This photo taken on Jan. 15, 2024, shows a Chinese flag fluttering below a cross on a Christian church in Pingtan in China’s southeast Fujian province. / Credit: GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 19, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

New regulations from the State Administration for Religious Affairs in China have enacted a ban on several major forms of online evangelization for religious clergy of all religions, including Catholic priests.

The new Code of Conduct for Religious Clergy on the Internet comprises 18 articles. Among stipulations that religious clergy must “love the motherland” and support Chinese leadership of the Communist Party of China and its socialist system, faith leaders are banned from preaching and performing other religious rituals through live broadcasts, short videos, or online meetings. 

Priests may only do so on “websites, applications, forums, etc. legally established by religious groups, religious schools, temples, monasteries, and churches” with approval from the Chinese government. Furthermore, whenever using social media accounts or messaging apps to send out information, religious clergy must provide “certificate of membership as registered religious clergy” to their internet service providers. 

Clergy are banned under the code from both the evangelization and education of minors on the internet, and from organizing educational opportunities, such as seasonal camps for minors on the internet. 

They are also banned from making money online and from raising money to build religious places or for holding religious activities. 

“If a religious clergy violates this standard, the religious affairs department shall order them to make corrections within a time limit,” the code of conduct states, adding: “If they refuse to make corrections, the religious affairs department shall … punish them in accordance with the provisions of relevant laws and administrative regulations.” 

For “serious” offenders, the code recommends religious institutions suspend their teaching activities or revoke their religious status. 

“Religious teachers and officials who carry out online activities through overseas websites and platforms shall abide by this standard,” the code states.

Announcement of the new regulations comes after the publication on Thursday of an interview with Pope Leo XIV from July in which he indicated that he may be open to changes to the Vatican’s controversial deal with China and that he is in dialogue with persecuted Chinese Catholics as he weighs the future of Vatican policy toward Beijing.

Pope Leo said he is listening to “a significant group of Chinese Catholics who for many years have lived some kind of oppression or difficulty in living their faith freely” as he tries to get “a clearer understanding of how the Church can continue the Church’s mission.”

“I would say that in the short term, I will continue the policy that the Holy See has followed for some years now … I’m also in ongoing dialogue with a number of people, Chinese, on both sides of some of the issues that are there,” he said.

As the first pope to ever have visited mainland China, Leo — who traveled there years before his election — said he draws on his experiences with “government as well as religious leaders and laypeople.”

Leo’s comments indicate openness to a possible shift from the status quo on China since 2018, when the Holy See signed an agreement with Beijing described as managing the appointment of bishops. The agreement was renewed under Pope Francis three times in the past seven years despite objections from human rights activists and reports of increased persecution of the so-called underground Church in China, which rejects government control.

“It’s a very difficult situation. In the long term, I don’t pretend to say this is what I will and will not do,” Leo said.

Eucharistic edoration at the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, led by the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, in December 2024. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Father Gabriel Romanelli

ACI MENA, Sep 19, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The city of Gaza continues to reel as Israeli airstrikes pound multiple neighborhoods and the conflict there escalates. 

Days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the launch of a ground operation urging civilians to evacuate designated combat zones, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has maintained that Gaza faces the risk of massive destruction unless Hamas releases Israeli hostages and surrenders its weapons.

Amid this turmoil, the Holy Family Catholic Church in the al-Zeitoun neighborhood of southern Gaza has become both a spiritual center and a refuge, sheltering about 600 people from both Christian and Muslim families. The church provides a measure of calm as shells continue to fall nearby.

In the same neighborhood stands the historic Orthodox Church of St. Porphyrius, which maintains its centuries-old presence in the territory. It too has served as a shelter, though for a smaller number of people. 

The two churches are in separate locations, not in the same compound, and are about 1.7 miles apart — roughly a 40-minute walk, according to Google Maps.

The relationship between Holy Family Church and the Church of St. Porphyrius is good and it has become even stronger since the war began. Both are close in mission and serve the Christian community in the area, but all Christians there right now rely heavily on Catholic aid being channeled through Catholic organizations.

Most people taking refuge in the Holy Family Church are Orthodox, as their community in Gaza is larger than the Catholic one and there are more resources available there. 

Sources from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem have said they are closely monitoring the situation in Gaza and warned of the dangers of continued escalation. 

Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa of Jerusalem earlier stressed that another round of violence “will only bring more destruction and suffering,” urging the international community to act swiftly to stop the war and protect civilians.

