Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

Resignation and appointment of bishop of Zamora, Mexico

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the pastoral care of the diocese of Zamora, Mexico, presented by Bishop Javier Navarro Rodríguez.

The Holy Father has appointed Bishop Joel Ocampo Gorostieta as bishop of Zamora, Mexico, transferring him from the diocese of Ciudad Altamirano.

Curriculum vitae

Bishop Joel Ocampo Gorostieta was born in El Paso de Tierra Caliente, diocese of Tacámbaro, on 21 August 1963. After his studies at the diocesan seminary of Tacámburo, he was ordained a priest on 15 April 1989. He was awarded a licentiate in theology of marriage and the family at the Pontifical Lateran University of Rome.

He has held the following offices: parish vicar, head of youth and vocational pastoral care, episcopal vicar for consecrated life, diocesan pastoral coordinator of Tacámburo, parish priest of various communities, and member of the ecclesiastical tribunal.

On 2 April 2019 he was appointed bishop of the diocese of Altamirano, receiving episcopal consecration the following 9 July.

- Private visit to the Tomb of Saint Francis;

- Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels: meeting with the Bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

This morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV visited Assisi on the occasion of the conclusion of the 81st General Assembly of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI).

Before the meeting with the bishops of the CEI, the Pope paused in prayer at the tomb of Saint Francis.

At the end of the meeting, Pope Leo XIV transferred to the stadium of Saint Mary of the Angels for his departure for Montefalco, where he will celebrate Holy Mass at the Monastery of the Augustinian Sisters. The Pope will remain for lunch, before returning by helicopter to the Vatican.

The following is the address delivered by the Holy Father to those present in the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels:

 

Address of the Holy Father

Dear brothers in the episcopate, good morning!

I warmly thank the Cardinal President for the words of greeting he addressed to me, and for the invitation to be with you to conclude the 81st General Assembly. I am happy to make my first stop, albeit a very brief one, in Assisi, a place of great significance for the message of faith, fraternity and peace that it conveys, which the world urgently needs.

Here Saint Francis received from the Lord the revelation of having to “live according to the Holy Gospel” ( 2 Test 14: FS 116). Indeed, Christ, “being rich above all, willed, nevertheless, with His most Blessed Mother, to choose poverty” ( 2Lf 5: FS 182).

The first thing we too are called upon to do is to look at Jesus. The reason for our being here, in fact, is faith in Him, crucified and risen. As I said to you in June, at this time there is a need, more than ever before, for “placing Jesus Christ at the centre and, following the path indicated by Evangelii gaudium , helping people to live out a personal relationship with Him, to discover the joy of the Gospel. In a time of great fragmentation, it is necessary to return to the foundation of our faith, to the kerygma ” ( Address to Bishops of the Italian Episcopal Conference , 17 June 2025). And this applies first of all to us: to start afresh from the act of faith that makes us recognize Christ as the Saviour and which is expressed in all areas of daily life.

Keeping our gaze fixed on the face of Jesus enables us to look at the faces of our brothers and sisters. It is his love that draws us to them (cf. 2 Cor 5:14). And faith in Him, our peace (cf. Eph 2:14), requires us to offer everyone the gift of his peace. We live in a time marked by divisions, both nationally and internationally: messages and language of hostility and violence are often spread; the race for efficiency leaves the most fragile behind; technological omnipotence compresses freedom; loneliness consumes hope, while numerous uncertainties weigh heavily on our future. Yet the Word and the Spirit still urge us to be artisans of friendship, fraternity, authentic relationships in our communities, where, without reticence and fear, we must listen to and harmonize tensions, developing a culture of encounter and thus becoming prophets of peace for the world. When the Risen One appears to the disciples, his first words are “Peace be with you” ( Jn 20:19,21). And He immediately sends them forth, as the Father had sent Him (v. 21): the paschal gift is for them, but so that it might be for all!

