Jan 11, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The four newly ordained priests and six newly ordained deacons for South Sudan’s Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio have been reminded of the urgency of their mission in the contemporary world, especially in communities wounded by conflict, poverty, and division.

In his Jan. 4 homily during the ordination Mass that coincided with the solemnity of the Epiphany at St. Augustine Parish in the diocese, Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala reflected on the role of priests in reconciling broken communities, forming consciences through education, restoring dignity among the poor, and remaining steadfast where fear and suffering persist.

“I am not ordaining you for an ideal country,” Hiiboro said and described South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, as a nation deeply loved by God and in need of committed pastoral leadership.

He noted that the Church sends priests into real situations marked by fragility but also hope.

The bishop, who serves as the president of the Integral Human Development Commission of the Sudan and South Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference, further urged those he was ordaining to be stars in guiding others to Jesus Christ in their respective ministries.

Hiiboro reflected on the story of the Magi and reminded the new priests and deacons that ordination does not replace Christ but points others toward him.

Reflecting on the star that guided the three Wise Men from the East to see the infant Jesus, Hiiboro urged the newly ordained deacons and priests to allow their lives to guide people to Jesus through faithfulness and witness.

“As the Magi followed the star and found Christ, you are now sent to be stars, guiding others to Jesus,” the bishop said.

Calling for unity among members of the clergy as one of the most powerful forms of preaching, the South Sudanese bishop encouraged fraternity, shared prayer, and forgiveness, reminding the clergy that love among priests is a visible sign of discipleship.

The bishop cautioned against constant complaint and division among members of the clergy, warning that such attitudes weaken vocation and harm communities.

Instead, he encouraged priests to embrace the cross of Christ, noting that suffering, when embraced with humility, sanctifies — but destroys one who rejects it.

Discouraging a “celebrity mentality” among priests, Hiiboro said the Church is more concerned with “holy shepherds rooted in the daily realities of the people.” Holiness, the bishop explained, is not an escape from life but faithfulness within it.

He urged priests never to abandon prayer, warning that a priest who stops praying gradually loses direction.

The South Sudanese Church leader went on to describe the three evangelical vows — celibacy, obedience, and simplicity/poverty — as paths to inner freedom, not limitations, which help priests overcome ego, attachment, and isolation.

Hiiboro, referencing the words of Pope Francis, urged priests to remain close to the communities they serve, portraying them as agents of peace, defenders of human dignity, promoters of education, and advocates for food security and self-reliance.

He emphasized that such involvement is not political activism but a genuine expression of living the Gospel.

The bishop also cited examples of saints who made a lasting impact on society through faith and service, including St. Benedict of Nursia, St. Daniel Comboni, St. Josephine Bakhita, and St. John Bosco — noting that they demonstrated courage even in challenging and imperfect circumstances.

The bishop also urged those he was ordaining to embrace their priestly identity with confidence, reminding them that their very presence, conduct, and appearance already preach before words are spoken.

This article was originally published by ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, and has been adapted for CNA.

Jan 11, 2026 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Soon after the election of Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle shared in a press conference that moments before then-Cardinal Robert Prevost was chosen to be pontiff, Tagle noticed the emotion by the soon-to-be-pope as it was becoming more clear he would be elected, so he reached into his pocket and offered Prevost a piece of candy.

It was this simple moment that inspired Lauren Winter, founder of the Catholic company Brick House in the City, to start the Adopt a Bishop initiative.

“It really reminded me that these are all human beings who made the choice one day to accept a very serious ‘yes,’” Winter told CNA in an interview.

The Adopt a Bishop initiative, which has been launched in collaboration with The Dorothea Project, invites the faithful to adopt a bishop for the year and pray for that bishop throughout the year.

“I think our bishops carry an enormous and often invisible spiritual weight,” she said. “They carry a responsibility that most of us never see — it’s pastoral and spiritual and it’s deeply personal and they’re holding entire dioceses in their prayer. And I think that kind of weight requires spiritual support.”

This is the first year of the initiative and over 1,000 people have already signed up to adopt a bishop in prayer. When an individual signs up on the website that person is randomly assigned a bishop from anywhere in the world.

Winter explained that she decided to use a random generator in order to “remove preference.”

“I didn’t want anyone to choose a bishop that they already knew and admired and I wanted to leave that room for the Holy Spirit,” she said. “And it may be a bishop you are already familiar with. It may be a bishop that is someone that you have disagreed with. But the call to prayer is still there and I think receiving a bishop instead of choosing one, that felt more like a posture of reception, which I feel like it’s more aligned with how grace works in the Church — just leaving the room there for the Spirit to work.”

The Catholic business owner highlighted the importance spiritual adoption plays in the Church in that it reminds us that “we are also being prayed for, it strengthens the bonds within the Church, and then I feel like it helps us to live more intentionally as one body of Christ.”

Winter said she hopes that through this initiative “people feel more connected to their bishop, to the Church, to the quiet work of prayer, and how a small faithful commitment can really shape our faith.”