These calls echo the Holy See’s position, with Pope Leo XIV and Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, repeatedly urging respect for civilians and secure passage for humanitarian aid — especially to areas with Christian communities. 

Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Church, has emphasized on multiple occasions that the church “will not abandon the people in this difficult time” and will keep its doors open to anyone in need of shelter and hope.”

As the war drags on and Gaza’s Christian community continues to shrink, concerns grow over collapsing infrastructure and worsening humanitarian conditions. Yet the church remains a witness to suffering and a beacon of hope.

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

As part of the Jubilee of Justice, an evening event will be held at the Chancellery Palace in Rome featuring a colloquium with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, pictured here delivering the 2024 commencement address at Franciscan University of Steubenville. / Credit: Franciscan University of Steubenville

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 19, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Jubilee of Justice, to be celebrated Saturday, Sept. 20, will bring together some 15,000 pilgrims from around the world, necessitating the relocation of the events to St. Peter’s Square.

This is the first time in the history of jubilees that a single event is dedicated to those who, performing various functions, are involved “in the world of secular, canonical, ecclesiastical justice, the Vatican City State, and the Roman Curia, as judges, prosecutors, magistrates, lawyers, legal practitioners, and administrative staff,” along with their families, according to the Holy See Press Office.

Registered participants will come from approximately 100 countries around the world, with the largest delegations coming from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland, France, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Australia, Nigeria, Peru, and the Philippines.

Among the pilgrims will be representatives of important legal institutions, from the law schools of various pontifical universities or those affiliated with various Catholic institutions, and from professional associations and official entities.

The presence of representatives from Italy’s Ministry of Justice, the Constitutional Court, the Superior Council of the Judiciary, and the Supreme Court of Cassation has been confirmed, as have representatives from the Confederation of Catholic Jurists of France and the Supreme Courts of the United States, Brazil, Colombia, and Spain.

Likewise, there will be representatives from the Vatican Judiciary, the Court of Accounts, the presidency of the Italian Council of State, the International Union of Catholic Jurists, and the Union of Italian Catholic Jurists, among other entities.

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, will welcome pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square and present the “lectio divina” prepared by Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, secretary of the Dicastery for Legislative Texts, on the theme “Iustitia Imago Dei: The Worker of Justice, Instrument of Hope.”

Pilgrims will have access to simultaneous translation through the Vatican Vox app, which is available for free download. 

At noon Rome time, Pope Leo XIV will hold the jubilee audience and address his remarks specifically to those working in the justice system. Following these events, pilgrims will proceed to the Holy Door of the papal basilica.

As part of the Jubilee of Justice, an evening event will be held at the Chancellery Palace in Rome featuring a colloquium with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See.

Rome’s Palazzo Altemps will host another event organized by the French Embassy to the Holy See and the Pious Establishments of France in Rome and Loreto, led  by French priest Patrick Valdrini, a professor at the Pontifical Lateran University.

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

“[Kirk] gave his life in following his Lord, as a sacrifice for the truth that man is made in God’s image, male and female, and in opposition to the lies and self-mutilation promoted by so-called ‘trans ideology’" said Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller / Alan Koppschall/EWTN

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 18, 2025 / 16:57 pm (CNA).

German Catholic Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller referred to Charlie Kirk as “a martyr for Jesus Christ” and condemned the “satanic celebration” of his death by some detractors in an interview published one week after the conservative Christian activist was assassinated.

“From a supernatural perspective, [Kirk] died not as the victim of a political assassination but as a martyr for Jesus Christ — not in the sense of those who are canonized, but as one who bore witness (from the Greek ‘martyros’) through his life,” Müller said in an interview with Rome-based Catholic journalist Diane Montagna, published on Substack on Sept. 17.

“[Kirk] gave his life in following his Lord, as a sacrifice for the truth that man is made in God’s image, male and female, and in opposition to the lies and self-mutilation promoted by so-called ‘trans ideology’ and ‘gender-affirming care,’” Müller continued.

“He upheld and lived in defense of the beauty and sanctity of marriage and family, as ordained by God the Creator, and stood up for the dignity of every human life from conception to natural death,” the German cardinal added.

Kirk, an evangelical Christian, was shot and killed while conversing with students at a Sept. 10 event at Utah Valley University. He was answering a question about transgenderism and gun violence at the time of the shooting. Suspected killer Tyler Robinson is in a romantic relationship with a man who identifies as transgender, who officials say is cooperating with the investigation.

