St. Callistus Roman Catholic Church

Father Manuel Chouciño. / Credit: ACI Prensa

Madrid, Spain, Dec 23, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Father Manuel Chouciño, an expert in new evangelization who has surprised many by organizing an escape room in a Spanish monastery, is convinced that Catholics “are in vogue” because people “are tired of feeling so empty.”

Having arrived just three months ago at the parish-monastery of the Divine Savior of Lérez, which belongs to the Archdiocese of Santiago de Compostela, Chouciño saw in the place, an old Benedictine monastery, great possibilities for evangelization.

The monastery had been empty since 1835 due to the forced expropriation of Catholic Church property known as “the ecclesiastical confiscations,” but in the eyes of a priest with more than 40 years of experience in youth ministry and recreational activities it was full of possibilities. And the parishioners were ready to follow him.

“When you see that there’s been a rather long period where people are somewhat discouraged pastorally, and then you see that they’re willing to work, that there’s interest and enthusiasm, then you just take the plunge and say: Let’s move forward with whatever it takes,” he explained in a conversation with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

About 700 people were able to enjoy the experience, which immersed them in the world of medieval monastic life through various challenges that entire families completed: discovering the monks’ prayer times by listening to bells, identifying and combining herbs used in Benedictine medicine, and finding a hidden message with the help of a mirror.

This activity is the spearhead of a plan as ambitious as it is creative that seeks to respond to society’s spiritual thirst.

“It seems to me that the trend is that we Catholics are going to be in vogue for a while,” Chouciño said, convinced that “people are tired of feeling so empty. So they need to return; it’s something that’s ingrained within us, we can’t avoid it.”

Society is “exhausted by all the woke ideology and all the boring talk. And what they want is something a little deeper, something that will answer the important questions of existence. That’s where they return, at least those of a Christian background, to reconsider their faith,” he explained.

Welcoming, not judgmental, communities

The escape room project is part of the response to this spiritual thirst, because, “for them to feel comfortable returning or starting their journey, we have to make it a little easier for them with our language, but also with our personal attitude.”

In this regard, he emphasized that priests and communities must be “welcoming, not judgmental,” and willing to “love them, cherish them, and welcome them into their home, not our home,” like the prodigal son.

The priest is part of a new pastoral unit along with four other priests who are in charge of 10 parishes and feel very supported in these new initiatives by the archbishop of Santiago de Compostela, Francisco Prieto, who was responsible for the new evangelization in the Diocese of Orense, where he is originally from.

“We’ve taken the hard road. We’re going after the people who would burst into flames if they stepped inside a church,” he explained, which is why it’s necessary “to propose initiatives that appeal to them,” such as guided tours of the monastery, where he even shows them his room.

In these events, he takes the opportunity to explain to them the project for the monastery-parish to become a large pastoral center for the territorial vicariate of Pontevedra, open to all Catholic initiatives and also to civil society.

Upcoming big event: ‘Barbecue and prayer’

The program of new evangelization activities they are developing during this end of Advent and until Epiphany already includes other interesting events. A Christmas party after midnight Mass; a festive family gathering on the feast of the Holy Innocents, as a prelude to the secular New Year’s Eve celebration; and “a combination of the two best things in the world,” which the priest has dubbed “barbecue and prayer.”

The event will take place on Sunday, Jan. 4. “We’re going to have a fantastic barbecue,” commented Chouciño, who has cooked for groups of up to 400 people in the past and is convinced that “it’s a very powerful tool for evangelization.”

The statement has a theological basis. The parish priest has been in the Archdiocese of Santiago for eight years, but before that he was in the Diocese of Orihuela-Alicante, where he attended a series of lectures titled “The Meals of Jesus.”

“The Lord’s not stupid, and if he used gatherings around a table to convey the Gospel, it’s because during a meal we all let down our guard, we relax, we talk about everything and ask about everything,” he noted.

