ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, SLATERSVILLE RI

Pope Leo XIV celebrates the prayer vigil for the Jubilee of Consolation on Sept. 15, 2025, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 15, 2025 / 15:06 pm (CNA).

With a call to trust that Jesus is the one who dries the tears of those who suffer, Pope Leo XIV celebrated the prayer vigil for the Jubilee of Consolation in St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, Sept. 15.

“Redemption is mercy and can make our future better, while we still await the Lord’s return. Only he will wipe away every tear and open the book of history, allowing us to read the pages that today we cannot justify or understand,” the Holy Father told the faithful gathered in the Vatican basilica.

The pope delivered his homily after hearing two testimonies: that of Lucia Di Mauro, an Italian woman whose husband was murdered by a group of young men but who, with God’s grace, was able to forgive and help one of them recover; and that of Diane Foley, the mother of journalist James Foley, beheaded by Islamic State terrorists in 2014.

The Holy Father said that both stories convey the certainty that “where pain is deep, even stronger must be the hope born of communion” — a hope that “never disappoints.”

In this sense, he added, “that pain should not generate violence,” because this is not the final word, but rather “it is overcome by the love that knows how to forgive.”

“What greater liberation can we hope to achieve than that which comes from forgiveness, which, through grace, can open the heart despite having suffered all kinds of brutality? The violence suffered cannot be erased, but the forgiveness granted to those who caused it is a foretaste of the kingdom of God on earth; it is the fruit of his action that puts an end to evil and establishes justice,” he affirmed.

In his homily, the pope also invited everyone to “share God’s consolation with so many brothers and sisters who live in situations of weakness, sadness, and pain,” for the Lord does not leave those who suffer alone. “On the contrary, precisely in these circumstances we are called more than ever to hope in the closeness of the Savior who never abandons.”

Leo XIV indicated that it is true that sometimes words “are useless and become almost superfluous” in the ability to console, and “perhaps in such moments only the tears of weeping remain,” for these express the deepest feelings of a wounded heart.

“Tears are a silent cry that implores compassion and consolation. But even before that, they are liberation and purification of the eyes, of feelings, of thoughts. We should not be ashamed of crying; it is a way of expressing our sadness and the need for a new world; it is a language that speaks of our humanity, weak and tested, yet called to joy,” he affirmed.

The pope recalled that, in his “Confessions,” St. Augustine also wondered about the origin of evil and found the answers in Scripture.

“There are questions that draw us back in on ourselves, divide us internally, and separate us from reality. There are thoughts from which nothing can be born. If they isolate us and drive us to despair, they also humiliate our intelligence. It is better, as in the Psalms, for the question to be a protest, a lament, an invocation of that justice and peace that God has promised us.”

He explained that in this way, “we build a bridge to heaven, even when it seems mute. In the Church, we seek the open heaven, which is Jesus, God’s bridge to us. There is a consolation that reaches us when that faith, which seems to us to be “formless and wavering,” like a boat in a storm, “takes root in the heart.”

Before concluding his homily, Pope Leo XIV encouraged people to also seek consolation in the Virgin Mary, who keeps repeating: “I am your mother.” He also recalled that, as St. Paul suggests, “when one receives consolation from God, one is then capable of offering consolation to others.”

“Those we love and who have been taken from us by sister death are not lost nor have they disappeared into nothingness. Their life belongs to the Lord, who, as the good shepherd, embraces them and holds them close to himself and will return them to us one day so that we may enjoy eternal and shared happiness,” he affirmed.

As part of the program, Pope Leo XIV blessed wax medals depicting the paschal lamb, the “agnus Dei,” a symbol “to remember that the mystery of Jesus, of his death and resurrection, is the victory of good over evil.”

“He is the lamb who gives the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, who never leaves us, comforts us in need, and strengthens us with his grace,” the pope told them.