“I imagine many people when they meet a bishop, they ask the good bishop to pray for them and I think it’s really beautiful that we can return that — the reciprocity of prayer. I think they need our prayers too.”

Vatican City, Jan 11, 2026 / 03:25 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday lamented escalating violence in Iran and Syria and renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine while also offering a special blessing for children receiving baptism and praying for those born into “difficult circumstances.”

Speaking after the Angelus on Jan. 11, the pope said: “My thoughts turn to the situation currently unfolding in the Middle East, especially in Iran and Syria, where ongoing tensions continue to claim many lives.”

He added: “I hope and pray that dialogue and peace may be patiently nurtured in pursuit of the common good of the whole of society.”

The pope’s remarks came amid unrest in Tehran, where anti-government protests that began about two weeks ago have left more than 70 people dead, according to human rights organizations.

He also pointed to renewed fighting in Syria, where international media reports say clashes have erupted in Aleppo between the interim government’s army and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces over control of neighborhoods in the city center. At least 14 civilians have been killed, with dozens injured and tens of thousands displaced, according to those reports.

Turning to the war in Ukraine, Leo warned of the mounting toll of Russian strikes as winter intensifies.

“In Ukraine, new attacks — particularly severe ones aimed at energy infrastructure as the cold weather grows harsher — are taking a heavy toll on the civilian population,” he said. “I pray for those who suffer and renew my appeal for an end to the violence and for renewed efforts to achieve peace.”

Recent attacks have left more than 1 million homes without water or heat in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.

Earlier in the day, the pope celebrated Mass for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord and baptized 20 newborns, the children of Vatican employees, in the Sistine Chapel. After the Angelus, he said he wanted to extend his blessing “to all children who have received or will receive baptism during these days — in Rome and throughout the world — entrusting them to the maternal care of the Virgin Mary.”

He added: “In a particular way, I pray for children born into difficult circumstances, whether due to health conditions or external dangers. May the grace of baptism, which unites them to the paschal mystery of Christ, bear fruit in their lives and in the lives of their families.”

During his Angelus reflection, Leo spoke about the meaning of Christ’s baptism and how the sacrament of baptism makes believers “children of God through the power of his Spirit of life,” encouraging the faithful to remember “the great gift we have received” and to bear witness to it “with joy and authenticity.”

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

At the end of the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo prays for peace in Iran, where protests continue, and Syria, where the army is battling Kurdish forces in the city of Aleppo. He also condemns the recent Russian strikes on Ukrainian civilians.

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Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. At Al-Maghtas, in Jordan, archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of churches, chapels, hermits’ caves, and a baptistery––places of worship tied to Jesus’ Baptism. In 2015 this area was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Three Popes have made pilgrimages there: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.

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At the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo encourages Christians to reflect on the gift of their baptism, and to “bear witness to it with joy and consistency.”

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Continuing a tradition begun in 1981 by Pope John Paul II, Pope Leo presided over the baptism of 20 children of Vatican employees in the Sistine Chapel.

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Sunday, January 11, 2026 | Feast of the Baptism of the Lord |  Matthew 3:13-17 Friends, Matthew’s account of Jesus’ baptism points to the significance of this foundational sacrament. Listen to the great theologian Gregory of...

Jan 10, 2026 / 11:30 am (CNA).

Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun delivered a forceful critique of synodality at the extraordinary consistory of cardinals this week, decrying the process as an “ironclad manipulation” that was an “insult to the dignity of the bishops.” 

The bishop emeritus of Hong Kong also described the “continual reference to the Holy Spirit” during the 2021-2024 Synod on Synodality as “ridiculous and almost blasphemous.” 

The cardinal, 93, made his remarks during one of two free discussion periods during the Jan. 7-8 consistory that drew together 170 of the 245 members of the College of Cardinals in Pope Leo XIV’s first major meeting with the sacred college since his election.

In impassioned comments, first reported Jan. 9 by the College of Cardinals Report, the bishop emeritus criticized Pope Francis for bypassing the college of bishops while at the same time Francis was insisting it was an appropriate means for “understanding the hierarchical ministry.”

The cardinal questioned the ability of any pope to listen to the entire People of God and whether the laity represent the People of God. He asked if the bishops elected to take part in the synodal process had been able to carry out a work of discernment. 

“The ironclad manipulation of the process is an insult to the dignity of the bishops, and the continual reference to the Holy Spirit is ridiculous and almost blasphemous,” Zen said. “They expect surprises from the Holy Spirit. What surprises? That he should repudiate what he inspired in the Church’s two-thousand-year tradition?”

The cardinal also observed apparent inconsistencies in the synod’s final document: That it was declared to be part of the magisterium and yet it said it did not establish any norms; that although it stressed unity of teaching and practice, it said these could be applied according to “different contexts;” and that each country or region “can seek solutions better suited to its culture and sensitive to its tradition and needs.”

The cardinal also pointed to what he called “many ambiguous and tendentious expressions in the document,” and asked if the Holy Spirit guarantees that “contradictory interpretations will not arise.” 