A few months before his death, Kirk said he wanted “to be remembered for courage for my faith.” Kirk was a staunch defender of the right to life for unborn children and an opponent of gender ideology in his activism. He often proclaimed the divinity of Christ to college students and urged them to prioritize God and family above anything else.

Although most public figures condemned Kirk's assassination, some who opposed his views took to social media to celebrate it. Teachers, professors, health care professionals, a Secret Service employee, and many others have lost their jobs for allegedly publicizing celebratory attitudes about the killing, according to various media reports.

“Kirk was the victim of an atheistic ideology, whose followers erupted in satanic celebration over the heinous murder of an exemplary husband and family man,” Müller said. “The devil always takes possession of those who hate life and truth. For, according to the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, the devil is a ‘murderer from the beginning’ and the ‘father of lies’ (Jn 8:44). And only those who hear the words of God are of God (cf. John 8:47).”

Even though Kirk was a Protestant, he was seen several times attending Mass at a local Catholic parish with his wife, Erika, who was baptized Catholic. He often spoke positively about Catholics and debated theological disagreements with his Catholic friends, including Vice President JD Vance.

In a podcast earlier this year, Kirk praised faithful Catholics, saying: “They fight for life, they fight for marriage, they fight against transgenderism.”

Kirk during that podcast also said Protestants “under-venerate Mary” and referred to the Blessed Mother as a solution to “fix toxic feminism in America.”

Müller said in the interview that through Mary’s “‘yes’ to the incarnation of God, she became the mother of Jesus, the only redeemer of humanity, who alone delivers us from lies, sin, and death, and all murderous ideologies.”

“We ask the Lord Jesus and holy Mary to bring comfort to Charlie’s wife and children,” Müller said.

Three Augustinian nuns (pictured on Sept. 16, 2025) fled their nursing home and returned to their convent in Austria. / Credit: Photo courtesy Nonnen_Goldenstein

CNA Deutsch, Sep 18, 2025 / 16:33 pm (CNA).

Since early September, three elderly nuns have been making international headlines and gaining followers on Instagram after fleeing their nursing home and returning to their convent in Austria.

Sister Bernadette, 88; Sister Regina, 86; and Sister Rita, 81, left their Caritas nursing home and, with the help of a locksmith, returned to their former convent, Goldenstein, near Salzburg, Austria, according to the BBC.

Now, the Augustinian nuns are flatly refusing to return to the nursing home, from which they have officially withdrawn.

According to the Vatican’s Cor Orans regulations, communities with fewer than five nuns can no longer elect their own superior. In 2022, by order of the Vatican, the three nuns had to transfer ownership of the Goldenstein convent equally to the Archdiocese of Salzburg and to Reichersberg Abbey.

The transfer contract granted the nuns a lifelong right of residence, but only “as long as it was justifiable from the perspective of health and spiritual life.” After several hospitalizations of the elderly nuns, Rector Markus Grasl ordered them to be transferred to the Schloss Kahlsperg nursing home in Hallein in December 2023.

Grasl justified the decision to relocate them based on the sisters’ precarious health and the structural condition of the convent. He determined that independent living in Goldenstein was no longer sustainable due to the nuns’ age as well as to the demands of community life and the condition of the building.

According to officials, the decision to move the sisters was made out of concern for them and after intensive discussions with all parties involved, including the nuns.

The three women vehemently denied this, however. They said they felt “displaced” and were expelled against their will from the home they had lived in for decades.

The nuns have accused Grasl of pressuring them to sign a contract without properly informing them of its terms. They also complained that approximately 50,000 euros in cash (almost $59,000) had disappeared and that they no longer have access to their own accounts.

Church authorities flatly rejected these accusations. “For several years, intensive discussions were held with the sisters, in which the Archdiocese of Salzburg also participated, to consider and plan the future of the monastery. One of the sisters’ greatest concerns was the continuity of the local secondary school. This wish was fulfilled. The move to the nursing home became inevitable due to the precarious situation,” Grasl said in a statement in August.

The Archdiocese of Salzburg and Reichersberg Abbey jointly maintain that all decisions were made in coordination with the sisters themselves, the episcopal vicar responsible for the religious, and the superior of the Augustinian nuns.

About 30 former students and other supporters helped the nuns return to the convent and are now providing them with food, medical care, and media support. The nuns now have electricity and water back in most rooms.