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

Pope Leo XIV is pictured here with his Augustinian brothers in Rome on Sept. 15, 2025. / Credit: Courtesy of Augustinian Foundation Worldwide

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 15, 2025 / 13:00 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Monday received the participants of the general chapter of the Order of St. Augustine, with whom he said he felt “at home.” In his address, he reflected in particular on the theme of love, which the order’s founder, St. Augustine, “placed at the center of his spiritual quest.”

At the beginning of his Sept. 15 address, the Holy Father expressed his gratitude to Father Alejandro Moral, OSA, for his years of service and extended a warm welcome to the newly-elected prior general, Father Joseph Farrell, OSA.

Referring to the general chapter as an opportunity to reflect on the gift received, the challenges, and the current situation of the order, he reminded the Augustinians of the importance of “interiority in the journey of faith.”

He emphasized that this interiority is not “an escape from our responsibilities” but rather “a return to ourselves and then emerge with greater motivation and enthusiasm for the mission.”

“Returning to ourselves,” he added, “renews our spiritual and pastoral drive: We return to the source of religious life and consecration so that we may offer light to those the Lord places on our path.”

Vocations and the formation of young people

He then reflected on what he considers “a fundamental theme”: vocations and initial formation. Pope Leo XIV advised “not to fall into the error of imagining religious formation as a set of rules to observe, things to do, or even as a ready-made habit to be worn passively.”

On the contrary, he clarified that love is at the heart of everything and that “the Christian vocation, and in particular the religious vocation, is born only when one perceives the attraction of something great, of a love that can nourish and satisfy the heart.”

Therefore, he reiterated that it is essential to help young people in particular “to glimpse the beauty of the call and to love what, by embracing the vocation, they can become.” He added: “Vocation and formation are not predetermined realities: They are a spiritual adventure that involves a person’s entire history, and it is above all an adventure of love with God.”

Thus, he emphasized that love, which St. Augustine “placed at the center of his spiritual quest,” is also a fundamental criterion for the dimension of theological study and intellectual formation.

“In the knowledge of God, it is never possible to reach him only with our reason or with a set of theoretical information; it is, above all, a matter of allowing ourselves to be surprised by his greatness, of questioning ourselves and the meaning of events to discover in them the traces of the Creator, and above all, of loving him and making him loved,” he noted.

He also exhorted his Augustinian brothers to be generous and humble, two qualities that are born precisely from love, to have as their reference the “ineffable gift of divine charity,” and to be “faithful to evangelical poverty.”

Finally, he asked them not to forget “our missionary vocation,” recalling that since 1533 the Augustinians have proclaimed the Gospel throughout the world.

“This missionary spirit must not be extinguished, because it is sorely needed today as well. I urge you to revive it, remembering that the evangelizing mission demands the witness of humble and simple joy, availability to service, and participation in the life of the people to whom we are sent,” he emphasized.

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

Front view of Westminster Cathedral, London. / Credit: Adrian Pingstone on Wikimedia Commons

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 15, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The first Catholic funeral of a member of the British royal family since the Anglican Reformation will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Sept. 16, that of the duchess of Kent, who converted to Catholicism in 1994.

The duchess of Kent — born Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley — died on Sept. 4 at Kensington Palace at the age of 92. She was raised as an Anglican and in 1961 was married in that communion to Prince Edward, duke of Kent and grandson of King George V.

Her conversion to Catholicism began in the wake of personal loss and suffering.

In 1975, while pregnant with her fourth child, the duchess fell ill with measles and, following medical advice, had an abortion for medical reasons. In 1977, she became pregnant again and in a speech to the British Congress of Obstetrics, declared that human life was a gift from God and of unique value, as every birth is a miracle. She also paid tribute to those who fight to protect life and family.

However, she lost the baby at 36 weeks, an experience she described as “devastating” and viewed as punishment for the abortion performed two years earlier.

The duchess continued to practice Anglicanism and made the first of several visits to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham with the then-Anglican archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1992, the general synod of the Church of England approved the ordination of female priests. This led to the conversion of several Anglicans to Catholicism. The duchess of Kent would enter the Catholic Church in January 1994.

