Pope Leo XIV addresses pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Nov. 9, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Nov 9, 2025 / 07:15 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to contemplate “the mystery of unity and communion with the Church of Rome” and to recognize that “the true sanctuary of God is Christ who died and rose again” during his Sunday Angelus on the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said in his catechesis that the Lateran, the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the seat of Peter’s successor, “is not only a work of extraordinary historical, artistic, and religious value, but it also represents the driving force of the faith entrusted to and preserved by the Apostles, and its transmission throughout history.”

He noted that this mystery “shines forth in the artistic splendor of the building,” which contains “the 12 large statues of the Apostles, the first followers of Christ and witnesses of the Gospel.”

The pope urged Christians to look beyond appearances and to see the Church’s deeper reality. “This points to a spiritual perspective, which helps us to go beyond the external appearance, to understand that the mystery of the Church is much more than a simple place, a physical space, a building made of stones,” he said.

Recalling the Gospel account of Jesus cleansing the Temple, Leo XIV said: “In reality, the true sanctuary of God is Christ who died and rose again. He is the only mediator of salvation, the only redeemer, the one who, by uniting himself with our humanity and transforming us with his love, represents the door that opens wide for us and leads us to the Father.”

“United with him,” he continued, “we too are living stones of this spiritual edifice. We are the Church of Christ, his body, his members called to spread his Gospel of mercy, consolation, and peace throughout the world, through that spiritual worship that must shine forth above all in our witness of life.”

The pope cautioned that the sins and weaknesses of believers, together with “many clichés and prejudices,” often obscure the mystery of the Church. “Her holiness, in fact, is not dependent upon our merits,” he said, “but in the ‘gift of the Lord, never retracted,’ that continues to choose ‘as the vessel of its presence, with a paradoxical love, the dirty hands of men.’”

“Let us walk then in the joy of being the holy people that God has chosen,” Leo XIV concluded, inviting the faithful to pray: “Let us invoke Mary, Mother of the Church, to help us welcome Christ and accompany us with her intercession.”

After praying the Angelus, the pope expressed his closeness to the people of the Philippines, where a massive typhoon has caused widespread destruction.

“I express my closeness to the people of the Philippines who have been hit by a violent typhoon: I pray for the deceased and their families, as well as for the injured and displaced,” he said.

He also noted that the Church in Italy was observing its annual Thanksgiving Day and joined the Italian bishops in encouraging “responsible care for the land, combating food waste, and adopting sustainable agricultural practices.”

Finally, Leo XIV made a heartfelt appeal for peace amid ongoing conflicts. “If we truly want to honor their memory,” he said of recent war victims, “we must stop the wars and put all of our efforts into negotiations.”

The pope concluded by greeting groups of pilgrims from around the world and wishing everyone “a blessed 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.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, receives flowers from Rohingya during his visit to Cox’s Bazar, considered the world’s largest refugee camp, on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2025. / Credit: Caritas Bangladesh

Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nov 9, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, concluded a five-day pastoral visit with migrants and displaced Catholics under the theme “Raising Hope to Foster a Culture of Care.”

From Nov. 1–5, Czerny met with internally displaced Catholics near Dhaka and visited Rohingya in Cox’s Bazar, highlighting urgent issues of migration, poverty, and social justice.

Bangladesh hosts two vulnerable communities: approximately 50,000 internally displaced Catholics in Dhaka and Narayanganj, and nearly 1.1 million Rohingya refugees and migrants in Cox’s Bazar — considered the largest refugee camp in the world.

The visit sought to affirm the Church’s solidarity with these groups and encourage collaboration among Church leaders, government agencies, and humanitarian organizations.

Message of faith for displaced Catholics

On Nov. 2, Czerny celebrated Mass with more than 600 Catholics in Modonpur, Narayanganj, an industrial area where many migrants from rural Bangladesh live in precarious conditions. Many have fled their ancestral villages seeking better livelihoods, often working in factories under difficult circumstances.

“You are poor, but you gather to worship God,” Czerny told the faithful. “As you pray, God will answer your prayers. You will be blessed.”

