The faceless Nativity scene in Brussels, Belgium, in November 2025. / Credit: Maxim Van den Bossche

Brussels, Belgium, Dec 2, 2025 / 10:08 am (CNA).

Faceless cloth Nativity figures on Brussels’ Grand Place have sparked international debate over Christian tradition versus inclusive art.

Three Augustinian nuns (pictured on Sept. 16, 2025) fled their nursing home and returned to their convent in Austria. / Credit: Courtesy of Nonnen_Goldenstein

EWTN News, Dec 2, 2025 / 09:14 am (CNA).

Three Austrian nuns have rejected a compromise to remain at Goldenstein Monastery, escalating a yearslong dispute that now goes to Rome.

On October 5, 2025, the Diocese of Charlotte opened the Chapel of the Little Flower in Mooresville, North Carolina—a small structure with a large significance for the church in the United States. The chapel, which seats 350 people and cost the Diocese of Charlotte $700,000, is a new venue for the traditional Latin Mass. The […]

The post In Charlotte, disputes over liturgy fracture a community appeared first on U.S. Catholic.

Pope Leo XIV holds his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Nov. 19, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Dec 2, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The pope has approved the new General and Personnel Regulations of the Roman Curia, which come into effect Jan. 1, 2026, and which adapt the internal functioning of the Vatican bodies to the apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium, promulgated by Pope Francis in 2022.

The document, approved “ad experimentum” (for temporary or provisional use) for five years, seeks to consolidate “an ecclesial service marked by a pastoral and missionary character.”

Documents in Latin... or in other languages

Among the most significant innovations is a historic change in linguistic matters. For the first time, the regulations stipulate that “the curial institutions will, as a general rule, draft their documents in Latin or in another language.”

Until now, Latin was used by default in the drafting of internal documents. The new rule will allow documents to be written directly in languages ​​used by the Curia, such as Italian, English — the native language of Pope Leo XIV — or Spanish, which the pontiff speaks fluently due to his extensive pastoral work in Peru.

The text also introduces clear boundaries to prevent nepotism in Vatican offices. For example, it prohibits the hiring within the same entity of blood relatives up to the fourth degree and of relatives by marriage in the first and second degree. Furthermore, it requires that candidates be distinguished by their “virtue, prudence, knowledge, and appropriate experience.”

For lay employees, the initial hiring will be on a probationary basis for at least one year, with no possibility of extending it beyond two years. This will require that, once this period has been completed, the employee be hired on a permanent basis or let go.

No assets in ‘tax havens’

The regulations also include measures that reinforce financial transparency. Officials and senior executives will be required to submit a declaration every two years confirming that they do not own assets in “tax havens” or hold shares in companies that contradict the social doctrine of the Church, such as the arms or abortion industries.

Failure to submit this declaration, or the submission of false information, will be considered a serious disciplinary offense. 

The new legal framework regulates the organization of work within the Curia. The standard work week will be “at least 36 hours.” Maternity leave will begin three months before the expected delivery date and extend for another three months afterward. In addition, 158 hours of annual leave are granted.

Staff members must observe strict professional confidentiality and may not make public statements without prior authorization.

The regulations establish, for the first time, unified retirement ages for the various positions. Heads of dicasteries must retire at age 75; lay employees at age 70; and ecclesiastical and religious undersecretaries at age 72. All positions automatically terminate at age 80.

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

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass for an estimated 150,000 people at Beirut’s Waterfront in Lebanon on Dec. 2, 2025. / Credit: Marwan Semaan/ACI MENA

Beirut, Lebanon, Dec 2, 2025 / 04:52 am (CNA).

Beirut heard a different kind of voice on Tuesday morning. In a city still marked by the sounds of the 2024 escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, Pope Leo XIV urged Lebanon to rise above violence and division. “Lebanon, stand up. Be a home of justice and fraternity. Be a prophetic sign of peace for the whole of the Levant,” he said at a Mass attended by about 150,000 people at Beirut Waterfront.

The liturgy closed the final day of the pope’s visit to a nation strained by intermittent political paralysis, economic freefall, and persistent instability. The Waterfront itself carries symbolic weight. Built on land reclaimed from the sea with rubble from downtown Beirut destroyed in the civil war, it has come to represent both loss and reconstruction.

In his homily, Pope Leo spoke of praise, hope, beauty, and responsibility, calling for unity at a moment of national fracture. He acknowledged the burdens carried by the Lebanese people and said praise becomes difficult “when life is weighed down by hardship.” Lebanon, he added, has suffered “many problems” and “difficult situations” that leave people feeling powerless.