The duchess of Kent’s conversion was historic, as no member of British royalty had been received into the Catholic Church since the late 17th century, at least publicly. In 1685, King Charles II converted to Catholicism on his deathbed, although he had an Anglican funeral.

The duchess herself described her conversion as a “long-considered personal decision” and that she was drawn to the consolation and clarity of the Catholic faith. “I love guidance, and the Catholic Church offers it to you,” she once told the BBC. “I’ve always wanted that in my life. I like to know what’s expected of me.” In 2001, her son, Nicholas Windsor, also joined the Catholic Church.

Upon learning of the duchess’ death, Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster recalled “with fondness her presence in our community, especially her participation in the pilgrimage to Lourdes, as well as her lifetime of public service.”

The royal family’s website reported that the duchess of Kent’s funeral “will take place at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 2 p.m. U.K. time.” The Mass will be attended by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

“Her royal highness’ coffin will be taken by hearse to Westminster Cathedral on Monday, 15th September, where the Rite of Reception and vespers will take place, on the eve of the Requiem Mass. Thereafter it will rest overnight in the Lady Chapel,” the announcement added.

Following the funeral, the duchess of Kent’s remains will be transferred to the Royal Burial Ground in Frogmore, Windsor.

“Flags will be half-masted at all official royal residences flying the Union flag on the day of the funeral,” the website reported.

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

Pope Leo XIV presides over an ecumenical commemoration of the martyrs and witnesses of faith of the 21st century at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Sept. 14, 2025. / Credit: Elias Turk/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 14, 2025 / 12:38 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV led an ecumenical commemoration of the martyrs and witnesses of faith of the 21st century at Rome’s Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Sunday, stressing that “even though they have been killed in body, no one can silence their voice or erase the love they have shown.”

The Sept. 14 liturgy brought together Orthodox, Eastern, and Protestant leaders along with ecumenical organizations and Vatican officials.

“Through his cross, Jesus revealed to us the true face of God, his infinite compassion for humanity,” the pope said. “He took upon himself the hatred and violence of the world to share the lot of all those who are humiliated and oppressed.”

Pope Leo, speaking on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, said that many believers still share in Christ’s cross.

“Like him, they are persecuted, condemned, and killed,” the pope said, pointing to women and men — religious, laypeople, and priests — who have died for their fidelity to the Gospel, their fight for religious freedom, and their solidarity with the poor.

The pope described their witness as “a hope filled with immortality” because it continues to spread the Gospel, cannot be silenced, and stands as a prophecy of the victory of good over evil.

He recalled Sister Dorothy Stang, murdered in Brazil after telling her killers “This is my only weapon” as she held up her Bible. He also remembered Father Ragheed Ganni, a Chaldean priest shot in Mosul, and Brother Francis Tofi, an Anglican religious killed in the Solomon Islands.

“Unfortunately, despite the end of the great dictatorships of the 20th century, to this day the persecution of Christians has not ended,” the pope said.

“We cannot and do not want to forget,” he said. “Just as in the first centuries, so too in the third millennium, the blood of the martyrs is the seed of new Christians.”

Pope Leo reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s commitment to keep alive the memory of martyrs from every Christian tradition, noting the collaboration of the Vatican’s Commission of New Martyrs with the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity.

Recalling the “ecumenism of blood” discussed at the Vatican’s recent Synod on Synodality, he said that the witness of Christian martyrs is “more eloquent than any word: Unity comes from the cross of the Lord.”

The pope ended by citing the words of Abish Masih, a Pakistani boy killed in an attack on a Catholic church who had written in his notebook: “Making the world a better place.” That dream, Pope Leo said, should inspire Christians today “to bear courageous witness to our faith, so that together we may be leaven for a more peaceful and fraternal humanity.”

The service also included prayers from representatives of different Churches for persecuted Christians, the conversion of persecutors, and a united Christian stand for justice, peace, and solidarity with the poor.

