CNA Staff, Dec 5, 2025 / 11:37 am (CNA).

EWTN Studios in partnership with Catholic actor and director David Henrie announced Dec. 3 the upcoming premiere of “Seeking Beauty,” a first-of-its-kind adventure documentary series that explores culture, architecture, food, art, and music, and aims to point viewers to the beautiful — and ultimately to the divine.

Set to debut on EWTN+ on Jan. 19, 2026, the series follows Henrie’s journey into the heart of Italy to explore what makes Italian culture one of the most beautiful in the world. It not only looks at the physical beauty of the country but also its spiritual richness.

According to a press release, Henrie, best known for his role as Justin Russo in Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place,” said: “We wanted an experience for viewers, so we flipped the format on its head. We have someone who’s not an expert — which is me — inviting the audience to go on a journey. We go all over Italy, and we meet with locals, artists, experts, and I’m sitting down asking questions that maybe you at home would want to ask... I was blown away; hopefully, you’ll be blown away, too, because we had some beautiful experiences.”

From the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to quaint restoration workshops where the masterpieces of Caravaggio and Michaelangelo are studied, the series weaves adventure with spiritual insight.

In an interview with EWTN News President Montse Alvarado conducted earlier this year, Henrie shared that a moment that stood out to him while filming the series was watching an old Caravaggio painting be restored. He recalled being shown by artists doing the restoration some of the mistakes made in the painting that are only noticeable up close. Henrie called this experience “humanizing.”

“When you think of great artists before you, they’re almost so high that it’s like unreachable … and to get to see their works up close with a restorer was so cool to go, ‘Oh, this person was human. He completely painted over what he did. There was something he tried that didn’t work at all,’” he said. “That was really cool to me to learn how human these artists were and that they were struggling with the same things that I struggle with, just in a different medium.”

The actor emphasized that the common theme throughout the series is “that beauty has a capital B — that beauty is ultimately the language of the divine and a reflection of God.”

The series is produced by EWTN Studios, Digital Continent, and Henrie’s Novo Inspire Studios.

“David Henrie’s passion for storytelling that honors the good, the true, and the beautiful aligns perfectly with EWTN’s legacy of innovative Catholic media,” Peter Gagnon, president of EWTN Studios, said in the press release. “Through ‘Seeking Beauty’ on EWTN+, we’re not just entertaining, we’re inspiring transformation, one breathtaking discovery at a time.”

Henrie’s production company, Novo Inspire Studios, aims to create entertaining, timeless, and meaningful content that the whole family can enjoy. The company’s work was recently nominated by the Television Critics Association Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming, which Henrie called a “massive honor.”

EWTN Studios was recently launched by EWTN as part of its new organizational restructuring, continuing the media organization’s legacy of creating impactful content in the Catholic sphere in a way that reflects the changing nature of media and evolving technologies.

Season 2 of “Seeking Beauty” recently finished filming in Spain.

Exclusive trailers and behind-the-scenes glimpses are available here. The series will stream exclusively on EWTN+, EWTN’s brand-new dynamic digital platform offering premium faith-inspired content anytime, anywhere.

Manila, Philippines, Dec 5, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

Over 90,000 people held a second nationwide protest over a corruption scandal involving infrastructure projects worth an estimated $2 billion on Nov. 30.

According to the Philippine National Police (PNP), 119 rallies were organized by the Catholic Church, civil society movements, and others and were attended by bishops, priests, nuns, seminarians, catechists, and students as well as the laity and politicians.

The day coincided with the birthday of Andrés Bonifacio (1863–1897), one of the Philippines’ national heroes, known as the “Father of the Philippine Revolution” for co-founding the movement that fought for independence from Spanish colonial rule.

More than 16,000 people protested at the EDSA People Power Monument in Manila. About 17,000 police officers were deployed to maintain security, according to official sources.

The first protest — also known as the Trillion Peso March — was held on Sept. 21 and was attended by hundreds of thousands.

