Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

As is known (cf. L’Osservatore Romano , 9 August 2025), the Holy Father has appointed His Eminence Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, O.P., archbishop emeritus of Vienna, as his special envoy to the dedication of the Chapel of the Black Madonna of Saint Mary at the Kupfergasse in Köln, Germany, to be held on Sunday 14 September 2025.

The Pontifical Letter is now to be published:

 

Letter of the Holy Father

Venerabili Fratri Nostro

CHRISTOPHORO S.R.E. Cardinali SCHÖNBORN, O.P.

Archiepiscopo emerito Vindobonensi

Insignes profecto devotionis testificationes annorum decursu singularemque pietatem in Beatam Mariam Virginem tribuere consuesse in orbe terrarum fideles probe scimus. Id adhuc evenire etiam in perantiqua Colonia urbe, in dilecta Germania, pro comperto habemus, ubi fidelium multitudo decurrit ad celebre Mariale Sanctuarium Matris Dei Nigrae in via v.d. Kupfergasse situm. Trecentesimus eventurus est et quinquagesimus annus ex quo tempore, die videlicet VIII mensis Septembris anno MDCLXXV, hoc sacellum, Beatae Mariae Virginis Lauretanae Domus imago, consecratum est. In ipso, quod merito cor insignis urbis archidioecesisque Coloniensis appellatur, sacra effigies Virginis Sanctissimae piis obsequiis iam multa per tempora colitur, quae omnia mystici Corporis Christi membra complectitur et Mediatrix gratiarum ab Ecclesia iamdudum appellatur.

Quam ob rem Venerabilis Frater Noster Rainerius Maria S.R.E. Cardinalis Woelki, Archiepiscopus Metropolita Coloniensis, humanissime amatissimum Decessorem Nostrum Franciscum papam, nunc bo. me., rogavit, ut aliquem Eminentissimum Virum mitteret, qui vices Romani Pontificis Coloniae gereret simulque ibi celebrationi Eucharisticae praeesset. Nos itaque, Praedecessoris Nostri libentissime voluntatem adimplentes, te, Venerabilis Frater Noster, qui, Patris Purpurati dignitate ornatus necnon devotioni Marianae deditus, plurimum conferre potes ut participantes hunc eventum certiores fiant de profusa caritate qua illos diligimus ac de sollertia qua precationes pro iisdem fundimus, his Litteris MISSUM EXTRAORDINARIUM NOSTRUM confirmamus, ut celebrationi eventus illius die XIV insequentis mensis Septembris praesis ipsamque vocem Nostram significes.

Archiepiscopum Metropolitam Coloniensem, omnes adstantes sacros Praesules, sacerdotes, religiosos viros mulieresque et christifideles laicos Nostro salutabis nomine Nostramque iis ostendes humanitatem. Verba demum Nostrae benevolentiae etiam ad Auctoritates civiles omnesque participantes pertinere volumus.

Oramus iam nunc Matrem Dei Nigram, ut hoc Anno Sancto omnibus nobis sinceram, fortem, inviolabilem impetret fidem in Christum Dominum, Filium suum. Ille, natus ex Matre, de caelo terrae novum sidus ostendit, natus ex Patre caelum terramque formavit. Eo nascente lux nova est in stella revelata, quo moriente in cruce lux antiqua est in sole velata (cfr S. Augustinus, Sermo CXCIX ). In obscuris igitur et in dubiis, patientem atque constantem fidem imploramus, quam beatus Ioannes Apostolus nostram esse dicit victoriam, quae vincit mundum (cfr  1 Io 5, 4).

Dum missionem tuam, Venerabilis Frater Noster, praesidio Beatae Mariae Virginis Matris Misericordiae et s. Ioseph commendamus, Nostram denique Apostolicam Benedictionem, caelestium gratiarum nuntiam, tibi libenter impertimur, quam ad cunctos celebrationis participes pertinere volumus.

Ex Arce Gandulfi, die XV mensis Augusti, in sollemnitate Assumptionis Beatae Mariae Virginis, Anno Sancto MMXXV, Pontificatus Nostri primo.

LEO PP. XIV

Resignation and appointment of metroplitan archbishop of Cotabato, Philippines

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the metropolitan archdiocese of Cotabato, Philippines, presented by Archbishop Angelito R. Lampon, O.M.I.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Charlie Malapitan Inzon, O.M.I., until now vicar apostolic of Jolo, as metropolitan archbishop of Cotabato, Philippines.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Charlie Malapitan Inzon, O.M.I., was born on 24 November 1965 in Castilla, Sorsogon. He studied philosophy at Notre Dame University , Cotabato City and theology at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City. He was awarded a master’s degree in pastoral ministry and a doctorate in psychology from the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City.

After giving his perpetual vows in 1990 with the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, he was ordained a priest on 24 April 1993.

