Mass during the Night, 24 December 2024). With these words, the holy year began. Now, as the jubilee draws to a close, Christmas becomes for us a time of gratitude and mission; gratitude for the gift received, and mission to bear witness to it before the world. As the Psalmist sings: “Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all the peoples” (Ps 96:2–3).Brothers and sisters, contemplation of the Word made flesh awakens in the whole Church a new and true proclamation. Let us therefore announce the joy of Christmas, which is a feast of faith, charity, and hope. It is a feast of faith, because God becomes man, born of the Virgin. It is a feast of charity, because the gift of the redeeming Son is realized in fraternal self-giving. It is a feast of hope, because the child Jesus kindles it within us, making us messengers of peace. With these virtues in our hearts, unafraid of the night, we can go forth to meet the dawn of a new day. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Full, text:, Pope, Leo, XIV’s, Christmas, night, homily</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV on Christmas night: Make room for others</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-on-christmas-night-make-room-for-others</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-on-christmas-night-make-room-for-others</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV celebrates Christmas Mass during the Night in a packed St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 24, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

Vatican City, Dec 24, 2025 / 17:30 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV, at Christmas Mass during the Night, said Christ’s birth brings light into the world’s darkness — and where the human person is welcomed, God is welcomed too.“To enlighten our blindness, the Lord chose to reveal himself as a man to man, his true image, according to a plan of love that began with the creation of the world,” the pope said in his homily in St. Peter’s Basilica on Dec. 24.“As long as the night of error obscures this providential truth, then ‘there is no room for others either, for children, for the poor, for the stranger,’” he added, quoting Pope Benedict XVI’s homily at Christmas Mass on Dec. 24, 2012.“These words of Pope Benedict XVI remain a timely reminder that on earth, there is no room for God if there is no room for the human person,” the pontiff said.Leo celebrated the Christmas Mass, also known as midnight Mass, for a packed Vatican basilica at 10 p.m. The Vatican said an estimated 6,000 people were inside the basilica for the Mass, while another 5,000 people followed the papal Mass via jumbo screens in St. Peter’s Square.In a surprise before the Mass, the pope stepped outside St. Peter’s Basilica to greet those who were forced to stay in the rainy square because there was no more room inside.“The basilica of St. Peter’s is very large, but unfortunately it is not large enough to receive all of you,” Leo said, thanking everyone for their presence, wishing them a merry Christmas, and bestowing his apostolic blessing.Just now: Pope Leo surprised and blessed the crowd that could not get into St. Peter’s Basilica for tonight’s Christmas Eve Mass. “The basilica of St. Peter is very large, but unfortunately, it is not large enough to receive all of you. Tante grazie per venire qui questa sera.” pic.twitter.com/vMK1Zmibl8— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) December 24, 2025 The preparatory readings and the sung Proclamation of the Birth of Christ — also called the Kalenda Proclamation — preceded the Mass. The pontiff removed a cloth to reveal a wooden sculpture of the Christ Child, placed in front of the main altar of the basilica, after the chanting of the Kalenda Proclamation. A group of 10 children dressed in traditional clothing from different parts of the world brought flowers to the figure of baby Jesus.In his homily, the pope recalled that, “for millennia, across the earth, peoples have gazed up at the sky” attempting to read the future in the stars. Yet, they remained lost and in the dark, he said. “On this night, however, ‘the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light’ (Is 9:2).”“Born in the night is the One who redeems us from the night,” Leo said. “The hint of the dawning day is no longer to be sought in the distant reaches of the cosmos, but by bending low, in the stable nearby.Pope Leo invited Christians to marvel at the wisdom of Christmas, through which “God gives the world a new life: his own, offered for all.”“He does not give us a clever solution to every problem but a love story that draws us in. In response to the expectations of peoples, he sends a child to be a word of hope. In the face of the suffering of the poor, he sends one who is defenseless to be the strength to rise again. Before violence and oppression, he kindles a gentle light that illumines with salvation all the children of this world,” he said.The pontiff quoted a sermon of St. Augustine, who said “human pride weighed you down so heavily that only divine humility could raise you up again.”“While a distorted economy leads us to treat human beings as mere merchandise, God becomes like us, revealing the infinite dignity of every person,” Leo said. “While humanity seeks to become ‘god’ in order to dominate others, God chooses to become man in order to free us from every form of slavery. Will this love be enough to change our history?” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 28 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, Christmas, night:, Make, room, for, others</media:keywords>
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<title>Volotea replaces Ryanair as Spain&amp;apos;s Asturias airport regains international flights</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/volotea-replaces-ryanair-as-spains-asturias-airport-regains-international-flights</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/volotea-replaces-ryanair-as-spains-asturias-airport-regains-international-flights</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Air travel to and from the northern Spanish region of Asturias was due to be badly hit by Ryanair’s massive flight cuts, but Volotea has announced it will step in to replace some international routes and offer new ones in 2026. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Volotea, replaces, Ryanair, Spains, Asturias, airport, regains, international, flights</media:keywords>
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<title>Opposition claims Spain&amp;apos;s ruling Socialists in &amp;apos;irreversible decline&amp;apos;</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/opposition-claims-spains-ruling-socialists-in-irreversible-decline</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/opposition-claims-spains-ruling-socialists-in-irreversible-decline</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain&#039;s ruling Socialists are in &quot;irreversible decline&quot; after a bruising defeat in a regional election on the weekend, the country&#039;s conservative opposition said Monday. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Opposition, claims, Spains, ruling, Socialists, irreversible, decline</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>What to expect from travel in Spain over Christmas 2025</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/what-to-expect-from-travel-in-spain-over-christmas-2025</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/what-to-expect-from-travel-in-spain-over-christmas-2025</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year for travel in Spain. Here&#039;s what you need to be aware of, whether you&#039;re travelling by air, road or rail. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>What, expect, from, travel, Spain, over, Christmas, 2025</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>US Ambassador to Spain finally given green light to take up post</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/us-ambassador-to-spain-finally-given-green-light-to-take-up-post</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/us-ambassador-to-spain-finally-given-green-light-to-take-up-post</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It&#039;s been almost a year since US President Donald Trump announced that Benjamin León Jr. would be the new ambassador to Spain, but he has only just now been given the go-ahead to take up his post. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ambassador, Spain, finally, given, green, light, take, post</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope advances causes of Argentine businessman, Spanish martyrs</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-advances-causes-of-argentine-businessman-spanish-martyrs</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-advances-causes-of-argentine-businessman-spanish-martyrs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The pope also signed decrees recognizing the martyrdom of 11 Spaniards and the heroic virtues of three other candidates during an audience at the Vatican Dec. 18.
The post Pope advances causes of Argentine businessman, Spanish martyrs first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, advances, causes, Argentine, businessman, Spanish, martyrs</media:keywords>
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<title>Fundraiser by cancer survivor, third&#45;grade classmates brings Christmas joy to school, community</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/fundraiser-by-cancer-survivor-third-grade-classmates-brings-christmas-joy-to-school-community</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/fundraiser-by-cancer-survivor-third-grade-classmates-brings-christmas-joy-to-school-community</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Even though Hattie&#039;s cancer is in remission, she is at Children&#039;s frequently for blood tests to monitor the remission, which is in its seventh year.
The post Fundraiser by cancer survivor, third-grade classmates brings Christmas joy to school, community first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Fundraiser, cancer, survivor, third-grade, classmates, brings, Christmas, joy, school, community</media:keywords>
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<title>HHS proposes new regulatory actions to prohibit gender transition procedures for minors</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/hhs-proposes-new-regulatory-actions-to-prohibit-gender-transition-procedures-for-minors</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/hhs-proposes-new-regulatory-actions-to-prohibit-gender-transition-procedures-for-minors</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Dec. 18 announced new regulatory actions that would effectively ban certain types of medical or surgical gender reassignment procedures for minors who identify as transgender.
The post HHS proposes new regulatory actions to prohibit gender transition procedures for minors first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>HHS, proposes, new, regulatory, actions, prohibit, gender, transition, procedures, for, minors</media:keywords>
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<title>New archbishop ‘committed’ to immigration issues, accountability on abuse — and staying a Cubs fan</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/new-archbishop-committed-to-immigration-issues-accountability-on-abuse-and-staying-a-cubs-fan</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/new-archbishop-committed-to-immigration-issues-accountability-on-abuse-and-staying-a-cubs-fan</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;As a church, we can never rest in our efforts to prevent abuse, to protect children and to care for survivors.,&quot; says newly named New York archbishop.
The post New archbishop ‘committed’ to immigration issues, accountability on abuse — and staying a Cubs fan first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>New, archbishop, ‘committed’, immigration, issues, accountability, abuse, —, and, staying, Cubs, fan</media:keywords>
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<title>With Enrique Shaw on path to sainthood, Vatican confirms you can be a holy businessman</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/with-enrique-shaw-on-path-to-sainthood-vatican-confirms-you-can-be-a-holy-businessman</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/with-enrique-shaw-on-path-to-sainthood-vatican-confirms-you-can-be-a-holy-businessman</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ ROSARIO, Argentina (OSV News) — In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples that “it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for…
The post With Enrique Shaw on path to sainthood, Vatican confirms you can be a holy businessman first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>With, Enrique, Shaw, path, sainthood, Vatican, confirms, you, can, holy, businessman</media:keywords>
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<title>‘Seeking Beauty’ travel show with David Henrie premieres at Vatican</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/seeking-beauty-travel-show-with-david-henrie-premieres-at-vatican</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/seeking-beauty-travel-show-with-david-henrie-premieres-at-vatican</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Catholic actor and director David Henrie speaks with EWTN News after the first episode of his new travel show, “Seeking Beauty,” premiered at the Vatican’s movie theater on Dec. 15, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

Vatican City, Dec 16, 2025 / 10:45 am (CNA).
The first episode of a new travel show, hosted by Catholic actor and director David Henrie, premiered at the Vatican’s movie theater on Monday evening.“Seeking Beauty,” which will debut on EWTN’s free streaming platform EWTN+ on Jan. 19, 2026, is a series documenting Henrie’s exploration of the beauty of art and culture in six Italian cities.Henrie and executive producer Edmundo Reyes, with other crew members, were present for the airing of Episode 1 inside Vatican City on Dec. 15. The premiere was followed by a Q-and-A with Henrie, Reyes, and Peter Gagnon, president of EWTN Studios, moderated by Andreas Thonhauser, chief global officer of EWTN.“It’s a blessing to be able to play the show at the Vatican, which is where we [filmed] our first episode,” Henrie told EWTN News. “You can’t help but feel grateful, and feel like [it’s] a full-circle moment.”Catholic actor and director David Henrie shares just how much fun he had while filming his new travel show, &quot;Seeking Beauty,&quot; in Italy. ?The first episode premiered at the Vatican on Dec. 15, and will stream on EWTN+ (via Roku) starting Jan. 19. pic.twitter.com/4GtNvqKycn— Hannah Brockhaus (@HannahBrockhaus) December 16, 2025 In the first episode, Henrie speaks to a range of experts — including art historian Elizabeth Lev and artist Kelly Medford — to learn more about the Vatican Gardens, the Swiss Guard, St. Peter’s Basilica, and St. Peter’s Square.Reyes called it “such a special moment” to show the first episode of “Seeking Beauty” at the Vatican.“We can’t wait for people to see it,” he told EWTN News at the event. “I think it’s going to be a great, great evangelization tool.”Reyes, who had the original idea for the show, recalled visiting Spain with his family four years ago and how it was there he realized how many stories about art and faith have not been shared with a wider audience.“God put in my heart this desire … Let’s create a travel show that will be more than a travel show, that would help people encounter God through beauty,” he said.“What David has done is very special, because it’s not about going to places but retraining us or inviting us to contemplate and to look at beauty differently,” Reyes said during the Q-and-A. It’s about “God speaking to us through beauty, and not so much about, ‘Hey, here’s a cool place to visit and to put on your bucket list.’”The first episode of new travel show “Seeking Beauty” premiered at the Vatican’s movie theater on Dec. 15, 2025. It was followed by a Q-and-A with, from left, EWTN Studios President Peter Gagnon, series executive producer Edmundo Reyes, and series host David Henrie. Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNAThe series is produced by EWTN Studios in partnership with Digital Continent and in association with Novo Inspire and Sacred Arthouse.“Each episode is very unique … There’s so much there that can touch people in different ways,” Gagnon said.In Season 1, Henrie will also visit Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence, and Subiaco, a place connected to St. Benedict. Season 2 of “Seeking Beauty” recently wrapped filming in Spain.“I’m not an expert. You’re just seeing it through my eyes,” Henrie told EWTN News. “The thing that will make this accessible is that you’re not sitting down for a history lesson; it’s a travel show,” he said. “When my wife and I watch travel shows, we have a glass of wine, we hang out, we relax, we watch something. It’s easy consumption, but there’s some medicine under all the sugar.”Paola Flynn, Vatican correspondent for EWTN Noticias, contributed to this report. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘Seeking, Beauty’, travel, show, with, David, Henrie, premieres, Vatican</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope thankful for pro&#45;life Nativity scene that ‘represents a life preserved from abortion’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-thankful-for-pro-life-nativity-scene-that-represents-a-life-preserved-from-abortion</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-thankful-for-pro-life-nativity-scene-that-represents-a-life-preserved-from-abortion</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo admires the Nativity scene that was made in Costa Rica. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Dec 15, 2025 / 17:06 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Monday thanked Costa Rican artist Paula Sáenz Soto for donating a pro-life Nativity scene to the Vatican, named “Gaudium” (“Joy”), which features a pregnant Virgin Mary.“I thank the Costa Rican artist who, along with the message of peace of Christmas, also wanted to make an appeal for protecting life from conception,” the pope said during the audience he granted Dec. 15 to the delegations that prepared this year’s Christmas tree and Nativity scenes that will adorn the Vatican during the Christmas season.The artwork from the Central American country has been on display since Dec. 15 in the Pope Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican, the large hall where the pope is now holding his Wednesday general audiences so pilgrims don’t have to endure the cold temperatures of the Roman winter in St. Peter’s Square.In his address, the Holy Father alluded to its composition, mentioning the 28,000 colorful ribbons that symbolize lives saved thanks to the support provided by Catholic organizations to pregnant women in vulnerable situations.“The scene depicts a life saved from abortion thanks to prayer and the support provided by Catholic organizations to many mothers in difficult circumstances,” Pope Leo XIV noted.The decorations in St. Peter’s Square — which were unveiled Monday afternoon — have an Italian touch. The chosen tree comes from Val d’Ultimo, one of the most picturesque and lesser-known valleys of South Tyrol in Italy. Meanwhile, the Nativity scene in St. Peter’s Square comes from the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno, one of the oldest in Italy: Its origins date back to the third century, when Nuceria Alfaterna — the ancient Roman city in the Sarno Valley — already had an organized Christian community.“I thank you for this artistic work that incorporates characteristic elements of your territory,” the pope said, noting that this traditional Nativity scene includes a reproduction of the sixth-century baptistery of St. Mary Major Basilica, one of the best-preserved in the country.The pope emphasized that this work will be a reminder for pilgrims from all over the world that “God draws near to humanity, entering into our history in the vulnerability of a child.”“In the poverty of the cave in Bethlehem, we contemplate a mystery of humility and love,” the pope reflected. He also highlighted the figure of the Virgin Mary “as a model of adoring silence,” who treasures in her heart all that she has experienced, while the shepherds glorify God and share what they have seen and heard. In this regard, he emphasized the “need to seek moments of silence and prayer in our lives.”Regarding the Christmas tree, the pontiff said the large fir tree “is a sign of life and a reminder of the hope that does not fade even in the cold of winter.”The lights that adorn it, he added, symbolize “Christ, the light of the world,” who comes to “dispel the darkness and guide our path.” In addition to the large fir tree, the forests of South Tyrol have also donated other smaller trees to the Vatican, intended for offices, public spaces, and various areas of Vatican City.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, thankful, for, pro-life, Nativity, scene, that, ‘represents, life, preserved, from, abortion’</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo XIV condemns attack on Sydney’s Jewish community, prays for victims</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-condemns-attack-on-sydneys-jewish-community-prays-for-victims</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-condemns-attack-on-sydneys-jewish-community-prays-for-victims</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV gives his apostolic blessing at the end of the general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Nov. 12, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