The three nuns have used modern media to promote their cause. On Instagram, under the account “nonnen_goldenstein,” (Goldstein Nuns) they have more than 18,000 followers and share videos of themselves eating, praying, and cleaning together.

Church authorities remain concerned and perplexed.

The superior of the Federation of the Canonesses of St. Augustine in Germany, Sister Beate Brandt, condemned the disobedience of the Goldenstein nuns: “I cannot tolerate this,” she said.

“There is a certain feeling of helplessness,” Grasl’s spokesperson declared. The rector continues to appeal for the sisters’ return to the nursing home, where they will receive “comprehensive care, nursing, and medical attention of the highest quality.”

He assured them that “no coercive measures” are currently being planned. 

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

null / Credit: Alex_Traksel/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Sep 18, 2025 / 16:03 pm (CNA).

Here’s a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news. 

National Institutes of Health refuses to renew fetal tissue grants

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is refusing to renew more than a dozen grants related to human fetal tissue research. 

The federal agency told Breitbart News that multiple grants involving human fetal remains “will not be renewed.” The funding was originally launched under the Biden administration, the NIH told the conservative news outlet. 

The agency revealed the decision shortly after a report from the watchdog group White Coat Waste exposed the ongoing funding. 

The NIH told Breitbart that it is “guided by a commitment to valuing human life and ensuring that federally funded research is conducted responsibly and transparently.”

Lila Rose wins Yale debate on abortion with pro-choice leader

Lila Rose, the founder and president of Live Action, emerged the winner in a debate about abortion at Yale Political Union, the pro-life group said this week. 

The Yale group describes itself as “the oldest and largest collegiate debate society in America” and “the central forum for political engagement and debate at Yale.” Attendees are permitted to vote to determine the winner of debates after speeches are given. 

Live Action reported that Rose on Sept. 16 debated Frances Kissling, a former Catholics for Choice president and the founding president of the National Abortion Federation. 

Kissling “argued that preborn children are not as valuable as other humans,” while Rose “defended their humanity and pointed out the injustices that occur when society dehumanizes certain human beings,” Live Action said. 

Rose “came out ahead in a 60-31 vote,” the pro-life group said. 

“We won. The room voted for the pro-life side,” Rose later wrote on X. “Yale organizer was shocked. Change is here. Thank you for praying.”

Assisted suicide activists go on trial in France as country debates euthanasia

Multiple elderly defendants are on trial in France for allegedly helping dozens of people purchase deadly drugs to end their own lives. 

The trial of a dozen defendants, ranging from 74 to 89 years old, comes as the country debates legalizing assisted suicide. The French National Assembly approved an assisted dying measure earlier this year, with the bill now before the national senate. 

Le Monde reported this week that the 12 defendants in the recently begun trial are accused of helping patients procure the drug pentobarbital, which is used in executions in the United States but is only legal to euthanize animals in France. 

The defendants are reportedly members of Ultime Liberte (“Ultimate Freedom”), a pro-assisted-suicide group. 

Texas governor signs bill allowing state residents to sue abortion pill manufacturers

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Sept. 17 signed into law a measure permitting state residents to sue manufacturers of abortion pills who circulate the deadly drugs in the state.

The law, passed by the state Legislature earlier this month, will allow plaintiffs to collect up to $100,000 in damages from those who bring abortion pills into the state or provide them to Texas residents. 

Pregnant women who use the pills cannot be sued under the law.

Ethics and Public Policy Center scholar Mary Rice Hasson praised the Bishop of Toledo's recent pastoral letter, titled "The Body Reveals the Person: A Catholic Response to the Challenges of Gender Ideology." / Credit: "EWTN News Nightly"/Screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 18, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Toledo, Ohio, Bishop Daniel Thomas’ recently released pastoral letter offering guidance on sex and gender identity issues received praise from the head of the Ethics and Public Policy Center’s (EPPC) Person and Identity Project, Mary Rice Hasson.

“[Thomas] really hones in so beautifully in this document on the truth that we are body and soul, and that our bodies reveal something wonderful about who we are,” Rice told “EWTN News Nightly” anchor Veronica Dudo on Sept. 17. “And so, rejecting the body, which is really what’s going on in the transgender issue, it’s sex rejection, rejection of yourself, is really turning back on yourself and hating and destroying something that is really, really good.” 

Thomas’ letter, “The Body Reveals the Person: A Catholic Response to the Challenges of Gender Ideology,” is the longest statement by a U.S. bishop dealing exclusively with gender ideology.