Dear friends, in our previous meeting I indicated some guidelines for being a Church that embodies the Gospel and is a sign of the Kingdom of God: proclaiming the Message of salvation, building peace, promoting human dignity, cultivating a culture of dialogue, and fostering a Christian anthropological vision. Today I would like to emphasize that these guidelines correspond to the perspectives that emerged during the synodal journey of the Church in Italy. It is now up to you, Bishops, to outline the pastoral guidelines for the coming years, so I would like to offer you some reflections so that a truly synodal spirit may grow and mature in the Churches and among the Churches of our country.

First of all, let us not forget that synodality implies “the walking together of Christians with Christ and towards God’s Kingdom, in union with all humanity” ( Final Document of the Second Session of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops , 28). From the Lord we receive the grace of communion which inspires and shapes our human and ecclesial relationships.

I would like everyone to commit themselves to the challenge of effective communion, so that the face of a collegial Church, which shares common steps and choices, may take shape. In this sense, the challenges of evangelization and the changes of recent decades, which affect the demographic, cultural and ecclesial spheres, ask us not to withdraw on the issue of diocesan mergers, especially where the demands of Christian proclamation invite us to overcome certain territorial boundaries and make our religious and ecclesial identities more open, learning to work together and rethink pastoral action by joining forces. At the same time, looking at the features of the Church in Italy, embodied in the various territories, and considering the effort and at times the disorientation that such choices may cause, I hope that the Bishops of every Region will discern carefully and, perhaps, be able to suggest realistic proposals for some of the small dioceses that have scant human resources, to evaluate whether and how they could continue to offer their service.

What counts is that, in this synodal style, we learn to work together, and that in the particular Churches we all make an effort to build open, hospitable and welcoming Christian communities in which relationships are translated into mutual responsibility for the proclamation of the Gospel.

Synodality, which implies an effective exercise of collegiality, requires not only communion among yourselves and with me, but also attentive listening and serious discernment of the requests that come from the people of God. In this regard, coordination between the Dicastery for Bishops and the Apostolic Nunciature, for the purposes of shared responsibility, must be able to promote greater participation of people in the consultation for the appointment of new bishops, in addition to listening to the Ordinaries in charge of the local Churches and those who are preparing to end their service.

Also regarding this latter aspect, I would like to offer you some guidance. A synodal Church, which walks the path traced by history while confronting the emerging challenges of evangelization, needs to renew herself continually. We must avoid allowing inertia, even when motivated by good intentions, to slow down the necessary changes. In this regard, we must all cultivate the inner attitude that Pope Francis has defined as “learning to say goodbye”, a valuable attitude when preparing to leave one’s position. It is good to respect the rule of 75 years for the conclusion of the service of Ordinaries in dioceses and, only in the case of Cardinals, may a continuation of ministry be considered, possibly for another two years.

Dear brothers, returning to the perspective of the Church’s mission in Italy, I urge you to remember the path travelled since the Second Vatican Council, marked by national ecclesial conferences. I urge you to ensure that your diocesan and parish communities do not lose their memory, but keep it alive, because this is essential in the Church: to remember the journey that the Lord leads us on through time in the desert (cf. Dt 8).

From this perspective, the Church in Italy can and must continue to promote an integral humanism, which helps and supports the existential journeys of individuals and society; a sense of humanity that exalts the value of life and care for every creature, that intervenes prophetically in public debate to spread a culture of legality and solidarity.

In this context, the challenge posed to us by the digital universe must not be forgotten. Pastoral care cannot limit itself to “using” the media, but must educate and dwell the digital world in a human way, without losing sight of the truth behind the multiplication of connections, so that the internet can truly be a space of freedom, responsibility and fraternity.

Walking together, walking with everyone, also means being a Church that lives among the people, welcomes their questions, soothes their sufferings and shares their hopes. Continue to be close to families, young people, the elderly and those who live in solitude. Continue to devote yourselves to the care of the poor: Christian communities rooted throughout the territory, the many pastoral workers and volunteers, and the diocesan and parish Caritas organizations are already doing a great job in this regard, and I am grateful to you.