Vatican City, Dec 15, 2025 / 07:48 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Monday condemned a deadly attack on the Jewish community in Sydney and entrusted the victims to God in prayer.“Today I wish to entrust to the Lord the victims of the terrorist attack carried out yesterday in Sydney against the Jewish community,” the pope said Dec. 15, referring to a shooting during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach that left at least 15 people dead and some 40 others injured.The Holy Father expressed his spiritual closeness to those affected by the violence, which occurred as more than 1,000 people had gathered to mark the start of Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Lights — one of the most important celebrations in the Jewish calendar.According to local media reports, two armed assailants opened fire on the crowd, sparking panic and a mass flight toward the beach and nearby businesses. One attacker was killed during the police response, while the second remains in critical condition. Authorities are investigating possible links between the attackers and a jihadist terrorist organization. Among the victims were a child and a Holocaust survivor.The pope made his remarks during a Vatican audience with delegations that donated this year’s Christmas tree and Nativity scenes for St. Peter’s Square and the Paul VI Audience Hall. During the same encounter, Leo also reflected on the meaning of Christmas, urging the faithful to “let the tenderness of the Child Jesus illuminate our lives.”Catholic leaders in Australia also responded with prayer and a strong condemnation of antisemitism. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney called for prayer and invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary in the immediate aftermath of the Dec. 14 shooting.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, condemns, attack, Sydney’s, Jewish, community, prays, for, victims</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo XIV voices concern over renewed fighting in eastern Congo, urges dialogue</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-voices-concern-over-renewed-fighting-in-eastern-congo-urges-dialogue</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-voices-concern-over-renewed-fighting-in-eastern-congo-urges-dialogue</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the Angelus on Dec. 14, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Dec 14, 2025 / 08:05 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday voiced deep concern over renewed fighting in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, urging an immediate end to violence and a return to dialogue in line with ongoing peace efforts.After leading pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square in praying the Angelus on the third Sunday of Advent, the pope said he was “following with deep concern the resumption of fighting in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.”“While expressing my closeness to the people, I urge the parties in the conflict to cease all forms of violence and to seek constructive dialogue, respecting the ongoing peace process,” he said.The pope’s appeal came amid reports of intensified clashes involving the M23 rebel group in the mineral-rich eastern region, despite a recently signed peace agreement between Congolese and Rwandan leaders.Pope Leo also recalled recent beatifications of martyrs in Spain and France, praising their fidelity to the faith amid persecution. “Let us praise the Lord for these martyrs, courageous witnesses to the Gospel, persecuted and killed for remaining close to their people and faithful to the Church,” he said.Earlier, in his catechesis before leading the Angelus, Pope Leo reflected on the Gospel reading for the third Sunday of Advent, which presents John the Baptist imprisoned for his preaching yet still seeking the truth about Jesus.From prison, John hears “about the works of Christ” and sends his disciples to ask whether Jesus is truly the one who is to come, the pope noted. Jesus’ response, he said, points not to abstract claims but to concrete signs.“Christ announces who he is by what he does. And what he does is a sign of salvation for all of us,” Pope Leo said. Encountering Jesus, he explained, restores meaning to lives marked by darkness and suffering: “The blind see, the mute speak, the deaf hear… Even the dead, who are completely lifeless, come back to life. This is the Gospel of Jesus, the good news proclaimed to the poor.”“The words of Jesus free us from the prison of despair and suffering,” the pope said, adding that Christ “gives voice to the oppressed and to those whose voices have been silenced by violence and hatred” and “defeats ideologies that make us deaf to the truth.”Concluding his reflection, Pope Leo said that Advent calls Christians to unite their expectation of the Savior with attentiveness to God’s action in the world. “Then we will be able to experience the joy of freedom in encountering our Savior,” he said, echoing the Church’s celebration of Gaudete 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. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, voices, concern, over, renewed, fighting, eastern, Congo, urges, dialogue</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>With special permission, prisoners travel to Rome for the jubilee</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/with-special-permission-prisoners-travel-to-rome-for-the-jubilee</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/with-special-permission-prisoners-travel-to-rome-for-the-jubilee</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV presides at the jubilee Mass for prisoners on Dec. 14, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 16, 2025 / 15:11 pm (CNA).
The last major event of the Jubilee of Hope was dedicated to prisoners around the world, some of whom during the past weekend were able to experience freedom and fulfill a dream: to go see Pope Leo XIV.Víctor Aguado, director of prison ministry in Valencia, Spain, accompanied a group of prisoners to the Eternal City, many of whom had spent more than 12 years behind bars. Thanks to special permission, they were able to travel and become living witnesses that “hope breaks down walls and that dignity cannot be taken away.”In a conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Aguado recounted the details of the “intense, emotional, and spiritual” trip that will forever mark the lives of the men and women who have been incarcerated. The group was composed of a total of 13 people from Valencia, including prisoners, volunteers, and the chaplain. Six of them were inmates in the second and third degree of the prison system — regimens that combine incarceration with controlled outings — so they had to obtain a series of permits from the Treatment Board, the General Secretariat, and the Oversight Institutions. “It was a long bureaucratic process, but we didn’t have any problems,” Aguado explained.He explained that they selected the prisoners they have known for a long time. Those in the third degree of the prison system enjoy a semi-release regimen and live in halfway houses, while those in the second degree usually go to workshops and cooperate with everything the prison ministry proposes. “They are people of faith who attend Mass, and we knew that, given their situation and attitude, they needed this and wouldn’t turn it down,” he commented.&quot;With the pilgrimage, the prisoners assumed a new responsibility and embarked on a new path.&quot; Credit: Photo courtesy of Víctor Aguado“They wanted to be very well prepared, free of burdens, and participate in Sunday Mass completely cleansed and at peace with themselves,” said Aguado, who also highlighted their passing through the Holy Door as one of the most emotional moments of the jubilee. “With the pilgrimage, the prisoners assumed a new responsibility and a new path, a new life, and the feeling that now they have to do things right.”He also highlighted their excitement at seeing the pope, since for them “he is the representation of the Lord on earth.” The Sunday Mass with the Holy Father, Aguado explained, was “very simple, and although it was in Italian, it was perfectly understandable.”“Hope goes beyond, it breaks down walls wherever it may be, and the dignity of people cannot be taken away, and that is what they conveyed during the three days we were in Rome. These were very intensely personal experiences, and we could feel their joy; everyone had a look of peace,” he noted.For Aguado — who has been working with prisoners for 14 years — the fact that this event closed the Jubilee of Hope is no mere coincidence. “The world of prisons is not visible, and in some way we must begin to consider that people who have been judged eventually get out and have to reintegrate into normal life, and that depends on society.”“We know that the Lord forgives everything, so who are we to not forgive these people and keep on stigmatizing them? They are called ex-convicts, but they are nothing more than persons, with all their dignity and freedom,” he affirmed.Although he assured that the Lord “is always with them and walks with them,” he emphasized the urgency of recognizing the prisoners as living members of the Church and appealed to the responsibility of every Christian: “Sometimes we take the works of mercy for granted, but we don’t always put them into practice. The Lord challenges us: ‘I was in prison,’ and the question remains the same: ‘Did you come to see me?’”There are many lives that need to be rescuedThe Italian priest Father Raffaele Grimaldi, who left his chaplaincy at the Secondigliano prison in Naples — where he served the inmates for 23 years — to coordinate the 230 priests who minister to the nearly 62,000 detainees throughout Italy, also participated in this historic jubilee.Speaking to ACI Prensa, he noted that the event “is a strong reminder that the Church wants to bring God’s love and mercy to prisons, who goes in search of those who are lost.”Father Raffaele Grimaldi, center, with volunteers from Italian prisons at the Jubilee of Prisoners. Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Raffaele GrimaldiAccording to Grimaldi, this jubilee “has brought to light the most difficult situations we are experiencing in our prisons and the plight of the prisoners” including overcrowding, lack of resources, suicides, neglect, and “above all, the lack of acceptance from society.”The priest brought some prisoners from different Italian prisons before Pope Leo XIV, especially young people and one man sentenced to life in prison. “It was a moment of great joy for them,” he commented.“Every prisoner needs to constantly hear a word of mercy: from people who do not judge, who do not point fingers, who do not condemn, but who embrace,” he stated.He also emphasized that this jubilee has not been an isolated event, since throughout the year there has been spiritual preparation in the correctional facilities, where “proclaiming hope is a powerful message that resonates deeply in the hearts of all.”Grimaldi admitted that these individuals have “made mistakes” and are serving a sentence for them; however, he urged people to “reach out to them so that they can take up their lives again and change,” with justice accompanied by mercy, “so that justice itself does not become vengeance.”During his years of service in the prisons, he said he has encountered many people who have traveled on a beautiful spiritual journey, “like a young Albanian man who received the sacrament of baptism on Dec. 12.”“This makes us understand that in our prisons there are many lives that need to be rescued and helped, because if these opportunities don’t exist, the prisoner dies inside, and we also kill the hope that is in their heart.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 19 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>With, special, permission, prisoners, travel, Rome, for, the, jubilee</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>The little&#45;known agreement that sets Europe&amp;apos;s citizenship guidelines</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/the-little-known-agreement-that-sets-europes-citizenship-guidelines</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/the-little-known-agreement-that-sets-europes-citizenship-guidelines</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ An important but hardly-known international agreement signed by 29 European countries has established common principles for citizenship rules, rights and duties associated to multiple citizenship, explains Claudia Delpero. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, little-known, agreement, that, sets, Europes, citizenship, guidelines</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>&amp;apos;I feel alienated&amp;apos;: American dual nationals in Europe ready to renounce citizenship</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/i-feel-alienated-american-dual-nationals-in-europe-ready-to-renounce-citizenship</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/i-feel-alienated-american-dual-nationals-in-europe-ready-to-renounce-citizenship</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Dual-national American readers across Europe say they would give up their US passports to stay European if they were forced to, with many citing political disillusionment, fears for safety, and the feeling of belonging to their adopted country. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>feel, alienated:, American, dual, nationals, Europe, ready, renounce, citizenship</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Inside Spain: A country of singletons, old mums and frozen eggs</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-a-country-of-singletons-old-mums-and-frozen-eggs</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-a-country-of-singletons-old-mums-and-frozen-eggs</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In this week&#039;s Inside Spain, we look at how attitudes towards relationships, marriage and childbearing are changing quickly in a country where &quot;structural infertility&quot; is rife. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Inside, Spain:, country, singletons, old, mums, and, frozen, eggs</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Spain urges EU to keep combustion&#45;engine ban as rethink on the cards</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-urges-eu-to-keep-combustion-engine-ban-as-rethink-on-the-cards</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-urges-eu-to-keep-combustion-engine-ban-as-rethink-on-the-cards</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain urged the EU to keep a 2035 ban on new petrol cars, a letter showed Friday, as Brussels looked set to replace it with a less ambitious 90-percent emission-reduction target. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, urges, keep, combustion-engine, ban, rethink, the, cards</media:keywords>
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<title>Spain&amp;apos;s ruling Socialists face sex scandal fallout among women voters</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spains-ruling-socialists-face-sex-scandal-fallout-among-women-voters</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spains-ruling-socialists-face-sex-scandal-fallout-among-women-voters</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain&#039;s ruling Socialist party is facing sexual misconduct and prostitution allegations that threaten its reputation as a champion of gender equality, putting its crucial base of women voters at risk. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 14 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spains, ruling, Socialists, face, sex, scandal, fallout, among, women, voters</media:keywords>
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<title>Dialogue, diplomacy can lead to just, lasting peace in Ukraine, pope says</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/dialogue-diplomacy-can-lead-to-just-lasting-peace-in-ukraine-pope-says</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/dialogue-diplomacy-can-lead-to-just-lasting-peace-in-ukraine-pope-says</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Pope Leo XIV reiterated the importance of dialogue and his hopes for a just and lasting peace in the region.
The post Dialogue, diplomacy can lead to just, lasting peace in Ukraine, pope says first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Dialogue, diplomacy, can, lead, just, lasting, peace, Ukraine, pope, says</media:keywords>
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<title>Vatican yearbook goes online</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-yearbook-goes-online</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-yearbook-goes-online</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Vatican&#039;s fat red yearbook, known as the Annuario Pontificio, will now be available and updated regularly on an app and online.
The post Vatican yearbook goes online first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vatican, yearbook, goes, online</media:keywords>
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<title>Archbishop Hebda sees ‘a great sign of hope that Jesus is in’ Minneapolis church</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/archbishop-hebda-sees-a-great-sign-of-hope-that-jesus-is-in-minneapolis-church</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/archbishop-hebda-sees-a-great-sign-of-hope-that-jesus-is-in-minneapolis-church</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The archbishop spoke in the hours after a special Mass and rite of reparation that restored the church for worship.
The post Archbishop Hebda sees ‘a great sign of hope that Jesus is in’ Minneapolis church first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Archbishop, Hebda, sees, ‘a, great, sign, hope, that, Jesus, in’, Minneapolis, church</media:keywords>
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<title>Boston Archdiocese tells church to remove ICE message from Nativity, but pastor refuses for now</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/boston-archdiocese-tells-church-to-remove-ice-message-from-nativity-but-pastor-refuses-for-now</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/boston-archdiocese-tells-church-to-remove-ice-message-from-nativity-but-pastor-refuses-for-now</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;The people of God have the right to expect that, when they come to church, they will encounter genuine opportunities for prayer and Catholic worship -- not divisive political messaging,&quot; the statement said.
The post Boston Archdiocese tells church to remove ICE message from Nativity, but pastor refuses for now first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Boston, Archdiocese, tells, church, remove, ICE, message, from, Nativity, but, pastor, refuses, for, now</media:keywords>
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<title>White House rejects call from key pro&#45;life group to fire FDA commissioner</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/white-house-rejects-call-from-key-pro-life-group-to-fire-fda-commissioner</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/white-house-rejects-call-from-key-pro-life-group-to-fire-fda-commissioner</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ &quot;The FDA is doing nothing while every single day abortion drugs take the lives of children, put women and girls at serious risk.&quot;
The post White House rejects call from key pro-life group to fire FDA commissioner first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://www.osvnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/useuptop20251209T1638-SBA-PRO-LIFE-AMERICA-MAKARY-FDA-1809276.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>White, House, rejects, call, from, key, pro-life, group, fire, FDA, commissioner</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo reveals Mideast peace talks with Trump, Netanyahu, other regional players</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-reveals-mideast-peace-talks-with-trump-netanyahu-other-regional-players</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-reveals-mideast-peace-talks-with-trump-netanyahu-other-regional-players</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV speaks with reporters on his flight from Beirut to Rome on Dec. 2, 2025. / Credit: Elias Turk/EWTN

Rome, Italy, Dec 2, 2025 / 11:30 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has begun conversations with U.S. President Donald Trump and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the need to halt violence and seek solutions in the Middle East, the pope told journalists on his Tuesday flight from Beirut to Rome.The wide-ranging news conference also touched on Ukraine, the Catholic Church in Germany, and Leo’s own election as pope, among other topics.In response to a question referring to Hezbollah, an Iran-backed political party and militia that holds significant influence in Lebanon, the pope said that during the trip he also held personal meetings with representatives of unnamed political groups involved in regional conflicts. “Our work is not something we announce publicly,” he said. “We try to convince the parties to put down the arms and violence and come together to the table of dialogue.” Leo also addressed concerns about Islam in Europe, saying fear is often “generated by people who are against immigration.” He said the Middle East offers an alternative model. “One of the great lessons that Lebanon can teach to the world,” he said, “is showing a land where Islam and Christianity are both present and respected, and where there is a possibility to live together.”On Ukraine, Leo repeated his appeal for a ceasefire. He acknowledged that the United States is seeking to promote a peace plan, but “the presence of Europe is important,” noting that the administration in Washington modified its first proposal after European concerns. He suggested that Italy could play “a very important role” as an intermediary.Asked about his own election, he said he had once imagined retiring. He affirmed his commitment to conclave secrecy but recalled telling a reporter the day before his election that “everything is in the hands of God.” When the reality of the vote became clear, he said, “I took a deep breath. I said, here we go, Lord, you are in charge.” Leo added that he is often amused by journalists’ interpretations of his expressions. “You think you can read my mind or my face,” he joked, “and you are not always correct.”Leo said he hopes his next trip will be to somewhere in Africa and said he wants eventually to go to Algeria to visit sites associated with St. Augustine and continue building bridges with Muslims. He said he would also like to visit Argentina and Uruguay, which have been waiting for a papal visit. He added that other Latin American countries, including Peru, are being considered, but “nothing is confirmed.”On Venezuela, Leo said the Holy See is working with the national bishops’ conference and the nuncio to calm tensions after recent threats from the United States. “We are looking for ways to calm the situation,” he said, “seeking above all the good of the people, because so often those who suffer are the people, not the authorities.”Responding to a question about the German Church’s Synodal Way, a controversial series of meetings of bishops and laity that have proposed major changes to Catholic doctrine and governance, Leo noted concerns among many German Catholics that “certain aspects of the Synodal Way … do not represent their own hope for the Church.” He stressed the need for “dialogue and listening … so that the voice of those who are more powerful does not silence or stifle” others. “I suspect there will be some adjustments made on both sides in Germany, but I’m certainly hopeful that things will work out positively,” Leo said. He added that the ongoing meetings between German bishops and the Roman Curia aim “to try and make sure that the German Synodal Way does not, if you will, break away from what needs to be considered as the pathway of the universal Church.”Asked what the Middle Eastern Church can offer the West, Leo reflected on the value of unity in an individualistic age. “Young people ask, why should I want to be one?” he said. “But unity, friendship, human relationships, communion are extremely important and extremely valuable.” Recalling the testimony of Christians and Muslims who helped one another after their villages were destroyed, he said such gestures show how “authentic peace and justice” can take root when people overcome distrust.In response to a question about how he is learning to be pope, Leo recommended a book that he said has shaped his own life by the 17th-century Carmelite friar known as Brother Lawrence. “If you want to know something about me,” he said, “read ‘The Practice of the Presence of God.’ It describes a way of prayer where one simply gives his life to the Lord and allows the Lord to lead. That has been my spirituality for many years.” ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, reveals, Mideast, peace, talks, with, Trump, Netanyahu, other, regional, players</media:keywords>
</item>