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

Illuminated drones reproduce Michelangelo’s “Pietà” over St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Sept. 14, 2025. / Credit: Courtney Mares/CNA

Vatican City, Sep 14, 2025 / 10:45 am (CNA).

St. Peter’s Square became the stage for an unprecedented spectacle on Saturday night as tens of thousands gathered for “Grace for the World,” a massive concert closing the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity.

The event opened with breathtaking symbolism: More than 3,000 drones illuminated the night sky above the basilica, tracing the image of Pope Francis, framing Michelangelo’s dome and Bernini’s colonnade in light. The display, a first for the Vatican, drew reverent silence before the crowd erupted in applause.

The moment was accompanied by a stirring duet of “Amazing Grace” performed by world-renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli and American singer Teddy Swims. Their voices rose over the hushed square, blending with the faint hum of the drones in an atmosphere of solemnity and awe.

After that, the Roman sky became a vast canvas. The drones depicted the hands from Michelangelo’s “Creation of Adam,” followed by a monumental dove of peace and finally a striking image of the “Pietà,” Michelangelo’s famous marble sculpture housed in St. Peter’s Basilica. The projections, clear against the night, prompted ovations and a forest of cellphones lifted high to capture the scene.

Also projected was the icon of “Salus Populi Romani,” venerated in the Basilica of St. Mary Major and cherished by Pope Francis.

The innovative display set the tone for the evening: a call to universal fraternity, dialogue among cultures, and hope in times of global crisis. For the first time in history, St. Peter’s Square was transformed into an open-air arena for a concert of this scale.

The event marked the conclusion of the two-day World Meeting on Human Fraternity, which brought together 500 participants, including Nobel laureates, academics, cultural leaders, and experts in technology and the environment. Fifteen dialogue panels explored themes such as peace, care for the planet, technology’s impact, and the future of humanity.

In his greeting to the audience, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica and president of the Fratelli Tutti Foundation, proclaimed: “In the midst of shadows, we see the possibility of a rebirth: the capacity to resist, to innovate, to build bridges.”

Bocelli, a practicing Catholic and one of the world’s most acclaimed tenors, was among the evening’s central performers. He opened with Schubert’s “Ave Maria,” transforming the square into a place of silence and emotion.

Colombian singer Karol G drew some of the loudest ovations of the night. She performed “Mientras me curo el cora” in a gospel-inspired style and closed with a moving duet with Bocelli of “Vivo per lei.” Dressed in an elegant, understated outfit, she was greeted with flags, shirts, and chants from fans who had crowded the front rows.

Alongside the music came urgent appeals for peace and justice. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Mozambican activist Graça Machel, and Iraqi Nobel laureate Nadia Murad all called for an end to war and violence, urging greater commitment to human dignity and fraternity.

Pope Leo XIV was not present at the concert, but organizers thanked him for his support and noted that he celebrates his 70th birthday Sunday.

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

Pope Leo XIV at a window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace leads pilgrims in reciting the Angelus, on Sept. 14, 2025, the pope’s 70th birthday. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Sep 14, 2025 / 09:55 am (CNA).

On Sunday, his 70th birthday, Pope Leo XIV presided at the recitation of the Angelus with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square. From the early morning hours, the square had filled up with the faithful carrying banners, flags, and congratulatory signs to celebrate the pope’s milestone.

Leo was visibly moved when musical groups in the square played “Happy Birthday,” a gesture greeted with applause, cheers, and the waving of signs bearing messages of gratitude and blessing.

“Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday! Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, commemorating the discovery of the cross by St. Helen in Jerusalem in the fourth century and the return of the precious relic to the Holy City by the Emperor Heraclius,” the pope said at the start of his reflection.

He explained that the day’s Gospel (Jn 3:13–17) presents Nicodemus as “one of the leaders of the Jews, a righteous and open-minded person … He needs light and guidance: He seeks God and asks the Teacher of Nazareth for help because he recognizes him as a prophet, a man who performs extraordinary signs.”