Drawing on Scripture, theology, philosophy, and social sciences, the letter presents Church teaching in a form the bishop said he hopes is “readable, digestible, accessible, and charitable.”“I think it’s tremendously important that we have a bishop speaking out and giving such timely, but really comprehensive, loving, and hopeful guidance,” Rice said, noting the letter comes in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

Kirk was shot while answering a question about transgenderism and gun violence. Tyler Robinson, the man charged with murdering Kirk, has been romantically linked to his transgender roommate, Lance Twiggs, a biological male.

Kirk had said he supported an effort to ban transgender people from owning firearms in light of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minnesota last month, which was also carried out by a man who identified as transgender.

EPPC scholar calls on more bishops to emulate Thomas

While some dioceses have offered “terrific responses” to the transgender issue, Rice acknowledged, “there are some dioceses where there’s nothing, there’s not even a statement about how people should understand this issue [and] what the Church’s teaching is.” 

“I encourage bishops, if they have not written and spoken to this issue to please do that,” she continued. “People want to hear that. And that’s what I hear from people when I travel all over the U.S. talking about this issue.” 

Rice pointed out that while social media can be used well to form connections with other people, “it really has become a channel of evil in many respects,” especially regarding sexual orientation and gender identity issues. 

“Our youth are particularly vulnerable because they’re young,” she said. “They don’t have the prudence, the discretion, to be able to judge what’s the truth of what’s coming at them. They’re very subject to manipulation and peer pressure.”

Rice further encouraged parents to be vigilant in monitoring social media usage among their children. 

“We have to speak the truth, and we have to be really clear that this is evil,” Rice said of transgenderism. “There are wonderful holistic ways to deal with difficult feelings,” she said, adding: “God loves everyone so much, and he wants something better than what is on offer right now from the culture on this issue.”

Gunmen on motorbikes reportedly shot dead at least 22 people at a baptism ceremony in an attack on a village in western Niger. The Sept. 15, 2025, attack happened in the Tillaberi region near Burkina Faso and Mali, where jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group are active. / Credit: Sabrine Amoka/Shutterstock

ACI Africa, Sep 18, 2025 / 11:54 am (CNA).

Gunmen on motorbikes have reportedly shot dead at least 22 people celebrating a baptism in an attack on a village in western Niger.

Multiple media reports indicate that the Sept. 15 attack happened in the Tillaberi region near Burkina Faso and Mali, where jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group (IS) are active.

In a Sept. 17 BBC News report, a resident told the French news agency AFP that the attackers killed 15 people at the baptism ceremony before moving on and killing seven others.

“Once more, the Tillabéri region, in the department of Ouallam, village of Takoubatt, has been struck by barbarity, plunging innocent families into grief and desolation,” local civil rights activist Maikoul Zodi said in a Sept. 16 Facebook post. “As villagers gathered to celebrate a baptism ceremony, armed men opened fire, sowing death and terror. As a civil society actor, I bow before the memory of the victims and express my full solidarity with the bereaved families and the community of Takoubatt.”

The civil rights activist went on to question why civilians were still being exposed to such insecurity and urged the government to prioritize the safety and dignity of citizens.

“The security and dignity of citizens must be an absolute priority,” he said, and continued: “It is time to provide concrete answers, to strengthen the presence of the state in vulnerable areas, and to show that every Nigerien life matters.”

Niger’s authorities have acknowledged an attack in the area but have yet to release any casualty figures.

Jihadist violence in Niger continues to escalate, with rights groups and local voices denouncing the failure of authorities to protect civilians more than a year after the military seized power, according to the BBC report.

The report further indicates that the mounting insecurity was on display again on Sept. 10 when 14 Nigerien soldiers were killed in an ambush in the Tillabéri region.

In its weekly bulletin, the army said the troops had been deployed after reports of a cattle theft but were instead trapped in what it described as an “ambush.”

Casualty figures are difficult to independently verify due to restricted access to conflict zones and fears of reprisals among witnesses.

Human Rights Watch has reported that armed groups have stepped up attacks since March, killing at least 127 villagers and Muslim worshippers; homes have been looted and burned down.

The watchdog accused Nigerien authorities of ignoring villagers’ pleas for help and failing to respond to repeated warnings of impending raids.

Niger has been under military control since Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani ousted elected President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, pledging to restore security. Yet the violence has persisted.