<item>
<title>The kitchen friar’s book that inspires Pope Leo’s spirituality</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/the-kitchen-friars-book-that-inspires-pope-leos-spirituality</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/the-kitchen-friars-book-that-inspires-pope-leos-spirituality</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV speaks with reporters on his flight from Beirut to Rome on Dec. 2, 2025. / Credit: Elias Turk/EWTN

CNA Staff, Dec 3, 2025 / 18:21 pm (CNA).
On the papal plane on the way home from his first international trip, Pope Leo XIV referenced a book that has greatly influenced his spirituality after being asked by a journalist about the conclave and what it’s been like becoming the pope.“Besides St. Augustine,” Pope Leo said that “The Practice of the Presence of God” by a 17th-century Carmelite friar named Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection is a book that can help anyone to understand his spirituality.“It’s a very simple book by someone who doesn’t even give his last name,” the pope told journalists on the papal plane Dec. 2. “I read it many years ago, but it describes a type of prayer and spirituality where one simply gives his life to the Lord and allows the Lord to lead.”“And if you want to know something about me, that’s been my spirituality for many years, in midst of great challenges — living in Peru, during years of terrorism, being called to service in places where I never thought I would be called to serve to — I trust in God, and that message is something that I share with all people,” he continued. After being asked what it was like for him during the conclave, Pope Leo mentioned the book and said: “I resigned myself to the fact, when I saw how things were going, [that] this could be a reality.” “I took a deep breath. I said, here we go. Lord, you’re in charge, and you lead the way,” he said. Who was Brother Lawrence?“The Practice of the Presence of God” is a collection of Brother Lawrence’s teachings — memorialized in about 30 pages of letters and records of his conversations. Though Brother Lawrence was virtually unknown in life, Father Joseph de Beaufort compiled his wisdom into a pamphlet published soon after his death in 1691. The book is now beloved by Catholics and Protestants alike. In his writings, Brother Lawrence presents a spirituality that involves being constantly in contact with God, being accompanied by him in all things — from cooking to shoe repair. Before he was Brother Lawrence, Nicholas Herman was a soldier during the Thirty Years’ War. Because of a wartime injury, his leg impaired his movement and caused him constant pain for life. But as a young adult, he had a vision of Christ that would inspire him for the rest of his life; or, as de Beaufort recalled: “which has never since been effaced from his soul.”He went on to join the Discalced Carmelite Prior in Paris, doing humble work as a cook, and eventually working in the sandal repair shop as well.  Brother Lawrence believed that little things could please God just as much as great things. “We ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work but the love with which it is performed,” he taught.Amid the busy environment of a kitchen serving about 100 people, he still connected with God. In one recorded conversation, de Beaufort recalled Brother Lawrence saying that “the time of business … does not with me differ from the time of prayer.”“And in the noise and clutter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess GOD in as great tranquillity as if I were upon my knees at the Blessed Sacrament,” he continued. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/whatsapp-image-2025-12-02-at-3.58.59-pm.jpeg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>The, kitchen, friar’s, book, that, inspires, Pope, Leo’s, spirituality</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Powerful moments from Pope Leo XIV’s trip to Turkey and Lebanon</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/powerful-moments-from-pope-leo-xivs-trip-to-turkey-and-lebanon</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/powerful-moments-from-pope-leo-xivs-trip-to-turkey-and-lebanon</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV interacts with a baby before celebrating Mass in Beirut, Lebanon, on Dec. 2, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Dec 2, 2025 / 17:34 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV’s first official papal trip from Nov. 27–Dec. 2 to Turkey and Lebanon has just ended. The wide-ranging international visit included historic ecumenical encounters, deeply symbolic gestures of prayer, and pastoral visits to Christian communities under pressure. Pope Leo highlighted the importance of unity, peace, and fraternity, and brought encouragement to a region marked by ancient faith and present suffering.Here are some of the most powerful moments from Pope Leo’s trip:TurkeyUpon landing at the Esenboğa International Airport in Ankara, Turkey, Pope Leo was greeted by Turkish authorities and members of the military. Outside of the Presidential Palace, the pontiff  was welcomed by a cavalry escort, the playing of the national anthems, and 21 cannon shots.null The pope commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea on Nov. 28 alongside Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and other Christian leaders in the Turkish city of Iznik, southeast of Istanbul, the site of the Council of Nicaea, historically known as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed.The ecumenical prayer service took place at the archaeological excavations of the ancient Basilica of St. Neophytus, built in 380 at the site of the first Christian ecumenical council, which was convened by Emperor Constantine I in 325.null While in Istanbul, Pope Leo visited the Nursing Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, telling the community that Christian charity begins not with doing but with being — i.e., living a real communion with those one serves.Pope Leo XIV visits a care home for the elderly run by a community of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaLater that day, Pope Leo met the “little flock” of Catholics at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul. Catholics in Turkey make up roughly just 0.05% of the country’s 85 million people. The pope encouraged them to rediscover what he called the Gospel’s “logic of littleness” and not to be discouraged by their tiny numbers but to recognize in them the strength of authentic Christian witness.null In another touching moment at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul, a young child eagerly awaited and received the blessing of the Holy Father:null Pope Leo and Patriarch Bartholomew I gave a joint ecumenical blessing from the balcony of the patriarchate following the Orthodox Divine Liturgy on Nov. 30. The joint blessing recalls the fraternity and communion between the Church of Rome and the Church of Constantinople.Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I give a joint blessing from the balcony of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul, Turkey, following an Orthodox Divine Liturgy on Nov. 30, 2025. Credit: Elias Turk/EWTN NewsLebanonAhead of his second day in Lebanon, a stunning rainbow appeared over the Port of Beirut, the site of the explosion that devastated the area in 2020.This morning, a stunning rainbow over the Port of Beirut opened the second day of Pope Leo’s visit to Lebanon. The pope will pray at the site of the explosion that devastated this area in 2020. What a beautiful sign of peace and hope.?Magdalena Wolińska-Riedi / EWTN News pic.twitter.com/DKqS9pclSg— EWTN News (@EWTNews) December 1, 2025 Pope Leo XIV became the first pope in history to visit the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf when he arrived at the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya on the second day of his apostolic journey to Lebanon.Pope Leo XIV reflects on the enduring message of St. Charbel Makhlouf at the hermit&#039;s tomb at the Monastery of St. Maron, in Annaya, Lebanon, on Dec. 1, 2025. Credit: Vatican Medianull In another beautiful moment, Pope Leo gave a Golden Rose to the Virgin Mary during his visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, Lebanon.Pope Leo XIV presents a Golden Rose to Mary at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, Lebanon, on Dec. 1, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaA little girl proudly showed off a rosary given to her by Pope Leo during the pope’s meeting with bishops, clergy, and religious at the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa.null On the final morning of his trip to Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV paused before the ruins of the Beirut port explosion, praying in silence and placing a wreath in memory of the victims. In one of the most emotional moments of his trip, he also met family members of those killed and survivors still carrying the wounds of the Aug. 4, 2020, blast.Five years after the explosion, one of the largest nonnuclear blasts in history, families of the 236 people killed and more than 7,000 wounded say they are still waiting for truth and accountability.Pope Leo XIV prays in silence at the site of the 2020 port explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: AIGAV PoolPope Leo XIV greets a young child at the site of the Aug. 4, 2020, blast at the Port of Beirut on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaPope Leo XIV prayed in silence at the Port of Beirut, where an explosion in 2020 left hundreds of victims. He stopped before the monument honoring the dead, amid the debris that still remains, to lay a wreath of flowers and light a candle. pic.twitter.com/asEbtchn7R— EWTN Vatican (@EWTNVatican) December 2, 2025 After visiting the site of the explosion, Pope Leo celebrated Mass for an estimated 150,000 people at the Beirut Waterfront. Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for an estimated 150,000 people at Beirut&#039;s Waterfront in Lebanon, on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaWhile visiting the De La Croix Hospital in Jal el Dib, north of Beirut, Pope Leo also spent time in the Saint-Dominique wing, where children with severe physical and mental disabilities are cared for, and blessed the children.Pope Leo XIV blesses a child at the De La Croix Hospital for the mentally disabled in Jal el Dib, north of Beirut, Lebanon, on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: Vatican MediaFrom there, Pope Leo boarded the papal plane for Rome, telling the Lebanese people: “Leaving this land means carrying you in my heart.”Pope Leo XIV waves goodbye to those in attendance at a farewell ceremony at the International Airport of Beirut in Lebanon on Dec. 2, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<title>Leo XIV eliminates commission for donations to Holy See created by Pope Francis</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/leo-xiv-eliminates-commission-for-donations-to-holy-see-created-by-pope-francis</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/leo-xiv-eliminates-commission-for-donations-to-holy-see-created-by-pope-francis</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ null / Credit: Yury Dmitrienko/Shutterstock

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 4, 2025 / 16:07 pm (CNA).
The Vatican announced on Dec. 4 a new decision by Pope Leo XIV regarding fundraising for the Holy See.Through the new chirograph Vinculum Unitatis et Caritatis, the Holy Father is eliminating the current Commissio de Donationibus (Donations Commission) structure created in February by Pope Francis to raise funds, which was approved “ad experimentum” (for temporary or provisional use) for three years.This commission was tasked with encouraging donations through specific campaigns among the faithful, bishops’ conferences, and other potential benefactors.The pontiff thus repealed the rules in force until now and established that they will no longer have “any canonical or legal force,” as well as any acts adopted up to this point. Furthermore, Pope Leo XIV decreed that all the commission’s assets must be transferred to the Holy See.By means of this decree, the members of the commission are immediately dismissed. The commission was composed of Monsignor Roberto Campisi, adviser for general affairs of the Secretariat of State, who chaired it; Archbishop Flavio Pace, secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; Alessandra Smerilli, secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; Sister Silvana Piro, undersecretary of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See; and Giuseppe Puglisi-Alibrandi, deputy secretary-general of the Governorate of Vatican City State.The decision of Leo XIV comes after consulting with experts in the field and following the recommendations of the Council for the Economy, with the aim of strengthening administrative efficiency in the financial management of the Holy See.The liquidation of the former commission will be managed by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, while the Secretariat for the Economy will resolve any outstanding issues and must keep the Council for the Economy informed of all actions taken in this regard.The Holy Father also ordered the creation of a new working group tasked with designing a renewed and more suitable model for fundraising, whose members will be proposed by the Council for the Economy. This measure takes effect immediately upon its publication in L’Osservatore Romano.On Nov. 26, Pope Leo XIV also made an adjustment to the reforms undertaken by his predecessor with a new decree to revise the financial and administrative rules governing the basilicas of St. Peter and St. Mary Major.The pontiff placed both institutions under the ordinary supervision of the Vatican’s Council for the Economy, emphasizing that the economic and financial reform of the Holy See requires a “periodic reevaluation and redefinition” of the regulatory framework.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<title>Vatican commission rejects female diaconate, although without a ‘definitive judgment’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-commission-rejects-female-diaconate-although-without-a-definitive-judgment</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-commission-rejects-female-diaconate-although-without-a-definitive-judgment</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. / Credit: Xosema (CC BY-SA 4.0)

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 4, 2025 / 13:37 pm (CNA).
The Vatican published on Dec. 4 the summary of the work carried out by the commissions studying the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate, presented to Pope Leo XIV by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi.Petrocchi, the president of the Study Commission on the Female Diaconate created by Pope Francis, stated that — with seven votes in favor and one against — the possibility of admitting women to the diaconate as a degree of the sacrament of holy orders is ruled out.However, he emphasized that for the moment it is not possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.”Historical investigation into so-called ‘deaconesses’This second working session — following the one held in 2021 — ended last February, and the conclusions were presented on Sept. 18 to Pope Leo XIV, who ordered that they be made public on Dec. 4.In a seven-page document, the cardinal stated that, based on a historical investigation, the commissions agree that the so-called “deaconesses” existed in the history of the Church but with diverse functions and not equivalent to the male diaconate.Petrocchi emphasized that this question cannot be resolved solely with historical data and that, ultimately, it is up to the magisterium to issue a doctrinal judgment.Following the Synod on Synodality, everyone who wished to do so was invited to submit their contributions on the topic. The cardinal revealed that “although numerous submissions were received, the individuals or groups who sent their work numbered only 22 and represented only a few countries.”“Therefore, although the material is abundant and, in some cases, skillfully argued, it cannot be considered the voice of the synod, much less of the people of God as a whole,” he noted.Christ is male and the sex of those who receive ordinationAlthough there is not enough consensus to admit women to the diaconate, the votes show divided positions, with a clear tendency to maintain caution in this regard.On the one hand, those who support the female diaconate argue for “the equal status of men and women as images of God,” while those who are against it recall “the fact that Christ is male, and therefore that those who receive ordination are male is not accidental but is an integral part of the sacramental identity, preserving the divine order of salvation in Christ.”For those who oppose it, “altering this reality would not be a simple adjustment of the ministry but a rupture of the nuptial meaning of salvation.”Despite the lack of consensus surrounding the diaconate, there is unanimity on the need to expand the ministries instituted for women, further exploring the “baptismal diaconate” (every baptized person’s call to serve) and promoting greater female co-responsibility in the life of the Church. Petrocchi concluded by recommending that Pope Leo XIV follow a line of doctrinal prudence in his discernment as well as continue the theological study of the diaconate and, at the same time, open new ministerial spaces for women without resorting to sacramental ordination.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<title>Tapas for dummies: How to prepare a fast and easy Spanish feast</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/tapas-for-dummies-how-to-prepare-a-fast-and-easy-spanish-feast</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/tapas-for-dummies-how-to-prepare-a-fast-and-easy-spanish-feast</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Do you have some unexpected guests or want to impress visitors from abroad? Here&#039;s how to create an authentic Spanish tapas feast with minimal effort. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tapas, for, dummies:, How, prepare, fast, and, easy, Spanish, feast</media:keywords>
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<title>Spanish star Rosalía to go on world tour in 2026</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spanish-star-rosalia-to-go-on-world-tour-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spanish-star-rosalia-to-go-on-world-tour-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spanish star Rosalía on Thursday announced 2026 world tour dates for her critically acclaimed new album &quot;Lux&quot;, with shows across Europe, the United States and Latin America. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spanish, star, Rosalía, world, tour, 2026</media:keywords>
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<title>Tourism minister in Spain gets death threats amid holiday let crackdown</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/tourism-minister-in-spain-gets-death-threats-amid-holiday-let-crackdown</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/tourism-minister-in-spain-gets-death-threats-amid-holiday-let-crackdown</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Canary Islands&#039; Tourism Minister who recently pushed through reforms to regulate tourist flats on the archipelago has received several threats and attacks to her property, including an AI-generated video in which she is seen being burnt alive. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Tourism, minister, Spain, gets, death, threats, amid, holiday, let, crackdown</media:keywords>
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<title>LISTED: The big changes to travel in Spain in 2026</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/listed-the-big-changes-to-travel-in-spain-in-2026</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/listed-the-big-changes-to-travel-in-spain-in-2026</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ A countrywide fixed-price travel pass, tighter rules to enter the UK from Spain, lots of changes for drivers, insurance for e-scooter riders and plenty more - here&#039;s a breakdown of all the changes to travel and transport in Spain in 2026. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>LISTED:, The, big, changes, travel, Spain, 2026</media:keywords>
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<title>Today in Spain: A roundup of the latest news on Friday</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-friday</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-friday</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Woody Allen to shoot next film in Madrid, Spain to boycott Eurovision after Israel&#039;s inclusion, Health Ministry recommends masks for those with flu symptoms and more news on Friday December 5th. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
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<title>Catholic bishops offer prayers for National Guard members shot in DC</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/catholic-bishops-offer-prayers-for-national-guard-members-shot-in-dc</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/catholic-bishops-offer-prayers-for-national-guard-members-shot-in-dc</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The midafternoon attack, believed to be perpetrated by a lone suspect now in custody, left the two victims in critical condition.
The post Catholic bishops offer prayers for National Guard members shot in DC first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Catholic, bishops, offer, prayers, for, National, Guard, members, shot</media:keywords>
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<title>UN report: Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed somewhere in the world</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/un-report-every-10-minutes-a-woman-is-killed-somewhere-in-the-world</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/un-report-every-10-minutes-a-woman-is-killed-somewhere-in-the-world</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Nov. 25 is observed as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The post UN report: Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed somewhere in the world first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>report:, Every, minutes, woman, killed, somewhere, the, world</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope arrives in Turkey giving thanks, preaching peace</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-arrives-in-turkey-giving-thanks-preaching-peace</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-arrives-in-turkey-giving-thanks-preaching-peace</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV began his first papal trip speaking of dialogue, peace and thanksgiving -- referring to both the holiday and his own gratitude.
The post Pope arrives in Turkey giving thanks, preaching peace first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, arrives, Turkey, giving, thanks, preaching, peace</media:keywords>
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<title>Pew: US Latinos disapprove of Trump’s immigration, economic policies</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pew-us-latinos-disapprove-of-trumps-immigration-economic-policies</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pew-us-latinos-disapprove-of-trumps-immigration-economic-policies</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Most of the nation&#039;s Latinos disapprove of President Donald Trump&#039;s hardline immigration and economic policies -- and more than half are worried that they or a loved one could be deported, including about 1 in 3 Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens by birth.
The post Pew: US Latinos disapprove of Trump’s immigration, economic policies first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pew:, Latinos, disapprove, Trump’s, immigration, economic, policies</media:keywords>
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<title>Former business manager charged with stealing $1.1 million from suburban Philadelphia parish</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/former-business-manager-charged-with-stealing-11-million-from-suburban-philadelphia-parish</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/former-business-manager-charged-with-stealing-11-million-from-suburban-philadelphia-parish</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ PHILADELPHIA (OSV News) — A former business manager at a suburban Philadelphia parish has been charged with stealing more than $1.1 million, allegedly diverting funds through his private companies while…
The post Former business manager charged with stealing $1.1 million from suburban Philadelphia parish first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 02 Dec 2025 11:00:04 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<title>Vatican defends monogamy against polygamy, polyamory</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-defends-monogamy-against-polygamy-polyamory</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-defends-monogamy-against-polygamy-polyamory</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ null / Credit: Alex Studio/Shutterstock