For Sujon Das, 28, a machine operator originally from Thakurgaon, the encounter was deeply moving. “Cardinal Czerny admired us,” Das told CNA. “I had night duty on Nov. 3, but after work I joined the Mass. Normally we cannot attend Sunday Mass because we only get Fridays off — and sometimes we work even then.”

Das recalled a painful memory: “On Aug. 5, 2024, during political unrest, miscreants set fire to our church. Still, we keep our faith.” The violence occurred during widespread unrest following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, which resulted in attacks on religious minorities across Bangladesh.

Father Ajit Victor Costa, who ministers regularly in Modonpur, explained why so many Catholics migrate to the area. “For existential reasons and better livelihood, they come to industrial zones seeking jobs,” he explained. “Most are landless and worked as day laborers in villages, earning very little. Migration continues, and many families remain separated.”

During his homily, Czerny praised those who serve migrants and refugees: “Communities that welcome migrants can be a living witness to hope — a promise of a present and future where the dignity of all as children of God is recognized.”

Solidarity with Rohingya

On Nov. 3, Czerny traveled to Cox’s Bazar to visit Rohingya who fled violence in Myanmar.

During a tour of Caritas Bangladesh’s humanitarian programs, he expressed concern about dwindling global support.

“The situation is very difficult, with funding cuts and less attention from the world,” Czerny said during his visit to the migrant camp. “The world should show more solidarity, not less. All organizations — Christian and others — must respond to real needs and continue to support those who suffer.”

Czerny assured them of the Church’s commitment. “I hope one day you can return safely to your homeland and live in peace and dignity,” he said.

Abdul Rahman (not his real name), 55, a Rohingya refugee, voiced gratitude. “Caritas Bangladesh stands with us, offering love and care — clean water, sanitation, shelter, and hope,” Rahman said. “Even when the world forgets, Caritas remains close.”

CNA is using pseudonyms for Rohingya refugees at their request for security reasons.

Children welcomed the visitor from the Vatican with songs and drawings. “Please help us with more play and learning materials,” said Mohammad Nur (not his real name). Czerny called their joy “a sign of hope and life that inspires us all to keep serving with compassion.”

Justice and peace at the heart of mission

On Nov. 4 in Dhaka, Czerny inaugurated the 50th anniversary of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace of Bangladesh, praising its work on human rights, child protection, climate change, migration, and anti-trafficking efforts.

He also visited children in drug rehabilitation centers, orphanages, and migrant shelters. “The care you receive is good,” he told them, “but think also about what kind of service you can offer to others.”

At a press conference later that day, Czerny reflected on the challenges facing both communities. “For those in the camps, being stateless, unemployed, and confined for years is intolerable,” he said. “The international community has not been able to provide a solution to the Rohingya crisis, and that needs to change.”

Call to action

Czerny’s visit underscored the Church’s mission to accompany those on the margins.

“The Holy Spirit sends us to others,” he reminded the faithful. “The care you bring to migrants and refugees is a trace of the Spirit — a sign of salvation and hope.”

Archbishop Bejoy N. D’Cruze of Dhaka, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh, expressed his gratitude to Czerny for the pastoral visit.

“I am confident that this visit will be a blessing for the Catholic Church in Bangladesh,” D’Cruze said. “I believe it will further inspire and strengthen our commitment to inclusive human development.”

Pope Leo XIV addresses the faithful at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome on Nov. 9, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Nov 9, 2025 / 06:40 am (CNA).

At the Basilica of St. John Lateran on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV urged Christians to build the Church on “solid foundations” rooted in Christ rather than on “worldly criteria” that demand immediate results and overlook the value of patience and humility.

Celebrating Mass for the solemnity of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica — the cathedral of the bishop of Rome and the oldest church in the city — the pope reflected in his homily on the meaning of this feast and on the Church as a living temple built of “living stones.”

“The millennial history of the Church teaches us that with God’s help, a true community of faith can only be built with humility and patience,” he said. “Such a community is capable of spreading charity, promoting mission, proclaiming, celebrating, and serving the apostolic magisterium of which this temple is the first seat.”