A newly formed pro-democracy coalition in Niger denounced what it calls the failure of the ruling military authorities to address the country’s worsening insecurity, following the Sept. 10 deadly attacks.

The coalition, Cadre de Lutte contre les Dérives du Niger (Forum for Combating Abuses in Niger), was officially launched on Sept. 12, bringing together civil society leaders, journalists, jurists, and researchers committed to resisting the current regime.

In its first statement, the group demanded the organization of free and transparent elections, the reinstatement of political parties and unions dissolved by the junta, and the release of ousted President Bazoum alongside all other political prisoners.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV waves to pilgrims gathered for his Sunday Angelus in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Sept. 14, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Sep 18, 2025 / 10:08 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV, in his first interview since his election, signaled he may be open to future changes to the Vatican’s controversial deal with China, saying that he is in dialogue with persecuted Chinese Catholics as he weighs the future of Vatican policy toward Beijing.

The interview, conducted in English in July and published Thursday in a new Spanish-language biography, provides the clearest view yet of the 70-year-old American pope’s priorities in global politics and Vatican diplomacy, including how he sees the Church engaging with the Trump administration, the war in Gaza, and the defense of human dignity.

On China, Pope Leo said he is listening to “a significant group of Chinese Catholics who for many years have lived some kind of oppression or difficulty in living their faith freely” as he tries to get “a clearer understanding of how the Church can continue the Church’s mission.”

“I would say that in the short term, I will continue the policy that the Holy See has followed for some years now … I’m also in ongoing dialogue with a number of people, Chinese, on both sides of some of the issues that are there,” he said.

As the first pope ever to have visited mainland China, Leo, who traveled there years before his election, said he draws on his experiences with “government as well as religious leaders and laypeople.”

Leo’s comments indicate openness to a possible shift from the status quo on China since 2018, when the Holy See signed a power-sharing agreement with Beijing on the appointment of bishops. The agreement was renewed under Francis three times in the past seven years despite objections from human rights activists and reports of increased persecution of the so-called underground Church in China, which rejects government control.

“It’s a very difficult situation. In the long term, I don’t pretend to say this is what I will and will not do,” he said.

American pope on U.S. politics 

Pope Leo XIV also spoke about President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Elon Musk, while insisting that he does not want to take part in political battles. 

“I don’t plan to get involved in partisan politics. That’s not what the Church is about. But I’m not afraid to raise issues that I think are real Gospel issues, that hopefully people on both sides of the aisle, as we say, will be able to listen to,” he said. 

The Chicago-born pope suggested that his background gives him an advantage in dealing with other Americans, including members of the Church. Referring to relations between the Vatican and U.S. Catholic bishops, he said: “The fact that I am American means, among other things, people can’t say, like they did about Francis, ‘He doesn’t understand the United States.’” Under his predecessor Pope Francis, the U.S. bishops’ conference clashed with the Vatican over the bishops’ designation of abortion as the “preeminent priority” of their public policy agenda. 

Leo said he would not hesitate to meet with Trump if the opportunity arose and said he has already spoken with Vance “about human dignity and how important that is for all people, wherever you’re born, and hopefully to find ways to respect human beings and the way we treat them in the policies and choices we make.” 

“Obviously, there’s some things going on in the States that are of concern,” Leo added. 

Applauding Pope Francis’ letter to U.S. bishops earlier this year criticizing the Trump administration’s policy on deportation of immigrants, he said: “I was very happy to see how the American bishops picked that up, and some of them were courageous enough to go with that. I think that approach, in general, is a better approach, that I would engage with the bishops primarily.” 

“The United States is a power player on the world level, we have to recognize that, and sometimes decisions are made more based on economics than on human dignity and human support,” Leo said. “But [we have to] continue to challenge and to raise some questions and to see the best way to do that.” 

“Especially about questions of human dignity, of promoting peace in the world, which [Trump] at times has made clear he wants to do, in those efforts I would want to support him,” he said. 

Elon Musk, inequality, and artificial intelligence

Pope Leo XIV also mentioned Elon Musk, reserving some of his sharpest words for economic disparities and the potential “crisis” that could result from the rise of artificial intelligence. 

“One … very significant [factor] is the continuously wider gap between the income levels of the working class and the money that the wealthiest receive,” he said. CEOs once earned a few times more than workers, but today “the last figure I saw, it’s 600 times more.” 

He pointed to reports that “Elon Musk is going to be the first trillionaire in the world,” warning: “If that is the only thing that has value anymore, then we’re in big trouble.” 