Vatican City, Nov 25, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).
A new Vatican document defends marriage as a monogamous relationship amid the growing popularity of polyamory and addresses the pastoral challenges caused by conversion to Catholicism of people in polygamous situations.“One Flesh: In Praise of Monogamy” was published in Italian by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on Nov. 25.“Polygamy, adultery, or polyamory are based on the illusion that the intensity of the relationship can be found in the succession of partners,” the Vatican says.To illustrate this metaphorically, the text cites the myth of Don Juan, an unbridled seducer whose womanizing leads him to hell, which demonstrates that “multiplying partners in a supposed total union means fragmenting the meaning of marital love.”The text also draws on the writing of poets Walt Whitman, Pablo Neruda, Rabindranath Tagore, and Emily Dickinson, as well as philosophers such as the Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard.The document, signed by Pope Leo XIV, does not address the indissolubility of marriage or the purpose of procreation but focuses on the unitive aspect of marriage: “A communion of love and life shared by both spouses, a communion that is not oriented solely toward procreation but also toward the integral good of both.”The text originated from a request made during the Synod on Synodality for African bishops to prepare a statement on polygamy. African bishops themselves asked the Holy See for guidance on the issue, the doctrine dicastery said earlier this month.In the Nov. 25 document, the dicastery says it also wanted to provide a deeper reflection on monogamy in the face of growing “public forms of nonmonogamous unions — sometimes called ‘polyamory’” — in the West.The Vatican’s doctrinal note emphasizes that “properly understood, monogamy is not simply the opposite of polygamy.”Drawing from the teachings of St. John Paul II, the Vatican affirms that “only monogamy guarantees that sexuality develops within a framework of recognizing the other as a subject with whom one shares one’s life entirely, a subject who is an end in himself and never a means to one’s own needs. Sexual union, which involves the whole person, can treat the other as a person, that is, as a co-subject of love and not an object of use, only if it develops within the framework of a unique and exclusive belonging.”“Those who give themselves fully and completely to the other can only be two,” the text states, after noting that in nonmonogamous relationships everyone “would be treated as means and not as persons.”Sexuality: Total and open to lifeThe text makes it clear that placing sexuality within the framework of a love that “unites spouses in a single friendship” does not imply a “devaluation of sexual pleasure.” Rather, “by orienting it toward self-giving, it is not only enriched but also enhanced.”Thus, “sexuality is no longer the release of an immediate need but a personal choice that expresses the totality of the person.”The Vatican criticizes contemporary culture that reduces sexuality to consumption: “Various problems have arisen from an excessive and uncontrolled pursuit of sex, or from the simple denial of its procreative purpose.”Therefore, the Vatican defends openness to life in sexual union as a form of expression of “conjugal charity” without requiring that every act explicitly have that purpose.On an anthropological level, the document insists that “the defense of monogamy is also a defense of the dignity of women,” since “the unity of marriage implies, therefore, a free choice on the part of the woman, who has the right to demand exclusive reciprocity.”The document also addresses sexual violence, which it says proliferates on social media, and invites Catholics to provide education on “faithful and monogamous love.”“Education in monogamy is not a moral restriction but rather an initiation into the grandeur of a love that transcends immediacy,” it says.Theological foundations and spiritual traditionThe text offers a broad overview of the Christian tradition that has upheld and reflected upon marital unity. It quotes popes and Church fathers, including St. John Chrysostom, who saw in marital unity an antidote to “unbridled sexual abandon, without love or fidelity.”Citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the text also considers the challenges for those who, desiring to convert to the Catholic faith, must navigate complex family situations. In addition to Africa, the document cites Asia, specifically India, where “monogamy has generally been the norm and has been considered an ideal in married life,” but polygamous relationships have also been present.Africa’s Catholic bishops issued a document earlier this year with six pastoral guidelines for how to welcome people in polygamous situations into the Church, both while upholding Church teaching on marriage and not leaving women and children vulnerable to abandonment and poverty.At the Aug. 4 assembly of the Symposium of Episcopal Conference of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) in Kigali, Rwanda, Archbishop Andrew Nkea Fuanya of Cameroon’s Bamenda Catholic Archdiocese clarified that during the deliberations at the Synod on Synodality, “polygamy was not brought up as an African concept to be approved. It was brought up as a challenge to Christian marriage in Africa.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. Hannah Brockhaus contributed to this report. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vatican, defends, monogamy, against, polygamy, polyamory</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo reminds Turkish Catholic minority of the ‘logic of littleness’</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-reminds-turkish-catholic-minority-of-the-logic-of-littleness</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-reminds-turkish-catholic-minority-of-the-logic-of-littleness</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV encourages Catholic clergy, religious brothers and sisters, and lay pastoral workers to see the Catholic community’s small size as a strength during an encounter at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.

Istanbul, Turkey, Nov 28, 2025 / 01:55 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV encouraged Turkey’s small Catholic community Friday to rediscover what he called the Gospel’s “logic of littleness,” urging them not to be discouraged by their tiny numbers but to recognize in them the strength of authentic Christian witness.The pope addressed bishops, priests, religious, pastoral workers, and laypeople at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul on his second day in the country. Catholics in Turkey make up roughly 0.05% of the nation’s 85 million people.Calling Turkey a “holy land” where the Old and New Testaments meet, the pope recalled the deep Christian roots of the region: Abraham’s journey through Harran, the early Christian communities in Antioch and Ephesus, and the long and influential history of Byzantine Christianity. He noted in particular that the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, currently led by Patriarch Bartholomew I,  remains “a point of reference” both for its Greek faithful and for other Orthodox Churches.The pope warned Christians not to treat this heritage merely as a memory of past greatness. Instead, he urged them to adopt “an evangelical vision” that sees their present reality through the Holy Spirit’s light.“When we look with God’s eyes, we discover that he has chosen the way of littleness,” he said, pointing to the mustard seed, the little ones praised by Jesus, and the quiet growth of the kingdom of God. The Church’s true strength, he explained, “does not lie in her resources or structures,” nor in numbers or influence, but in remaining gathered around Christ and sent by the Holy Spirit.Quoting Jesus’ words, “Do not be afraid, little flock,” the pope encouraged Christians in Turkey to cultivate hope. He pointed to the growing number of young people approaching the Catholic Church as a sign of promise and asked communities to continue welcoming and accompanying them.He urged particular dedication to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, the transmission of the faith to local communities, and pastoral service to refugees and migrants—many of whom are among the most vulnerable people in the country. The pope also noted that many Catholics in Turkey come from abroad, a reality that calls for a deeper process of inculturation so that the language and culture of the country become “more and more your own.”The pope highlighted Turkey’s unique role in the history of the Church, recalling that the first eight ecumenical councils were held on its soil. Marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea, he said the council continues to pose three questions to Christians today: What is the essence of the faith? Who is Jesus for us? And how should doctrine be expressed in ways that speak to contemporary culture?He warned against what he described as a “new Arianism,” a version of the heresy that divided Christianity in its early centuries, that reduces Jesus to a moral teacher or heroic figure while denying his divinity and lordship over history.Before concluding, the pope invoked the memory of St. John XXIII, who served in Turkey and wrote affectionately of its people. Reflecting on the saint’s image of Bosporus fishermen laboring through the night, he encouraged Turkish Catholics to persevere in the same spirit: working faithfully, joyfully, and courageously “in the Lord’s boat.”The Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, where the meeting took place, was built in 1846 and houses relics of early popes, including St. Linus. A statue of Pope Benedict XV stands in its courtyard, erected in gratitude for his efforts to help victims of the 1915–1918 war. The inscription honors him as a “benefactor of peoples, without distinction of nationality or religion.”Watch Pope Leo XIV&#039;s full homily here. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo shares ‘secret of Christian charity’ with Little Sisters of the Poor</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-shares-secret-of-christian-charity-with-little-sisters-of-the-poor</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-shares-secret-of-christian-charity-with-little-sisters-of-the-poor</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV visits a care home for the elderly run by a community of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media.

Istanbul, Turkey, Nov 28, 2025 / 03:00 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV visited the Nursing Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul on Friday, telling the community that Christian charity begins not with doing, but with being, i.e., living a real communion with those one serves.“The secret of Christian charity is that before being for others, we must first be with others in a communion based on fraternity,” he said during the encounter on Nov. 28, the second day of his apostolic trip to Turkey, where he is marking the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea. A papal stop at a charitable institution has become customary during international journeys, and Pope Leo chose to spend time with the elderly as a sign of closeness to those often marginalized in modern societies.Founded in France in 1839 by St. Jeanne Jugan, the Little Sisters of the Poor serve elderly people in need around the world, including in Turkey, where they welcome residents of different religious backgrounds. The pope was greeted at the residence by the mother superior, former superior, and provincial leader before proceeding to the chapel to meet residents, staff, and benefactors.Pope Leo XIV visits a care home for the elderly run by a community of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 28, 2025. Credit: Vatican Media.Reflecting on the congregation’s name, the pope told the Sisters that their mission mirrors the life of Christ himself. “The Lord has called you not only to assist or help the poor, but has also called you to be their ‘sisters.’ You are to be like Jesus, whom the Father sent to us not only to help and serve us, but also to be our brother.” Turning to the residents, he warned that the word “elderly” risks losing its meaning in cultures driven by efficiency and materialism. Such attitudes, he said, lead societies to forget the dignity and value of older persons. Scripture and tradition, by contrast, present the elderly as bearers of memory and wisdom.“As Pope Francis loved to repeat – the elderly are the wisdom of a people, a treasure for their grandchildren, families and society as a whole,” he said. Pope Leo concluded by thanking the community for its patient, prayerful witness and prayed that the Lord would strengthen all who live and serve in the home. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>Vatican&amp;amp;amp;#039;s 2025 Christmas tree installed in St. Peter&amp;amp;amp;#039;s Square</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican039s-2025-christmas-tree-installed-in-st-peter039s-square</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican039s-2025-christmas-tree-installed-in-st-peter039s-square</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Workers erect the Vatican&#039;s 2025 Christmas tree in St. Peter&#039;s Square on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025 / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Nov 27, 2025 / 14:30 pm (CNA).
A towering Christmas tree now stands in the center of St. Peter’s Square, after the spruce arrived at the Vatican on Thursday morning. The 88-foot-tall spruce tree from Italy’s Bolzano province was erected next to the ancient Egyptian obelisk which stands in the middle of the 17th century Baroque square designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.This year, the northern Italian municipalities of Lagundo and Ultimo gifted the Christmas tree to the Vatican. The tree was harvested in the alpine valley of Ultimo.In an Oct. 20 interview published on the Vatican State website, Bishop Ivo Muser of the Diocese of Bolzano-Bressanone said the tree reaffirms the local church’s “spiritual and emotional bond” with the pope. “It is a way of saying: ‘We are with you, Pope Leo; we wish to pray with you and share the joy of Christmas with you,” he said.“The tree thus becomes an ‘ambassador’ of our territory, our culture, and our faith — a way of bringing a small piece of our local Church into the heart of the universal Church,” he added.The Vatican’s large-scale nativity display — donated by the Italian Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno — is currently under construction behind covered fencing in St. Peter’s Square.The highly-awaited 2025 nativity scene will honor St. Alphonus Maria de Liguori, whose remains lay in the southern Italian diocese. In Italy, St. Alponsus is famous for composing the famous Italian Christmas carol “Tu scendi dalle stelle” (“From starry skies descending”).Bishop Giuseppe Giudice of the Diocese of Nocera Inferiore-Sarno said the nativity project for the Vatican, which involved a “long period of preparation,” will also showcase local Neapolitan Christmas traditions.  “I am happy to say that everyone working on the project is from our wonderful region, and the Nativity scene will be rich in elements typical of our local Agro nocerino-sarnese area,” he said in an Oct. 24 interview published by Vatican City State.  The Vatican will hold a special ceremony on Dec. 7 at 6:30 pm local time to present  the Christmas tree and nativity scene to the public. The display will be open to the public until mid-January 2026. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo XIV marks Nicaea anniversary, urges Christians to overcome divisions</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-marks-nicaea-anniversary-urges-christians-to-overcome-divisions</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-marks-nicaea-anniversary-urges-christians-to-overcome-divisions</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople at an ecumenical event marking the 1,700th anniversary of Nicene Creed, in Iznik, Turkey, on November 28th, 2025. / Screenshot: Vatican Media

