Tag: Vatican

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“Oh, Goa!”: Pope Leo XIV’s Warm Reaction During Vatican Blessing Delights Devotees

Tanisha Cardozo

Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral

A heart-warming and memorable moment unfolded at the Vatican when Pope Leo XIV drew smiles and applause after warmly reacting to the mention of Goa while blessing a child. As the child’s connection to the coastal state was shared during the ceremony, the pontiff spontaneously exclaimed, “Oh, Goa!”, turning a quiet blessing into a touching exchange that resonated with those present.

The Pope’s affectionate response instantly lit up the atmosphere, with devotees describing the moment as both joyful and deeply personal. For many Goans watching or learning about the exchange later, it became a moment of pride, as their homeland was briefly but warmly acknowledged at the heart of the Vatican.

What stood out was the simplicity of the gesture. Without any script or formality, the Pope’s spontaneous reaction reflected his personable nature and ability to connect with people through small but meaningful moments. Attendees noted that the warmth of the exchange made the occasion feel special, transforming a routine blessing into a shared experience of happiness.

The moment was widely appreciated by devotees and quickly spread among Goan communities, who described it as a reminder of how even the smallest references can carry emotional weight when they come from places of global significance. For those present, and for Goans across the world, it was a brief yet powerful instance of recognition, joy and connection.

#faith

Pope Leo XIV Calls for Guidance and Ethical Responsibility in Youth Engagement with AI

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Vatican City, 5 December 2025: Pope Leo XIV has called for a renewed global commitment to guiding young people as they navigate the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. Addressing participants at the international conference “Artificial Intelligence and Care for Our Common Home,” the Pope highlighted the profound impact AI is having on society, daily life and fundamental aspects of human development.

The Pope noted that while AI offers powerful opportunities, it also carries risks that must be addressed through collective awareness and ethical consideration. He pointed out that technologies are reshaping critical thinking, learning processes, social interactions and even the way young people perceive meaning and truth.

Pope Leo XIV stressed that the well-being of future societies depends on the ability of young people to grow in maturity, responsibility and discernment, developing their talents not as passive recipients of algorithm-driven content but as active contributors to the world around them.

Highlighting a growing misconception in the digital age, he warned that “accessing vast amounts of data is not the same as understanding or discovering truth.” He urged educators, institutions, businesses and religious communities to take an active role in helping youth use technology wisely, fostering balanced development of mind and spirit.

The Pope also underscored that humanity is called to be co-workers in creation, not merely consumers of AI-generated content. He emphasised that the development and governance of digital technologies require coordinated action involving politics, education systems, civil society and ethical leadership.

Raising crucial questions about the future, Pope Leo XIV asked how AI can genuinely serve the common good without deepening inequality or centralising power in the hands of a few. He also urged society to safeguard the freedom, inner life and emotional well-being of children and young people as technological shifts accelerate.

The address reflects the Vatican’s continuing call for a human-centered approach to technological development—one that preserves human dignity, protects the vulnerable and ensures that innovation remains oriented toward justice, solidarity and shared progress.

#faith

Pope Leo XIV Canonizes Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati Together in Historic Ceremony

Tanisha Cardozo

Pope Leo XIV presided over his first Ordinary Public Consistory on Friday morning, where he formally confirmed the canonizations of eight Blesseds. Among them were Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, two widely beloved figures whose lives—though lived in different centuries—embodied a vibrant, youthful witness to faith.

Originally, Acutis was scheduled to be canonized during the Jubilee of Teenagers on April 27, while Frassati’s canonization was planned for August 3, the close of the Jubilee for Youth. Both events were postponed following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, which left their canonization dates in question.

That uncertainty ended when Pope Leo XIV announced the decision to canonize both young men together on September 7. The celebration drew widespread global attention, especially from the young faithful who had long looked up to Acutis—the first saint of the twenty-first century—and Frassati, whose early 20th-century life of charity and activism had already earned him the nickname “The Man of the Beatitudes.”

The ceremony reflected the Church’s recognition of the enduring impact of youth saints who lived out their faith in both ordinary and extraordinary ways. Carlo Acutis, known for his devotion to the Eucharist and skill in using technology for evangelization, and Pier Giorgio Frassati, celebrated for his joyful service to the poor and political engagement grounded in Gospel values, now stand together as saints for a new generation.