Chouciño seems like a bottomless well of ideas for evangelization, and only his determination surpasses his enthusiasm: “I keep threatening that I’m going to keep giving it my all here for as long as I can.” 

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

Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski serves on the Committee on Migration of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. / Credit: “The World Over with Raymond Arroyo”/EWTN News screenshot

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 22, 2025 / 16:52 pm (CNA).

The bishops of the Catholic Church in Florida have asked President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis “to pause immigration enforcement activities during the Christmas holidays.”

“We request that the government pause apprehension and roundup activities during the Christmas season. Such a pause would show a decent regard for the humanity of these families,” the bishops said in a Dec. 22 statement.

“Don’t be the Grinch that stole Christmas,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami said in a news conference. “Give people these two weeks to be with their families without fear of being arrested or taken into custody and ending up at Alligator Alcatraz or at Krome or other places to await deportation.”

Along with Wenski, other prelates including Bishop Gerald Barbarito of Palm Beach, Bishop Frank Dewane of Venice, Bishop John Noonan of Orlando, Bishop Gregory Parkes of St. Petersburg, Bishop William Wack of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Bishop Erik Pohlmeier of St. Augustine, and Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado of Miami joined in issuing the statement.

Pausing enforcement during the holy season “can lower the temperature within our partisan divisions, ease the fear and anxiety present in many of our immigrant and even nonimmigrant families and allow all of us to celebrate with greater joy the advent of the Prince of Peace,” they wrote.

“Now is not the time to be callous toward the suffering caused by immigration enforcement. Our nation is richly blessed. Despite challenges confronting our nation, we Americans enjoy a peace and prosperity that is the envy of the world, made possible by our special constitutional order which protects our liberties.”

‘Removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree’

“The border has been secured” and “the initial work of identifying and removing dangerous criminals has been accomplished to a great degree,” the bishops said. “Over half a million people have been deported this year, and nearly 2 million more have voluntarily self-deported.”

The arrest operations “inevitably sweep up numbers of people who are not criminals but just here to work,” and some have “legal authorization to be here,” the bishops wrote. “Eventually these cases may be resolved, but this takes many months causing great sorrow for their families. A growing majority of Americans say the harsh enforcement policies are going too far.”

The call follows a December report released by human rights organization Amnesty International that detailed “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment” at Florida detention centers Alligator Alcatraz and the Krome North Service Processing Center.

According to the organization, the report reveals human rights violations that, “in some cases amount to torture … within an increasingly hostile anti-immigrant climate in Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose administration has intensified criminalization and mass detention of migrants.”

“While enforcement will always be part of any immigration policy, such enforcement can be carried out in a way that recognizes due process as well as the humanity and dignity of all affected including those carrying out those policies,” the bishops wrote.

Neither the White House nor the office of DeSantis responded to CNA for comment prior to publication.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley preaches during a Mass in the Oklahoma City cathedral in 2021. / Credit: Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 22, 2025 / 13:07 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Paul Coakley said this week he is looking forward to speaking with President Donald Trump in “the near future.”

Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November, said he has “not had any personal conversations” with Trump or Vice President JD Vance but anticipates “engaging with them over matters of mutual concern.”

When Coakley meets with the administration, “undoubtedly, the question of immigration is going to come up,” he said in an interview on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21. “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”

In regard to immigration, Coakley said there is a lot of “anxiety” among migrants, but the situation “varies from place to place.” He said: “In communities with a more dense migrant population, there’s a great deal of fear and uncertainty … because of the level of rhetoric that is often employed when addressing issues around migration and the threats of deportation.”

While some bishops have formally granted Mass dispensation for immigrants who fear being targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Mass, Coakley said there has not been substantial declines in Mass attendance. 

Coakley, who serves as archbishop of Oklahoma City, said he has not seen declines in the area and has not “heard it reported widely” from his brother bishops.

“I know that that is the case in some places, but I don’t think it’s as common at least here locally or in places that I have personal contact with. There’s an anxiety, there’s a fear, but I don’t think it’s kept people away in great numbers,” Coakley said.