Protecting democracy

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, outgoing president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, led Mass at the EDSA People Power Monument — a shrine commemorating the 1986 People Power Revolution that peacefully toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. The site, located along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue in Metro Manila, also witnessed mass protests that ousted President Joseph Estrada in 2001.

“We returned to EDSA because this place holds the memory of peaceful courage. Here, our people once stood unarmed yet unafraid, choosing moral clarity over fear,” David said.

“Today, as our country confronts wounds inflicted by greed and impunity, we come again — not to tear down, but to call our leaders and ourselves back to the path of truth. The democracy restored by the EDSA People Power Revolution may be flawed, unfinished, and fragile, yet it is the only soil where genuine change can take root. And so, we gather to protect it — not through force, but through fidelity,” he added.

Marcos Sr. was the father of current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has acknowledged public distrust and anger about corruption.

The country lost 118.5 billion pesos ($2 billion) from 2023 to 2025 due to corruption in flood control projects, according to the Department of Finance.

David, who also serves as bishop of Kalookan, a diocese in Metro Manila, was impressed by “the sight of countless communities mirroring this gathering across the archipelago. Parishes, civic groups, families, and young people stood under their own skies, offering their own prayers and witness.”

According to him, the protest was “as though the whole nation exhaled in unison — a collective longing to heal what has been broken, a gentle but firm refusal to surrender our future to the darkness of corruption. There was no hatred in the air, only resolve. No violence, only vigilance. No despair, only the quiet bravery of those who still believe.”

The cardinal said the country remains committed to truth, to justice, to the poor, and to each other.

“EDSA is not a relic. It is a living vow. And today, once again, we renewed it,” he added.

In his homily, Bishop Honesto Ongtioco of Cubao reminded Filipinos not to tolerate corruption but to hold accountable government officials who should be promoting the country’s development.

“We will not be complacent; we will not tire of calling for justice and the return of stolen funds and punishment of the guilty. We will continue to be patient and watchful and call for accountability and transparency and, eventually, justice,” he added.

Dozens of dioceses held anti-corruption protests led by the Catholic Church.

Father Flavie Villanueva, a social activist and human rights defender, said those responsible for anomalous flood control projects must be held accountable and punished for stealing public funds.

Several senators and House of Representatives members, government officials, contractors, and others have been implicated in corruption-tainted projects.

Father Robert Reyes, a priest who helped organize the Manila rally, told CNA that there could be additional protests in the coming months until the government takes responsibility for “ghost” and substandard flood control projects in the Catholic-majority nation.

“People have the right to demand accountability and responsibility from the government,” he added.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 5, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Here is a roundup of Catholic world news from the past week that you might have missed:

Pope Leo sends surprise video message to Australian Catholic youth festival 

Pope Leo XIV sent a surprise video message to thousands of young Catholics at the Australian Catholic Youth Festival on Nov. 30, urging them to turn to God, “especially through prayer and the sacraments. That’s where you’ll hear your Heavenly Father’s voice most clearly.”

The papal message — played during the opening plenary at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre — drew cheers from young Catholics who gathered from around the country under the 2025 Jubilee theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” The three-day event, held Nov. 30–Dec. 2, opened with a five-kilometer (three-mile) pilgrimage walk from St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Participants accompanied the World Youth Day Cross and Icon through the city streets to the convention center.

“Our lives find their ultimate purpose in becoming who God made us to be, by living out his will," Leo said. He reminded pilgrims of the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “You are not the result of a random process. Each of you is willed, each of you is loved, each of you is necessary.”

Holy See Permanent Observer Mission to U.N. calls for end of Ukraine war ‘right now’

The Holy See’s Permanent Observer Mission to the U.N. called for the end of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine immediately during a Dec. 3 emergency session. 

Monsignor Robert Murphy, chargé d’affaires, said the war in Ukraine must halt “not at some undefined moment in the future, but right now.” Murphy emphasized the need for both sides of the conflict to bring about the return of children to their families and urged all nations represented in the assembly interested in ending the war “to reject passivity and provide tangible support for any initiative that could lead to genuine negotiations and lasting peace.”