Iznik, Turkey, Nov 28, 2025 / 08:05 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV commemorated the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea on Friday in the Turkish city historically known as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed, calling Christians to overcome “the scandal of divisions” and to renew their commitment to unity.The pope spoke during an ecumenical prayer service held at the archaeological site of the ancient Basilica of Saint Neophytos on the shore of Lake Iznik, southeast of Istanbul. The gathering marked one of the most symbolic moments of his apostolic visit to Turkey, which has focused heavily on ecumenical and interreligious outreach.“We are all invited to overcome the scandal of divisions,” he said, urging Christians to nurture “the desire for unity for which the Lord Jesus prayed and gave his life.”Pope Leo and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, considered first among equals among Eastern Orthodox bishops,  were welcomed by two senior Orthodox bishops before proceeding to a platform beside the submerged ruins of the basilica. The two leaders stood before icons of Christ and of the council and lit candles together.Iznik, formerly Nicaea, is located about 130 kilometers southeast of Istanbul. The remains of an early Christian basilica dedicated to Saint Neophytos, a young martyr killed in 303 during the persecutions of Diocletian, were first identified in 2014 after aerial photographs revealed the outline of a submerged church. The basilica collapsed during an earthquake in 740, and its ruins are now visible from the lakeshore.In his homily, Leo said the anniversary was “a precious opportunity to ask ourselves who Jesus Christ is in the lives of men and women today, and who he is for each one of us personally.” He cautioned against reducing Christ to “a kind of charismatic leader or superman,” recalling Arius’ denial of Christ’s divinity and the council’s defense of the full humanity and full divinity of Jesus.“If God did not become man, how can mortal creatures participate in his immortal life?” the pope asked, emphasizing what was at stake in the fourth-century debate.Leo said the Nicene confession of faith remains a foundation for unity among Christians worldwide. Quoting the creed, he underlined the proclamation of Christ as “consubstantial with the Father,” describing it as “a profound bond already uniting all Christians.” Citing St. Augustine, he added: “Although we Christians are many, in the one Christ we are one.”A reconciled Christianity, he continued, can “bear credible witness to the Gospel” and offer “a proclamation of hope for all.”The pope also extended his appeal for fraternity beyond the Christian world, insisting that authentic recognition of God as Father requires honoring all people as brothers and sisters. He warned against using religion “to justify war, violence, or any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism,” and called instead for “fraternal encounter, dialogue, and cooperation.”Pope Leo’s schedule in Turkey includes a series of ecumenical events, among them the signing of a joint declaration with Patriarch Bartholomew I on Nov. 29 at the Patriarchal Palace. His trip also carries an interreligious dimension. Earlier on Friday he met the Chief Rabbi of Turkey, discussing the visit as a sign of peace and support for all religious communities. On Saturday, Nov. 29, he will visit the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 01 Dec 2025 11:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, marks, Nicaea, anniversary, urges, Christians, overcome, divisions</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Can you smoke on your balcony in Spain?</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/can-you-smoke-on-your-balcony-in-spain</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/can-you-smoke-on-your-balcony-in-spain</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ It may seem like it’s nobody else’s business if you’re smoking on your private property, but neighbours in apartment buildings across the country are getting into more and more conflicts over smoke drifting into nearby homes and courtyards. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Can, you, smoke, your, balcony, Spain</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Today in Spain: A roundup of the latest news on Wednesday</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-wednesday</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-wednesday</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Michelin Guide adds 30 new stars in Spain for 2026, Spanish government proposes replacement for convicted top prosecutor, and more news from Spain this Wednesday November 26th. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Today, Spain:, roundup, the, latest, news, Wednesday</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Imserso spa holidays: What is Spain&amp;apos;s discounted spa scheme for pensioners?</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/imserso-spa-holidays-what-is-spains-discounted-spa-scheme-for-pensioners</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/imserso-spa-holidays-what-is-spains-discounted-spa-scheme-for-pensioners</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain&#039;s popular pensioners holiday scheme &#039;Imserso&#039; offers discounted stays away. But where can you go, and what exactly is the &#039;hydrotherapy&#039; spa scheme? ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Imserso, spa, holidays:, What, Spains, discounted, spa, scheme, for, pensioners</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Spanish opposition proposes deporting foreign sex offenders</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spanish-opposition-proposes-deporting-foreign-sex-offenders</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spanish-opposition-proposes-deporting-foreign-sex-offenders</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The man that polls suggest could be the next Prime Minister of Spain has proposed bolstering sentences for sex offenders, including deporting foreigners who commit sexual crimes. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spanish, opposition, proposes, deporting, foreign, sex, offenders</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Spain faces shortage of 700,000 homes, central bank estimates</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-faces-shortage-of-700000-homes-central-bank-estimates</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-faces-shortage-of-700000-homes-central-bank-estimates</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Bank of Spain now estimates that the country has a shortfall of 700,000 homes, something it warns could become a &quot;bottleneck&quot; for the economy. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Wed, 26 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, faces, shortage, 700, 000, homes, central, bank, estimates</media:keywords>
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<title>University of Notre Dame puts ‘Catholic Mission’ at top of staff values after earlier revision</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/university-of-notre-dame-puts-catholic-mission-at-top-of-staff-values-after-earlier-revision</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/university-of-notre-dame-puts-catholic-mission-at-top-of-staff-values-after-earlier-revision</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Weeks earlier, the reference had been removed from the list and described instead as an overarching value governing the others.
The post University of Notre Dame puts ‘Catholic Mission’ at top of staff values after earlier revision first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>University, Notre, Dame, puts, ‘Catholic, Mission’, top, staff, values, after, earlier, revision</media:keywords>
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<title>Sharing ‘The Little Way,’ St. Thérèse of Lisieux relics come to Washington</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/sharing-the-little-way-st-therese-of-lisieux-relics-come-to-washington</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/sharing-the-little-way-st-therese-of-lisieux-relics-come-to-washington</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As St. Thérèse&#039;s relics return to the U.S. Oct. 1 - Dec. 8, 2025, the country is in many ways changed.
The post Sharing ‘The Little Way,’ St. Thérèse of Lisieux relics come to Washington first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Sharing, ‘The, Little, Way, ’, St., Thérèse, Lisieux, relics, come, Washington</media:keywords>
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<title>Washington Roundup: Coast Guard and reclassifying symbols; religious freedom commission on worsening situation in Nigeria</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/washington-roundup-coast-guard-and-reclassifying-symbols-religious-freedom-commission-on-worsening-situation-in-nigeria</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/washington-roundup-coast-guard-and-reclassifying-symbols-religious-freedom-commission-on-worsening-situation-in-nigeria</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has called on the Trump administration &quot;to develop a robust plan&quot; with the Nigerian government to address an escalation of violence.
The post Washington Roundup: Coast Guard and reclassifying symbols; religious freedom commission on worsening situation in Nigeria first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Washington, Roundup:, Coast, Guard, and, reclassifying, symbols, religious, freedom, commission, worsening, situation, Nigeria</media:keywords>
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<title>Charlotte Mass attendance way down during Border Patrol activity; parishes reassure faithful</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/charlotte-mass-attendance-way-down-during-border-patrol-activity-parishes-reassure-faithful</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/charlotte-mass-attendance-way-down-during-border-patrol-activity-parishes-reassure-faithful</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Attendance at the diocese&#039;s largest Hispanic parish dropped by more than 50%, a stark sign of growing fear amid recent immigration-related arrests in the Queen City.
The post Charlotte Mass attendance way down during Border Patrol activity; parishes reassure faithful first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Charlotte, Mass, attendance, way, down, during, Border, Patrol, activity, parishes, reassure, faithful</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo offered wisdom for all ages during digital encounter</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-offered-wisdom-for-all-ages-during-digital-encounter</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-offered-wisdom-for-all-ages-during-digital-encounter</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The digital encounter gave us the opportunity to watch Pope Leo come to life as he connected to the youths gathered in Indianapolis. At the same time, it strengthened his connection with each of us watching from a distance.
The post Pope Leo offered wisdom for all ages during digital encounter first appeared on OSV News. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, offered, wisdom, for, all, ages, during, digital, encounter</media:keywords>
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<title>How Pope Leo XIV typically spends his day off</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/how-pope-leo-xiv-typically-spends-his-day-off</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/how-pope-leo-xiv-typically-spends-his-day-off</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 19, 2025 / 15:23 pm (CNA).
In reply to journalists’ questions last night as he left Castel Gandolfo, which he now regularly visits, Pope Leo XIV described what his typical Tuesday day off is like.The pontiff shared that he does “a little reading, a little work. Every day there is correspondence, phone calls; there are some matters that are perhaps more important, more recent. A little tennis, a little swimming.”A passionate tennis fan since childhood, the Holy Father in May received at the Vatican Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner, currently ranked second in the world (behind Carlos Alcaraz) and at that time was ranked first.When asked why he needs these moments of rest, Leo XIV emphasized on Nov. 19 that “to take good care of yourself, human beings… everyone, should do some activity for the body, the soul, all together.”“I think it does me a lot of good. So it’s a time, a break during the week that helps a lot,” he said.The Holy Father also addressed other topics with the journalists, such as the situation in Ukraine; his possible travel destinations, which include Peru, Portugal, and Mexico; the situation of migrants in the United States and the American bishops’ call to respect them; the massacres of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria; and the abuse allegations against a Spanish bishop, who insists on his innocence.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>How, Pope, Leo, XIV, typically, spends, his, day, off</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Pope Leo appoints Nigerian priest assessor for general affairs of the Secretariat of State</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-appoints-nigerian-priest-assessor-for-general-affairs-of-the-secretariat-of-state</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-appoints-nigerian-priest-assessor-for-general-affairs-of-the-secretariat-of-state</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Father Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Nov 19, 2025 / 14:53 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appointed Nigerian priest Father Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo as assessor for general affairs of the Vatican Secretariat of State.Ekpo, 44, succeeds Father Roberto Campisi, who was appointed permanent observer of the Holy See to UNESCO in September. In his new role, he will be responsible for overseeing the activities of Catholic international organizations connected to the Vatican.The Nigeria-born priest first began his service with the Holy See in 2016. He worked with the Vatican’s Section for General Affairs for six years between 2016 and 2023.In 2023, Pope Francis appointed him undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development to assist the work of its prefect Cardinal Michael Czerny. Epko thanked his colleagues at the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development “for their friendship and shared work over these years” and prayed for ​​the grace to carry out his new role with the Secretariat of State with “joy, passion, and dedication,” Vatican News reported on Wednesday.“My desire is to be able to collaborate with the superiors and employees of the dicastery, to advance the vision of the dicastery and the mission of the Church,” Ekpo told Vatican News.Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Umuahia, Nigeria, in 2011, Epko continued his theological training abroad. In 2013, he obtained a doctorate in systematic theology from the Australian Catholic University as well as a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome in 2021.He is fluent in English, Italian, French, and the Nigerian language Igbo.Earlier this month, Pope Leo appointed Nigerian priest Father Edward Daniang Daleng as vice regent of the Papal Household, the second-highest position in the Vatican office that organizes audiences with the pope. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, appoints, Nigerian, priest, assessor, for, general, affairs, the, Secretariat, State</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>UPDATE: Pope Leo XIV meets with his home state’s governor</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/update-pope-leo-xiv-meets-with-his-home-states-governor</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/update-pope-leo-xiv-meets-with-his-home-states-governor</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The Vatican did not release any details about what was discussed during the Nov. 19, 2025, meeting Pope Leo XIV held with Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Office of Gov. JB Pritzker

CNA Newsroom, Nov 19, 2025 / 14:23 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV met with the governor of his native Illinois, JB Pritzker, on Wednesday at the Vatican. The first lady of the U.S. state known as “The Land of Lincoln,” MK Pritzker, accompanied the governor during his visit.“It was an honor for MK and me to meet with @Pontifex — a son of Illinois — to express the pride and reverence of the people of this great state,” Pritzker, who is Jewish, said following the meeting in a social media post. A statement from the governor’s office said: “As the first American pope, a native Illinoisan, and an advocate for the poor and less fortunate, Pope Leo XIV serves as a true inspiration to people of all faiths. His message of hope, unity, compassion, and peace resonates in his home state of Illinois and across the globe.”Invitation to return to hometownIn an interview with NBC Chicago following his audience, Gov. Pritzker said that during the meeting he presented Pope Leo with an invitation to return to his hometown of Chicago. While the pope didn’t express a timetable for the prospective visit, Pritzker said the pope “was optimistic that he would be coming to Chicago.”“We share a great love of the state and the city,” Pritzker said, adding that the pope “seems like he carries his heart on his sleeve and of course he carries Chicago on his sleeve, too.”Immigration discussionDuring the 40-minute meeting, which Pritzker said was arranged by Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, the governor said that he and the pontiff also discussed the immigration enforcement actions that have been taking place in the city, with Pritzker saying that he expressed his gratitude for the pope’s “moral leadership on this issue.”Pritzker offered the pope several gifts including a framed piece of art made from an incarcerated woman at Logan Correctional Facility, the book “Lincoln: The Life and Legacy that Defined a Nation” by Ian Hunt, the book “A House That Made History: The Illinois Governor’s Mansion, Legacy of an Architectural Treasure” written by Illinois First Lady MK Pritzker, and a pack of Burning Bush Breweries’ “Da Pope” American mild ale. The Vatican itself did not release any details about what was discussed during the visit. The Democratic governor currently has before his desk the decision on whether to either sign into law or veto assisted suicide legislation that was recently approved the Illinois Legislature. The Illinois Catholic Conference is urging Gov. Pritzker to veto the bill. In an Oct. 31 statement, the conference said that “rather than signing this bill, we ask the governor to expand and improve on palliative care programs.” Such programs, the conference maintains, “represent a compassionate and morally acceptable alternative to assisted suicide.”This story was updated on Nov. 19, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. ET with additional details of the conversation provided by Gov. Pritzker. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>UPDATE:, Pope, Leo, XIV, meets, with, his, home, state’s, governor</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Synod on Synodality reports reveal continued study on women, but not female diaconate</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/synod-on-synodality-reports-reveal-continued-study-on-women-but-not-female-diaconate</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/synod-on-synodality-reports-reveal-continued-study-on-women-but-not-female-diaconate</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV listens to reports from seven representatives around the world about the implementation of synodality on their continents during the jubilee of synodal teams and participatory bodies at the Vatican on Oct. 24, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Nov 19, 2025 / 13:53 pm (CNA).
Reports from the Synod on Synodality published this week reveal that expert groups continue to discuss women’s participation in the Church but not the specific question of a possible female diaconate, which has been turned over to a newly-revived 2020 commission.The reports also show that a new group on the liturgy, requested by Pope Leo XIV, is not addressing the Vatican’s controversial restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass.According to a report published Nov. 17, during the second session of the Synod on Synodality in October 2024, Pope Francis “reactivated the work” of a papal commission on the female diaconate first created in 2020.“All synodal contributions related to this subject have been forwarded to that commission for its consideration,” a one-page report from a study group on Church ministries says.The interim report on the group’s progress, published ahead of full reports, which are due at the end of the year, was signed by Father Armando Matteo, secretary of the doctrinal section of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is overseeing the highly-watched expert panel.Matteo confirmed to CNA that the synod is no longer examining a possible female diaconate and the question is in the hands of the now-revived 2020 commission, whose members “respond to the Holy Father.”In April 2020, Pope Francis created a 10-person theological commission to study the question of a female diaconate, the second commission he formed on the topic during his pontificate.An original member of the 2020 commission, permanent deacon and seminary professor James Keating, told CNA that “the commission still exists ‘until Pope Leo discerns its dissolution.’”The 12 synod study groups, 10 of which were formed by Pope Francis, were established to examine topics Francis took off the table for discussion at the second session of the Synod on Synodality, held in October 2024.The committees, made up of cardinals, bishops, priests, and lay experts from both in and outside of the Vatican, have until Dec. 31 to submit the final results of their studies to Pope Leo.The brief reports published this week give a few insights into what to expect in some of the final reports next year, should they be made public.While not considering women deacons, the highly-watched study group on Church ministries is drafting a report on “the participation of women in the life and leadership of the Church,” including the personal accounts of women in Church leadership, theological perspectives on men’s and women’s roles, and the contributions of Pope Leo XIV and Pope Francis on the topic.Another group, focused on Church law, is also discussing what roles women, and the laity in general, can hold in particular Church offices, including liturgical functions and in Church tribunals.An update from an expert panel on “controversial doctrinal, pastoral, and ethical issues” said its final document will clarify the current paradigm shift in the Church following the Second Vatican Council and the “emerging synodal experience.” It will include “procedural” proposals for the paradigm shift, such as how to conduct conversation in the Spirit, and how to manage cognitive, emotional, and cultural “resistance” to the shift.The document will also address homosexuality, which the report says it prefers to call an “emerging issue” rather than controversial.Another potentially fraught topic being examined by the study group on ecumenical practices is intercommunion, also known as Eucharistic hospitality — the idea to allow the reception of holy Communion to people in non-Catholic Christian denominations. The topic is tied to ecumenism, the relationship between Christian churches, and is especially relevant in couples and families with members of both Catholic and non-Catholic Christian faiths.The study group on ecumenism said its mandate includes “deepening the question of Eucharistic hospitality from theological, canonical, and pastoral perspectives.”A new group on liturgy in synodal perspective, requested by Pope Leo, gave insight into what it says are the first questions it intends to address, which focus on how to make the liturgy more synodal and the Mass “better configured as the source and summit of the synodal missionary life of the Church.”Other questions the group intends to study is the increased participation of all baptized Catholics in the liturgy, liturgical formation, “the role of women in the history of salvation,” the reinterpretation of liturgical preaching in a synodal perspective, and a “healthy decentralization of liturgical authority … also with a view to the inculturation of the rites.”The report said other “relevant issues” may be added later. The study group is overseen by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.Victoria Cardiel, Vatican reporter for ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, contributed to this report. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Synod, Synodality, reports, reveal, continued, study, women, but, not, female, diaconate</media:keywords>
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<title>Outgoing Hungarian ambassador reflects on 10&#45;year term at the Vatican</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/outgoing-hungarian-ambassador-reflects-on-10-year-term-at-the-vatican</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/outgoing-hungarian-ambassador-reflects-on-10-year-term-at-the-vatican</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See Eduard Habsburg speaks to EWTN News in 2023. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Vatican City, Nov 19, 2025 / 15:53 pm (CNA).
Archduke of Austria Eduard Habsburg has served as Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See since 2015 and described his post at the Vatican as “the greatest 10 years of my life.”First presenting his credentials to Pope Francis on Dec. 8, 2015, Habsburg told EWTN News reporter Colm Flynn that after a decade on the job, he has “seen it all” and now wants to dedicate more time to his family, particularly his parents.“I felt that 10 years is a good term. It’s far longer than ambassadors usually have here,” he said in the exclusive interview.“I think I’ve seen everything you can see here, including a conclave, visits by my prime minister, exciting moments,” he added. “In a way, I’m going to miss it but also family is important.” Though his term at the Vatican is drawing to a close, the outgoing ambassador said he will likely continue to represent Hungary at future international events organized by the Church and pro-family groups.  “I’ll keep a foot in that world, so to speak, so I’m not going to totally give it up,” he said.Reflecting on his initial surprise at being asked to be Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See, Habsburg, who belongs to the prominent 850-year-old European Catholic dynasty, said he “hit the floor running” when he arrived in Rome for his first post.On Pope Francis and his love for HungaryDescribing his relationship with Pope Francis as “incredibly positive,” the outgoing ambassador said the Argentine pontiff had a warm affection for the Central European nation and its people.“I saw it every time he met a Hungarian,” he said. “He would use Hungarian expressions. He would smile. He would be happy. He would take his time with them.”Though Pope Francis had not visited Hungary until 2021 for the 52nd International Eucharistic Conference, he told Habsburg that he “learned everything” about Hungary through three religious sisters who fled their country in 1956, during the Soviet occupation, to a monastery in Buenos Aires, Argentina.   “They have shaped Pope Francis’ outlook on Hungary and that made my work very easy,” he quipped. “He was incredibly generous.”Pope Francis visited Hungary a second time in 2023 for his apostolic journey to the country’s capital of Budapest from April 28–30.   On Pope Benedict XVI and his humorDuring the 1990s, Pope Benedict XVI, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, read Habsburg’s doctoral thesis on the topic of Thomas Aquinas and Vatican II and told him “he liked it” and that he wanted him to either make a documentary or a thriller about Thomism.After first meeting with Pope Francis, the ambassador said he later met with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the Vatican Gardens.  “He looked at me and said, ‘So you’re ambassador now?’” Habsburg recalled. “And then he said, ‘You know you still owe me a documentary or a thriller about Thomism.” “That was the first thing he said. I was so blown away,” he said. “I still haven’t written it.”“That’s the one thing many people don’t realize about Pope Benedict XVI was the sense of humor that he had that we never got to see publicly,” he said.  Habsburg earned a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in 1999. On Pope Leo XIV The archduke and ambassador told EWTN News he has briefly met Pope Leo XIV four times this year since his papal election in May.  “I’m very impressed by him. I feel [he is] a very balanced and just man who is trying to do good,” he said of the first U.S.-born pope. Noting Pope Leo’s fluency in many languages, including English, Italian, Spanish, and Latin, Habsburg commented that he believes the universal Church’s new leader “has several cultures in his heart and in his mind.”“And yes, we will see the things that he’ll do. We pray for him every day,” he said. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:00:05 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Outgoing, Hungarian, ambassador, reflects, 10-year, term, the, Vatican</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Ryanair threatens further cuts at Spanish airports for 2026 winter season</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/ryanair-threatens-further-cuts-at-spanish-airports-for-2026-winter-season</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/ryanair-threatens-further-cuts-at-spanish-airports-for-2026-winter-season</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ As the budget airline&#039;s battle with Spain&#039;s airport operator rumbles on, Ryanair&#039;s CEO has hinted that the low-cost carrier could further cut routes to Spain&#039;s regional airports for winter 2026-27. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Ryanair, threatens, further, cuts, Spanish, airports, for, 2026, winter, season</media:keywords>
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<title>Zelensky to meet Spanish PM, King Felipe in Madrid trip</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/zelensky-to-meet-spanish-pm-king-felipe-in-madrid-trip</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/zelensky-to-meet-spanish-pm-king-felipe-in-madrid-trip</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will hold talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and King Felipe VI on Tuesday as he tries to rally fresh support against Russia&#039;s invasion, Sanchez&#039;s office said. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Zelensky, meet, Spanish, PM, King, Felipe, Madrid, trip</media:keywords>
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<title>Spain pledges €15,000 aid for young people who buy or renovate rural housing</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-pledges-15000-aid-for-young-people-who-buy-or-renovate-rural-housing</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-pledges-15000-aid-for-young-people-who-buy-or-renovate-rural-housing</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spain is to boost state aid for young people to buy and renovate properties in rural areas, an attempt to both ease access to the housing market and rebalance population density in the country. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, pledges, €15, 000, aid, for, young, people, who, buy, renovate, rural, housing</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Today in Spain: A roundup of the latest news on Monday</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-monday</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/today-in-spain-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-monday</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Disgraced Valencia leader Mazón to be grilled by Spanish MPs, Zelensky to visit Madrid, and more news from Spain on Monday. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Today, Spain:, roundup, the, latest, news, Monday</media:keywords>
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<title>Spain rescues hundreds of exotic animals from unlicensed shelter</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-rescues-hundreds-of-exotic-animals-from-unlicensed-shelter</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spain-rescues-hundreds-of-exotic-animals-from-unlicensed-shelter</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spanish police announced on Saturday they had raided a unlicensed animal sanctuary and rescued hundreds of exotic creatures including leopard tortoises, iguanas and geckos. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spain, rescues, hundreds, exotic, animals, from, unlicensed, shelter</media:keywords>
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<title>New book recounts anecdotes from Pope Leo XIV’s life, including the day he was reported dead</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/new-book-recounts-anecdotes-from-pope-leo-xivs-life-including-the-day-he-was-reported-dead</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/new-book-recounts-anecdotes-from-pope-leo-xivs-life-including-the-day-he-was-reported-dead</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Armando Lovera presents Pope Leo XIV with his book “From Robert to Leo.” / Credit: Photo courtesy of Armando Lovera