‘No conflict’

In the USCCB’s special message on immigration released in November, bishops said: “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”

The bishops’ message also said: “Human dignity and national security are not in conflict.”

Coakley reaffirmed the bishops’ message and said treating all people with respect and dignity is a “foundational bedrock” for Christians. 

“There’s no conflict necessarily between advocating for safe and secure borders and treating people with respect and dignity. We always have to treat people with dignity, God-given dignity. The state doesn’t award it and the state can’t take it away. It’s from the Creator,” Coakley said.

Whether people “are documented or undocumented, whether they are here legally or illegally, they don’t forfeit their human dignity,” he said. 

“I don’t think we can ever say that the end justifies the means,” he said. “We have to treat everyone with respect, respect of the human dignity of every person.”

As Americans we must remember “we are a nation of immigrants ourselves,” and “we are founded upon the immigrant experience,” Coakley said. 

“We have a right and a duty to respect sovereign borders of a state, but we also have a responsibility to welcome migrants,” he said. “This is a fundamental principle in Catholic social teaching regarding immigration and migration.”

Pope Leo XIV addresses employees of the Vatican on Dec. 22, 2025, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Dec 22, 2025 / 12:37 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV told Vatican and Holy See employees to see their daily work as part of the Church’s mission, saying that doing one’s job well “gives glory to the Lord.”

Meeting the workers for a Christmas greeting on Dec. 22, the pope said he is still getting to know the Vatican and experiences it as “a great mosaic” made up of many offices and services. He said he hopes, with God’s help, to meet employees as he visits different workplaces.

Reflecting on the Nativity scene, Pope Leo pointed to the many figures shown at work — each carrying out a task — as a reminder that everyday activities find their full meaning in God’s plan centered on Jesus Christ. He said it is as if the Christ Child blesses everyone from the manger, giving purpose and unity to the work of each person.

Even when some figures in the Nativity seem distant from the central event, he said, they participate precisely by being themselves, staying in their place and doing what they are called to do. The pope applied that image to Vatican life, saying each person can praise God by carrying out his or her responsibilities with commitment and care.

The pope also linked professional dedication to family life, telling lay employees that striving to do one’s best at work — and loving one’s family and children — honors God.

He urged Vatican workers to make that spirit a hallmark of the Church “in every expression,” and he asked them to convey his greetings to their relatives at home, telling them that the pope is praying for them.

After giving his blessing, Pope Leo greeted some of those present individually.

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

Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Dec. 20, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 22, 2025 / 12:07 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV calls for renewed priestly formation, stronger priestly fraternity, and a more missionary focus in pastoral ministry in an apostolic letter released by the Vatican on Monday.

The document, “A Fidelity That Generates the Future,” reflects on two decrees of the Second Vatican Council: Optatam Totius — on priestly formation — and Presbyterorum Ordinis — on the ministry and life of priests — both promulgated in 1965. Leo urges Catholics to keep reading the two conciliar texts in Christian communities and to study them “particularly in seminaries and in all places of preparation and formation for ordained ministry.”

An apostolic letter is a formal papal document, typically addressed to the Church, meant to teach, encourage, or direct pastoral priorities on a specific theme.

In his new letter, Leo says the Church is not simply marking an anniversary. He writes that the council’s “desired renewal” remains closely tied to priestly ministry, quoting the council’s assessment that “the desired renewal of the whole Church depends to a great extent on a priestly ministry animated by the spirit of Christ.”

The pope presents fidelity as both a grace and “a constant journey of conversion,” and he thanks priests worldwide for their ministry — from celebrating the Eucharist and proclaiming the Word to caring for those who suffer.

Formation and the abuse crisis

Leo writes that every vocation begins with an encounter with Christ and recalls the Lord’s call, “Follow me” (Mk 1:17). He says fidelity in “times of trial and temptation” is strengthened by remembering “the sound of the voice of the Lord who loves, chooses, and calls us,” and by seeking the accompaniment of those experienced in the spiritual life. 