He has held the following offices: chaplain of Notre Dame of Jolo College , Jolo (1993-1995), mission in charge, Tawi-Tawi (1995-1998), parish vicar of Santo Niño in Midsayap, Cotabato (1998-2000), director of the OMI College Seminary , Quezon City (2000-2006), director of the Peace and Research Center (2007-2009), dean of the Graduate School (2009-2010) and dean (2010-2014) at Notre Dame of Jolo College , Jolo, dean of Notre Dame of Jolo College , Jolo (2014-2018), provincial superior (2018-2020), and president of the OMI Asia-Oceania Regional Conference (2020).

He was appointed vicar apostolic of Jolo on 4 April 2020. Within the Episcopal Conference, he is president of the Episcopal Commission on Catholic Education .

This morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience:

- His Excellency Archbishop Gonzalo de Villa y Vásquez, S.J., of Santiago de Guatemala, Guatemala;

- His Eminence Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the General Secretariat of the Synod;

- Bishop Francisco Canindé Palhano, emeritus of Petrolina, Brazil;

- Mr. Daniel Cellucci, president of the Catholic Leadership Institute;

- Archbishop Domenico Sorretino, bishop of Assisi-Nocera Umbra-Gualdo Tadino, and of Foligno;

- Mr. Stephen M. Henley, president of “Legatus”, and entourage;

- Bishop Stefan Oster, S.D.B., of Passau, Federal Republic of Germany.

***

In the afternoon, the Holy Father will receive in audience:

- His Eminence Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life.

At the conclusion of the Eucharistic celebration, with the Rite of Canonization, on the parvis of Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father Leo XIV, before reciting the Angelus prayer, pronounced the following words:

 

Dear brothers and sisters,

Before concluding this long-awaited  celebration , I would like to greet and thank all of you who have come in such large numbers to celebrate these two new Saints!  I cordially greet the bishops and priests.  I respectfully welcome the official Delegations and distinguished civil Authorities.

In this atmosphere, it is marvellous to recall that yesterday the Church was also enriched by two new Blesseds.  In Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, Jesuit Archbishop Edoardo Profittlich was beatified.  He was killed in 1942 during the Soviet regime’s persecution of the Church.  In Verszprém, Hungary, the young laywoman Mária Magdolna Bódi was beatified.  She was killed in 1945 for resisting soldiers who intended to assault her.  Let us praise the Lord for these two martyrs, courageous witnesses to the beauty of the Gospel!

To the intercession of the Saints and the Virgin Mary, we entrust our unceasing prayer for peace, especially in the Holy Land and Ukraine, and in every other land blood-stained by war.  To those in power, I repeat: listen to the voice of conscience!  The apparent victories achieved with weapons, which sow death and destruction, are in reality defeats and never bring peace or security!  God does not want war, he wants peace, and he strengthens those who are committed to leaving behind the spiral of hatred and taking the path of dialogue.

At 10.00 this morning, 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, on the parvis of Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Holy Father Leo XIV presided over the Eucharistic celebration and the Rite of Canonization of Blesseds Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis. The official delegations of Italy, Great Britain, Poland and the Order of Malta were present.

The following are the Holy Father’s impromptu words before the beginning of the Holy Mass, and the homily delivered by the Pope after the proclamation of the Gospel:

 

The Holy Father’s impromptu remarks before the Holy Mass and the Rite of Canonization

Good morning, everyone! Happy Sunday and welcome! Thank you!

Brothers and sisters, today is a wonderful feast for all of Italy, for the whole Church, for the whole world! Before beginning the solemn celebration of the Canonization, I wanted to greet you all and say a few words, because, while the celebration is very solemn, it is also a day of great joy! I wished especially to greet the many young people who have come for this Holy Mass! It is truly a blessing from the Lord to be here together with all of you who have come from different countries. It is truly a gift of faith that we want to share.

After Holy Mass, if you can be patient for a little while, I hope to come and greet you in the Square. So, if you are far away now, let us hope that we can at least greet each other afterwards. I greet the families of the two Blesseds, soon to be Saints, the official Delegations, the many bishops and priests who have come. Let us give all of them a round of applause; and thank you for being here, consecrated men and women, and Catholic Action!

Let us prepare ourselves prayerfully for this liturgical celebration, with open hearts, and truly desire to receive this grace from the Lord. Let each of us also feel in our hearts what Pier Giorgio and Carlo experienced, namely this love for Jesus Christ, especially in the Eucharist, but also in the poor, in our brothers and sisters. All of you, all of us too, are called to be Saints. May God bless you! Enjoy this celebration! Thank you for being here!

 

Homily of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters,

In the first reading, we heard a question: [Lord,] “who has learned your counsel, unless you have given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high?” ( Wis  9:17). This question comes after two young Blesseds, Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis, were proclaimed saints, and this is providential because in the Book of Wisdom, this question is attributed to a young man like them: King Solomon. Upon the death of his father David, he realized that he had many things: power, wealth, health, youth, beauty, and the entire kingdom. It was precisely this great abundance of resources that raised a question in his heart: “What must I do so that nothing is lost?” Solomon understood that the only way to find an answer was to ask God for an even greater gift, that of his wisdom, so that he might know God’s plans and follow them faithfully. He realized, in fact, that only in this way would everything find its place in the Lord’s great plan. Yes, because the greatest risk in life is to waste it outside of God’s plan.