The pope urged the country to rediscover gratitude. Lebanon, he said, is “the recipient of a rare beauty,” even though that beauty is often obscured by suffering. The country is also, he noted, a witness to how “evil, in its various forms, can obscure this splendor.”

From the open coastal space, he recalled biblical images of Lebanon. He then pointed to the nation’s present wounds: poverty, political instability, economic collapse, and renewed fear after conflict. He mentioned his prayer earlier in the day at the Beirut port, the site of the 2020 explosion, and connected that visit to the broader national trauma. In such circumstances, he said, praise and hope can give way to disillusionment.

The pope invited the faithful to look for “small shining lights in the heart of the night.” Jesus, he said, gives thanks not for extraordinary signs but for the faith and humility of “little ones.” He spoke of the “small signs of hope” found in families, parishes, religious communities, and laypeople who remain dedicated to service and to the Gospel. These lights, he said, promise rebirth.

He urged the country not to yield to “the logic of violence” or the “idolatry of money” and asked all Lebanese to work together. “Everyone must do their part,” he said. He called for a “dream of a united Lebanon” where peace and justice prevail and where all recognize one another as brothers and sisters.

At the end of Mass, the pope offered a spontaneous prayer for peace in the region and the world, calling on “Christians of the Levant” to be “artisans of peace, heralds of peace, witnesses of peace.”

Farewell ceremony

After the Mass, the pope traveled to Beirut International Airport for a farewell ceremony, where he was received by the president.

In brief remarks, the pope recalled the sight of the port earlier that morning and praised the resilience of the Lebanese people. “You are as strong as the cedars that populate your beautiful mountains, and as beautiful as the olive trees that grow in the plains, in the south and near the sea.”

The pope also greeted regions of the country he was unable to visit and repeated his appeal for peace. “May the attacks and hostilities cease,” he said. “Armed struggle brings no benefit. Weapons are lethal. Negotiation, mediation, and dialogue are constructive.” He urged all to choose peace “as a way, not just as a goal.”

ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM LEBANON (CNS) -- At the end of his first foreign trip as pope, a trip focused on dialogue, Pope Leo XIV said the examples of friendship and respect he had seen could be a helpful example for people in North America and Europe, too.

For example, the stories of Christians and Muslims helping each other in Lebanon when their villages were destroyed, he said, offer the lesson that "we should perhaps be a little less fearful and look for ways of promoting authentic dialogue and respect," the pope told reporters Dec. 2 during his flight back to Rome from Lebanon.

Often, fear of Muslims in the West is "generated by people who are against immigration and are trying to keep out people who may be from another country, another religion, another race," he said. "In that sense, I would say that we all need to work together."

Pope Leo set off from Rome to Turkey Nov. 27 and headed to Lebanon Nov. 30. On the way home, he spent more than 25 minutes responding to reporters' questions.

Topics ranged from his election to future trips and from Venezuela to Ukraine. 

After his repeated appeals throughout the trip for an end to violence in the Middle East, violence that includes attacks on Israel by Hezbollah militants and attacks on Lebanon by Israel targeting the militants, the U.S.-born Pope Leo was asked if he would "use his connections" with U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to promote peace in the region.

"I believe sustainable peace is achievable," the pope said. "In fact, I've already, in a very small way, begun a few conversations with some leaders of places you mentioned," he told the reporter.

The Vatican's diplomatic efforts, though, take place mostly "behind the scenes," he said. The important thing is that those involved in armed conflict silence their weapons and sit at the same table to negotiate peace. 

On the question of Ukraine and U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed peace plan, which was drafted without the input of European members of NATO, Pope Leo said he was happy to see that revisions to the plan already were being made to include Europe's concerns.

Asked about the ongoing tensions between Trump and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Pope Leo said the Vatican is in contact with "the bishops and the nuncio" in trying to find ways "to calm the situation," especially because the people suffering most are the simple citizens of Venezuela.

However, Pope Leo also noted that "the voices coming from the United States keep changing," alternating between ultimatums to Maduro and the occasional softening of the rhetoric.

"I don't know more," the pope said, but it is always better to seek the path of dialogue.

Responding to another question about dialogue and friendship, Pope Leo said his episcopal motto, "In Illo Uno Unum," literally "In the One, we are one," is an obvious reference to the unity found with faith in Christ. 

But it also is "an invitation to all of us and to others to say, 'The more we can promote authentic unity and understanding, respect and human relationships -- so friendship and dialogue in the world -- the greater possibility there is that we will put aside the arms of war," the pope said.

