Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

Sharing the concern of my predecessor, Pope Francis, that the Church should pay attention to children, also through the establishment of a day dedicated to them, in line with the decision already taken to place the Pontifical Committee for World Children's Day within the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, and in order to further promote synergies and more effective work for the realization of this noble initiative, after having consulted appropriately,

I hereby decree the following:

§1. With the entry into force of this Chirograph, the Pontifical Committee for World Children’s Day, established by the Chirograph of 20 November 2024, is dissolved.

§2. The founding Chirograph and the related Statutes of the same Pontifical Committee are repealed. Any acts and regulations adopted to date by the Pontifical Committee that cease to have legal effect in canon law and civil law are also repealed.

§3. The President, Vice President, and other Members of the Pontifical Committee shall immediately cease their duties.

§4. The Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life shall be competent for all matters hitherto assigned to the aforementioned Pontifical Committee.

§5. The Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life shall undertake to settle the Committee’s outstanding accounts and submit a final liquidation balance sheet to the Secretariat for the Economy for approval and for any decision regarding the allocation of the remaining assets.

I decree that this Chirograph shall have immediate and stable force, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, even if of particular importance, and shall be promulgated by publication in L'Osservatore Romano and then published in the official commentary of the Acta Apostolicae Sedis .

From the Vatican, 12 February 2026

LEO PP. XIV

 

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Bamenda, Cameroon

Appointment of deputy director of the Holy See Press Office

 

Appointment of auxiliary bishop of Bamenda, Cameroon

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend John Berinyuy Tata, until now rector of the Catholic University of Cameroon in Bamenda, as auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Bamenda, Cameroon, assigning him the titular see of Casae Nigrae.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. John Berinyuy Tata was born on 18 December 1975 in Mbuluf-Shisong, in the diocese of Kumbo. He studied philosophy and theology at Saint Thomas Aquinas Interdiocesan Major Seminary in Bambui, Bamenda.

He was ordained a priest on 30 March 2005.

After ordination, he held the roles of parish vicar of Saint Joseph in Bafut (2005-2006) and parish priest of Saint Patrick in Babanki-Tungo (2006-2010). He studied spirituality at the Dominican monastery of Bambui, and was awarded a doctorate in theology, specializing in Christian anthropology, at the Pontifical Theological Faculty Teresianum in Rome. He went on to serve as spiritual director and lecturer at Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary in Bambui, chaplain of the diocesan Charismatic Movement, and, to date, rector of the Catholic University of Cameroon in Bamenda.

 

Appointment of deputy director of the Holy See Press Office

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Sr. Nina Benedikta Krapić, M.V.Z., until now official of the Dicastery for Communication, as deputy director of the Holy See Press Office. Sr. Krapić will enter into office on 1 March.

Curriculum vitae

Sr. Nina Benedikta Krapić, M.V.Z., was born in Rijeka, Croatia, on 7 June 1989. She was awarded a degree in jurisprudence from the University of Rijeka in 2015, and specialized in public relations at the University of Zagreb in 2023. She gave her vows in the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul on 13 August 2023. She has worked as a journalist and as a legal advisor for women victims of domestic violence and other marginalized people. She held the office of Head of Communication of the Archdiocese of Rijeka. Since 2023 she has served as official of the Dicastery for Communication and is undertaking a doctorate in social sciences at the Collegium Maximum of the Pontifical Gregorian University of Rome.

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father received in audience the Carabinieri of the Province of Rome.

The following is the greeting addressed by the Pope to those present at the audience:

 

Greeting of the Holy Father

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you!

I am pleased to welcome you who serve to maintain order and security in the metropolitan area of Rome and in the surrounding province.

It has given me a great deal of pleasure to learn that last year’s Jubilee, despite being particularly demanding, was an enriching experience for you, on both a human and a professional level. I thank the Lord for this. Indeed, it was the same for all of us who live in Rome: we were edified by the witness of so many pilgrims.

And I think of the dawn of Christianity in this city, when the Good News of Jesus began to circulate in various circles, including the army: a new way of living and thinking, a God who is love, mercy, forgiveness; a fraternity among all men and women that transcends every social and ethnic difference.

Dear friends, you are military personnel and you know well what hierarchy, command and obedience mean. We also use these words in the Church, transformed by the newness of the Gospel. And, similarly, the Gospel, throughout the centuries, has permeated the structures, criteria, and ways of acting and thinking of the civilizations where it penetrated; it did so not with a violent revolution, but with a peaceful transformation, from within, through consciences, the conversion of hearts. In this way the Gospel has brought the meaning of God and of humanity everywhere: absolute respect for life and for the human person, along with the worship of God, and Him alone.

So let us reflect: is this not what can and must happen in every age, even in the world and in Rome today? And in this way, and we have confirmation of this at the highest level of the Magisterium of the Catholic Church: in Vatican Council II, in the teachings and the examples of the Popes. We are called to rediscover the essence of the Christian message and the style of the early Church, in order to embody them in our very different, and much more complex world. But “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever” ( Heb 13:8).