“The Lord welcomes him, listens to him, and eventually reveals to him that the Son of Man must be lifted up, ‘so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life’ … adding: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life,’” the pope said.

“God saves us by showing himself to us, offering himself as our companion, teacher, doctor, friend, to the point of becoming bread broken for us in the Eucharist. In order to accomplish this task, he used one of the cruelest instruments that human beings have ever invented: the cross,” Leo said.

“That is why today we celebrate the ‘exaltation’: for the immense love with which God has transformed the means to death into an instrument of life, embracing it for our salvation, teaching us that nothing can separate us from him and that his love is greater than our own sin,” he added.

After leading the Angelus, the pope noted the 60th anniversary of St. Paul VI’s institution of the Synod of Bishops, expressing hope that “this anniversary will inspire a renewed commitment to the unity and mission of the Church.” He also extended greetings to pilgrims from around the world.

At the close, he turned to a more personal meaning of the day: “Dear friends, it seems that you know that today I turn 70 years old. I give thanks to the Lord and to my parents; and I thank all those who have remembered me in their prayers. Many thanks to everyone! Thank you! Have a good Sunday!”

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

null / Credit: Freedom Studio/Shutterstock

ACI MENA, Sep 14, 2025 / 08:09 am (CNA).

The death of Milad Farakh, a member of the Melkite Greek Catholic community from the village of Kafra in Syria’s Valley of Christians (Wadi al-Nasara), has stirred controversy on social media. About two weeks after his arrest and transfer to the Balouna Prison in Homs on charges of selling spoiled meat, reports emerged recently that he had died under torture, based on leaks.

A local source told ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, that the “spoiled meat” charge (Farakh was a butcher) was merely a cover to prevent unrest in the region. The source added that the security services themselves admitted Farakh had died under torture and issued an official apology. The officer responsible for interrogating him was also detained.

At the same time, the source stressed that media claims of “persecution of Christians” in Wadi al-Nasara do not reflect reality. 

“We have never felt any direct targeting. Relations between the local community and the security services are built on coordination, especially with the church authorities. Speaking of persecution here is inaccurate.” He summarized the main problems faced by detainees during investigations involve three things: denial of communication with their families, lengthy interrogation periods, and the use of torture.

From the perspective of Syrian security services, Farakh’s real charge was collaboration with foreign actors. 

“The authorities told us they had photos, videos, and audio recordings implicating him in the bombing of a car near the Valley Hotel about a month ago (officially attributed at the time to a fuel tank explosion), as well as in planting an explosive device in another location,” the source told ACI MENA. “He was also accused of receiving explosives and coordinating with outside groups to provoke media outrage and frame the events as persecution of Christians in Wadi al-Nasara, in order to establish an opposition front in the region.”urc

Despite these accusations, the source concluded: “We cannot confirm either his involvement or his innocence. He died before his side of the story could be heard or before a fair trial could take place.”

In a related development, the nearby city of Qusayr in Homs province recently witnessed a wave of arrests. Initially, they were described as an attempt to drive out Christians. Later it was learned that 30 people had been detained, most of them Muslims (both Sunnis and Alawites). Some have since been released, while about 15 remain in custody, including seven Christians, facing charges ranging from murder and rape to falsifying property records, according to the Syrian Ministry of Interior.

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 waves at the crowds of people who braved a rainy morning for the general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Sept. 10, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

National Catholic Register, Sep 14, 2025 / 07:09 am (CNA).

Sept. 14 marks Pope Leo XIV’s 70th birthday. To celebrate, “EWTN News In Depth” invited viewers to send in video messages to share their own personal greeting to the Holy Father on such a momentous occasion.

The responses ranged from young Catholic school children singing “Happy Birthday” to seminarians and priests sharing their own sentiments and religious sisters gathered to say happy birthday in unison. Some celebrated by blowing out candles while holding their own Pope Leo prayer card, while many just thanked the Holy Father for all the love and joy he shares daily.

Although many American voices shared birthday blessings and prayers of gratitude, several messages came from the Philippines, many in Spanish, and one even from Norway and the Netherlands.