Leo also cautioned that artificial intelligence could cause a “crisis” because of its potential to accelerate shifts in the labor force. “If we automate the whole world and only a few people have the means with which to more than just survive, but to live well, have meaningful life, there’s a big problem, a huge problem coming down the line.” 

Wars in Gaza and Ukraine

Pope Leo weighed in on the debate over whether Israel’s campaign in Gaza constitutes genocide, with the pope noting that “the word genocide is being thrown around more and more.” 

“Officially, the Holy See does not believe that we can make any declaration at this time about that,” he said. “There’s a very technical definition about what genocide might be, but more and more people are raising the issue, including two human rights groups in Israel have made that statement.”

Leo emphasized the importance of getting humanitarian aid, medical assistance, and food to people in Gaza, noting that the U.S. is “obviously the most significant third party that can place pressure on Israel.”

On Ukraine, Leo confirmed the Vatican had offered to host peace talks, though the offer was not accepted. “The Holy See, since the war began, has made great efforts to maintain a position that, as difficult as it might be, [is not] one side or the other, but truly neutral,” he said.

He also suggested that the Vatican might be able to help end a schism within the Orthodox world, between the patriarchs of Moscow and Constantinople, arising from disagreements over Orthodox Church leadership in Ukraine.

“If the bishop of Rome can help build bridges … I think there is certainly challenges in that, but a great service to be offered because ultimately, we do all believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and Our Savior.” 

A weakened U.N. and a polarized world

Leo acknowledged the declining role of the United Nations and the shift to bilateral dialogue in international relations. “It seems to be generally recognized that the United Nations, at least at this moment in time, has lost its ability to bring people together on multilateral kinds of issues,” he said. 

He also pointed to polarization worldwide, citing a “loss of a higher sense of what human life is about.” 

“The value of human life, the value of society, of the family … if we lose the sense of those values, what matters anymore?” he asked. “You oftentimes find people questioning: What is this all about and what is the meaning of life, and why should we be doing this?” 

The pope is not a ‘solver of the world’s problems’ 

The interview appears in the Spanish-language book “León XIV: ciudadano del mundo, misionero del siglo XXI” (“Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the XXI Century”), a biography by Crux correspondent Elise Ann Allen, published on Sept. 18 in Spanish by Penguin Peru. English and Portuguese editions are expected in 2026. 

In the book, Pope Leo, a longtime missionary in Peru before he was pope, underlines that the Church’s primary mission remains spiritual, not political. 

“My role is announcing the good news, preaching the Gospel,” he said. “I don’t see my primary role as trying to be the solver of the world’s problems. I don’t see my role as that at all, really, although I think that the Church has a voice, a message that needs to continue to be preached, to be spoken and spoken loudly.” 

Pope Leo XIV presides over his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Sept. 17, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Sep 18, 2025 / 08:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV said his primary role as leader of the Church is confirming Catholics in their faith and sharing the Gospel with the world, not resolving global crises.

Speaking to Crux senior correspondent Elise Ann Allen in the first sit-down interview of his pontificate, Leo also said he was “trying not to continue to polarize or promote polarization in the Church.”

Leo’s first formal interview as pope took place as part of the biography “Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the 21st Century,” by Allen, out now in Spanish and next year in English.

“I don’t see my primary role as trying to be the solver of the world’s problems. I don’t see my role as that at all, really, although I think that the Church has a voice, a message that needs to continue to be preached, to be spoken and spoken loudly,” he said.

Hot-button issues

In the extensive interview, the first U.S.-born pontiff explained how he plans to tackle divisive issues in the Church, including his approach to LGBT debates, the possibility of women deacons, synodality, and the Traditional Latin Mass.

Leo said he is aware that the Church’s teaching on sexual morality is a highly polarizing topic, and though he welcomes everyone in the Church, he does not intend to make changes — at least not anytime soon.

Signaling his intention to be in continuity with Francis’ open approach, he said “everyone’s invited in, but I don’t invite a person in because they are or are not of any specific identity.”

“People want the Church doctrine to change, want attitudes to change. I think we have to change attitudes before we even think about changing what the Church says about any given question,” he said. 

“I find it highly unlikely, certainly in the near future, that the Church’s doctrine in terms of what the Church teaches about sexuality, what the Church teaches about marriage, [will change],” he said.

“The individuals will be accepted and received,” the pontiff added, reiterating the importance of respecting and accepting people who make different choices in their lives.