Vatican City, Nov 10, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).
His voice reveals, above all, the gratitude he feels toward his friend, Pope Leo XIV. From this friendship, forged over more than three decades, comes the Spanish-language book “From Robert to Leo,” published by Mensajero, in which Armando Lovera, originally from Iquitos, Peru, recounts various little-known episodes from the pontiff’s life, like the day many parishioners in Trujillo, Peru, thought that Father Robert Prevost had died.“In reality, it was a young man, an aspiring Augustinian, who died in a bus accident while traveling to Lima for the new year,” Lovera explained in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.The young man’s parents, who were from a rural area north of Trujillo, didn’t have the means to retrieve their son’s body and asked “Father Roberto” to bring it back to their village.Armando Lovera and then-Father Robert Prevost in Iquitos, Peru. Credit: Photo courtesy of Armando Lovera“He drove over 2,000 kilometers [1,240 miles] round trip to do them a favor,” the author explained. But when making the arrangements [to return the body], he continued, “they wrote down his name incorrectly and included him on the list of victims,” which ended up being published in a local Trujillo newspaper.“When people found out, especially the poorest people in the parish, they went to the Augustinian house in tears, newspaper in hand, to offer their condolences,” Lovera recounted. But to their surprise, it was Prevost himself who opened the door.“What impresses me most about this story is the availability he has always shown to his friends, and, on the other hand, the affection of the people,” he commented.Lovera vividly remembers the first time he met the future pope in 1991 in Colombia. “At that time, in my parish, the young people were quite boisterous and informal, and when I was told he was a canon lawyer, I thought, ‘Here comes a very formal, rule-bound gentleman.’ But as soon as he introduced himself and we talked, he disarmed us. Our prejudices vanished instantly because he was a very approachable person,” the author related.Father Robert Prevost and Armando Lovera in Trujillo, Peru, where the future Pope Leo XIV was a parish priest in the 1990s. Credit: Photo courtesy of Armando LoveraThe following year, in 1992, Lovera arrived at the Augustinian formation house in Trujillo, under the direction of Prevost. For seven years they shared community life and pastoral experiences, which gave rise to a deep friendship that has withstood the passage of time and distance. “I found in him a dazzling warmth. From that day on, he became simply Roberto, or Father Roberto,” Lovera recalled.Prevost was the parish priest at Our Lady of Monserrate in Trujillo from 1992 to 1998. Lovera vividly remembers that community in its early days: “My wife was from that parish. We witnessed [its construction] when it was still just a sandy area, and on Sundays we would bring our own chairs to attend Mass, which had a very simple altar.”Given the presence of armed subversive groups in the regions where Prevost and other missionaries carried out their ministry in the 1990s, “they were advised to leave, but he and his community decided to stay. And that witness deeply impacted me. I was moved by his courage, his sense of mission,” Lovera recounted. “Besides, he was a mathematician. And I love mathematics. That also brought us together.”The friendship between the two also grew around music, a shared passion. “Roberto loved music. We started singing Peruvian music together, as well as Augustinian hymns. He had a very good voice and enjoyed singing with people,” he recalled.Prevost’s mother, Mildred, was a prominent contralto in ChicagoThe pope’s musical inclination has deep roots. As Lovera recounted in the book, Prevost’s mother, Mildred, played the organ and was a prominent contralto (the lowest female vocal range) in Chicago, participating in the 1941 Chicagoland Music Festival. She also sang with devotion the “Ave Maria” at Sunday Mass.Many years later, Lovera recounted, Mildred’s electric organ ended up at the Augustinian formation house that Prevost founded in Trujillo. Hearing about that “made an impression on me. There was something of his mother, of her faith, that continued to resonate there. It was as if her prayer continued among us,” he explained.When Prevost was assigned to Chicago in 1999, their friendship remained alive thanks to technology. “We exchanged emails. He is a very approachable person. That familiarity was never lost,” Lovera related.Armando with his wife and Father Robert Prevost in Valladolid. Credit: Photo courtesy of Armando LoveraOver the years, Lovera came to understand that Prevost’s simplicity concealed a profound vocation for service. “He never sought positions within the Church. That touched me deeply. I used to say then, ‘This person is someone who reveals God to me.’ He stood out for his generosity, his ability, and his command of languages.”He recalled with humor his own reactions to his friend’s rise to the papacy: “I honestly would have preferred that he had remained a bishop, so as not to lose touch so much. Then, in 2021, some friends were saying that Father Roberto would be the next pope, although I thought they were exaggerating.”However, in the days leading up to the conclave, Prevost’s name began circulating on lists of papal candidates published by the media, and Lovera began to consider that possibility. “I supposed that if they discovered what kind of person he was, they would elect him. And that’s what happened,” explained Lovera, who currently coordinates the editing of religious texts at the Loyola Communication Group.Armando Lovera and Father Robert Prevost in Orlando, Florida. Credit: Photo courtesy of Armando Lovera“The goal of the book,” Lovera explained, “is to show [the reader] a friend who offers his friendship and, with it, the friendship of the one who gives meaning to life: Jesus. Roberto always wanted the doors of the diocese to remain open to everyone. He never acted like a distant sovereign or a bureaucrat. He always behaved like a brother among brothers, with the responsibility of leading and making decisions, but always with reasoning.”For Lovera, that is the defining characteristic of the current pontiff: “Pope Leo XIV has not changed in his essence. He is the same approachable, joyful, and brotherly priest I met in 1991. Only now that approachability carries the weight and grace of guiding the entire Church.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>New, book, recounts, anecdotes, from, Pope, Leo, XIV’s, life, including, the, day, was, reported, dead</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo XIV warns AI could fuel ‘antihuman ideologies’ in medicine</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-warns-ai-could-fuel-antihuman-ideologies-in-medicine</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-warns-ai-could-fuel-antihuman-ideologies-in-medicine</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for his Sunday Angelus on Nov. 9, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Nov 10, 2025 / 16:06 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV warned Monday that artificial intelligence could exacerbate “antihuman ideologies” in medicine as Catholic doctors and moral theologians raise alarms about the future of AI in health care.In a message on Nov. 10 to an international congress on “Artificial Intelligence and Medicine: The Challenge of Human Dignity,” hosted by the Pontifical Academy for Life, the pope said that ensuring “true progress” in medicine depends on keeping the dignity of every human at the forefront.“It is easy to recognize the destructive potential of technology and even medical research when they are placed at the service of antihuman ideologies,” Leo XIV said.Leo added that those responsible for integrating AI into medicine must remember that “health care professionals have the vocation and responsibility to be guardians and servants of human life, especially in its most vulnerable stages.”“Indeed, the greater the fragility of human life, the greater the nobility required of those entrusted with its care,” he said.The pope’s message came a day after another of his statements on the ethics of AI led to controversy on the social media platform X. Tech billionaire Marc Andreessen posted a mocking reference to Leo’s call on the AI industry “to develop systems that reflect justice, solidarity, and a genuine reverence for life.” After a pileup of critical replies, Andreessen apparently deleted his own post.Pro-life concerns over AI billing in medical insurance  The pope’s remarks on Monday come amid growing concern among Catholic doctors about how artificial intelligence could shape access to care and respect for human dignity in health care systems worldwide.Dr. Kathleen Berchelmann, a pediatrician and founder of My Catholic Doctor, a telehealth network that connects families seeking Catholic care with like-minded providers, told CNA she is alarmed by how insurance companies are deploying AI in the U.S.She said AI-driven billing systems are “further pushing pro-life health care providers out of the insurance market to the self-pay market, reducing access to pro-life health care in America.”“What I see in AI and health care is a technology arms race,” Berchelmann said. “And unfortunately, the people with the big money have higher tech, and … that’s the insurance companies. That’s United Health Care, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Elevance Health, Aetna, Cigna. … These are the companies that are putting billions into utilization management, which means denials.”On Oct. 1, Aetna and Cigna implemented AI-automated payments nationwide, a move that has led to what critics call “downcoding,” where insurers automatically downgrade doctors’ claims to lower reimbursement levels without reviewing visit details.“In particular, in pro-life health care, we’re seeing automatic downcoding because restorative reproductive medicine, which is health care that finds root cause of infertility and treats the root cause, takes more time than a brief workup and a referral to IVF,” Berchelmann said.“That extended time requires a higher coding. But if I do a real quick workup, I can build a lower code for that. So the predictive AI doesn’t recognize that I’m doing a better job in finding root cause of disease,” she added.Berchelmann said she sees “tremendous potential for AI in terms of diagnostic capacity and clinical use” and hopes predictive models will demonstrate that “pro-life health care is so much cheaper than IVF.” But for now, she said, “insurance companies, employers paying for health care, and pharmaceutical companies with insurance, are all heavily using AI to not pay for your care.” In his message, Pope Leo acknowledged the influence of economic interests in health care and technology. “Given the vast economic interests often at stake in the fields of medicine and technology, and the subsequent fight for control, it is essential to promote a broad collaboration among all those working in health care and politics that extends well beyond national borders,” the pope said.  AI not a substitute for ‘human encounter’ in medicine Pope Leo underlined that “technological devices must never detract from the personal relationship between patients and health care providers.”“If AI is to serve human dignity and the effective provision of health care, we must ensure that it truly enhances both interpersonal relationships and the care provided,” he said.Leo described the new technological advancements brought by AI as “more pervasive” than those brought by the industrial revolution, noting their potential to alter “our understanding of situations and how we perceive ourselves and others.”“We currently interact with machines as if they were interlocutors, and thus become almost an extension of them,” he said. “In this sense, we not only run the risk of losing sight of the faces of the people around us but of forgetting how to recognize and cherish all that is truly human.” The three-day Vatican conference on AI and medicine, running Nov. 10–12, is one of several in recent months addressing the ethics of AI — an issue Pope Leo XIV has signaled will be a priority in his pontificate.At the Builders AI Forum in Rome last week, which addressed the challenge of AI for Catholics and Catholic institutions in a variety of fields, medical school professors, health care company executives, insurance company directors, medical chaplains, and entrepreneurs in the field came together to discuss and debate the future of AI in Catholic health care. Louis Kim, the former vice president of personal systems and AI at HP, shared that the consensus among these professionals at the end of the forum was that “AI may assist but must never substitute for human encounter [in Catholic health care] and must remain clearly identifiable as non-human so that the pastoral and sacramental integrity of care is preserved.” Daniel J. Daly, executive director of the Center for Theology and Ethics in Catholic Health and an associate professor of moral theology at Boston College, told CNA he is concerned that if AI models used in Catholic hospitals are only trained to maximize “efficiency and profit” it could lead to “a massive failure for Catholic health care.” “What I worry about is that what could happen in health care is that AI replaces that embodied witness to the kingdom of God,” Daly said. “That can never happen in Catholic health care, because Catholic health care is not just about medicine. It’s also about Jesus Christ and witnessing to his healing ministry that we see in the Scripture.” “I think the most important thing is that whatever the AI does, that it frees us to do the works of mercy, it doesn’t free us from the works of mercy,” he added. “That is, it doesn’t replace the embodied care and ministerial care that we provide through medicine.”  ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, warns, could, fuel, ‘antihuman, ideologies’, medicine</media:keywords>
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<title>Vatican releases ‘Leo from Chicago’ biopic</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-releases-leo-from-chicago-biopic</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/vatican-releases-leo-from-chicago-biopic</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Image from trailer of the documentary biopic “Leo from Chicago.” / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 10, 2025 / 17:26 pm (CNA).
The Vatican has officially released the documentary “Leo from Chicago” about the life of Pope Leo XIV in the United States, coinciding with the sixth month of the pontificate of the first American and Peruvian pope in the history of the Catholic Church.The documentary premiered Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. Rome time and was screened at the Vatican Film Library for journalists accredited to the Holy See Press Office. At 6 p.m. Rome time it was published on the Vatican News YouTube channels in English, Italian, and Spanish, according to a statement from the Dicastery for Communication.The documentary was produced by the Dicastery for Communication in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Apostolado El Sembrador Nueva Evangelización (The Sower New Evangelization Apostolate.)The project was led by journalists Deborah Castellano Lubov, Salvatore Cernuzio, and Felipe Herrera-Espaliat, with editing by Jaime Vizcaíno Haro. It shows various locations, including the Dolton neighborhood in suburban Chicago where the pope lived with his family, and features the memories and stories of the Holy Father’s brothers, Louis Martin and John Prevost.Also featured are the offices, schools, and parishes run by the Augustinians, the Catholic Theological Union study center, and places frequented by Robert Prevost, such as Aurelio’s Pizza and Rate Field, the White Sox baseball stadium.The overview includes scenes from Villanova University near Philadelphia and Port Charlotte, Florida, where the pope’s older brother lives.The documentary features some 30 testimonies from people who knew Leo XIV in his childhood and youth; for example, when he marched in Washington, D.C., to support the pro-life cause. “Leo from Chicago” is the documentary that follows “Leo from Peru,” released in June, about the pope’s years in the South American country.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/leo.from.chicago.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Vatican, releases, ‘Leo, from, Chicago’, biopic</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo XIV appoints Augustinian from Nigeria as official of Papal Household</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-appoints-augustinian-from-nigeria-as-official-of-papal-household</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-appoints-augustinian-from-nigeria-as-official-of-papal-household</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV speaks during Mass for the opening of the general chapter of the Order of St. Augustine on Sept. 1, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 10, 2025 / 12:08 pm (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has appointed a longtime confrere and friend, Nigerian priest Edward Daniang Daleng, OSA, as vice regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, the second-highest position in the Vatican office that organizes audiences with the pope. The prefecture also takes care of the preparations related to papal ceremonies, the spiritual exercises of the Holy Father, and gatherings of the College of Cardinals and the Roman Curia. Furthermore, it handles the necessary arrangements whenever the Holy Father leaves the Apostolic Palace to visit places within Rome or Italy.Daniang has been a general councilor and, most recently, procurator general of the Order of St. Augustine — Pope Leo’s religious order. As procurator general, the priest was responsible for preparing and carrying out the order’s business with the Holy See.Born on April 4, 1977, in Yitla’ar, Kwalla, Plateau state, in Nigeria, Daniang made his first profession in the Order of St. Augustine on Nov. 9, 2001, and his solemn vows on Nov. 13, 2004, at the age of 47.He was ordained a priest on Sept. 10, 2005, and was awarded a doctorate in moral theology from the Pontifical Alphonsian Academy in Rome in 2012, with a thesis on “Respect for the Dignity and Care of Patients with Incurable and Terminal Illnesses.”Daniang first met Pope Leo in 2001, when Father Robert Prevost, then prior general of the Augustinians, visited Nigeria. After moving to Rome in 2002, Daniang got to know Prevost even better.He told Valentina Di Donato of EWTN News in August that he and Prevost have had many occasions to meet and speak over the ensuing decades.“Something that struck me was his simplicity, his humility,” Daniang said. “That is how he was, how he is.”Speaking to Vatican News after the election of Pope Leo XIV, Daniang also said that “Africa is in [Leo’s] heart” and that when he was prior general of the Augustinians, then-Father Prevost visited Nigeria at least 10 times.“To understand how much my country mattered to him,” the priest continued, “just remember that after becoming prior general on his 46th birthday, Sept. 14, he was already with us in Nigeria by November.”Valentina Di Donato, a producer in the Vatican Bureau of EWTN News, contributed to this report.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/leo.augustinians.jpg" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, appoints, Augustinian, from, Nigeria, official, Papal, Household</media:keywords>
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<title>‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ among Pope Leo XIV’s favorite films</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/the-sound-of-music-and-its-a-wonderful-life-among-pope-leo-xivs-favorite-films</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/the-sound-of-music-and-its-a-wonderful-life-among-pope-leo-xivs-favorite-films</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Pope Leo XIV blesses a baby in St. Peter’s Square during his general audience on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 10, 2025 / 18:32 pm (CNA).
The Vatican has revealed the names of Pope Leo XIV’s favorite films, including “The Sound of Music” and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” upon announcing the Holy Father’s upcoming meeting with the world of cinema on Saturday, Nov. 15.In total, the Vatican shared four titles of the “most significant films” for Leo XIV:‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946) by Frank CapraThe Christmas classic stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has sacrificed his dreams because of his sense of responsibility and generosity but feeling like a failure, he contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve. This prompts the intervention of his guardian angel (Henry Travers), who shows him all the good he has done for many people. ‘The Sound of Music’ (1965) by Robert WiseThe film tells the story of a postulant at a convent in Austria in 1938.  After discerning out, the postulant (Julie Andrews) is sent to the home of Captain Von Trapp, a widowed retired naval officer (Christopher Plummer) to be the governess of his seven children. After bringing love and music to the Von Trapp family, she eventually marries the captain. As Von Tapp refuses to accept a commission in the Nazi navy, the family is forced to leave Austria in a dramatic escape. ‘Ordinary People’ (1980) by Robert RedfordThe film tells the story of the breakdown of a wealthy Illinois family after the death of one son in an accident and the suicide attempt of the other. It stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, and Timothy Hutton.‘Life Is Beautiful’ (1997) by Roberto BenigniIn this film, Benigni — whose father spent two years in a prisoner-of-war camp — plays Guido Orefice, an Italian Jewish bookstore owner who uses his imagination to protect his young son from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.Nov. 15 meeting with the world of cinema The meeting will take place on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 11 a.m. Rome time in the Apostolic Palace of Vatican City, according to a statement from the Dicastery for Culture and Education, in collaboration with the Vatican Museums.The event follows previous meetings with the world of visual arts (June 2023), comedy (June 2024), and the Jubilee of Artists and the World of Culture in February of this year.The Vatican statement highlights that Pope Leo XIV “has expressed his desire to deepen the dialogue with the world of cinema, and in particular with actors and directors, exploring the possibilities that artistic creativity offers to the mission of the Church and the promotion of human values.”Actors and directors the pope will meetAmong those who have already confirmed their participation are the Italian actresses Monica Bellucci, famous for her role as Mary Magdalene in Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” and Maria Grazia Cucinotta (“Il Postino” and “The World Is Not Enough.”)Also joining the Holy Father will be, among others, American actress Cate Blanchett (“The Lord of the Rings,” “The Aviator”), the African-American director Spike Lee, the director Gus Van Sant (“Good Will Hunting,” “Elephant”), the Australian director George Miller, creator of the Mad Max saga, and the Italian Giuseppe Tornatore, director of “Cinema Paradiso,” for which he won the Oscar for best foreign film in 1989.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Thu, 13 Nov 2025 11:00:07 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>‘The, Sound, Music’, and, ‘It’s, Wonderful, Life’, among, Pope, Leo, XIV’s, favorite, films</media:keywords>
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<title>Inside Spain: How Franco disinformation flourishes online</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-how-franco-disinformation-flourishes-online</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/inside-spain-how-franco-disinformation-flourishes-online</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ In this week&#039;s Inside Spain, we look a how half a century after the death of Francisco Franco, disinformation on social media has credited the Spanish dictator with social achievements that present his iron-fisted rule in a nostalgic light. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 08 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Inside, Spain:, How, Franco, disinformation, flourishes, online</media:keywords>
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<title>Exiled Spanish king&amp;apos;s memoirs stir debate over Franco</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/exiled-spanish-kings-memoirs-stir-debate-over-franco</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/exiled-spanish-kings-memoirs-stir-debate-over-franco</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The release of exiled former Spanish King Juan Carlos&#039;s memoirs has sparked renewed debate in Spain over his legacy and ties to the late dictator General Francisco Franco. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://assets.thelocal.com/cdn-cgi/plain/https://apiwp.thelocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AFP__20251108__83E84NQ__v1__MidRes__FilesSpainRoyalsHistorySociety.jpg@webp" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 08 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Exiled, Spanish, kings, memoirs, stir, debate, over, Franco</media:keywords>
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<title>Which of Europe&amp;apos;s anti&#45;immigration parties are the most extreme?</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/which-of-europes-anti-immigration-parties-are-the-most-extreme</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/which-of-europes-anti-immigration-parties-are-the-most-extreme</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ The rise of anti-immigration parties in Europe shows that the far-right doesn&#039;t have to be in power to push its agenda and influence policy making. The Local&#039;s Conor Faulkner takes a look around the far-right parties shaping debate across the continent and looks at which party is the most extremist. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 08 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Which, Europes, anti-immigration, parties, are, the, most, extreme</media:keywords>
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<title>Spain&amp;apos;s Rosalía releases most anticipated album of the year</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/spains-rosalia-releases-most-anticipated-album-of-the-year</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/spains-rosalia-releases-most-anticipated-album-of-the-year</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Spanish singer Rosalía released her highly anticipated fourth album, &quot;Lux&quot;, on Friday, a sweeping, spiritual work that marks a departure from her previous work. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Sat, 08 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Spains, Rosalía, releases, most, anticipated, album, the, year</media:keywords>
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<title>Airbnb demands Spain adopt different rules for tourist rentals in rural areas</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/airbnb-demands-spain-adopt-different-rules-for-tourist-rentals-in-rural-areas</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/airbnb-demands-spain-adopt-different-rules-for-tourist-rentals-in-rural-areas</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Tourist rental platform Airbnb has called for Spain to adopt different regulations for holiday rentals depending on whether they&#039;re rural or urban-based, similar to a system in force in France. ]]></description>
<enclosure url="https://assets.thelocal.com/cdn-cgi/plain/https://apiwp.thelocal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AFP__20050128__ARP1244811__v5__MidRes__AfplifestyleSpainQuijoteTravel.jpg@webp" length="49398" type="image/jpeg"/>
<pubDate>Sat, 08 Nov 2025 11:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>News Moderator  - Tomas Kauer</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Airbnb, demands, Spain, adopt, different, rules, for, tourist, rentals, rural, areas</media:keywords>
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<title>Pope Leo XIV declares St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-declares-st-john-henry-newman-a-doctor-of-the-church</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-declares-st-john-henry-newman-a-doctor-of-the-church</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ On All Saints Day 2025, St. John Henry Newman was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIV. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 1, 2025 / 08:45 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV has declared St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church, recognizing the English cardinal and theologian — one of the most influential converts from Anglicanism — as a towering figure of faith and intellect in modern Catholicism.The declaration took place at the beginning of Mass for the solemnity of All Saints on Nov. 1, celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica as part of the Jubilee of Education. Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, read Newman’s biography and formally requested that the pope proclaim the saint a doctor of the Church.Pope Leo then read in Latin the solemn formula declaring Newman the 38th doctor of the universal Church. The pope also named Newman co-patron of Catholic education, putting him alongside St. Thomas Aquinas in that role.‘An inspiration to new generations’“Newman’s impressive spiritual and cultural stature will surely serve as an inspiration to new generations whose hearts thirst for the infinite and who, through research and knowledge, are willing to undertake that journey which, as the ancients said, takes us ‘per aspera ad astra,’ through difficulties to the stars,” the pope said in his homily.On Nov. 1, 2025 St. John Henry Newman was proclaimed the 38th Doctor of the Church. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News“The lives of the saints teach us that it is possible to live passionately amidst the complexity of the present, without neglecting the apostolic mandate to ‘shine like stars in the world,’” the pope continued, quoting St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians. “On this solemn occasion, I wish to say to teachers and educational institutions: ‘Shine today like stars in the world’ through your authentic commitment to the collective search for truth and to sharing it with generosity and integrity.”Referring to Newman’s famous hymn “Lead, Kindly Light,” Leo added: “The task of education is precisely to offer this Kindly Light to those who might otherwise remain imprisoned by the particularly insidious shadows of pessimism and fear. For this reason, I would like to say to you: let us disarm the false reasons for resignation and powerlessness, and let us share the great reasons for hope in today’s world.”Pope Leo also emphasized that “life shines brightly not because we are rich, beautiful, or powerful. Instead, it shines when we discover within ourselves the truth that we are called by God, have a vocation, have a mission, that our lives serve something greater than ourselves.”Finally, he recalled Pope Benedict XVI’s words to young people: “‘What God wants most of all for each one of you is that you should become holy. He loves you much more than you could ever begin to imagine.’ This is the universal call to holiness that the Second Vatican Council made an essential part of its message. And holiness is intended for everyone, without exception, as a personal and communal journey marked out by the beatitudes.”“I pray that Catholic education will help each person to discover their own call to holiness,” the pope said.What is a doctor of the Church?The title “doctor of the Church” is given to saints recognized for their eminent learning, deep holiness, and significant contribution to Catholic theology.To receive the title, a saint must have demonstrated outstanding sanctity confirmed by canonization, excellence in doctrine through writings of lasting influence, and a formal declaration by the pope.The most recent doctor of the Church before Newman was St. Irenaeus of Lyon, proclaimed by Pope Francis in 2022 as the “Doctor of Unity.”Other doctors of the Church include St. Augustine, St. Ambrose, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Anthony of Padua, and St. Francis de Sales.Who is St. John Henry Newman?St. John Henry Newman was born in London on Feb. 21, 1801. Originally an Anglican priest, he became one of the leading figures of the Oxford Movement, which sought to return the Church of England to its ancient roots. His theological reflections led him ever closer to Catholicism, and in 1845 he entered the Catholic Church.In remarks after Saturday’s Mass, Pope Leo welcomed an official delegation of the Church of England, led by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell of York, and prayed that Newman might “accompany Christians on their journey towards full union.”Ordained a Catholic priest in 1847, Newman founded the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England and went on to produce an immense body of work — more than 40 books and some 20,000 letters — spanning theology, philosophy, and education.Pope Leo XIII made him a cardinal in 1879. Newman chose as his motto “Cor ad cor loquitur” (“Heart speaks to heart”), reflecting his conviction that true conversion is a return to the innermost dwelling of God in the heart.He died in Edgbaston, England, in 1890. Pope Benedict XVI beatified him in 2010, and Pope Francis canonized him in 2019. His remains rest in the Catholic cemetery of Rednal, Birmingham.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, declares, St., John, Henry, Newman, doctor, the, Church</media:keywords>
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<item>
<title>Drawing inspiration from Newman: &amp;amp;amp;#039;Without his legacy, perhaps I would not be Catholic today&amp;amp;amp;#039;</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/drawing-inspiration-from-newman-039without-his-legacy-perhaps-i-would-not-be-catholic-today039</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/drawing-inspiration-from-newman-039without-his-legacy-perhaps-i-would-not-be-catholic-today039</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Ryan Marr is an expert on the English saint and is a former associate editor of the Newman Studies Journal. / Credit: Courtesy of Ryan Marr

