Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

Appointment of Special Envoy to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the canonical erection of the diocese of Spiš, Slovakia

Appointment of Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations (U.N.) in New York

Appointment of members of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura

 

Appointment of Special Envoy to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the canonical erection of the diocese of Spiš, Slovakia

The Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the General Secretariat of the Synod, as his Special Envoy to the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the canonical erection of the diocese of Spiš, Slovakia, taking place at Saint Martin’s Cathedral in Spišská Kapitula on 26 September 2026.

 

Appointment of Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations (U.N.) in New York

The Holy Father has appointed Archbishop Christophe-Zakhia El-Kassis, titular of Roselle, until now apostolic nuncio in the United Arab Emirates and in Yemen, and apostolic delegate in the Arabian Peninsular, as Holy See Permanent Observer at the United Nations (U.N.) in New York.

 

Appointment of members of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura

The Holy Father has appointed the following as members of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura: Their Excellencies Archbishop Salvatore Joseph Cordileone of San Francisco, United States of America; Bishop Krzysztof Nitkiewicz of  Sandomierz, Poland; Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru, former Secretary of the DIcastery for Legislative Texts; Bishop Edward M. Lohse of Kalamazoo, United States of America; the Reverend Eduardo Baura de la Peña, full professor at the Faculty of Canon Law of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Italy; the Reverend Gianpaolo Montini, full professor at the Faculty of Canon Law of the Collegium Maximum of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome; and the Reverend Father Ulrich Rhode, S.J., full professor at the Faculty of Canon Law of the Collegium Maximum of the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

The following is the text of the Video Message sent by the Holy Father Leo XIV to bishops and members of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), on the occasion of the Plenary Assembly taking place from 20 to 26 July 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia:

 

Video Message of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I send cordial greetings to all of you participating in the Plenary Assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences in Jakarta. As you gather to discuss the important issues affecting the life and future of the Catholic Church in Asia, I assure you of my spiritual closeness, praying that the Holy Spirit will inspire and guide your time together.

The theme chosen for your Plenary Assembly comes from the words of Jesus telling Nathanael: “You will see greater things” ( Jn 1:50). In calling Philip and Nathanael to follow him and become his disciples, our Lord alludes to himself as the unique mediator between God and humanity (cf. Jn 1:51). 

As his disciples today, we know that Jesus is not only the source of our communion with God, but also with one another. Indeed, in the recently published Encyclical Letter, Magnifica Humanitas , I wrote that Christian solidarity finds its source in the mystery of Christ and emerges from our communion in the sacraments, particularly the Eucharist (cf. n. 88 ). For this reason, I would like to encourage you to continue to promote a Eucharistic spirituality within your local Churches, that is, a spirituality of ecclesial unity grounded in the charity that flows from the gift of our Lord in the Eucharist. In this way, it is my hope that the bonds of communion within and between the local Churches will be strengthened and become an ever greater sign of God’s presence in your various countries, which in turn will help you be bridge-builders together throughout Asia.

Dear friends, in commending all of you and your deliberations to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, I gladly invoke upon you the Lord’s gifts of wisdom and fortitude.

And may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit come down on you and remain with you for ever. Amen.

The following is the Letter sent by the Holy Father Leo XIV to the Very Reverend Father Frank Donio, S.A.C., executive director of the “Conference of Major Superiors of Men” in the United States of America, on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of its founding:

 

Letter of the Holy Father

 

 

To the Very Reverend Frank Donio, S.A.C. Executive Director Conference of Major Superiors of Men in The United States Of America

I was pleased to be informed that the Conference of Major Superiors of Men is celebrating its seventieth anniversary during the 2026 National Assembly, taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, and I send cordial good wishes to all taking part. 

As you mark seven decades of fostering collaboration among male religious in the United States of America, it is an appropriate time to give thanks to God for the graces received during these years.  In your efforts to provide a space for dialogue and to support the leadership of your member communities, you have helped to reinforce the public witness of consecrated men who devote their lives to the service of the Gospel.

In reflecting on the theme for this year’s gathering, “One in Christ: Communal Life Today,” I would encourage you to consider community life “as a place of sanctification and a source of inspiration, witness and strength in your apostolate” ( Address to Four Religious Institutes , 18 September 2025).  Indeed, it is precisely through sharing everything in common, including material goods, spiritual experiences, apostolic ideals and charitable service that the hidden presence of the risen Lord is made manifest among you (cf. Saint John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Vita Consecrata , 42).  I trust that these days of reflection, dialogue and prayer will allow you to discern ways to deepen the fraternal communion both within and among your Institutes, and in this way enable you to continue offering a united, joyful and authentic witness to Christ in the various communities and apostolates where you serve. 

With these sentiments, I assure you of my spiritual closeness and entrust the National Assembly to the loving intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church.  To all present I impart my Apostolic Blessing, which I willingly extend to all in the Congregations which you represent.