Zen openly wondered whether the results of what the document calls “experimenting and testing” of these “new forms of ministeriality” will be submitted to the Synod Secretariat and, if so, whether the secretariat will be “more competent than the bishops to judge different contexts” of the Church in various countries or regions. 

“If the bishops believe themselves to be more competent, do the differing interpretations and choices not lead our Church to the same division (fracture) found in the Anglican Communion?” the cardinal asked.

Regarding the Orthodox Church, Zen said he believes their bishops “will never accept” what he called “Bergoglian synodality” as, for them, synodality is “the importance of the Synod of Bishops.” 

Pope Francis, he said, “exploited the word synod, but has made the Synod of Bishops — an institution established by Paul VI — disappear.” Zen’s remark was an apparent reference to how the late pope had reshaped the institution by giving non-bishops a formal role, making the institution no longer simply an episcopal advisory body.

The Vatican press office and cardinals chosen to speak to the press made no mention of Zen’s remarks during the consistory. 

In press statements, it was claimed there was no criticism of Pope Francis during the two-day meeting, although Cardinal Stephen Brislin did speak of a “divergence” of opinion, saying some cardinals wanted the concept of synodality to be further clarified. 

The consistory was a closed-door meeting to which no media were admitted, and cardinals were asked to keep the proceedings confidential.

Jan 10, 2026 / 10:12 am (CNA).

Assessing the impact of the Catholic Church's first American pope was front and center at the 106th annual meeting of the American Catholic Historical Association (ACHA), which met in Pope Leo XIV's hometown of Chicago from Jan. 8-11.

During a panel on the subject, Catholic scholars noted some of the historic caricatures of what an American papacy would be like and compared that to the first eight months of Leo's actual papacy.

At the outset of the panel, University of Notre Dame history professor Kathleen Sprows Cummings referenced the 1894 Puck magazine cartoon titled “ The American Pope,” which depicts the first apostolic delegate to the United States, Cardinal Francesco Satolli, sitting atop a church labeled the “American headquarters” and casting a shadow of then Pope Leo XIII over the entire country.

Sprows Cummings noted the cartoon illustrates “fears about papal intervention in the United States” at a time when the country was receiving waves of Catholic immigrants from countries such as Ireland and Italy.

As Catholics became more settled in American society in the subsequent decades, she said some of those prejudices began to lessen and pointed to the 1918 election of Catholic Democrat Al Smith as New York’s governor. By this point, Catholics had become “much more confident about their place in American culture.”

During the same early 20th century period, the United States also began to rise as a superpower. Sprows Cummings noted that predominant concerns about an American pope shifted to Vatican concerns over the “Americanization of the Catholic Church.”

America magazine's Vatican correspondent, Colleen Dulle, said some of those concerns were evidently mitigated in the person of then Cardinal Robert Prevost, whose service to the Church included many years as a missionary and bishop in Peru as well as in Rome as the head of a global religious order, the Augustinians.

Sprows Cummings said the College of Cardinals clearly saw in Cardinal Prevost the "pastoral presence, administrative savvy and global vision" that the Church needed at this time and that he was “not elected in some flex of American power.”

Miguel Diaz, the John Courtney Murray, S.J. Chair in Public Service at Loyola University Chicago, noted that some of Leo’s actions have actually amounted to the opposite of flexing American power, such as his focus on the dignity of migrants, which he contrasted to the policies of the Trump administration.

Diaz, who served as U.S. ambassador to the Holy See under former President Barack Obama, said Leo is “a different symbol, from America first to America cares.”

He emphasized that having an American pope is significant amid the country’s political debates because “he can say things and he will be listened to.”

The panelists also discussed what Leo’s papacy may look like moving forward, with Dulle noting that only this year are there clear signs of him charting his own programmatic course, as the events and itinerary of the 2025 Jubilee were primarily developed for Pope Francis.

Up until now, she said, he has been mostly “continuing the Francis initiatives in a different style.”

She noted Pope Leo's management of this week's consistory — a meeting between the pope and the College of Cardinals — where the pontiff gave them four topics to choose from, which were all in line with Francis’s priorities: synodality, evangelization, reform of the curia, and the liturgy. The cardinals chose synodality and evangelization.

Dulle said Leo is seen as "a consensus builder” who aims to build consensus around the Church's priorities. She noted Pope Leo's announcement this week of a regular schedule of consistories, with the next one set for this June. This approach is emerging as a "hallmark of how he governs the Church" Dulle said.

Brian Flanagan, the John Cardinal Cody Chair of Catholic Theology at Loyola University Chicago, also emphasized Leo’s strong appeal to the cardinals and bishops in efforts to reach consensus, in keeping with the Pope's role as a preserver of unity.

Flanagan said he sees Leo exercising the papacy as not so much "at the top of the pyramid, but as at the center of conversation.” He said this is likely influenced by Leo's past as leader of a religious order — the Order of Saint Augustine — rather than a diocese because the orders are “global, diverse, and somewhat fractious.”

“You can’t govern a global religious community without getting people on board,” he said.