Tens of thousands of Congolese have fled renewed fighting in eastern DR Congo, with more than 80,000 people crossing into Burundi in recent weeks.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The teachings of the Second Vatican Council are still "the guiding star" the Catholic Church is meant to follow, Pope Leo XIV said.

Rereading all of its teachings "is a valuable opportunity to rediscover the beauty and the importance of this ecclesial event," he said Jan. 7, and because its work remains "a guiding principle for us today."

"We have yet to achieve ecclesial reform more fully in a ministerial sense and, in the face of today's challenges, we are called to continue to be vigilant interpreters of the signs of the times, joyful proclaimers of the Gospel, courageous witnesses of justice and peace," he said. 

Speaking to visitors gathered in the Paul VI Audience Hall for his weekly general audience, the pope said that with the conclusion of the Holy Year Jan. 6, he was beginning a new series of talks dedicated to the Second Vatican Council.

The council, which convened for four sessions from 1962 to 1965, produced 16 documents, addressing everything from liturgy to Scripture, missionary activity to ecumenism and interfaith relationships, and the functions of clergy and laity to religious freedom.

"Vatican Council II rediscovered the face of God as the Father who, in Christ, calls us to be his children," he said in his talk.

The council looked at the Catholic Church "as a mystery of communion and sacrament of unity between God and his people; it initiated important liturgical reform, placing at its center the mystery of salvation and the active and conscious participation of the entire people of God," he said.

"At the same time, it helped us to open up to the world and to embrace the changes and challenges of the modern age in dialogue and co-responsibility, as a Church that wishes to open her arms to humanity, to echo the hopes and anxieties of peoples, and to collaborate in building a more just and fraternal society," he said. 

For the past six decades, the popes have repeatedly underlined the importance of Vatican II, its teachings and its fuller implementation.

However, since the council was held so long ago, that means that "the generation of bishops, theologians and believers of Vatican II is no longer with us," said the pope, who would have been 10 years old when the council ended in December of 1965.

"It will be important to get to know it again closely, and to do so not through 'hearsay' or interpretations that have been given, but by rereading its documents and reflecting on their content" directly, he said.

"Indeed, it is the Magisterium that still constitutes the guiding star of the Church's journey today," he said.

Catholic News Service produced a significant documentary in 2015 called, "Voices of Vatican II," in which twelve men who took part in the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) look back at that historic event. It features abundant archival footage of the council, much of it rarely seen, and exclusive interviews with those who recount the history they witnessed and helped to make.

All the voices heard in this film are of bishops and priests --including the late-Pope Benedict XVI-- who participated in Vatican II and who, in most cases, have played important roles in the life of the Catholic Church over the subsequent decades.

Length: 49 mins.

WASHINGTON – Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Most Reverend Salvatore R. Matano, 79, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Rochester, and has appointed Most Reverend John S. Bonnici, currently auxiliary bishop of New York, as his successor. 

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on January 7, 2026, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The Diocese of Rochester is comprised of 7,107 square miles in the State of New York.

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The Catholic Bishops of Cameroon are holding their 49th annual seminar in Kumba, in the Southwest Region, from 3 January to 10 January 2026. Under the theme “Communion and Collegiality,” this gathering brings together the entire Cameroonian episcopate for spiritual and pastoral exchanges in a context marked by socio-economic challenges in the country and the Crisis in the Anglophone regions.

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As Sudan nears 1,000 days of conflict, the situation in the country remains dire: attacks are frequent, children are malnourished, and tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes due to the violence.

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SEEK 2026, held across three cities and attended by over 26,000 young American Catholics, confirms their dynamic and resilient character in the United States, with the largest gathering held in Columbus, Ohio, to which Pope Leo XIV sent a message.

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Pope Leo XIV has extended his Apostolic Blessing to participants in the Three Kings Parade, the world’s largest street Nativity scene held annually on the Solemnity of the Epiphany, which this year saw thousands march along Warsaw’s Royal Route, with similar events taking place at nearly 1,000 sites in Poland and worldwide.

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Pope Leo XIV releases his prayer intention for January, and invites everyone to join his monthly prayer intentions under the new “Pray with the Pope” initiative.

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Pope Leo XIV begins a new catechesis series on the Second Vatican Council and its documents, emphasizing that the Council's teaching still serves as the guiding star of the Church’s journey.

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Jan 6, 2026 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

The U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has spoken with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin about the situation in Venezuela.

During the Jan. 6 call, the State Department indicated that “the two leaders discussed pressing challenges, including efforts to improve the humanitarian situation, particularly in Venezuela, as well as the promotion of peace and religious freedom globally.”

Both leaders “reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation between the United States and the Holy See in addressing shared priorities around the world,” the State Department added.

At the time of this publication, the Vatican had not provided details about the call. Parolin served as apostolic nuncio to Venezuela from 2009 to 2013.

On Sunday, Jan. 4, during the Angelus prayer, Pope Leo XIV expressed his concern about the situation in the country and called for full respect for Venezuela’s national sovereignty following the Jan. 3 U.S. military operation that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores.

“With a heart full of concern, I am following the evolution of the situation in Venezuela,” the pope stated, emphasizing that “the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail above any other consideration.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.