Vatican City, Nov 1, 2025 / 11:50 am (CNA).
St. John Henry Newman, the Anglican clergyman who converted to Catholicism but whom many in both London and Rome distrusted for years, stands today as a beacon that continues to inspire many to embrace the Catholic faith as he did.“I am personally grateful for the testimony of Newman’s life, because without his legacy I might not be Catholic today,” confesses Ryan “Bud” Marr, a renowned scholar of the English saint, upon whom Pope Leo XIV conferred Saturday the title of doctor of the Church.Newman&#039;s memorable quote — &quot;to be deep in history is to cease to be Protestant&quot; — was pivotal in Marr’s personal conversion. When he first read it, &quot;I was studying to be a Protestant pastor,&quot; he revealed in a conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.&quot;I immediately understood that I had to read the rest of Newman&#039;s essay to put to the test the truth of his statement. I couldn&#039;t simply ignore that challenge and continue on the path I was on,&quot; he explained.The expert, a former associate editor of the Newman Studies Journal, added that &quot;there are countless similar testimonies&quot; to his and that they will continue to grow in the coming years in light of Newman’s designation as the 38th doctor of the Church.For Marr, Newman possessed a singular gift: “Expressing fundamental truths in brief and memorable phrases,” capable of transcending time and touching consciences. This is why so many people, over more than a century, have found in his writings a path to conversion.Development of doctrine, a decisive contributionFor Marr, Newman’s most significant contribution to contemporary Catholic theology is on the subject of the development of doctrine. “It’s not that Newman wrote something entirely new,” he explained.“Other Catholic theologians, especially St. Vincent of Lérins, had already addressed the topic of doctrinal development. But Newman synthesized diverse ideas into a unified and compelling theory, so that any subsequent theologian has had to start from his “Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine” when addressing this topic,” he pointed out.This vision, he added, was decisive for 20th-century thought. Newman showed that “the Church’s understanding of revealed truths deepens over time.” “In some cases, the Church offers new formulations — as happened with the Nicene Creed — but these developments always affirm and clarify what has been handed down,” he emphasized.“The deposit of faith is immutable, but our understanding of that deposit actually expands,” he added. Each generation, Marr emphasized, must “proclaim the truth of the faith within its own linguistic categories,” but always preserving the “essential while facing the challenges of its time.”Conscience and the sensus fidei as means of Christian discernmentWhen it was announced that Newman would be proclaimed a doctor of the Church, Marr recalled, “some observers predicted that Pope Leo XIV might bestow upon him the title of Doctor of Conscience.” This is no coincidence. Newman, he noted, dedicated some of his most influential writings to the “centrality of conscience in the journey to God,” both during his Anglican period and in his new life as a Catholic.Like St. Thomas Aquinas, Marr explained, “Newman believed that a person should never act against the dictates of their conscience,” because doing so “would undermine the very coherence of the moral life.”However, the former champion of Anglicanism, who converted to Catholicism at the age of 45, also warned about the human tendency toward “self-deception,” Marr explained. The scholar noted that Newman insisted on the need to “form the conscience according to divine and natural law.”In his 1874 “Letter to the Duke of Norfolk,” one of his most celebrated essays, Newman cautioned against a “false notion of conscience,” identified with the right to one’s own will, an idea that, according to Marr, “reflects the modern mindset” that values ​​subjective independence over objective truth.He therefore pointed out that “as Catholics, we must work to restore the true vision of conscience, in line with the teaching of theological giants like Aquinas and Newman.”The sensus fidei is not ‘a populist counterweight to the hierarchy’This theme is intertwined with the concept of the sensus fidei, the supernatural sense of the faith bestowed upon the baptized: “Newman was ahead of his time in recognizing that the lay faithful have an essential role in the defense and transmission of tradition. The priesthood of all believers means, in part, that the baptized possess a special sense of the faith, a capacity that we must strengthen through devotion and study.”Marr noted that, for Newman, this sense also had a communal dimension, the sensus fidelium, or sense of the faithful. “He did not understand it as a populist counterweight to the hierarchy,” he clarified. “He knew that the pope and the bishops exercise a divinely instituted authority, but he remembered that there have been times in history — such as during the Arian controversy — when the laity defended the faith, even when some pastors wavered.”A prophet in the face of modern apostasyWith prophetic clarity, the expert noted, Newman “foresaw the growing irreligion of the modern world.” In his 1873 sermon “The Infidelity of the Future,” Newman warned that the trials of the future would be so great “that they would shake even hearts as valiant as those of St. Athanasius or St. Gregory the Great,” Marr said.Newman, he explained, perceived that the greatest danger of modernity would be precisely the spread of unbelief, a society that is “simply irreligious.”However, faced with this bleak outlook, “Newman neither called for retreat nor proposed authoritarian strategies.” He courageously confronted the philosophical ideas of his time and offered a compelling explanation of the “reasonableness of the Christian faith,” deeply rooted in Catholic tradition and in dialogue with modern philosophy, he noted.Newman and the intellectual mission of the laityNewman, the expert continued, understood the life of the Catholic Church as something “dynamic,” where “all members of the Body of Christ have an active role in the proclamation of the truth.”The fathers of the Second Vatican Council took up this vision, presenting it as an urgent call to contemporary Catholics. The expert warned that it is important to understand this call well: “The laity do not fulfill their vocation by becoming more clerical, but by sanctifying the world according to their own specific mission, bringing the Gospel to education, law, medicine, and culture.”This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Drawing, inspiration, from, Newman:, &amp;amp039Without, his, legacy, perhaps, would, not, Catholic, today&amp;amp039</media:keywords>
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<title>CNA explains: The step&#45;by&#45;step process the Church uses to declare someone a saint</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/cna-explains-the-step-by-step-process-the-church-uses-to-declare-someone-a-saint</link>
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<description><![CDATA[ Detail of a mural showing Blessed Stanley Rother being welcomed into heaven at the new Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine in Oklahoma City. / Credit: Joe Holdren/EWTN News