Addressing what he calls “the crisis of trust in the Church caused by abuses committed by members of the clergy,” the pope says the scandal “has filled us with shame and called us to humility” and underscores “the urgent need for a comprehensive formation” that fosters human maturity alongside “a rich and solid spiritual life.” 

He urges seminarians to examine their motivations and includes a pointed line on formation of the heart: “The seminary is meant to be a training ground to help a seminarian attend to his own heart… we need to learn how to love and how to do so as Jesus did.” 

Priestly fraternity and loneliness

Leo describes priestly fraternity as a gift rooted in ordination itself and warns against individualism. He encourages practical steps to strengthen bonds among priests, including support for those who are isolated, sick, or elderly.

The pope also flags disparities that can undermine communion, saying more remains to be done — including “economic equalization between those who serve poor parishes and those who carry out their ministry in wealthy communities.”

Synodality and shared leadership

Leo calls synodality “particularly close to my heart,” arguing that the Church still has work to do in fostering healthy relationships between priests and bishops, among priests themselves, and with the lay faithful. 

He encourages priests to engage the Synod on Synodality’s final document and says priestly ministry should move away from “exclusive leadership” that centralizes parish life and places every responsibility on the priest alone. Instead, he points to more collegial leadership and cooperation among priests, deacons, and the whole people of God. 

Mission and the temptations of activism and withdrawal

The pope links priestly identity to mission and warns against two temptations: an efficiency-driven mindset that measures worth by performance, and a “quietism” that retreats from evangelization. He writes that media exposure and social networks require discernment and recalls St. Paul’s warning: “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are beneficial” (1 Cor 6:12). 

The letter closes with a focus on vocations and the need for both prayer and renewed pastoral creativity. Leo entrusts seminarians, deacons, and priests to the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin, Mother of Good Counsel, and St. John Mary Vianney. 

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 appointed Monsignor James A. Misko, a priest of the Diocese of Austin, Texas, as the next bishop of Tucson, Arizona, on Dec. 22, 2025. / Credit: Diocese of Austin

Vatican City, Dec 22, 2025 / 09:58 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Monsignor James A. Misko, a priest of the Diocese of Austin, Texas, as the next bishop of Tucson, Arizona.

The Holy See Press Office publicized the appointment at the Vatican, and it was also publicized in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 22 by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States. Misko has been serving as vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Austin.

Misko, 55, was born June 18, 1970, in Los Angeles. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from St. Edward’s University in Austin and later completed priestly formation and graduate theological studies in Houston, including a master of divinity degree at St. Mary’s Seminary. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Austin on June 9, 2007.

Before entering seminary, Misko worked in the restaurant industry from 1991 to 2000, according to biographical information shared by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

His priestly assignments have included service as parochial vicar at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Pflugerville (2007–2010) followed by leadership at Christ the King Parish in Belton — first as administrator (2010–2011) and then as pastor (2011–2014). He later served as pastor of St. Louis King of France Parish in Austin (2014–2019).

In 2019, Misko was named vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Austin. In 2025, he also served as diocesan administrator of the diocese, a role he held from March to September.

Misko is a native English speaker and is also proficient in Spanish.

He succeeds Bishop Edward Joseph Weisenburger, who served as bishop of Tucson beginning in 2017 and was appointed archbishop of Detroit in February.

Pope Leo XIV addresses officials of the Roman Curia at the Vatican on Dec. 22, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Dec 22, 2025 / 06:25 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Monday called on officials of the Roman Curia to deepen both mission and communion, urging Vatican offices to be “more mission-oriented” and cautioning against the “forces of division” that can take root even “beneath an apparent calm.”

Speaking during his annual Christmas greetings with personnel of the Church’s central administration, the pope also paid tribute to Pope Francis, whom he described as his “beloved predecessor” who “this year concluded his earthly life.”