Bishops praise ‘historic decision’ to end child marriage in west Pakistan province

The western province of Balochistan in Pakistan has passed a law criminalizing child marriages, eliciting praise from Catholic bishops in the region. 

The 2025 Law on the Restriction of Child Marriage in Balochistan penalizes adults who facilitate arranged marriages for minors under the age of 18, repealing a previous law that set the minimum age for girls to be married at 14 years old. Bishop Samson Shukardin, OFM, of Hyderabad and president of the Pakistan Bishops’ Conference, called the new law “a historic decision to protect children and an important step toward strengthening the rights of minors,” according to a Fides report on Monday. 

The bishop further expressed gratitude to lawmakers for passing the law, noting that “the Church promotes the fundamental rights of every human being, especially those of girls,” adding: “Early marriage deprives them of their education, their health, and their self-confidence.” 

Sri Lankan cardinal urges Catholics to join emergency response amid natural disaster

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is urging Catholics to join emergency response efforts across Sri Lanka as the country recovers from Cyclone Ditwah, the worst natural disaster in its history.

“We request our priests, religious, brothers, sisters, and lay leaders to work together with all the societies and organizations to provide relief to the people who are helpless at this moment,” Ranjith said in a statement, according to UCA News. 

Bishop Jude N. Silva of the Diocese of Badulla, one of the “worst affected,” according to UCA, instructed all priests to cancel Masses and programs “until the situation improved.” Caritas Sri Lanka has led the emergency response, according to AsiaNews.  

European bishops talk Catholic-Muslim relations at three-day meeting on Nostra Aetate

The Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe discussed Catholic-Muslim dialogue at a three-day conference titled “Nostra Aetate, 60 Years On: Perspectives on Catholic-Muslim Dialogue.”

The meeting took place in Augsburg, Germany, and included “over 30 participants, representatives of European Bishops’ Conferences, theologians, and witnesses from 20 European countries,” according to a press release from the council.

In his keynote address, Cardinal Michael Louis Fitzgerald reflected on ways Nostra Aetate may frame encounters where interreligious dialogue takes place, the release said, noting that “the three days of the meeting were characterized by a wide-ranging exchange in the plenary conversations as well as beautiful liturgies celebrated in the churches of St. Moritz, St. Peter in Perlach, and the Basilica of Sts. Ulrich and Afra.” 

Capuchin Friars in Sumatra welcome those displaced by severe flooding

Capuchin Friars in the Sibolga province of Indonesia welcomed those displaced by flooding in the country due to Cyclone Senyar, according to Fides. 

“The worst is over, but the emergency continues. Floods and landslides have swept away entire villages. Many people are homeless. Rescue teams are now trying to reach the displaced: for some it is possible, for others it is not, because the areas remain isolated,” said Provincial Superior of the Capuchin Friars in Sibolga Friar Yoseph Norbert Sinaga. The cyclone has affected 1.5 million people and displaced more than 570,000, according to the report.

Archdiocese of Raipur, India, completes historic Eucharistic pilgrimage

The Archdiocese of Raipur in India has concluded a historic Eucharistic yatra, or pilgrimage, covering 1,655 miles across 72 parishes. 

The Eucharistic yatra lasted 14 days, with pilgrims traveling through 19 civil districts of the Central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, stopping in each parish for an hour of Eucharistic adoration, according to a Catholic Connect report. Participants in the yatra used a vehicle that was converted into a mobile chapel donated by the Mid India Province of the SCSC Sisters.

ACI Africa, Dec 5, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The president of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) has announced the construction of a national shrine dedicated to Blessed Marie-Clémentine Anuarite Nengapeta, a Congolese sister beatified in August 1985.

Announcing the launch of construction on Dec. 1, Archbishop Fulgence Muteba Mugalu described Blessed Anuarite as a timeless model of hope for a nation scarred by violence and social injustice.

