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PHOTOS: Pope Leo XIV holds prayer vigil, visits prison, says Mass at historic basilica in Barcelona

The Holy Father will next visit the Canary Islands before wrapping up his seven-day visit to Spain.

At FIFA 2026 World Cup, abortion survivors to share their stories

An advertising campaign is set to play at the FIFA 2026 World Cup to give sports fans the opportunity to encounter the stories of abortion survivors.

Pope Leo in Gran Canaria: ‘Human dignity has no passport’

At a meeting with migrants and the organisations that rescue and accompany them in Gran Canaria, Pope Leo urges the world not to grow indifferent to their suffering and calls for legal and safe migration pathways, denounces human trafficking and exploitation, and insists that “human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border.”

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'We are migrants ministering to migrants'

When Pope Leo XIV arrived at the Church of Sant Augustin (Agustí Nou) in Barcelona's El Raval neighbourhood, he was being hosted, so to speak, by his brothers – four Augustinians who serve at the Church in Barcelona. This small Augustinian community comprises two Filipinos and two Tanzanians. Vatican News spoke with the Prior, Fr. Dennis Pineda – originally from the Philippines, but with over 16 years of pastoral ministry and presence in Spain.

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Caritas in the Canary Islands: ‘The Church is present where the state is not'

Pope Leo XIV is set to arrive in the Canary Islands—the landing place for thousands of migrants coming from one of the deadliest migratory routes in the world. The local Caritas works with volunteers to “be by the side of the most vulnerable” and help offer a new life to those who make it to shore.

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A century later, Pope Leo XIV fulfills Gaudí’s dream

The Sagrada Familia Basilica's spectacular central spire is crowned by a white cross that makes it the tallest church in the world.

Pope Leo at the Sagrada Família underscores need to work for peace

Describing the Basilica as a catechesis made of stone, color, and light, the Pope emphasized that those who believe cannot kill innocent people nor abandon those who suffer, who weep, who flee from poverty.

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Novena Day 8 - Jesus, gentle and humble of heart

Pray Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, “the Little Flower,” profoundly understood the gentle and humble heart of Jesus. In contemplating how to be transformed by Christ's love, she reflected that “What pleases [Jesus] is that he...

Pope to Barcelona charity workers: Life Is a path we walk together

At a meeting with Diocesan Charity and Welfare organisations in Barcelona, Pope Leo XIV answers a young boy's questions about suffering, forgiveness and the meaning of life, reminding Christians that authentic charity begins with recognising Christ in every person.

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U.S. Bishops Affirm Advancement of a Cause of Beatification and Canonization for Monsignor Joseph Francis Buh

ORLANDO, Fla. – During their June Plenary Assembly, the bishops of the United States held a canonical consultation on a possible cause of beatification and canonization for Monsignor Joseph Francis Buh, a diocesan missionary priest who spent decades evangelizing and serving the spiritual needs of Indigenous communities and frontier settlers in remote parts of northern Minnesota in the late 1800s.

Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, and Bishop Daniel J. Felton of the Diocese of Duluth, facilitated the bishops' discussion. By a voice vote, the bishops expressed their support for advancing the cause of beatification and canonization on the diocesan level.

The following biography of Monsignor Buh was drawn from information provided by the Diocese of Duluth:

Joseph Francis Buh was born on March 17, 1833, in Zadobje, Slovenia. He is said to have shown profound piety and a strong desire to become a priest from a very young age. He entered seminary and excelled academically, becoming fluent in Polish, Latin, French, and German. His language skills would later aid his missionary work. While in seminary, he learned about the work of Venerable Bishop Frederic Baraga in the United States, prompting a desire to serve as a missionary in the United States.

Father Buh was ordained to the priesthood in Slovenia for the Diocese of Ljubljana on July 25, 1858. Due to a shortage of priests, his requests to assist Bishop Baraga’s apostolic efforts in the United States were not immediately approved by his bishop, and he served in his home diocese for six years. During that time, he published two prayer books that later helped fund his missionary work.

In 1864, Father Buh was invited by Father Franz Pierz to undertake missionary work among Native Americans in Minnesota. With the approval of his bishop, Father Buh arrived in Saint Paul, Minnesota on May 27, 1864, and immersed himself in the life, language, and culture of the Ojibwe people. For over 25 years, he traveled extensively throughout northern Minnesota and the Iron Range, serving nine missions in Ely, Two Harbors, Biwabik, Hibbing, Virginia, Mountain Iron, McKinley, Eveleth, and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa on Lake Vermilion. He provided pastoral care to numerous Indigenous and new immigrant communities from Slovenia, Croatia, Germany, and Ireland, among others, who settled in the area.

When the Diocese of Duluth was established in 1890, Bishop James McGolrick appointed Father Buh as chancellor and vicar general of the diocese. During his time in Duluth, he sought to address the needs of the growing communities, including establishing the first Slovenian newspaper in the United States. During the Panic of 1893 and the economic depression, Father Buh created a relief station and boarding house for the unemployed. To address the exploitation of migrant mine workers, he helped form the American Slovene Catholic Union, an organization that continues its work today in parishes across the United States.

Recognizing his extraordinary service to the Church, Pope Leo XIII named Father Buh a Domestic Prelate, earning him the title of “Monsignor” in 1899. The following year, Monsignor Buh returned to the pastoral care of the mission in Ely, which he continued for 18 years. When Bishop McGolrick died in 1918, Monsignor Buh was appointed as diocesan administrator, guiding the local Church until Bishop John McNicholas, O.P., was named Bishop of Duluth. In 1921, in honor of his decades of mentoring young priests, the diocese opened the Buh Mission House, a place where priests could live in community and be formed by his example of apostolic poverty.

Monsignor Buh died on February 2, 1922, at the age of 88.

During his sixty-four years of priesthood, Monsignor Buh founded or incorporated fifty-seven parishes, published books and newspapers, organized social outreach, and fostered a fraternal movement that continues to benefit Catholic families today. His local town acknowledged his contributions by naming it Buh Township in his honor in 1894.

Monsignor Buh saw Christ in those he ministered to – the miners, mothers, Indigenous communities, and immigrants. His tireless missionary zeal serves as a reminder today to trust God completely, meet people where they are, and bring them to Christ with humility and joy. 

More biographical information on Monsignor Buh can be found at: www.josephbuh.org

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