There was a heartfelt greeting from a group in Hong Kong and another from an African girl in her Catholic school uniform.

Voices also came in from France, Indonesia, and Poland. A man named Derrick shared a message from Moscow in Russia. And there were countless voices from his own hometown, Chicago!  

Pope Leo even received a special message from his alma mater, Villanova University: “May God continue to bless you,” a current student said. Good wishes also came from the Augustinian-run Villanova College in Brisbane, Australia, where the celebration featured a birthday cake and a cutout of the pope.  

Young Catholic school pupils in Cincinnati offered a creative rendition of “Happy Birthday,” while another beautiful compilation came in all the way from Nigeria at St. Augustine’s Catholic School in Oghara. Students also shared a message from Galilee in the Holy Land from Christian Outreach Center, all excited to celebrate with the pope. 

One boy from St. Joseph’s Catholic School in South Bend, Indiana, was so excited to share not only that he shares the same name, Leo, but also the same birthday, adding that he’s turning 14 this weekend. 

Many viewers shared their excitement about having their first American-born pope, some just taking the time to send in their own greeting from the comforts of their own home. “We are so grateful to have you as a Church,” a young woman wrote. “We as young people especially would like to let you know that we are listening to you, that we are behind you, and we are living out the Gospel message because of you.” Another man shared a message from Pendleton, Oregon, assuring Pope Leo of his daily prayers for him.

A few greetings came in from fellow polyglots, sharing birthday greetings in multiple languages, something the pope of many tongues will enjoy. And one woman was really creative, making an acrostic poem using the letters of the pope’s name.

One greeting came in from the National Shrine of St. Maximilian Kolbe at Marytown in Libertyville, Illinois, from a group sitting on the floor holding a Chicago White Sox flag, all with matching Pope Leo shirts, including Bubba the hassett hound who is “our beloved mascot,  who is usually a Cubs fan but this weekend, he said he’ll root for the Sox just for you!”

Many of the messages came with promises of prayer with hearts full of gratitude. To watch all the videos that came in, please enjoy the video below:

Happy birthday Pope Leo!  

Juan Dabdoub, founder of the Mexican Family Council. / Credit: David Ramos/EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Sep 14, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Juan Dabdoub Giacoman, a legendary and tireless defender of life and family in Mexico, passed away at the age of 71 on Sept. 11 in Mexico City after a long battle with cancer.

“A Catholic at heart and by conviction,” as he described himself on his social media, Dabdoub was born on Nov. 30, 1953, in Monterrey in Nuevo León state in Mexico and specialized in marketing and business management.

Self-described as a “rebel by nature and an idealist by conviction,” Dabdoub dedicated his recent decades to activism in support of life and family, and founded the Mexican Council of the Family (ConFamilia), which promoted an amendment to the Mexican Constitution to officially recognize marriage as between one man and one woman.

The proposal was supported by more than 200,000 signatures, nearly twice the number required by law, but was ignored by the country’s Senate despite the legal requirement to consider the initiative. Under Mexican law, a citizen initiative is a means for citizens to directly file a specific bill or have a particular issue taken up by the Congress.  

Dabdoub was also part of the founding group of the National Front for the Family, which organized a historic day of demonstrations across Mexico on Sept. 10, 2016, in rejection of the attempt by the federal executive branch, then led by President Enrique Peña Nieto, to promote same-sex marriage nationwide.

A few days later, in Mexico City alone, more than 400,000 people gathered, an event led by Dabdoub, along with other pro-family leaders.

In 2023 he denounced that textbooks distributed by the Mexican government contained “ideologized education”: “They provide sex education that the state is not supposed to provide. They provide it in a bad way and pervertedly,” he told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, at the time.

In his fight to defend life and family, as well as against gender ideology, he organized speaking tours throughout the country alongside figures such as Agustín Laje and Nicolás Márquez, authors of the Spanish-language book “Black Book of the New Left,” also available in English. 