CNA Staff, Nov 1, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).
Nov. 1 is the solemnity of All Saints — known more popularly as All Saints’ Day — the day on which the Catholic Church celebrates all who have attained eternal life with God in heaven. The Catholic Church formally recognizes thousands and thousands of saints. But how exactly does the Church come to declare someone a saint in heaven? The process has been developed and refined throughout the centuries, starting from the earliest days of Christendom to the present day. Early Church’s canonization was local, bishop-ledThe Christian communities of early centuries were nascent, decentralized, and often persecuted. The formal procedures of the Church in these years often developed in relative isolation.The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) says on its website that in the first 500 years of the Catholic Church, there was “no formal canonical process as understood by today’s standards.” “Beginning in the sixth century and continuing into the 12th century, the intervention of the local bishop was required before someone could be canonized,” the bishops’ website says. Local Christians often requested for their bishop’s intervention to determine the sainthood of a faithful departed. The bishop would study both the request and the biography of the candidate in question; if deeming the request “favorable,” he would “typically issue a decree, legitimize the liturgical cult, and thereby canonize the person.”As the decades and centuries went on, the process became more formalized. In addition to the earlier modes of review, starting in the 10th century, the bishop would “collect eyewitness testimony of those who knew the person and who had witnessed miracles” associated with the candidate. The entire petition would be provided to the pope, who would rule on the matter himself. This process led to the first official papal canonization, that of Swiss bishop St. Ulric in 993, by Pope John XV.This process remained the same for several more centuries; in the late 1500s, Pope Sixtus V established the Congregation for Sacred Rites, one of the functions of which was to “assist the pope with reviewing causes.”The process remained largely unchanged from then until 1917 with the promulgation of the universal Code of Canon Law. A new promulgation in 1983 gave the Church the code still in effect today. Modern 3-stage processThe present process for canonization by the Catholic Church plays out across three stages.First, in stage 1, Church authorities examine “the life of a candidate for sainthood.” The process, which generally may only begin five years after a candidate’s death, is first enacted at the diocesan or eparchial level. After receiving a petition, consulting with the episcopal conference and the local faithful, and permission from the Holy See, the bishop will convene a tribunal, which will investigate the life of the candidate (or his/her potential martyrdom). “Witnesses will be called and documents written by and about the candidate must be gathered and examined,” the USCCB notes. The diocese subsequently sends its report on to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints; nine theologians subsequently “vote on whether or not the candidate lived a heroic life or suffered martyrdom.” If they vote favorably, and after an examination by cardinals and bishops who are members of the dicastery, the prefect of the dicastery “presents the results of the entire course of the cause to the pope,” who gives his approval and directs the congregation to draft a decree declaring the candidate either ”venerable” (if ”they have lived a virtuous life”) or ”blessed” (“if they have been martyred”). In stage 2, a venerable is beatified when he or she has “a miracle attributed to [his or her] intercession.” The miracle “must be proven through the appropriate canonical investigation.” Upon beautification, a venerable is given the title blessed (that title is automatically granted to a martyr upon determination of his or her martyrdom). In stage 3, a blessed is officially canonized with the determination of another miracle “attributed to the intercession of the blessed and having occurred after his or her beatification.”Canonization “allows for the public veneration of the saint by the universal Church,” the USCCB notes.The first saints to be canonized by Pope Leo XIV were St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati on Sept. 7. This story was first published on Nov. 1, 2023, and has been updated. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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<title>Pope Leo XIV commemorates Nostra Aetate anniversary with interfaith celebrations</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-commemorates-nostra-aetate-anniversary-with-interfaith-celebrations</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/pope-leo-xiv-commemorates-nostra-aetate-anniversary-with-interfaith-celebrations</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Approximately 300 representatives of world religions and cultures joined the Holy Father for an evening ecumenical prayer service for peace, organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio, on Oct. 28, 2025, at the Colosseum in Rome. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Oct 29, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).
Pope Leo XIV joined faith leaders on Tuesday to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the Church’s declaration on building relationships with non-Christian religions. Approximately 300 representatives of world religions and cultures joined the Holy Father for an evening ecumenical prayer service for peace organized by the Community of Sant’Egidio and held at the Colosseum in Rome.“Peace is a constant journey of reconciliation,” the Holy Father said at the Oct. 28 event. Thanking religious leaders for coming together in Rome, he said their interfaith meeting expressed their shared “conviction that prayer is a powerful force for reconciliation.”“This is our witness: offering the immense treasures of ancient spiritualities to contemporary humanity,” he said.“We need a true and sound era of reconciliation that puts an end to the abuse of power, displays of force, and indifference to the rule of law,” he added. “Enough of war, with all the pain it causes through death, destruction, and exile!”  In his remarks, the pope urged people not to be indifferent to the “cry of the poor and the cry of the earth” in their pursuits for peace in countries scarred by ongoing conflict and injustice.“In the power of prayer, with hands raised to heaven and open to others, we must ensure that this period of history, marked by war and the arrogance of power, soon comes to an end, giving rise to a new era,” he said.“We cannot allow this period to continue. It shapes the minds of people who grow accustomed to war as a normal part of human history,” he continued.Pope Leo and other religious leaders lit candles to symbolize their shared prayer and renewed commitment to engage in interfaith dialogue. Credit: Vatican MediaSeveral people waved small blue banners with the word “peace” in different languages while Pope Leo and the other religious leaders lit candles to symbolize their shared prayer and renewed commitment to engage in interfaith dialogue.After the prayer gathering at Rome’s iconic landmark, the Holy Father returned to the Vatican to join colorful celebrations jointly organized by the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue and the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. To mark the 60th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, several multicultural music and dance performances were held inside the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall as well as a presentation highlighting papal initiatives to promote the Church’s dialogue with other religions since the pontificate of Pope Paul VI.     Pope Leo’s appearance and special address toward the end of the two-hour gathering highlighted the Church’s reverence for all people and its desire to collaborate with others for the common good. “We belong to one human family, one in origin, and one also in our final goal,” he said. “Religions everywhere try to respond to the restlessness of the human heart.” “Each in its own way offers teachings, ways of life, and sacred rites that help guide their followers to peace and meaning,” he said. Emphasizing the common mission shared among people of different religions to “reawaken” the sense of the sacred in the world today, the Holy Father encouraged people to “keep love alive.”“We have come together in this place bearing the great responsibility as religious leaders to bring hope to a humanity that is often tempted by despair,” Leo said.“Let us remember that prayer has the power to transform our hearts, our words, our actions, and our world,” he said. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
<media:keywords>Pope, Leo, XIV, commemorates, Nostra, Aetate, anniversary, with, interfaith, celebrations</media:keywords>
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<title>The lifesaving miracle that led to St. John Henry Newman’s canonization</title>
<link>https://www.okpraha.com/the-lifesaving-miracle-that-led-to-st-john-henry-newmans-canonization</link>
<guid>https://www.okpraha.com/the-lifesaving-miracle-that-led-to-st-john-henry-newmans-canonization</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ Melissa Villalobos suffered severe bleeding while pregnant. St. John Henry Newman interceded and saved her and her daughter Gemma, now 11 years old. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Villalobos family

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 31, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).
The sainthood of John Henry Newman, who will be declared a doctor of the Church on Nov. 1, rested on two inexplicable healings that the Catholic Church officially recognized as miracles that paved the way for his beatification in 2010 and his canonization in 2019.The second and most recent of these miracles was lifesaving. During her fifth pregnancy, Melissa Villalobos, a lawyer from Chicago, suffered severe internal bleeding caused by a partial placental abruption, a condition that seriously endangered both her life and that of her unborn child.The day it happened, Villalobos, alone at home and without the strength to call for help, turned to prayer. “Please, Cardinal Newman, stop the bleeding,” she said with difficulty. As she later recounted: “Just as I finished those words, the bleeding stopped, and I noticed in the bathroom the strongest scent of roses in my life. When it stopped, I asked, ‘Cardinal Newman, did you do this?’ and the scent returned a second time. I knew it was him.”St. John Henry Newman is very present in the daily life of this American family. Credit: Photo courtesy of the Villalobos familyThat same afternoon, the doctors confirmed what they could not explain: The tear in the placenta had disappeared. Months later, Villalobos gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby girl, whom she named Gemma.Five years later, Gemma and her entire family participated in the canonization ceremony for Newman officiated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 13, 2019.For Sister Kathleen Dietz, FSO, a renowned specialist on St. John Henry Newman, the healing of the pregnant woman should be seen as a “sign of the times” when “the culture of death permeates everything.”“He performed this miracle for the sake of life, not only the life of the young mother but also that of her child. It’s very significant,” she told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.Unexplained healing of a debilitating spinal disorderThe first miracle attributed to Newman’s intercession was on behalf of American deacon Jack Sullivan, who was suffering from a severe degenerative spinal cord disease that had left him almost paralyzed.In great pain and with little hope of recovery, he prayed for Newman’s intercession. According to his own testimony, on Aug. 15, 2001, he experienced a sudden and complete recovery, which allowed him to walk unaided and shortly afterward to be ordained a permanent deacon.The Congregation for the Causes of Saints officially recognized the healing as scientifically inexplicable, and on July 3, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI officially announced that it constituted a genuine miracle. It led to Newman’s beatification on Sept. 19, 2010, in Birmingham, England, the city where the saint lived for much of his ministry.Deacon Jack Sullivan was cured of a debilitating spinal disorder after praying for the intercession of Cardinal John Henry Newman. Credit: Photo courtesy of Deacon Jack SullivanSullivan served as deacon and read the Gospel at the Mass celebrated by Benedict in Rednal, England, very near Newman’s burial site.Sullivan, who has the only first-class relic of Newman outside the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England, has given numerous presentations with it and has held healing prayer services. Dietz — who has collaborated on various studies on the spirituality and legacy of St. John Henry Newman — emphasized that miracles authenticate Newman’s holiness and reflect his ongoing mission within the Church.“Miracles show that Newman continues to have a role as an example and intercessor. He will soon be named a doctor of the Church and thus will also be a teacher of truth,” she noted.Inspiration for daily lifeFor the religious, Newman can inspire the faithful in their daily lives with a faith “lived in everyday circumstances.”Dietz cited Newman’s 1856 work “A Short Road to Perfection” in which he points out that to be saints, “we need nothing more than to fulfill the ordinary duties of the day well.”“It’s not a matter of heroic or extraordinary feats but of performing the actions of each day with rectitude and consistency: getting up on time, dedicating one’s first thoughts to God, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, praying the Angelus and the rosary, keeping one’s thoughts in order, examining oneself daily, and going to bed at a reasonable hour. If this is done consistently, one is already on the path to perfection,” the saint counseled.Joy: An essential Christian virtueDietz emphasized that Newman saw joy as an essential Christian virtue, even in the midst of sadness, and that his example can guide believers to live their faith in a “practical, tangible, and consistent” way in daily life.For Dietz, Newman’s life and miracles remind us that holiness is not an unattainable ideal but a “reality accessible to all” through faithfulness to small daily acts and trust in God’s providence.“His teaching combines theological depth with pastoral application, showing how a saint can be a model and guide for the contemporary Church and for every believer in their daily life,” she explained.This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. ]]></description>
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<pubDate>Tue, 04 Nov 2025 11:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
<dc:creator>Bro Jim C Salonoy - News Writer and  Moderator</dc:creator>
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