When people learn to "leave aside the distrust, the hatred, the animosity that has so often been built up," he said, "we will find ways to come together and be able to promote authentic peace and justice."

As far as the conclave that elected him May 8, the pope said he holds "very strictly" to the secrecy of the election process.

The day before the conclave began, he said, a reporter stopped him on the street and asked what he thought about people saying he was a candidate.

"I simply said, 'Everything is in the hands of God,' and I believe that profoundly," the pope said.

Pope Leo said people who want to understand him should read the book "The Practice of the Presence of God" by an author known only as Brother Lawrence; it has influenced his spirituality for years, he said. The premise is "one simply gives his life to the Lord and allows the Lord to lead."

"In the midst of great challenges, living in Peru during years of terrorism, being called to serve in places where I never thought I'd be called to serve, I trust in God," he said.

"When I saw how things were going" in the conclave, he said, "I took a deep breath. I said, 'Here we go, Lord. You are in charge, and you lead the way.'" 

As for the crowds that gather in Rome and turned out on the trip, Pope Leo said he knows they are coming to see him, "but I say to myself, 'They are here because they want to see Jesus Christ, and they want to see a messenger of peace.'"

The enthusiasm, especially of young people, "is awe-inspiring," he said, "and I just hope I never tire of appreciating" that.

As for future papal trips, he said, there is nothing "certain" yet, but he hopes his next trip will be to Africa, including Algeria where St. Augustine served as bishop and where he still "is very respected as a son of the nation."

"Just to confirm," he said: "Africa. Africa. Africa."

Rumors had been flying that he would head to Peru, where he had served as a missionary and bishop for 20 years, and to Argentina and Uruguay, countries that had been promised a visit by Pope Francis.

"But the plan still has not been finalized," he said.
 

Pope Leo XIV prays in silence at the site of the 2020 port explosion in Beirut, Lebanon, on Dec. 2, 2025. / Credit: AIGAV Pool

Beirut, Lebanon, Dec 2, 2025 / 03:15 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV paused on the final morning of his trip to Lebanon before the ruins of the Beirut port explosion, praying in silence and placing a wreath in memory of the victims. He also met families of those killed and survivors still carrying the wounds of the 2020 blast.

The pope lit a candle and laid down a wreath of red flowers at the site and seemed at one point to hold back tears. Afterward, he spoke with family members of victims, some of whom who were holding photographs of their relatives killed in the blast.

The pope’s silent prayer at the port unfolded against an unresolved search for justice, a grief still felt across Lebanon.

Five years after the Aug. 4, 2020, explosion, one of the largest nonnuclear blasts in history, families of the 236 people killed and more than 7,000 wounded say they are still waiting for truth and accountability. Vast neighborhoods of Beirut were shattered, yet justice remains elusive. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam greeted the pope at the site.

Lebanon’s investigation has been marked by political interference and long periods of inactivity. Although the probe formally resumed in 2025 after a two-year halt, it remains stalled. Successive governments have failed to ensure an independent and impartial process, leaving families of victims facing what they describe as a prolonged denial of justice.

Several senior officials summoned by lead investigative judge Tarek Bitar have resisted cooperation, invoking immunity or filing legal challenges that repeatedly froze the inquiry.

Some movement returned in early 2025. Bitar resumed work in February after new public commitments by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Salam to uphold the rule of law. The following month, interim top prosecutor Jamal Hajjar reversed earlier measures that had paralyzed the investigation. A number of figures, including former Prime Minister Hassan Diab and Major General Abbas Ibrahim, responded to summonses, while others, including members of Parliament, continued to refuse cooperation.

Pope Leo XIV speaks to patients and caregivers at the De La Croix Hospital in Jal el Dib, Lebanon, on Dec. 2, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Jal el Dib, Lebanon, Dec 2, 2025 / 02:07 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV told hospital patients and caregivers in Lebanon that he had come to “where Jesus dwells,” adding that Christ is present “in you who are ill, and in you who care for the ailing.” He delivered the message during a Tuesday morning visit to De La Croix Hospital in Jal el Dib, one of the final stops of his trip to Lebanon as the country continues to struggle with the wounds of conflict and economic collapse.

The Holy Father addressed staff, patients, and the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross who operate the institution. Pointing to the hospital’s founder, Blessed Yaaqub El-Haddad, Pope Leo described him as a “tireless apostle of charity” whose devotion to the suffering shaped the institution’s identity.