“I’ve already spoken about marriage, as did Pope Francis when he was pope, about a family being a man and a woman in solemn commitment, blessed in the sacrament of marriage,” he continued. 

The “role of the family in society, which has at times suffered in recent decades, once again has to be recognized, strengthened,” Leo said. 

He also criticized the publication of rituals blessing “people who love one another” in countries in Northern Europe, saying they violate Pope Francis’ directives in Fiducia Supplicans, which gave permission for nonliturgical blessings of same-sex couples. 

“I think that the Church’s teaching will continue as it is, and that’s what I have to say about that for right now,” he said. 

Another change the pope said he will not be making at the moment is allowing the ordination of women deacons.

“I hope to continue in the footsteps of Francis, including in appointing women to some leadership roles at different levels in the Church’s life,” he explained. “I think there are some previous questions that have to be asked. … Why would we talk about ordaining women to the diaconate if the diaconate itself is not yet properly understood and properly developed and promoted within the Church?”

He noted that there is a study group, in the context of the Synod on Synodality, specifically to examine the question of ministries in the Church, including a potential women’s diaconate.

“Perhaps there are a lot of things that have to be looked at and developed at this time before we can ever really come around to asking the other questions. … We’ll walk with that and see what comes,” he said.

Leo described synodality, Francis’ program for wider consultation on Church governance and teaching beyond the hierarchy, as “an attitude, an openness, a willingness to understand” and a process “of dialogue and respect for one another” that could take different forms.

“I think there’s great hope if we can continue to build on the experience of the past couple years and find ways of being Church together,” he noted. “Not to try and transform the Church into some kind of democratic government, which if we look at many countries around the world today, democracy is not necessarily a perfect solution to everything.”

He expressed throughout the interview his willingness to sit down with, and hear out, anyone’s point of view, including proponents of the Traditional Latin Mass — though he has not made up his mind about how to resolve tensions over its celebration.

“It’s become the kind of issue that’s so polarized that people aren’t willing to listen to one another, oftentimes. … That’s a problem in itself. It means we’re into ideology now, we’re no longer into the experience of Church communion. That’s one of the issues on the agenda,” he said.

“Between the Tridentine Mass and the Vatican II Mass, the Mass of Paul VI, I’m not sure where that’s going to go. It’s obviously very complicated,” he added. “It’s become a political tool, and that’s very unfortunate.”

He noted there would be an opportunity soon to speak with people advocating what he called the Tridentine rite of the Mass, a possible reference to an annual pilgrimage of Latin Mass devotees to take place in Rome at the end of October.

The Church’s mission

Leo said another issue on the forefront of his agenda is internal Vatican relations. He lamented that currently, the dicasteries work in a very “isolated manner.”

He praised the renewed focus on evangelization in Pope Francis’ reform of the Roman Curia through the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, but said there is still more work to be done.

“The lack of dialogue, of instruments of communication, between the different dicasteries has at times been of great limitation and harm to the government of the Church,” he said. 

“So, I think that there is an issue there, of, someone used the expression ‘a silo mentality.’ … We have to find a way to bring people together to talk about that.”

One of the issues the Curia has on its plate is the clerical sexual abuse crisis. Pope Leo said while it remains unresolved, it cannot be the Church’s sole focus.

It is a challenge to balance providing help and justice for victims with respect for the rights of the accused, he said. “We’re in kind of a bind there.”

Leo put the issue of clerical sexual abuse into the context of his views on the wider role of the Church in the world: “We can’t make the whole Church focus exclusively on this issue, because that would not be an authentic response to what the world is looking for in terms of the need for the mission of the Church.”

The pontiff said this approach to the Church’s mission would also influence his interaction with Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists. He said it’s important to have respect for those with different beliefs, but “I believe very strongly in Jesus Christ and believe that that’s my priority, because I’m the bishop of Rome and successor of Peter, and the pope needs to help people understand, especially Christians, Catholics, that this is who we are. And I think that’s a beautiful mission.”

During encounters with representatives of other religions, he said, “I’m not afraid to say I believe in Jesus Christ and that he died on the cross and rose from the dead, and that we together are called to share that message.”

He also expressed satisfaction over what he perceives to be an improvement in relations with the Jewish community. Under Francis, the relationship had suffered following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas and Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza based on the pope’s strong support of Palestine.

“I may be too presumptuous,” Leo said, “but I daresay that already in the first couple of months, the relationship with the Jewish community as such has improved a bit.”