From the Vatican, 16 July 2026

LEO PP. XIV

Consecration of bishop of Chifeng, China

Today, Wednesday 22 July 2026, the Reverend Joseph Chang Yanfeng received episcopal ordination. The Holy Father appointed him bishop of Chifeng (Province of Inner Mongolia, China) on 15 June 2026, having approved his candidature within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China.

Curriculum vitae

The Reverend Joseph Chang Yanfeng was born on 4 April 1984 in Beizhen (Province of Laioning). From 2000 to 2006 he attended the Theological Seminary of Shenyang, after which he carried out a period of pastoral training at the parish of Lindong from July 2006 to February 2007. From 2007 to 2010, he studied at the Catholic University of Daejeon in South Korea, where he was awarded a degree in biblical theology. He was ordained a priest on 18 November 2010 for the diocese of Chifeng. From 2010 to 2013, he worked in the diocesan curia and, at the same time, in various parishes within the same circumscription. From October 2013 to September 2019, he served as parish priest of Chifeng Cathedral and subsequently, from 2019 to 2021, as parish priest of Lindong. Since 15 October 2021, he has held the post of diocesan administrator of Chifeng.

At midday today, 16 th Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Holy Father Leo XIV appeared in Piazza della Libertà in Castel Gandolfo, to pray the Angelus with the faithful and pilgrims gathered in front of the Apostolic Palace of the Pontifical Villas.

The following are the Pope’s words of introduction to the Marian prayer:

 

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

Following the parable of the sower, Jesus continues to address the crowds using a series of images: the good wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed and the yeast in the dough (cf. Mt 13:24–43).

These three short parables recall the coming of the Kingdom of God in history, its action in human lives, and the way it grows, expands and transforms the world from within.Through these images, Jesus warns us against the temptation of thinking that God is a powerful figure who imposes himself by force, who takes over and dominates, or who arrives triumphantly. Instead, God favors smallness, a sign of his discreet love, by which he leaves us free to accept or reject him. His love makes its presence felt even among the weeds, acts in a hidden and invisible way like the smallest of all seeds, and leavens the dough without making a sound.

Brothers and sisters, through these parables, Jesus reveals something important about the manner in which God works in our lives and in history. We sometimes expect God to do something spectacular; we want him to intervene from on high, immediately uprooting the weeds of evil. We imagine a strong and powerful God, and, unfortunately, we also model our way of being Christians and way of being the Church on this image. However, the Kingdom of God spreads even amidst the weeds, requiring us to train our vision so we can discern the good that sprouts despite the darkness of evil, and avoiding rash judgments. It comes like the smallest of seeds and thus calls for patience in accompanying these processes, so that we can recognize it in the little things of daily life and in the simplicity of ordinary existence. It grows invisibly like yeast in flour, and so we are freed from discouragement and invited to have faith even when it seems that God is absent. In fact, he is always with us, and his love is always ready to help us.

God’s way of acting must also become the way in which we live, both as individuals and as the Church, amidst the reality that surrounds us. We are called to adopt a Gospel-centered approach, without hastily opposing others through arrogant judgments, without imposing ourselves through power and force, and without losing trust in God’s work. As the then-Cardinal Ratzinger said, it is a matter of submitting ourselves to the logic of the seed — which is not that of success and greatness, but that of making ourselves small and serving others (cf. Address to Catechists and Religion Teachers , 10 December 2000). In this way, we will become like small seeds of the Gospel that sprout, and leavens of love that transform the dough of the world.

Let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary, who knew how to welcome the seed of the Word in her smallness, to sustain us on our journey and intercede for us.

________________________

After the Angelus

Dear brothers and sisters,

While I am taking a few days for rest, I once again extend my greetings and gratitude to all of you, residents of Castel Gandolfo, and I joyfully welcome the pilgrims arriving from every part of the world!

We continue to follow with concern the events unfolding in various countries torn apart by war and violence.  Let us not forget those who are suffering and dying because of these conflicts, and let us add our constant prayers to the generous efforts for peace.

I greet Mother Elvira’s Cenacolo Community, gathered in Saluzzo for the Festival of Life; the New Families Movement of the Focolari gathered for the International School; the Mexican students participating in the APRA Summer School; and the group from the Catholic Worldview Fellowship.

I extend my greetings to the young adult Regnum Christi members who are participating in the International Formators Course, and I also greet those taking part in “The Lion Pilgrimage,” accompanied by Bishop Anthony Percy, the Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Australia.

I also greet the families and the children assisted by Sisters of Charity of the Assumption of Rome, the young people from the parish of Holy Savior in Jerusalem, the children’s group from the parish of Saint Augustine of Bovolenta and the pilgrims from the Liturgical Academy of Rzeszów.

I wish all of you a peaceful Sunday!