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for the service you provide, especially around the Vatican and in the city of Rome. I hope that you will always carry it out with a clear conscience, faithful to the principles and rules of the Carabinieri, and, as Christians, faithful to the Gospel, which fills every intention and every action with Christ’s charity.

I entrust you to the protection of Mary, Virgo Fidelis , and I cordially bless every one of you, your families, and your work. Thank you!

[Blessing]

The following is the text of the Message of the Holy Father Leo XIV for Lent 2026, on the theme: “ Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion ”:

 

Message of the Holy Father

Listening and Fasting:

Lent as a Time of Conversion

Dear brothers and sisters,

Lent is a time in which the Church, guided by a sense of maternal care, invites us to place the mystery of God back in the center of our lives, in order to find renewal in our faith and keep our hearts from being consumed by the anxieties and distractions of daily life.

Every path towards conversion begins by allowing the word of God to touch our hearts and welcoming it with a docile spirit. There is a relationship between the word, our acceptance of it and the transformation it brings about. For this reason, the Lenten journey is a welcome opportunity to heed the voice of the Lord and renew our commitment to following Christ, accompanying him on the road to Jerusalem, where the mystery of his passion, death and resurrection will be fulfilled.

Listening

This year, I would first like to consider the importance of making room for the word through  listening . The willingness to listen is the first way we demonstrate our desire to enter into relationship with someone.

In revealing himself to Moses in the burning bush, God himself teaches us that listening is one of his defining characteristics: “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry” ( Ex  3:7). Hearing the cry of the oppressed is the beginning of a story of liberation in which the Lord calls Moses, sending him to open a path of salvation for his children who have been reduced to slavery.

Our God is one who seeks to involve us. Even today he shares with us what is in his heart. Because of this, listening to the word in the liturgy teaches us to listen to the truth of reality. In the midst of the many voices present in our personal lives and in society, Sacred Scripture helps us to recognize and respond to the cry of those who are anguished and suffering. In order to foster this inner openness to listening, we must allow God to teach us how to listen  as he does . We must recognize that “the condition of the poor is a cry that, throughout human history, constantly challenges our lives, societies, political and economic systems, and, not least, the Church.” [1]

Fasting

If Lent is a time for listening,  fasting  is a concrete way to prepare ourselves to receive the word of God. Abstaining from food is an ancient ascetic practice that is essential on the path of conversion. Precisely because it involves the body, fasting makes it easier to recognize what we “hunger” for and what we deem necessary for our sustenance. Moreover, it helps us to identify and order our “appetites,” keeping our hunger and thirst for justice alive and freeing us from complacency. Thus, it teaches us to pray and act responsibly towards our neighbor.

With spiritual insight, Saint Augustine helps us to understand the tension between the present moment and the future fulfilment that characterizes this custody of the heart. He observes that: “In the course of earthly life, it is incumbent upon men and women to hunger and thirst for justice, but to be satisfied belongs to the next life. Angels are satisfied with this bread, this food. The human race, on the other hand, hungers for it; we are all drawn to it in our desire. This reaching out in desire expands the soul and increases its capacity.” [2]  Understood in this way, fasting not only permits us to govern our desire, purifying it and making it freer, but also to expand it, so that it is directed towards God and doing good.

However, in order to practice fasting in accordance with its evangelical character and avoid the temptation that leads to pride, it must be lived in faith and humility. It must be grounded in communion with the Lord, because “those who are unable to nourish themselves with the word of God do not fast properly.” [3]  As a visible sign of our inner commitment to turn away from sin and evil with the help of grace, fasting must also include other forms of self-denial aimed at helping us to acquire a more sober lifestyle, since “austerity alone makes the Christian life strong and authentic.” [4]

In this regard, I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor. Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves. Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities. In this way, words of hatred will give way to words of hope and peace.

Together

Finally, Lent emphasizes the communal aspect of listening to the word and fasting. The Bible itself underlines this dimension in multiple ways. For example, the Book of Nehemiah recounts how the people gathered to listen to the public reading of the Law, preparing to profess their faith and worship through fasting, so as to renew the covenant with God (cf. 9:1-3).

Likewise, our parishes, families, ecclesial groups and religious communities are called to undertake a shared journey during Lent, in which listening to the word of God, as well as to the cry of the poor and of the earth, becomes part of our community life, and fasting a foundation for sincere repentance. In this context, conversion refers not only to one’s conscience, but also to the quality of our relationships and dialogue. It means allowing ourselves to be challenged by reality and recognizing what truly guides our desires — both within our ecclesial communities and as regards humanity’s thirst for justice and reconciliation.

Dear friends, let us ask for the grace of a Lent that leads us to greater attentiveness to God and to the least among us. Let us ask for the strength that comes from the type of fasting that also extends to our use of language, so that hurtful words may diminish and give way to a greater space for the voice of others. Let us strive to make our communities places where the cry of those who suffer finds welcome, and listening opens paths towards liberation, making us ready and eager to contribute to building a civilization of love.