In this same line of care, I would also like to recommend attention to the smallest and most vulnerable, so that a culture of prevention of all forms of abuse may also develop. Welcoming and listening to victims is the authentic trait of a Church who, in communal conversion, knows how to recognize wounds and is committed to healing them, because “where pain is deep, the hope that comes from communion must be even stronger” ( Vigil of the Jubilee of Consolation , 15 September 2025). I thank you for what you have already done and encourage you to continue your commitment to the protection of minors and vulnerable adults.

Dear brothers, in this place Saint Francis and the first friars fully lived what we would call today a “synodal style”. Together, in fact, they shared the different stages of their journey; together they went to Pope Innocent III; together, year after year, they perfected and enriched the initial text that had been presented to the Pontiff, composed, according to Thomas of Celano, “mainly of expressions from the Gospel” ( 1Cel 32: FS 372), until it became what we know today as the first Rule. This conscious choice of fraternity, which is at the heart of the Franciscan charism together with minority, was inspired by an intrepid and persistent faith.

May the example of Saint Francis give you too the strength to make choices inspired by an authentic faith and to be, as a Church, a sign and witness of the Kingdom of God in the world. Thank you!

This morning’s General Audience took place at 10.00 in Saint Peter’s Square, where the Holy Father Leo XIV met with groups of pilgrims and faithful from Italy and all over the world.

In his address in Italian, the Pope resumed the cycle of catechesis that will continue throughout the entire Jubilee Year, “ Jesus Christ our hope ”, focusing on the theme The Resurrection of Christ and the challenges of the contemporary world. Paschal spirituality and integral ecology (Jn 20:14-16).

After summarizing his catechesis in various languages, the Holy Father addressed special greetings to the faithful present.

The General Audience concluded with the recitation of the Pater Noster and the Apostolic Blessing.

 

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025: Jesus Christ Our Hope. IV. The Resurrection of Christ and the challenges of the contemporary world. 5.  Paschal spirituality and integral ecology

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

We are reflecting, in this Jubilee Year dedicated to hope, on the relationship between the Resurrection of Christ and the challenges of the contemporary world, that is, our challenges. At times, Jesus, the Living One, wants to ask us too: “Why do you weep? Who do you seek?”. Indeed, challenges cannot be faced alone and tears are a gift of life when they purify our eyes and liberate our gaze.

John the Evangelist draws to our attention a detail that we do not find in the other Gospels: weeping near the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene did not immediately recognize the risen Jesus, but thought he was the gardener. Indeed, already narrating the burial of Jesus, at sunset on Good Friday, the text was very precise: “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there” ( Jn  19:40-41).

Thus, in the peace of the Sabbath and the beauty of a garden, the dramatic struggle between darkness and light that began with the betrayal, arrest, abandonment, condemnation, humiliation and killing of the Son, who “having loved his own who were in the world … loved them to the end” ( Jn  13:1), comes to a close. Cultivating and keeping the garden is the original task (cf.  Gen  2:15) that Jesus brought to fulfilment. His last words on the cross – “It is finished” ( Jn  19:30) – invite each of us to rediscover the same task, our task. For this reason, “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit” (v. 30).

Dear brothers and sisters, Mary Magdalene was not entirely mistaken then, believing she had encountered the gardener! Indeed, she had to hear her own name again and understand her task from the new Man, the one who in another text of John says: “Behold, I make all things new” ( Rev  21:5).  Pope Francis , with the Encyclical  Laudato si’ , showed us the extreme need for a contemplative gaze: if he is not the custodian of the garden, the human being becomes its destroyer. Christian hope therefore responds to the challenges to which all humanity is exposed today by dwelling in the garden where the Crucified One was laid as a seed, to rise again and bear much fruit.