The pope drew on the image of the basilica’s physical foundations to speak about the spiritual foundations of the Church. “If the builders had not dug deep enough to find a solid base on which to construct the rest, the entire building would have collapsed long ago,” he said. “As laborers in the living Church, we too must first dig deep within ourselves and around ourselves before we can build impressive structures. We must remove any unstable material that would prevent us from reaching the solid rock of Christ.”

Citing St. Paul’s words that “no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ,” the pope encouraged Christians to “constantly return to Jesus and his Gospel and be docile to the action of the Holy Spirit,” warning against “overloading a building with heavy structures whose foundations are too weak to support.”

Pope Leo XIV also cautioned against haste and superficiality in serving God’s kingdom. “Let us dig deep, unhindered by worldly criteria, which too often demand immediate results and disregard the wisdom of waiting,” he said.

Reflecting on the Gospel story of Zacchaeus, the pope said that when Jesus calls believers to take part in God’s great project, “he transforms us by skillfully shaping us according to his plans for salvation.” The image of a “construction site,” he added, captures “the concrete, tangible efforts of our communities as they grow every day, sharing their charisms under the guidance of their pastors.”

Acknowledging that the Church’s current journey — particularly in the context of the Synod — requires perseverance, he urged the faithful not to be discouraged. “Let us not allow fatigue to prevent us from recognizing and celebrating this good, so that we may nourish and renew our enthusiasm,” he said. “After all, it is through charity in action that the face of our Church is shaped, making it ever clearer to all that she is a ‘mother,’ the ‘mother of all Churches,’ or even a ‘mom,’ as St. John Paul II said when speaking to children on this very feast day.”

Turning to the liturgy, the pope said it is “the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed... the source from which all its power flows.” He called for particular care for the liturgy at the See of Peter, so that it “can serve as an example for the whole people of God.”

“It must comply with the established norms, be attentive to the different sensibilities of those participating, and keep with the principle of wise inculturation,” he said. At the same time, it should remain “faithful to the solemn sobriety typical of the Roman tradition,” ensuring that “the simple beauty of the rites expresses the value of worship for the harmonious growth of the whole body of the Lord.”

“I hope that those who approach the altar of Rome’s cathedral go away filled with the grace that the Lord wishes to flood the world,” Pope Leo XIV concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

A pilgrimage to the ancient shrine of St. Maron and the Church of St. Simeon Stylites recently took place in northwestern Syria. / Credit: Maronite Scout Group

ACI MENA, Nov 9, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

For the first time in over 15 years, the Maronite Church in Syria celebrated a solemn Mass at the ancient shrine of St. Maron in the village of Brad, northwest of Aleppo.

A pilgrimage to the site, organized by the Maronite Scouts, drew more than 80 participants, young and old, reviving one of the most sacred Christian sites in the region known as the “Dead Cities.”

Father Ghandi Mahanna, who led the liturgy, reminded worshippers that “the true presence of God is found in every human heart,” urging them to live faith through love.

The group also visited the nearby ruins of St. Simeon the Stylite’s Church and the cave chapel once home to the hermit Toufic Ajib, which suffered partial damage during the war.

Accompanied by security forces ensuring safe passage, the pilgrims expressed hope that religious tourism to Syria would soon revive, reaffirming that “Syria was beautiful, and still is.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV blesses those gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Nov. 5, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Nov 8, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV met on Saturday with 15 survivors of clergy sexual abuse in a meeting marked by dialogue, listening, and prayer, according to the Holy See Press Office.

The encounter, described as one of “closeness with the victims, of deep and painful listening and dialogue,” lasted nearly three hours. The meeting concluded with “an intense moment of prayer” shared between the pope and the survivors.

This was the second time in less than three weeks that Leo has met at the Vatican with victims of clerical abuse. On Oct. 20, he received four survivors and two representatives of the international coalition Ending Clergy Abuse, which brings together victims and advocates from more than 30 countries.

That earlier meeting lasted about an hour and was described by participants as a “deeply meaningful conversation.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Police protect marchers at the fourth annual National Men’s March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood in Boston on Nov. 1, 2025. / Credit: Brother Anthony Marie MICM

CNA Staff, Nov 8, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news:

Amid clown protesters, Boston men’s march for life remains ‘prayerful’

Hundreds gathered in Boston last Saturday for a men’s march for life, which drew a rambunctious crowd of protesters dressed as clowns and inflatable dinosaurs. 