Leo said Francis’ “prophetic voice, pastoral style, and rich magisterium” encouraged the Church “to place God’s mercy at the center, to give renewed impetus to evangelization, and to be a joyful Church, welcoming to all and attentive to the poorest.”

Drawing on Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Leo focused his address on what he called “two fundamental aspects of the Church’s life: mission and communion.”

“By her very nature, the Church is outward-looking, turned toward the world, missionary,” the pope said, adding that the Church exists to invite people into “the good news of God’s love.”

He insisted that ecclesial structures should serve evangelization rather than slow it down. “Structures must not weigh down or slow the progress of the Gospel or hinder the dynamism of evangelization; instead, we must ‘make them more mission-oriented,’” he said.

Applying that principle directly to Vatican governance, the pope said: “We need an ever more missionary Roman Curia in which institutions, offices, and tasks are conceived in light of today’s major ecclesial, pastoral, and social challenges, and not merely to ensure ordinary administration.”

Leo said the mystery of Christmas highlights not only the mission of the Son of God but also the purpose of that mission: reconciliation and a new kind of fraternity. “Christmas reminds us that Jesus came to reveal the true face of God as Father, so that we might all become his children and therefore brothers and sisters to one another,” he said.

The pope warned that communion within the Church requires ongoing conversion, especially when tensions arise in workplaces and debates about doctrine and practice.

“At times, beneath an apparent calm, forces of division may be at play,” he said. He cautioned against “swinging between two opposite extremes: uniformity that fails to value differences, or the exacerbation of differences and viewpoints instead of seeking communion.”

Such patterns, he said, can lead to “rigidity or ideology” and the conflicts that follow.

Yet, he continued, Christians are united in Christ even amid real diversity. “And in Christ, though many and diverse, we are one: ‘In Illo uno unum,’” he said.

Leo called Curia officials in particular to be “builders of Christ’s communion,” emphasizing a synodal Church in which “all cooperate in the same mission, each according to his or her charism and role.”

The pope acknowledged that long years of service can leave some Vatican employees disheartened by workplace dynamics, including “the exercise of power,” “the desire to prevail,” or “the pursuit of personal interests.”

He posed the question directly: “Is it possible to be friends in the Roman Curia? To have relationships of genuine fraternal friendship?” He said it is “a grace to find trustworthy friends, where masks fall away,” where “no one is used or sidelined,” and where each person’s “worth and competence are respected.”

Such relationships, he said, require personal conversion so that “Christ’s love” can be visible.

The pope also linked internal communion to the Church’s public witness in a world marked by violence and polarization. He said this conversion becomes a sign “ad extra” in “a world wounded by discord, violence, and conflict,” where there is “a growth in aggression and anger,” often “exploited by both the digital sphere and politics.”

“Dear brothers and sisters, mission and communion are possible if we place Christ at the center,” Leo said.

He also pointed to the significance of the Church’s current jubilee year, saying it underscores that Christ “alone is the hope that does not disappoint.”

The pope referenced two major anniversaries marked this year: the Council of Nicaea, which he said returns the Church “to the roots of our faith,” and the Second Vatican Council, which “strengthened the Church and sent her forth to engage the modern world.”

Leo closed by recalling the 50th anniversary of St. Paul VI’s apostolic exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, highlighting its emphasis that evangelization belongs to the whole Church and that the first means of evangelization is the witness of an authentically Christian life.

“Let us remember this also in our curial service: The work of each is important for the whole, and the witness of a Christian life, expressed in communion, is the first and greatest service we can offer,” he said.

Quoting Lutheran pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer on the humility of God revealed at Christmas, Leo prayed that the Lord would grant the Curia “his own humility, his compassion, and his love,” and he concluded by wishing all present “a holy Christmas” and asking God to “grant peace to the world.”