Paradise is not lost, but found again. In this way, the death and resurrection of Jesus are the foundation of a spirituality of integral ecology, outside of which the words of faith have no hold on reality and the words of science remain outside the heart. “Ecological culture cannot be reduced to a series of urgent and partial responses to the immediate problems of pollution, environmental decay and the depletion of natural resources. There needs to be a distinctive way of looking at things, a way of thinking, policies, an educational programme, a lifestyle and a spirituality which together generate resistance” ( Laudato si’ , 111 ).

For this reason, we speak of an ecological  conversion , which Christians cannot separate from the reversal of course that Jesus asks of them. A sign of this is Mary’s turning around on that Easter morning: only by conversion after conversion do we pass through that vale of tears to the new Jerusalem. This passage, which begins in the heart and is spiritual, changes history, engages us publicly, and activates solidarity that now protects people and creatures from the longings of wolves, in the name and power of the Lamb-Shepherd.

In this way, the sons and daughters of the Church can now meet millions of young people and other men and women of good will who have heard the cry of the poor and the earth, letting it touch their hearts. There are also many people who desire, through a more direct relationship with creation, a new harmony that will lead them beyond so many divisions. On the other hand, still “the heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world” ( Ps  18:1-4).

May the Spirit give us the ability to listen to the voice of those who have no voice. We will see, then, what the eyes do not yet see: that garden, or Paradise, which we will only reach by welcoming and fulfilling our own task.

_______________

Greeting in English

I am happy to welcome this morning the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially those from England, Ireland, Senegal, Uganda, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and the United States of America. A special greeting to the students and faculty from Xavier University of Louisiana and the University of Dallas, Texas. With prayerful good wishes that the present Jubilee of Hope may be for you and your families a time of grace and spiritual renewal, I invoke upon all of you the joy and peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

_______________

Summary of the Holy Father's words

Dear brothers and sisters, in our continuing catechesis on the Jubilee theme of “Jesus Christ our Hope,” today we consider Christ’s Resurrection and its impact on the challenges of today’s world, especially in living out integral ecology. If we allow it, Christ’s salvific act can transform all our relationships: with God, with other people and with creation. Like Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, who turned around to look at Jesus, we too must allow the seed of Christian hope to bear fruit, convert our hearts and influence the ways we respond to the issues that we face. As followers of Jesus, we are called to promote lifestyles and policies that focus on the protection of human dignity and of all of creation. Let us ask for the grace to see our struggles through the gaze of the Resurrection and may we influence the world with hope and Easter joy.

Appointment of undersecretary of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State

Appointment of assessor for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State

 

Appointment of undersecretary of the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Monsignor Mihăiţă Blaj, nunciature counsellor in service at the Section for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Secretariat of State, as undersecretary of the same Section for Relations with States and International Organizations.

Curriculum vitae

Monsignor Mihăiţă Blaj was born in Gherăeşti, Romania, on 7 October 1978. He was ordained a priest on 29 June 2004 and incardinated in Iaşi, Romania. He graduated in theology and entered the Holy See diplomatic service on 1 July 2012. He was assigned to the apostolic nunciature in Ecuador, as attaché; transferred to the apostolic nunciature in Georgia on 1 July 2015; transferred to the apostolic nunciature in Chad on 5 January 2019; and transferred to the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State on 4 January 2022.

He knows Italian, French, English, Spanish and German.

 

Appointment of assessor for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Monsignor Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo, until now undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, as assessor for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State.

Curriculum vitae

Monsignor Anthony Onyemuche Ekpo was born in Umudike, Nigeria, on 24 September 1981. He was ordained a priest on 30 July 2011 and incardinated in the diocese of Umuahia. He graduated in systematic theology and canon law and entered the service of the Holy See as an official of the Section for General Affairs on 5 September 2016. He was appointed undersecretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development on 18 April 2023.

He knows Igbo, English, Italian and French.