“Your presence is a tangible sign of the merciful love of Christ,” Leo told the health care workers, comparing their service to the good Samaritan who stopped for the wounded man. He urged them not to lose heart when fatigue or discouragement take hold. “Keep before your eyes the good you are able to accomplish. In God’s eyes, it is a great work.”

Pope Leo also offered a pointed appeal to Lebanese society. A community focused only on achievement and well-being, he warned, risks abandoning its most vulnerable members. “We cannot conceive of a society that races ahead at full speed while ignoring so many situations of poverty and vulnerability.” Christians, he insisted, are called to make the poor a priority because “the cry of the poor,” heard throughout Scripture, continues to demand a response.

Jal el Dib, a town in Lebanon’s Matn district with a largely Maronite Catholic population, grew from a small Ottoman-era stop on the Beirut–Tripoli route into a commercial hub during the French Mandate, the period of French-administered rule that shaped much of modern Lebanon after World War I. In that setting, the De La Croix institution, founded in 1919 by Blessed Yaaqub, developed into one of the region’s most significant centers for psychiatric care and mental disability services. Operated by the Franciscan Sisters of the Cross, it now includes five patient pavilions and serves more than 2,200 people each year.

Turning to the patients, the pope emphasized their dignity and their place in the heart of God. “You are close to the heart of God our Father. He holds you in the palm of his hand,” he said. “Today, the Lord repeats to each one of you: ‘I love you, I care for you, you are my child. Never forget this!’” At times during the visit, Leo seemed to be holding back tears.

After the public event, Pope Leo was scheduled to visit one of the hospital’s pavilions privately to meet patients and staff.

St. Peter’s Square during the declaration of St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church in November 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News

Vatican City, Dec 1, 2025 / 16:51 pm (CNA).

The Holy See closed the 2024 fiscal year with a surplus of 1.6 million euros ($1.86 million), according to the 2024 Consolidated Financial Statement published Nov. 26 by the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy. This result represents a substantial change compared with the deficit of 51.2 million euros ($59.5 million) recorded in 2023, according to the Vatican.

The last public report from the Holy See was from 2020 — published in 2021 — and showed a deficit of 66.3 million euros ($77 million).

The current report indicates that the financial improvement is based on a reduction in the operating deficit, which decreased by almost 50%, from 83 million to 44 million euros, ($96.4 to $51.1 million) driven by a 79-million-euro ($91.8 million) increase in revenue, mainly from donations and hospital management, and by strict cost control that partially offset inflation and rising personnel costs.

The report also highlights the performance of financial management with positive results of 46 million euros ($53.4 million), higher than the previous year thanks to capital gains obtained from the sale of historical investments and the start of operations of the Investment Committee.

Surplus excluding hospitals

Excluding hospital entities, the Holy See recorded a surplus of 18.7 million euros ($21.7 million), although the secretariat warns that this figure reflects extraordinary accounting effects and a one-time increase in donations, so its sustainability will depend on future fiscal years.

The Holy See’s balance sheet reveals a total allocation of 393.29 million euros ($457 million) destined for the apostolic mission and the pontifical funds, not including the financing of hospitals. This budget reflects the priority of supporting the Church’s core activities worldwide and shows how resources are distributed to guarantee the continuity of the apostolic mission.

Approximately 83% of the funds are concentrated in five strategic areas that underpin the pastoral and social work of the Holy See. The most significant allocation, amounting to 146.4 million euros ($170.1 million) — equivalent to 37% of the total — is dedicated to supporting local Churches in difficult situations and for evangelization, recognizing the importance of strengthening the most vulnerable communities and supporting the spread of the faith in territories where the mission faces greater challenges.

Worship and evangelization constitute the second most significant category, representing 14% of the resources. This allocation supports liturgical activities, religious formation, and initiatives for spreading Church teachings worldwide. A ​​further 12% is specifically dedicated to communicating the pope’s message, ensuring that his teachings, exhortations, and statements effectively reach the faithful and the international community.

Ten percent of the budget is allocated to charitable services

Likewise, 10% of the budget is dedicated to maintaining the international presence of the Holy See through the apostolic nunciatures, which play an essential diplomatic and pastoral role in relations with states and local Churches. Another 10% is allocated to charitable services, reinforcing humanitarian and assistance initiatives that respond to the most urgent needs of the poor and marginalized.

The remaining 17% finances activities such as the organization of ecclesial life, management of historical heritage, and support for academic institutions. The secretariat emphasized that these allocations reflect consistency between the Church’s pastoral mission and its financial management.