“I am pleased to address this message to you on the feast of Blessed Anuarite, during which the construction works for the great shrine dedicated to her are being launched,” Muteba said of the construction, which will take place in the Diocese of Isiro-Niangara.

He said the initiative is a “significant moment” for the Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as it nears the end of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, themed “Pilgrims of Hope.”

The bishop of the Archdiocese of Lubumbashi emphasized that the shrine will serve both as a dignified resting place honoring the martyr’s legacy and as a spiritual wellspring for pilgrims who seek her intercession. 

He thanked all individuals who contributed to the construction project.

Muteba described Blessed Anuarite as a symbol of moral courage and unwavering faith and hope whose life was “offered to the Lord.”

“We bless the Lord God for the gift he has given our country in the person of Blessed Anuarite, a courageous witness of faith whose life offered to the Lord — even unto the supreme sacrifice — echoes the words of St. Paul the Apostle: Hope does not disappoint,” the archbishop said.

He added: “Indeed, Blessed Anuarite has been, and will always remain, a bearer of hope in this country where human dignity is violated at various levels and in many forms. She is truly the sign of the grain of wheat that falls to the earth and bears much fruit.” 

The CENCO president noted that Blessed Anuarite is a “bearer of hope” for the entire Congolese people. 

He said the martyr is especially a bearer of hope for the women and children who are victims of violence and for the Congolese people who suffer in regions devastated by war and recurrent insecurity. 

“Her blood is a seed of peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the Congolese Church leader said.

Muteba expressed special gratitude to Prime Minister Judith Suminwa for her personal support and for authorizing the allocation of remaining government funds — initially earmarked for the 2024 60th anniversary pilgrimage — to be redirected toward the shrine’s construction.

While acknowledging the progress made, he noted that “much remains to be done” and appealed for continued support, calling every contribution “a precious and pleasing offering in the eyes of the Lord.”

“May they help us keep hope alive in all circumstances of our lives and obtain for our nation peace and unity,” Muteba implored.

Born on Dec. 29, 1939, the fourth child among six sisters, Anuarite Nengapeta ran away from home, against her mother’s approval, to join the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Kisiangani at the age of 20. Upon her profession, she assumed the name Marie-Clementine.

Anuarite became a victim of the 1964 Mulele rebellion across DRC, when Simba rebels, opposed to the westerners in the country and suspicious of the local religious men and women for cooperating with foreigners, kidnapped her alongside 45 other nuns and led them to a rebel camp. Attempts by the rebels’ leader, Col. Pierre Olombe, to rape Anuarite were resisted with success.

Determined to have her by any means, Olombe forced Anuarite and her colleague, Sister Bokuma Jean-Baptiste, into a car before going back to the house for the keys. The two tried to escape but were intercepted and beaten. Sister Bokuma, who suffered multiple fractures, fainted. The rebel leader ordered fellow rebels to stab Anuarite before he shot her in the chest. “I forgive you, for you know not what you are doing,” Anuarite told her attackers. She died on Dec. 1, 1964.

Anuarite’s attackers buried her in a common grave. Eight months later, her remains were exhumed and reburied. Her remains were exhumed again in December 1978 and moved to Isiro Cathedral in northeastern DRC.

Pope John Paul II beatified Anuarite on Aug. 15, 1985, during his visit to the country, an event that was attended by an estimated 60,000 people. Among them were Anuarite’s parents, Olombe — who had become a devout Catholic and sought audience with the pope to express his remorse — among other significant personalities including the then-country’s president Mobutu Sese Seko.

Blessed Anuarite was the first Bantu woman to receive such a rank in the Catholic Church. She is the patron of the African Jesuit AIDS Network.

This story was first published by ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, and has been adapted by CNA.

Puebla, Mexico, Dec 5, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The metropolitan cathedral of the Archdiocese of Mexico will host a special program to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe on the night of Dec. 11, the eve of the solemnity of the Virgin of Tepeyac.  