Pope Leo XIV also announced that seven more Blesseds would be canonized in October. Among them are Archbishop Ignatius Shoukrallah Maloyan, martyred during the Armenian Genocide in 1915, and Peter To Rot, a lay catechist from Papua New Guinea who was executed in 1945 for continuing Christian ministry under Japanese occupation. To Rot will become the first saint from Papua New Guinea.

Other future saints include Vincenza Maria Poloni, founder of the Sisters of Mercy of Verona; Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles, founder of the Servants of Jesus in Venezuela; and Maria Troncatti, a missionary with the Daughters of Mary, Help of Christians.

Two laymen were also approved for canonization: Bartolo Longo, a former Satanist who became a devout Catholic and established the Marian Shrine at Pompeii, and Dr. José Gregorio Hernández Cisneros, a Venezuelan physician known for his generous service to the poor.

Together, these canonizations reflect Pope Leo XIV’s commitment to honoring a wide range of vocations and testimonies of faith—across eras, cultures, and walks of life.

Human Interest

Pope Leo Signs BMW Motorcycle for Charity Auction Benefiting Children in Madagascar

Tanisha Cardozo

In a rare and symbolic moment outside St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo signed a BMW motorcycle following his weekly General Audience — an act that quickly caught global attention not just for its visual spectacle, but for its purpose. The motorcycle is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in Munich, with all proceeds directed toward funding a school in Madagascar for children who have been forced to work in mica mines.

The initiative is being led by Missio Austria, part of the Pontifical Mission Societies, and highlights the Catholic Church’s growing role in calling attention to child labor and systemic poverty in overlooked parts of the world. According to Missio Austria’s communications team, the funds will directly support education and safety for children in Madagascar — one of the world’s poorest nations and a major source of mica, a mineral often extracted by children in hazardous conditions.

By linking the auction to a high-profile event in Vatican City, and combining it with the universally recognized figure of the Pope, the campaign intends to raise both awareness and meaningful funding. It also exemplifies how symbolic gestures — like signing a motorcycle — can be transformed into real-world action, helping address some of the most urgent humanitarian crises of our time.

This isn’t the first time the Vatican has used high-value auctions as tools for charity, but it is one of the more visually arresting ones, combining sleek design, papal authority, and global philanthropy in one unified gesture.

The Sotheby’s auction is expected to attract collectors and benefactors alike, with hopes that the motorcycle — now carrying the signature of the Pope himself — will bring in significant contributions toward a future where children in Madagascar can trade the mines for classrooms.

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Kuwait: Our Lady of Arabia Elevated to Minor Basilica

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The Catholic Church in the Gulf has reached a historic milestone with the elevation of the Church of Our Lady of Arabia, located in Ahmadi, Kuwait, to the rank of Minor Basilica. The decree, promulgated on June 28 by the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, officially recognizes the church’s spiritual and pastoral importance.

Speaking to Vatican News, Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, expressed profound joy over this recognition. He recalled that the church was established in 1948 through the efforts of the Carmelites and built by the Kuwait Oil Company for workers in the petroleum industry. In 2023, the parish celebrated its 75th anniversary.

“This church has always been a place of spiritual meaning,” Bishop Berardi said. “Here, migrants and those who came to work in the country have been able to practice their faith under the protection of Our Lady.”

The church holds particular importance as the home of the statue of Our Lady of Arabia, originally dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Blessed by Pope Pius XII in Rome in 1949 and later crowned by Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera in 2011 on behalf of Pope Benedict XVI, the statue is a symbol of devotion for Catholics in the region.

In a predominantly Muslim country where religious imagery is restricted, the presence of a Marian statue carries profound meaning for the faithful. “It is a shrine of great devotion,” Bishop Berardi emphasized, “and now its historical and pastoral significance is officially recognized.”

The elevation to Minor Basilica status strengthens the Church of Our Lady of Arabia’s role as a spiritual beacon for Catholics in Kuwait and the wider Gulf, offering a deeper bond with the universal Church.