The fourth annual National Men’s March to Abolish Abortion and Rally for Personhood began at Boston Planned Parenthood and concluded about three miles away at Boston Common.

While counterprotesters — some dressed as clowns or wearing inflatable dinosaur costumes — played instruments and yelled on the sidelines, marchers carried on in a “prayerful and well-composed” manner, said march co-founder and president Jim Havens, who called the event “outstanding.” 

At the rallying point at Boston Common, an estimated 50 Antifa members also showed up. Another counterprotester wore a pony costume and carried a megaphone. 

Though the event sees protesters every year, Havens told CNA that the marchers have a good relationship with local law enforcement, so the event is “safe and secure.” 

“In our current culture of death, when we publicly stand for the least among us and for the abolition of the ongoing daily mass murder of our littlest brothers and sisters, protesters are to be expected,” Havens said. “We strive to incorporate the protesters into those for whom we pray as we march.” 

A marching band from the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property also participated to counterbalance the noise of the counterprotesters. 

The march invites men “to step forward to protect the women and children,” Havens explained. 

The idea that abortion is not a men’s issue is “nonsense,” Havens said. 

“As men, we have a moral responsibility to protect and defend vulnerable women and children, and it’s time we all get off the sidelines and do so,” Havens said. 

Speakers included Sister Deirdre Byrne, pro-life activist Will Goodman, and Bishop Joseph Strickland, among others.

“As we marched, there was a sense among the men that we were simply being true to who we are as men,” Havens said.

“Now active in the urgent fight for abolition, these men will not be going back to the sidelines,” he said. “Instead, they are now asking, ‘What more can I do?’”

South Carolina man arrested for threatening pro-lifers with grenade 

A group was gathered outside a South Carolina church on a Sunday morning to protest board members’ involvement with abortion funds when a man threatened them with a grenade. 

Video footage shows Richard Lovelace, 79, holding up a grenade, saying: “I have a grenade for y’all, a gift for you protesters.”  

After Lovelace was arrested, police found that the grenade was hollowed out.

Lovelace, a member of St. Anne Episcopal Church, is a retired lawyer whose wife is on the church’s board and is a judge in South Carolina. 

The Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust group was protesting the board’s involvement with the Palmetto State Abortion Fund, a group that partners with Planned Parenthood to bring illegal abortion pills into the state and helps women travel out of state for abortions.

Police charged Lovelace with four counts of having a hoax device and threatening to use it. On Monday, he was released from the J. Reuben Long Detention Center on a $60,000 bond. 

Nebraska governor signs order barring abortion providers from state funding

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen on Nov. 6  issued an executive order preventing abortion providers from receiving taxpayer funding in Nebraska. 

While the federal law and some state laws prevent taxpayer funding from going directly to abortion, state governments often subsidize providers for other services, therefore indirectly funding abortion. 

In Nebraska in 2025, more than $300,000 went to abortion providers, according to the governor’s office. President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act recently prohibited federal funds from going toward abortion providers for one year. 

Pillen said he is “proud that we can take this bold step in halting funding to abortion providers that receive Medicaid funding.” 

“Nebraskans have made clear they support a culture of love and life in our state — one that provides protections for the unborn,” he said in a press release. 

Attorney General Mike Hilgers said the issue has “been in the background for a long time for a lot of people.”

“In fact, the desire of Nebraska taxpayers to not have their funds be used for abortions has been in state statutes for some time,” Hilgers noted.

Thousands gather for Michigan March for Life

Thousands gathered for the March for Life in Lansing, Michigan, on Thursday, Nov. 6.

March for Life president Jennie Bradley Lichter, who spoke at the event, called the march a chance to “send a vital message to our legislators who have the power to support women, children, and families.” 

“The women of Michigan deserve better than the tragedy of abortion, and we want them to know we are here for them, no matter what they are facing,” Lichter said in a statement shared with CNA.