Under the title “Guadalupe Night,” a program is planned that will begin at 6 p.m. local time with a procession that will depart from the Church of Santa Inés (St. Agnes) carrying the “Virgin of the Oath” (of loyalty) which, as explained on the cathedral’s social media, is “the historical image before which the Virgin of Guadalupe was proclaimed patroness of New Spain.”

Midway between Santa Inés Church and the metropolitan cathedral stands what was once the archbishop’s palace, built by the first bishop of Mexico, Friar Juan de Zumárraga. It was precisely to this place that St. Juan Diego, the visionary who saw Our Lady of Guadalupe, came to present his request that a “sacred little house” be built at the foot of Tepeyac Hill.

As proof of the veracity of the apparitions, St. Juan Diego carried his cloak filled with roses to the bishop’s residence and when he showed its contents to Zumárraga, the image of the Blessed Virgin was miraculously imprinted on it, an image that is preserved to this day in the Guadalupe Basilica.

Along the route to the metropolitan cathedral’s entrance, four stations are planned, commemorating the four apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which occurred Dec. 9–12, 1531.

Inside the church, the rosary will be recited at 8 p.m., and an hour later, the “Mañanitas” — a traditional Mexican song sung to celebrate birthdays — will be sung to Our Lady of Guadalupe, accompanied by mariachi music.

At 10 p.m. Mass will be celebrated, and at 11 p.m. the program concludes with a “ringing of bells in celebration of the solemnity of the Virgin of Guadalupe.”

The Virgin of Guadalupe ‘continues to walk with us’

In an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Father José A. Carballo, rector of the metropolitan cathedral and dean of the metropolitan chapter, emphasized that celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe “is to recognize that she continues to walk with us, interceding for our families, our needs, and our nation.”

“Her image, miraculously imprinted on the tilma of St. Juan Diego, is a source of comfort for those seeking refuge, strength for those who bear suffering, and guidance for those who wish to follow Christ.”

This celebration, he added, “is, on its deepest level, an act of filial love toward the Virgin of Guadalupe, who chose to remain forever in the midst of her people.”

The ‘Virgin of the Oath’

The rector of the metropolitan cathedral and dean of the metropolitan chapter emphasized the importance of the presence of the “Virgin of the Oath” at this tribute, since “it recalls the profound historical and spiritual bond that this devotion has had with the life of the Church in Mexico.”

“This image was specifically chosen for its significance as a symbol of the renewal of faith and Christian commitment,” he said, because “it represents the solemn act by which past generations expressed their fidelity to God and to the maternal protection of Holy Mary.”

Carballo also highlighted the coordination between the Mexico City cathedral and the Basilica of Guadalupe, which will also draw large crowds for the solemnity of the Virgin of Tepeyac.

“We walk in synodality, always seeking the good of the people of God,” he said, emphasizing that “dialogue has allowed us to harmonize schedules and activities, so that the celebrations on Dec. 11 and 12 complement each other and do not conflict.”

“Both the basilica and the cathedral offer distinct, yet converging, spaces to experience the Guadalupan event in a spirit of communion, collaboration, and service to the faithful,” he stated.

Father Eduardo Chávez, master theologian on the apparitions of the Guadalupe Basilica and postulator of the cause for the canonization of St. Juan Diego, emphasized in a statement to ACI Prensa the “significance” of both the celebration in the metropolitan cathedral and the event itself of the imprinting of the image of the Virgin in the house of Bishop Fray Juan de Zumárraga.

“That is where the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was formed” on Dec. 12, 1531, he emphasized, and explained that “it is very significant because certainly from the beginning the Virgin of Guadalupe builds the Church, forms the Church, is Mother of the Church.”

Chávez, director of the Superior Institute of Guadalupan Studies, noted that it was Zumárraga himself who, before the apparitions, “in a moment of so much anguish, so many problems, injustices, so much innocent blood shed” by the First Royal High Court of the Spanish Crown in Mexico, “cried out to heaven in that letter he wrote to the king in 1529” in which he says, “If God does not provide a remedy with his own hand, the land is on the verge of being completely lost.”