At the close of the exchange of greetings, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, offered Christmas wishes on behalf of Curia offices, the Vatican City State Governorate, and the Diocese of Rome, and the pope presented curial personnel with a copy of “The Practice of the Presence of God,” the spiritual classic he has recently recommended.

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

Pope Leo XIV prays during his Wednesday general audience on Aug. 13, 2025, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Dec 22, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network has released Pope Leo XIV’s list of prayer intentions for the year 2026.

Every month, Pope Leo asks Catholics around the world to pray for a particular intention. This initiative is accompanied by a video in which the pontiff expresses the reasons why he has chosen that particular intention.

Below is the complete list of Pope Leo’s prayer intentions for 2026.

January: For prayer with the word of God

Let us pray that praying with the word of God be nourishment for our lives and a source of hope in our communities, helping us to build a more fraternal and missionary Church.

February: For children with incurable diseases

Let us pray that children suffering from incurable diseases and their families receive the necessary medical care and support, never losing strength and hope.

March: For disarmament and peace

Let us pray that nations move toward effective disarmament, particularly nuclear disarmament, and that world leaders choose the path of dialogue and diplomacy instead of violence.

April: For priests in crisis

Let us pray for priests going through moments of crisis in their vocation, that they may find the accompaniment they need and that communities may support them with understanding and prayer.

May: That everyone might have food

Let us pray that everyone, from large producers to small consumers, be committed to avoid wasting food and to ensure that everyone has access to quality food.

June: For the values of sports

Let us pray that sports be an instrument of peace, encounter, and dialogue among cultures and nations, and that they promote values such as respect, solidarity, and personal growth.

July: For respect for human life

Let us pray for the respect and protection of human life in all its stages, recognizing it as a gift from God.

August: For evangelization in the city

Let us pray that in large cities often marked by anonymity and loneliness we find new ways to proclaim the Gospel, discovering creative paths to build community.

September: For the care of water

Let us pray for a just and sustainable management of water, a vital resource, so that everyone may have equal access to it.

October: For mental health ministry

Let us pray that mental health ministry be established throughout the Church, helping to overcome the stigma and discrimination of persons with mental illnesses.

November: For the proper use of wealth

Let us pray for the proper use of wealth, that not succumbing to the temptation of selfishness, it may always be put at the service of the common good and solidarity of those who have less.

December: For single-parent families

Let us pray for families experiencing the absence of a mother or father, that they may find support and accompaniment in the Church, and help and strength in the faith during difficult times.

Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the recitation of the Angelus on Dec. 21, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 21, 2025 / 09:15 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday highlighted four virtues of St. Joseph — “piety and charity, mercy and trust” — as guides for Catholics in the final days of Advent leading up to Christmas.

Speaking during his Angelus address from the window of the Apostolic Palace on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, the pope said the day’s liturgy invited the faithful to reflect on St. Joseph, especially “at the moment when God reveals his mission to him in a dream.”

Calling the Gospel episode “a very beautiful page in salvation history,” Leo described Joseph as a man who is “fragile and fallible — like us — and at the same time courageous and strong in faith.”

Referring to the Gospel of Matthew, the pontiff recalled that Joseph of Nazareth was a “just man,” a devout Israelite who observed the law and frequented the synagogue, while also being “extremely sensitive and human.”

In the face of Mary’s mysterious pregnancy — a situation that was difficult to understand and accept — the pope noted that Joseph did not choose “the way of scandal” or public condemnation. Instead, he opted for the discreet and benevolent path of planning to divorce her quietly.

In doing so, Leo said, Joseph demonstrated he had grasped the deepest meaning of religious observance: mercy.

The pope added that Joseph’s purity and nobility became even clearer when the Lord revealed his plan of salvation in a dream, showing Joseph the unexpected role he would assume as the husband of the Virgin Mother of the Messiah.

Leo pointed to Joseph’s “great act of faith,” saying the saint left behind the last of his certainties and set out into a future fully in God’s hands.

Referring to St. Augustine, the pope said that from Joseph’s piety and charity, “a son was born of the Virgin Mary — Son at the same time of God.”