Bishop Earl Boyea of Lansing as well as Knights of Columbus State Deputy Barry Borsenik spoke at the event. Michigan state lawmakers including state Rep. Ann Bollin, state Sen. John Damoose, and state Rep. Jennifer Wortz also spoke at the event. 

President of Right to Life Michigan Amber Roseboom said the pro-life movement in Michigan stands with women facing unplanned pregnancies. 

“While a woman in Michigan can have an abortion at any point in her pregnancy for any reason, no woman should ever be made to feel that abortion is the best or only option,” she said in a statement shared with CNA.  

“Pro-lifers from across our state have a powerful message for women facing unplanned pregnancies: You are not alone! We stand with you. We stand for you,” Roseboom said.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier speaks with EWTN News’ Catherine Hadro on “EWTN News Nightly” on Nov. 7, 2025.  / Credit: “EWTN News Nightly”/Screenshot

CNA Staff, Nov 8, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Florida is suing Planned Parenthood for up to $350 million for allegedly falsely advertising abortion pills as “safer than Tylenol,” a claim debunked in a study this year.

The 37-page lawsuit claims that Planned Parenthood has falsely advertised the abortion pill as “safer than Tylenol” despite evidence that shows a high rate of hospitalizations for women who take the drug mifepristone to induce abortions.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said Planned Parenthood has been “wrongfully deceiving women.”

“We want to hold people accountable for hurting our women, for hurting our children, and these lawsuits are seeking to do it,” he told EWTN News’ Catherine Hadro, host of “EWTN News In Depth.” 

“They have been wrongfully deceiving women out there, advertising that these new chemical abortion pills are safer than Tylenol and pain medications you’d get over the shelf,” Uthmeier said. “Our evidence suggests that is entirely false.”

“One in 25 women that take these chemical pills end up in the hospital, and we’ve seen dozens of deaths resulting,” Uthmeier continued. 

At least 36 women have died due to mifepristone-related complications since 2000, averaging more than one each year, according to the lawsuit. 

“We’re continuing to learn more, but the reality is there are dangers and harms with these dangerous chemical abortion pills that we’re only going to see more of going forward,” Uthmeier said.

Uthmeier shared his concerns about pill trafficking, a growing problem for pro-life states. Current federal regulations allow providers to prescribe abortion drugs through telehealth and send them by mail. Abortion providers in states with lax abortion laws will ship pills into pro-life states without an in-person doctor’s visit.

“The nature of these pills is it’s easier for them to get mailed into states like Florida, where we have a heartbeat bill, and they can violate that law,” Uthmeier said. “They also are more easily [put] into the hands of kids as a result of these new practices.” 

In recent months, several women who have been poisoned or coerced into taking the pill have sued abortion providers, who shipped the pills to their unborn children’s fathers. But pro-abortion states like New York and California have shield laws designed to protect abortion providers from the legal ramifications. California even allows anonymous prescription of the abortion pill.

Uthmeier said Planned Parenthood has “turned to the chemical abortion pills because they’re so profitable.”

“They have a 500% profit margin on the sale of these dangerous products,” he said. “By telling women that these drugs are safe, they’re able to sell more product, and they’ve had billions in revenues in recent years.”

Uthmeier is asking the judge to fine Planned Parenthood $10,000 for each chemical abortion that Florida’s Planned Parenthood has provided since it began saying mifepristone was safer than Tylenol. Under the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, there is a $10,000 penalty for each act of deception. 

Uthmeier called it a “slam-dunk case.”

“The evidence shows hospitalizations at significantly higher rates than going to the hospital for taking Tylenol,” he said. “They’re lying to the public. They need to be held accountable.” 

Uthmeier, who is a practicing Catholic, also joined a lawsuit earlier this year challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s decision to ease restrictions on mifepristone. 

“I’d like to say everybody on both sides of the aisle supports women and women’s safety,” Uthmeier said. “And wherever you stand on abortion, the reality is these drugs are sending women to the hospital. That can’t happen. So that’s why this fight is so important.”