The report concludes that, although the result is encouraging, the full financial sustainability of the Holy See will continue to depend on its performance in the coming fiscal years, marking 2024 as a year of economic recovery after years of deficits.

Maximino Caballero Ledo, prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, gave a comprehensive explanation of the results in an interview with Vatican media, highlighting both the achievements and the need for prudence and continuity in management.

“The data reflect remarkable progress in consolidating the economic situation of the Holy See,” Caballero said. “It is not only about maintaining a balanced budget but also about strengthening our ability to make the best use of every contribution received, making the service to the mission of the universal Church more solid and sustainable.”

The financial document presented by the Vatican shows that the structural operating deficit was reduced by almost half, from 83.5 million euros to 44.4 million euros ($97 million to $51.6 million). This is mainly due to an increase in revenue, which amounted to almost 79 million euros ($91.8 million) compared with the previous year, driven by greater donor participation, positive results from hospital activities, and progress in real estate and commercial management.

Caballero emphasized that these “favorable dynamics,” combined with prudent spending control and a constant effort to improve operational efficiency, offer a positive outlook for the Vatican’s finances. However, he recalled that “the deficit of 44.4 million euros [$51.6 million] indicates that there is still a long way to go. Financial sustainability is not only a possible objective but a necessary condition to guarantee the continuity of our apostolic mission.”

Growth in donations and the trust of the faithful

The prefect noted that contributions from the faithful experienced a rebound in 2024 after years of slowdown. “This increase represents an encouraging sign of renewed participation by the faithful and local Churches in the mission of the Holy See. However, these dynamics are variable and always require prudence and realism in their interpretation,” he emphasized.

The analysis of expenditures confirms, according to Caballero, that most resources continue to be allocated directly to apostolic activities, “reflecting the consistency between the priorities of the mission and the financial decisions that make it possible. This allows for the strengthening of pastoral initiatives and support for the most vulnerable communities, consolidating a balanced and responsible management of resources.”

Financial management and future prospects

The 2024 balance sheet also shows positive results of 46 million euros ($53.4 million) from financial activities, including extraordinary transactions related to the restructuring of the investment portfolio in accordance with the new policy approved by the Investment Committee. Caballero warned that “these capital gains are not repeatable with the same intensity in future years and reflect the natural volatility of financial activity.”

Therefore, he emphasized that “along with prudence in spending, it is essential to continue working on the revenue side: donations, fundraising, asset valuation, and consistent investment management. The goal is not to pit these dimensions against each other but to consolidate progress and gradually strengthen a more stable economic foundation.”

Toward full financial sustainability

The prefect concluded by highlighting that the 2024 fiscal year closed with a small surplus of 1.6 million euros ($1.86 million), an encouraging sign that, according to him, “demonstrates that the direction taken is positive. Now we must consolidate this progress, aware that some of the results come from nonrecurring elements. Financial sustainability is essential to ensure the continuity of the Holy See’s mission, which by its nature requires a stable economic foundation.”

Caballero emphasized that “it is not simply a matter of balancing the budget but of strengthening our ability to optimally utilize every contribution received, making the Holy See’s service to the entire universal Church more solid and sustainable.”

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

Cardinal Kurt Koch during an interview with EWTN News. / Credit: EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 1, 2025 / 16:21 pm (CNA).

The executive director of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), Regina Lynch, thanked Pope Leo XIV for appointing Cardinal Kurt Koch as the new president of the pontifical foundation.

“We very much look forward to having Cardinal Koch as our president and for the guidance he can bring to our mission to persecuted and suffering Christians all over the world. We are grateful to Pope Leo XIV for this appointment and for his interest in our work,” Lynch said.

Koch is 75 years old and replaces Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, who is 81 years old and has led the institution since 2011.

Piacenza was the first president of ACN since the organization received the title of pontifical foundation.

In a Nov. 27 statement published on the ACN website, Lynch highlighted the work carried out by Piacenza, in whom the international institution “has always had a steady and trusted mentor and president.”

Furthermore, Piacenza “was always a great supporter of ACN initiatives, such as the One Million Children Praying the Rosary and the Middle East campaigns, and we are very grateful for his service to suffering and persecuted Christians.”

Koch is the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and has headed the Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism since 2010. He has also closely collaborated with the Catholic charity over the years, ACN reported.

The organization highlighted its new president’s experience in ecumenical and interreligious relations, as these are an essential part of the pontifical foundation’s mission, “especially in countries where Christians, or Catholics, are a minority.”

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