“Piety and charity, mercy and trust,” Leo said, are the virtues the liturgy proposes for the faithful today so that they may accompany Christians through these final Advent days toward “holy Christmas.”

The pope emphasized that these attitudes “educate the heart” for encountering Christ and one another and can help believers become for each other “a welcoming manger, a comfortable home, a sign of God’s presence.”

He urged Catholics not to miss opportunities during this season of grace to put the virtues into practice — forgiving, encouraging, offering hope to those they live with and meet — and renewing in prayer a childlike trust in the Lord and in his providence.

Leo concluded by entrusting the faithful to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, who were the first to welcome Jesus, the Savior of the world, “with great faith and love.”

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

null / Credit: Zyabich/Shutterstock

London, England, Dec 21, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The Catholic Church must be bolder in sharing its vision of human anthropology, expert voices in the Church have warned in response to reports about poor mental health among teenagers in England and Wales.

On Dec. 9 the Guardian U.K. reported that 40% of 13- to 17-year-olds in England and Wales affected by violence are turning to AI companions for support because the waiting lists for counseling are so long, with youth leaders emphasizing that vulnerable young people need human connection.

Edwin Fawcett, a Catholic psychotherapist based in England and Wales, told CNA in an interview: “Young people would benefit from more readily available resources which boldly and clearly share the beautiful truth of the Church’s anthropology, so lacking in secular mental health care.” 

“And yet it could be tempting to simply fuel the machinery of our strong structures (e.g. dioceses, parishes, faith schools) with brilliant podcasts and videos — arguably still no match for an AI companion,” he said.

“If what’s really lacking is healthy human connection and its modeling, then to better support young people in the long run, I believe we must go upstream, to problems such as inadequate seminary formation and marriage prep, poor support and accountability in Church leadership, and few opportunities for professional training in Catholic psychology,” he continued.

“And we also have to remember that as cells in Christ’s body, none of us gets a pass on discerning how we’re each called to take some ownership of the difficult work of individual and corporate integration and growth — which includes caring for the young people right around us, today.”

Father Michael Baggot, a professor in bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, has written extensively on AI companionship. He told CNA that the “best insights from contemporary psychological sciences” could be integrated with “a broad and rich traditional Catholic anthropology.”

“Youth need flesh-and-blood mentors who embody the messiness and joy of living the Gospel,” he argued. “Mentors can accompany young people in engaging in the embodied community activities (worship, dance, sports, hiking, music, etc.) that AI companions cannot provide. … The entire Catholic moral life is directed to flourishing, that is, happiness in the fullest sense.” 

“‘The Catholic Christian Meta-Model of the Person’ shows how to integrate the best insights from contemporary psychological sciences within a broad and rich traditional Catholic anthropology,” he argued.

“Formation programs for youth, whether conducted in classrooms, churches, on playing fields, lakes, or mountains, should communicate the adventure of the faith. Formators can help youth discover their talents and unique vocation.”

Baggot also suggested that those individuals who have been hurt by AI could share their stories.

“Church institutions should foster a welcoming, inclusive community that challenges members and promotes growth in virtue,” he said. “Parishes, schools, orphanages, hospitals, and every family should create space for youth to share their hopes, dreams, and struggles. This daily effort to build healthy communities is central to the Lord’s call to live in communion with him and with our neighbors.”

In a statement to CNA, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales said there is “little doubt that AI will, increasingly, be a technology that will help people in practical ways. This will include people who need medical and social care and who could be monitored remotely or reminded to undertake certain tasks.”

“However, AI companions can never replace real human relationships and, in our parishes as well as in our personal lives, we must reinvigorate the personal relationships — and a relationship with God — that are at the heart of real human fulfillment,” the bishops said. 

“The interest of so many in the Catholic Church in AI is heartening as it is only through careful discernment that we can ensure that this technology promotes the common good and human dignity.”