The Gospel of Baghdeda manuscript. / Credit: Vatican Apostolic Library

ACI MENA, Nov 8, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

In the Vatican Apostolic Library rests one of its most treasured possessions: the “Gospel of Qaraqosh,” a richly illuminated Syriac manuscript dating back to the 13th century. Catalogued as “Vat. Syr. 559,” it was penned in A.D. 1220 by monk Mubarak ibn Dawud al-Bartelli of the Monastery of Mar Mattai near Mosul.

Written in Estrangelo Syriac script, the manuscript gathers passages from the four Gospels used in the Syriac liturgical year and is adorned with vivid miniatures depicting scenes from Christ’s life and miracles.

According to Father Behnam Soni, an expert on Syriac Church Fathers, the manuscript endured multiple thefts throughout history but was repeatedly reclaimed by the faithful of Qaraqosh, who finally offered it to the Church of al-Tahira. In 1937, Bishop Georges Dallal presented the precious volume to Pope Pius XI, who entrusted it to the Vatican Library for preservation and study.

Measuring roughly 44 by 33.5 centimeters (17.32×13.19 inches) and bound in black leather with a gilded cross, the “Gospel of Qaraqosh” stands as a masterpiece of medieval Christian art and devotion.

Qaraqosh — also known as Baghdeda and Hamdaniyah — is a historic Christian town in northern Iraq located near Mosul in the Nineveh Plains. It is home to one of the largest Christian communities in the country, mainly belonging to the Syriac Catholic Church. The town has deep religious and cultural roots dating back centuries and is known for its churches, heritage, and resilience, especially after suffering destruction during the ISIS occupation and later rebuilding efforts.

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.

Cardinal Orlando Beltran Quevedo blesses Catholics after celebrating a Mass in Cotabato on Oct. 11, 2024. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Santosh Digal

Manila, Philippines, Nov 8, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Cardinal Orlando Beltran Quevedo, OMI, archbishop emeritus of Cotabato, has spent a lifetime building bridges of understanding across the complex cultural and religious landscape of Mindanao, the Philippines’ second-largest island. 

Widely known as the region’s “Man of Peace,” Quevedo’s ministry has been defined by dialogue, compassion, and his belief that peace begins in the heart.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, as of July 1, 2024, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is home to 5.69 million Filipinos, the majority of whom are Muslim. 

The region is located on Mindanao, the Philippines’ second-largest island, with a total population of approximately 26 million. While BARMM has a Muslim majority, the Philippines as a whole — with a population of 112.7 million — remains a Christian-majority nation.

Winner of peace award for inspiring hope

In recognition of his decadeslong work for reconciliation among Christians, Muslims, and Lumad Indigenous communities, the Philippine government honored Quevedo, the first cardinal from Mindanao and a member of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, with the “Gawad Kapayapaan” (Peace Award) in September — a distinction given to individuals and institutions whose efforts advance peace and social cohesion.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) described Quevedo’s mission as one “for healing divisions and inspiring hope.” Officials cited his ability to unite faith leaders and ordinary citizens alike in a shared pursuit of understanding.

OPAPRU also honored Maria Veronica P. Tabara, a former revolutionary turned peace advocate, and the provincial government of Basilan with the Peace Award.

Now in its fourth year, the award recognizes leaders and institutions whose dedication to fostering mutual understanding, interfaith dialogue, and solidarity is bringing the nation closer to its vision of justice and lasting peace while inspiring all Filipinos to participate in this peace journey.

“Quevedo’s decades of service to the Church and communities in Mindanao show us that peace is built not only through institutions but through compassion, unity, and faith in humanity,” OPAPRU said.

Accepting the award, Quevedo said: “Peace is born in the heart. Let us continue building bridges — not only between communities but between hearts — for only together can we truly walk the path of peace.”

He dedicated the award to Muslims, Christians, and Lumads “who have labored quietly for peace.”

A life shaped by service and dialogue

Born March 11, 1939, in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte province, in the northern Philippines, Quevedo was ordained a priest in 1964 and became bishop of the Diocese of Kidapawan in 1982. After leading the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, he was later appointed archbishop of Cotabato, witnessing firsthand the deep fractures of Mindanao — long affected by armed conflict, historical grievances, and economic inequality.