Jesus, too, in the Gospel, speaks to us of a plan to which we must commit wholeheartedly. He says: “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” ( Lk  14:27); and again: “none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions” (v. 33). He calls us to abandon ourselves without hesitation to the adventure that he offers us, with the intelligence and strength that comes from his Spirit, that we can receive to the extent that we empty ourselves of the things and ideas to which we are attached, in order to listen to his word.

Many young people, over the centuries, have had to face this crossroad in their lives. Think of Saint Francis of Assisi, like Solomon, he too was young and rich, thirsty for glory and fame. That is why he went to war, hoping to be knighted and adorned with honors. But Jesus appeared to him along the way and asked him to reflect on what he was doing. Coming to his senses, he asked God a simple question: “Lord, what do you want me to do?” ( Legend of the Three Companions,  cap. II:  Fonti Francescane , 1401). From there, he changed his life and began to write a different story: the wonderful story of holiness that we all know, stripping himself of everything to follow the Lord (cf.  Lk  14:33), living in poverty and preferring the love of his brothers and sisters, especially the weakest and smallest, to his father’s gold, silver and precious fabrics.

How many similar saints we could recall! Sometimes we portray them as great figures, forgetting that for them it all began when, while still young, they said “yes” to God and gave themselves to him completely, keeping nothing for themselves. Saint Augustine recounts that, in the “tortuous and tangled knot” of his life, a voice deep within him said: “I want you” ( Confessions , II, 10,18). God gave him a new direction, a new path, a new reason, in which nothing of his life was lost.

In this setting, today we look to Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati and Saint Carlo Acutis: a young man from the early 20th century and a teenager from our own day, both in love with Jesus and ready to give everything for him.

Pier Giorgio encountered the Lord through school and church groups — Catholic Action, the Conferences of Saint Vincent, the FUCI (Italian Catholic University Federation), the Dominican Third Order — and he bore witness to God with his joy of living and of being a Christian in prayer, friendship and charity. This was so evident that seeing him walking the streets of Turin with carts full of supplies for the poor, his friends renamed him “ Frassati Impresa Trasporti ” (Frassati Transport Company)! Even today, Pier Giorgio’s life is a beacon for lay spirituality. For him, faith was not a private devotion, but it was driven by the power of the Gospel and his membership in ecclesial associations. He was also generously committed to society, contributed to political life and devoted himself ardently to the service of the poor.

Carlo, for his part, encountered Jesus in his family, thanks to his parents, Andrea and Antonia — who are here today with his two siblings, Francesca and Michele — and then at school, and above all in the sacraments celebrated in the parish community. He grew up naturally integrating prayer, sport, study and charity into his days as a child and young man.

Both Pier Giorgio and Carlo cultivated their love for God and for their brothers and sisters through simple acts, available to everyone: daily Mass, prayer, and especially Eucharistic Adoration. Carlo used to say: “In front of the sun, you get a tan. In front of the Eucharist, you become a saint!” And again: “Sadness is looking at yourself; happiness is looking at God. Conversion is nothing more than shifting your gaze from below to above; a simple movement of the eyes is enough.” Another essential practice for them was frequent Confession. Carlo wrote: “The only thing we really have to fear is sin;” and he marveled because — in his own words — “people are so concerned with the beauty of their bodies and do not care about the beauty of their souls.” Finally, both had a great devotion to the saints and to the Virgin Mary, and they practiced charity generously. Pier Giorgio said: “Around the poor and the sick, I see a light that we do not have” (Nicola Gori,  Al prezzo della vita :  L’Osservatore romano , 11 February 2021). He called charity “the foundation of our religion” and, like Carlo, he practiced it above all through small, concrete gestures, often hidden, living what Pope Francis called “a holiness found in our next-door neighbors” (Apostolic Exhortation  Gaudete et Exsultate , 7).

Even when illness struck them and cut short their young lives, not even this stopped them nor prevented them from loving, offering themselves to God, blessing him and praying to him for themselves and for everyone. One day Pier Giorgio said: “The day of my death will be the most beautiful day of my life” (Irene Funghi,  I giovani assieme a Frassati: un compagno nei nostri cammini tortuosi :  Avvenire , 2 agosto 2025). In his last photo, which shows him climbing a mountain in the Val di Lanzo, with his face turned towards his goal, he wrote: “Upwards” (Ibid). Moreover, Carlo, who was even younger than Pier Giorgio, loved to say that heaven has always been waiting for us, and that to love tomorrow is to give the best of our fruit today.

Dear friends, Saints Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces. They encourage us with their words: “Not I, but God,” as Carlo used to say. And Pier Giorgio: “If you have God at the center of all your actions, then you will reach the end.” This is the simple but winning formula of their holiness. It is also the type of witness we are called to follow, in order to enjoy life to the full and meet the Lord in the feast of heaven.