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

Ahead of the 6th edition of the Vatican's Concert with the Poor, to be held on 6 December, Canadian singer and songwriter Michael Bublé shares how “music is a gift from God” and says he hopes to use his platform as an artist to share his faith.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV asked Canadian singer Michael Bublé and other artists to do their very best when performing a Christmas concert for the poor.

The annual concert at the Vatican "is not merely a performance by talented artists or simply a musical event, beautiful as it may be, nor even a moment of solidarity to ease our conscience in the face of society's injustices," the pope told Bublé and the other artists Dec. 5.

"I would like us, as we participate in this gathering, to recall the Lord's words: 'Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me,'" the pope said. 

Some 3,000 people assisted by the Vatican's charity office, the Rome diocesan Caritas and other Catholic charities in Rome will be the primary guests at the concert Dec. 6 in the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall. It will be livestreamed by Vatican Media.

The concert for the poor began as the initiative of Pope Francis in 2015, although he did not attend any of the performances. However, the Vatican said, Pope Leo will be present for the 2025 edition.

"If we concretely love those who are hungry and thirsty, those without clothing, the sick, the stranger, the prisoner, we are loving the Lord," Pope Leo told the artists, including members of the choir of the Diocese of Rome and the Nova Opera Orchestra.

"This is the Gospel," Pope Leo said, quoting from his exhortation on love for the poor: " This is not a matter of mere human kindness but a revelation: contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history. In the poor, he continues to speak to us."

"The dignity of men and women is not measured by what they possess," the pope insisted. "We are not our goods and belongings, but rather children loved by God; and this same love must be the measure of our actions toward our neighbor."

"For this reason, in our concert, the most vulnerable brothers and sisters occupy the first places," he said.

Msgr. Marco Frisina, director of the choir of the Diocese of Rome, said Pope Francis came up with the idea of the concert for the poor to give them "something they are never given -- something beautiful" and exclusive. 

Bublé, who spoke to reporters after meeting the pope, said he was "overwhelmed" and "I'm really still not over the moment."

A Catholic, the singer said he was able to bring his wife and parents to the papal audience.

"For this young kid from Burnaby (British Columbia), who grew up Catholic, to be sitting here now, it's almost impossible to really express to you how it feels," he said.

Bublé told reporters his set list for the concert includes several songs requested by Pope Leo, starting with the Ave Maria in Latin.

"To be really honest," he told reporters, "I sang that song once -- one time in a recording studio with all of the strings and the orchestra, and I never sang the song again. And when he asked, I was very, very nervous. I didn't want to let him or any of you down, but with the amazing group behind me, with the choir and this orchestra, I realized that there's no fear, there's only joy and rehearsal."

Asked about his faith, Bublé told reporters, "I have a wonderful personal relationship with God. And it doesn't just affect my music. It affects everything, everything I do, every decision I make."

"If my brand is anything," he said, "I very much hope that it's kindness and hope and love."
 

WASHINGTON - In light of recent statements regarding the Somali community in the United States, Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, called on all people to remember each person’s God-given human dignity.

Bishop Garcia’s full statement below: 

“As Catholics, we believe that every person is beloved by God and created in his image. Each child of God has value and dignity. Language that denigrates a person or community based on his or her ethnicity or country of origin is incompatible with this truth. I call on all—public officials, community leaders and individuals — to refrain from denigrating and dehumanizing language. May we recognize the rich gifts that neighbors from diverse cultures bring to our communities. The Body of Christ is beautiful in its diversity and each part, while different, is valued and needed. I pray that together, we can be people of welcome, respect, and understanding.” 

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On Friday, December 5, the episcopal ordination of Bishop Francis Li Jianlin took place.

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“The Parousia of the Lord. An expectation without hesitation” is the theme of the first of three meditations for Christmas, which began this morning, 5 December, in the Paul VI Hall, with Pope Leo in attendance.

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