Additionally, he was president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines from 1999 to 2003 and head of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences from 2005 to 2011. Quevedo was made a cardinal in 2014.

Quevedo has devoted his ministry over the years to bridging divides. In 1996, he participated in the Bishops-Ulama Conference, a forum that brought together Catholic bishops, Protestant pastors, and Muslim ulama for dialogue and cooperation. The initiative remains a cornerstone of interfaith peacebuilding in the Philippines.

“Peace is born in the heart,” Quevedo often says. “It grows when we build bridges — not only between communities but between hearts.”

Peace and fellowship as witness to faith

Even after retiring in 2018, the cardinal remains a moral voice for peace in the BARMM, serving on its Council of Leaders. His advocacy now centers on addressing the root causes of conflict — inequality, exclusion, and mistrust — through education, inclusive governance, and people-to-people encounters.

He insists that peacebuilding cannot rely solely on institutions. “It is through compassion, unity, and respect for human dignity,” he has said, “that true peace takes root.”

Quevedo has spent years working among communities and building bridges where violence once tore them apart.

One of his goals is to bring religious leaders together in a place where they can discuss and plan ways to promote peace. He also wants to make it easier for them to talk to government agencies and other groups involved in reconciliation, with the right policies in place.

He believes in “the effects of ripples” — and that small steps always lead to significant changes. He says that a simple act of peace and openness can change the world in the most dangerous and dark places.

Quevedo urges people to respect differences in language, culture, and religion. His work aims to end violence and respect human dignity by linking community involvement to democratic values. He urges everyone to reach out to people with compassion and respect. In Mindanao, his approach has been to include children, youth, women, elders, religious leaders, government officials, and the public in promoting peace.

His dedication has resulted in tangible outcomes: Educational institutes, civil society groups, and public institutions have endorsed his initiatives for peace and fellowship.

Today, interfaith dialogue efforts are a sign of hope in the Philippines, thanks to people like Quevedo and many others. It indicates that peace isn’t just the lack of conflict; it’s also the presence of compassion and friendship.

Quevedo says that when people of different faiths walk together with open hearts and hope, healing starts and peace becomes not just possible but real. Such efforts, according to Quevedo, would enrich people’s life expressions and experiences across religions, and all would have a role to play as peace catalysts.

For many, Quevedo’s legacy lies not just in his ecclesial titles — bishop, archbishop, cardinal — but in his enduring witness to faith in action. His influence extends to educators, faith leaders, and grassroots advocates who continue his mission of dialogue and understanding.

Auxiliary Bishop Jose María García-Maldonado attempts to visit detainees at the Broadview, Illinois, immigration facility and was not admitted Nov. 1, 2025. / Credit: Bryan Sebastian, courtesy of Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership

Washington, D.C., Nov 7, 2025 / 18:40 pm (CNA).

The Trump administration this week denounced a Chicago-based federal judge’s ruling that mandated cleanliness and hygiene standards as well as adequate legal representation at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Illinois.

Government lawyers said Nov. 7 they are in compliance or are in the midst of complying with the judge’s conditions. The detainees’ attorneys, however, say they “are doubtful” the government is “actually in compliance” with some of the conditions, “including as to facility cleaning, the provision of food and water, and the provision of prescription medication.” 

The detainees’ attorneys asked the court to conduct an inspection with an expert and have the government provide immediate proof of compliance.

Administration officials said an “activist judge” issued the temporary restraining order and based it on hoaxes, while religious and civil-rights advocates pressed for detainees’ access to the Eucharist. 

Access to Communion

A group of 19 spiritual leaders including six priests renewed a request to offer pastoral care and Communion at the Broadview facility in a Nov. 6 letter to ICE and asked to discuss “procedures by which our small delegation of religious ministers can be granted access.” The delegation bringing Communion was denied access Nov. 1.

The judge’s temporary restraining order followed an Oct. 30 lawsuit in which detainees claimed they were placed in unsanitary conditions, provided inadequate food and water, and unconstitutionally deprived of access to legal representation and spiritual care. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said ICE’s Broadview facility houses “criminal illegal aliens” whom it described as “some of the worst of the worst.”