He was a speaker at various international and national events on family issues, a panelist on various television programs, and a guest columnist for various media outlets such as Grupo Reforma’s newspaper El Norte. He was also the author of numerous articles and essays on the defense of life and the family.

He participated in the U.N. Population Conference in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994, and in the World Congresses of Families in Geneva (1999) and Mexico City (2004).

Dabdoub studied at the Pan-American Institute of Senior Business Management (IPADE by its Spanish acronym) in Monterrey; he earned a master’s degree in marketing from Thunderbird in Glendale, Arizona, and a postgraduate degree in international trade from the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Rio de Janeiro.

He was a professor of strategic planning at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, a professor of marketing at the University of Monterrey, and a professor at the Middle Management Training Institute, a subsidiary of IPADE.

He was the founding president of Familia Mundial (World Family) and also worked at companies such as Kimberly-Clark Mexico, the Gamesa-Nabisco Group, and the Alfa Industrial Group.

In recent years, Dabdoub remained steadfast in his pro-life and pro-family activism, even as he battled a devastating bout of cancer. After an initial victory, he experienced a relapse in recent months.

He is survived by his four children, Juan Pablo, Patricio, Alejandro, and Nicole; and by a granddaughter.

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

Pope Leo XIV is pictured here during a past birthday celebration when he served as bishop of the Diocese of Chiclayo, Peru. / Credit: Photo courtesy of Diocese of Chiclayo

Lima Newsroom, Sep 13, 2025 / 17:00 pm (CNA).

Before becoming Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Robert Prevost celebrated various birthdays in Chiclayo, Peru, with gestures marked by simplicity, closeness, and community as remembered by laypeople and groups of faithful who shared these moments with him during his years as bishop of the diocese.

Father Jorge Millán, who worked closely with Prevost in Chiclayo, recalled the sober style of these celebrations: “We used to gather as a family with the bishop: lunch, the classic cake, singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to him... It was just a pleasant afternoon, nothing more, but then he would return to work,” he shared with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

In the mornings, he recounted, the bishop received greetings from institutions and schools in the city, while in the afternoon he celebrated a birthday Mass at the cathedral.

“That was his solemn celebration with the citizens. Everything was generally very simple, but at the same time very emotional, because he welcomed these gestures and was delighted,” the priest added.

Janinna Sesa Córdova, former director of Caritas Chiclayo, fondly recalled a surprise prepared by the team of volunteers: “One year we made him believe we were looking for him for an urgent matter. When he arrived, we surprised him with balloons, a big card, and a cake. He was truly surprised because he wasn’t expecting it.” 

The Eucharistic Miracle 1649 Peru group also has fond memories. Its coordinator, Jesús León Ángeles, especially highlighted Sept. 14, 2022, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the authorities had declared a national quarantine: “We brought him a cake with his image and the design of the future Eucharistic Shrine of Eten on it. When he saw us, he began to applaud with a smile and said, ‘Thank you very much, let’s keep journeying together.’”

Every Sept. 14, his birthday, coincided with the feast of the Lord in Captivity, a local devotion. As Millán recalled, “he never put his [birthday] first; he participated faithfully in the celebration and preferred to remain unnoticed in that sense.”

This affection is expressed today in Rome. César Fernández, president of the Jesus of Nazareth in Captivity Association of Monsefú-Rome, announced that in 2025 they will carry a large banner with the message “Happy birthday, Holy Father Leo XIV. Chiclayo and Monsefú await you,” along with traditional music and dances. “For us, it’s a way of returning the affection he sowed in our land.”

Testimonies agree that, both in Chiclayo and elsewhere, Pope Leo XIV never sought the limelight. He preferred to share the table — with kid goat, duck, and rice, or his favorite dessert, lemon pie — and celebrate with the community in a fraternal atmosphere.

“He was characterized by his simplicity. He ate whatever was offered to him, drove himself to the parishes, and sat with the people to gaze at the stars. He always conveyed closeness and humility,” Jesús León Ángeles recalled.

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