I impart my heartfelt blessing upon all of you and your Lenten journey.

From the Vatican, 5 February 2026, Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

LEO PP. XIV

______________________

[1]  Apostolic Exhortation  Dilexi Te  (4 October 2025), 9.

[2]  Augustine  The Usefulness of Fasting , 1, 1.

[3]  Benedict XVI,  Catechesis  (9 March 2011).

[4]  Paul VI,  Catechesis  (8 February1978).

Press Conference of 16 February 2026

Press Conference of 17 February 2026

 

Press Conference of 16 February 2026

On  Monday 16 February 2026 , at  11.30 , a press conference will be held at the Holy See Press Office, Via della Conciliazione 54, to present the  initiatives for the fourth Centenary of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican  (1626-2026).

The speaker will be:  His Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti , O.F.M. Conv., archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Peter, vicar general of His Holiness for Vatican City State and president of the Fabric of Saint Peter.

On the occasion, several activities of a spiritual and cultural nature will be announced, as well as the new services which will be made available to pilgrims and visitors. In addition, the project  “Oltre il visibile” (“Beyond the Visible”), organized jointly with Eni , for the integrated study and monitoring of the Basilica, will be illustrated. The project is particularly significant given that cutting-edge technologies will enable visitors from all over the world to learn about and interact with the Basilica and its digital ecosystem. In this regard, there will be a  press tour of  the immersive installation dedicated to the story of the construction of Saint Peter's Basilica.

To this end, the following will speak:

-  Claudio Granata , director for Stakeholder Relations & Services of Eni;

-  Alberto Capitanucci , senior advisor for Special Projects of the Fabric of Saint Peter;

-  Annalisa Muccioli , head of Research and Development and technical functions of Eni;

-  Jacopo Veneziani , art historian.

The press conference will be livestreamed in the original language on the  Vatican News  YouTube channel, at  https://www.youtube.com/c/VaticanNews .

Remote participation

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate remotely in the press conference must apply, no later than two hours before the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at  https://press.vatican.va/accreditamenti , selecting the event:  CS Quarto Centenario Dedicazione Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano.

During the request phase, please select the option “Sì” in the box “Partecipazione da remoto”.

Journalists and media operators who are admitted will receive confirmation of participation via the online accreditation system and, at the same time, the link to access the virtual platform and participate actively in the press conference, with the possibility to ask questions.

Participation in person

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate in the press conference in person must apply, no later than 24 hours before the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at  https://press.vatican.va/accreditamenti , selecting the event:  CS Quarto Centenario Dedicazione Basilica di San Pietro in Vaticano.

Journalists and media operators who are admitted will receive confirmation of participation via the online accreditation system.

* * *

Journalists and media operators accredited for the press conference are advised to arrive 30 minutes before the start time.

 

Press Conference of 17 February 2026

On  Tuesday 17 February 2026 , at  11.30 , a press conference will be held at the Holy See Press Office, Via della Conciliazione 54, to present the  “Healthcare for all. Sustainability and equity” International Workshop  organized by the Pontifical Academy for Life, to be held in Rome from 16 to 17 February 2026, at the Patristic Institute  Augustinianum , Via Paolo VI, 25.

The speakers will be:

-  Msgr. Renzo Pegoraro , president of the Pontifical Academy for Life;

-  Msgr. Robert J. Vitillo , senior advisor of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development;

-  Mr. Ezekiel J. Emmanuel , vice provost of Global Initiatives;

-  Ms. Sheila Tlou , African Leaders Malaria Alliance.

The press conference will be livestreamed in the original language on the  Vatican News  YouTube channel, at  https://www.youtube.com/c/VaticanNews .

Remote participation

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate remotely in the press conference must apply, no later than two hours before the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at  https://press.vatican.va/accreditamenti , selecting the event:  CS Healthcare for all. Sustainability and equity.

During the request phase, please select the option “Sì” in the box “Partecipazione da remoto”.

Journalists and media operators who are admitted will receive confirmation of participation via the online accreditation system and, at the same time, the link to access the virtual platform and participate actively in the press conference, with the possibility to ask questions.

Participation in person

Journalists and media operators who wish to participate in the press conference in person must apply, no later than 24 hours before the event, via the Holy See Press Office online accreditation system, at  https://press.vatican.va/accreditamenti , selecting the event:  CS Healthcare for all. Sustainability and equity.

* * *

Journalists and media operators accredited for the press conference are advised to arrive 30 minutes before the start time.

Simultaneous translation

Both by connecting to the respective  Vatican News  linguistic YouTube channels and by using the virtual participation platform indicated in the paragraph “Remote participation”, it will be possible to access the simultaneous translation channels and to listen to the press conference in  Italian  and  English .

Simultaneous translation will also be available to those present at the Holy See Press Office.

* * *

Journalists and media operators who are admitted will receive confirmation of participation via the online accreditation system.