“Some of the worst of the worst including pedophiles, gang members, and rapists have been processed through the facility in recent weeks,” Tricia McLaughlin, assistant Homeland Security secretary for public affairs, said in a Nov. 5 statement.

The list included Jose Manuel Escobar-Cardona, described by DHS as “a criminal illegal alien” from Honduras who was convicted of multiple charges of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor, assault, driving under the influence of liquor, making a false report, illegal reentry, and making a false report.

Also named by DHS was Alfonso Batalla-Garcia, “a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of sex assault, kidnapping an adult to sexually assault, and homicide.”

Other detainees named by DHS included migrants who were said to have been convicted of drug trafficking, kidnapping, first-degree murder, and weapons trafficking. 

Publicly reported individuals detained by ICE in November also included a day care worker at the Rayito De Sol center, a Chicago preschool where the woman was removed in front of children.

Pope Leo XIV on Nov. 4 said: “Many people who’ve lived for years and years and years, never causing problems, have been deeply affected by what’s going on right now.” Leo invited authorities to allow pastoral workers to attend to the needs of detainees.

He reminded that “Jesus says very clearly … at the end of the world, we’re going to be asked … how did you receive the foreigner? Did you receive him and welcome him or not? And I think that there’s a deep reflection that needs to be made in terms of what’s happening.”

A detainee testified he spent six days at the Broadview ICE facility before Judge Robert Gettleman ordered bedding, three meals a day, free water, hygiene products, papers translated into Spanish, a clock in each hold room, and free phone service for detainees to talk to counsel. Gettleman also ordered DHS to list all detainees on the Locator Online Detainee Locator System of ICE.

DHS says facilities such as Broadview are designed to serve only as short-term holding centers, typically for about 12 hours, where individuals are briefly held for processing before being moved to longer-term detention facilities.

“Despite hoaxes spread by criminal illegal aliens, the complicit media, and now an activist judge, the ICE Broadview facility does not have subpar conditions,” McLaughlin said. She said detainees receive three meals a day, access to water, and proper medical care.

Neither McLaughlin’s statement nor the judge’s order addressed the lawsuit’s claims that Broadview detainees have been unconstitutionally denied access to faith leaders and clergy.

McLaughlin wrote on X that “religious organizations have ALWAYS been welcome to provide services to detainees in ICE detention facilities. Religious leaders may request access to facilities through proper channels and have those requests approved.”

McLaughlin also responded to questions from CNA, saying dangerous conditions — including belligerent actions and “attacks,” such as the use of tear gas, by protesters — and Broadview’s status as a short-term “field office” have prevented ICE from accommodating requests by religious organizations seeking access to detainees there.

“ICE staff has repeatedly informed religious organizations that, due to Broadview’s status as a field office and the ongoing threat to civilians, detainees, and officers, they are not able to accommodate these requests at this time,” McLaughlin told CNA. “Even before the attacks on the Broadview facility, it was not within standard operating procedure for religious services to be provided in a field office, as detainees are continuously brought in, processed, and transferred out.”

Chicago faith leaders wrote to ICE Nov. 7: “We understand that in past years ministers were granted access to the Broadview ICE facility for pastoral purposes. We also note public statements by DHS acknowledging detainees’ rights to chaplaincy and religious resources, while noting that requests for entry may require advance approval.”

‘Careful review’

Bishop Robert E. Barron of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, who serves on the Department of Justice’s Religious Liberty Commission, said on X that senior officials in the U.S. government “assured” him that detainees in immigration custody will have access to Catholic sacraments and that the situation is “under careful review.”

The Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) said in a email Nov. 7: “CLINIC is disturbed by these instances in which the human and constitutional right to religious practice is being restricted. We hope the administration follows up on its ‘careful review’ by rectifying this and taking further action.”

Pope Leo’s recent exhortation Dilexi Te says: “The Church, like a mother, accompanies those who are walking. Where the world sees threats, she sees children; where walls are built, she builds bridges. She knows that her proclamation of the Gospel is credible only when it is translated into gestures of closeness and welcome. And she knows that in every rejected migrant, it is Christ himself who knocks at the door of the community.”