HOW PONTIFF LEO MEETS REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, JUBILEE OF WORK, DIGNITY, STABILITY
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Posted By: agnes levine on November 09, 2025 For Immediate Release From Vatica News! (A Twenty-Minute Read) Pontiff Leo XIV receives the President of the Republic of South Africa Pontiff Leo XIV receives President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa of the Republic of South Africa on Saturday in the Vatican. By Deborah Castellano Lubov Pontiff Leo XIV received the President of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Cyril Ramaphosa, in the Vatican on Saturday morning. According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, during the "cordial talks," "mutual appreciation was expressed for the valuable contribution that the Catholic Church provides to South Africa," particularly "in the areas of education and healthcare." There was also recognition, the statement noted, of the Church's "ongoing commitment to foster dialogue and reconciliation within society." ******** Cardinal Parolin At COP30: Greater Political Will Needed To Address Climate Change In Belém, Brazil, at the meeting of world leaders that preceded the United Nations Climate Change Conference to be held from November 10 to 21, the Cardinal Secretary of State spoke about the Paris Agreement, which marks its tenth anniversary. By Federico Piana Cardinal Parolin’s speech delivered on Friday afternoon in Belém during the climate summit attended by 70 world leaders ahead of COP30 — which will open Monday in Brazil — began with a powerful premise, a warning for the entire world: “Ten years ago, the international community adopted the Paris Agreement. The challenges identified in it are more relevant today than they were ten years ago, yet achieving its goals still seems far away. We cannot afford another decade of missed opportunities. We must ask ourselves what is missing.” An Important Agreement In his remarks at a round table entitled “10 Years of the Paris Agreement: Nationally Determined Contributions and Financing”, the Secretary of State drew attention to the importance of that agreement, which, he said, “has not only environmental, economic, and political significance, but also social and ethical relevance, since it primarily affects the lives of the poorest and most fragile.” Therefore, he continued, it is necessary to approach it with an integral perspective that ensures its proper implementation: “We know that the connection between ethics and education is profound: education is one of the main tools by which our ethical sense is formed, and ethics, in turn, guides the aims and methods of education. In this context, the educational component of the implementation of the Paris Agreement is of the utmost importance.” Positive Strategies Cardinal Parolin recalled how Pope Francis — during the High-Level Virtual Climate Ambition Summit 2020 on December 12, 2020 — had announced the Holy See’s commitment to adopt a net-zero emissions strategy by 2050. The Pope, Cardinal Parolin said, “emphasized the importance of achieving this goal, moving on two fronts. On the one hand, Vatican City State is committed to intensifying its environmental management efforts, which have been ongoing for several years. These issues are presented in detail in the first BTR (Biennial Transparency Report) as well as in the recent National Communication submitted by the Holy See, in the name and on behalf of Vatican City State. On the other hand, the Holy See is committed to promoting education in integral ecology. Political and technical measures must be combined with an educational process that fosters a cultural model of development and sustainability based on fraternity and stewardship of creation.” A New Cultural Model The cultural model referred to by Cardinal Parolin must be capable of overcoming the “throwaway culture” and replacing it with a “culture of care.” But this new model must also take into account environmental justice, which, he noted — citing Leo XIII — “an urgent need that involves much more than simply protecting the environment. For it is a matter of justice – social, economic and human.” Concluding his speech at the climate summit — which preceded the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) to be held in Belém from November 10 to 21 — Cardinal Parolin issued a strong call to action: “We need to increase our political will to undertake this path consciously. The Holy See is ready to support this process, aware that under our common Father, we are one single human family: there are no frontiers or barriers, political or social, behind which we can hide.” ******** Pope Stresses Need For Jobs, Stability, And Dignity At the Jubilee Audience, Pope Leo greets participants in the Jubilee of Work, calling for "a collective commitment" to create jobs and ensure "young people can realize their dreams and contribute to the common good." By Tiziana Campisi At his Saturday Jubilee Audience, Pope Leo XIV extended a warm welcome to the participants in the Jubilee of the World of Work, gathered among the 45,000 faithful present in St Peter's Square. In his greetings to Italian speakers, the Pope stressed that "work must be a source of hope and life, allowing the expression of individual creativity and capacity for good". Promoting Professional Development The Pope urged the entire community to foster conditions for the professional development of all, particularly younger generations. "I hope," the Pope said, "for a collective commitment from institutions and civil society to create valid employment opportunities that offer stability and dignity, ensuring especially that young people can realize their dreams and contribute to the common good". Poland’s World Of Work Pilgrimages And, speaking to pilgrims from Poland, the Pope recalled the country's long tradition of "World of Work pilgrimages," which he said originate from the teaching of Saint John Paul II and his encyclical Laborem exercens, which was published in the context of developments such as the widespread introduction of automation. In the document, the Polish Pope wrote that the Church "”considers it her task always to call attention to the dignity and rights of those who work, to condemn situations in which that dignity and those rights are violated, and to help to guide the above-mentioned changes so as to ensure authentic progress by man and society.” Hoping Is Witnessing In his catechesis, Pope Leo recalled Saint Paul's invitation to the Christians of Corinth to "consider their calling" and to "see how God has brought together people who otherwise would never have met." In the church of Corinth, St Paul wrote, "those who are more humble and less powerful have now become precious and important." "God's criteria," the Pope said, "with an emphasis on the least, are an "earthquake" that does not destroy, but reawakens the world." "The word of the Cross," Pope Leo stressed, "awakens the conscience and reawakens the dignity of each person. Dear brothers and sisters, to hope is to bear witness: to testify that everything has already changed, that nothing is as it was before." ******** "Leo from Chicago" on Pope Leo's American roots to debut November 10 To mark the six-month anniversary of Pope Leo XIV's election, “Leo from Chicago,” the documentary from Vatican Radio – Vatican News, will be released at 6 p.m. Rome time in English, Italian and Spanish on Vatican News channels. WATCH HERE: https://loom.ly/6goyUA8 ******** Cardinal Parolin: Time Is Running Out To Act On Climate In an interview on the sidelines of the Climate Summit in Belém, Brazil, ahead of COP30, Cardinal Parolin speaks to Vatican News of the Church’s commitment to offer an ethical response to Climate Change, warning that environmental crises now displace more people than wars. By Silvonei José Protz – Belém (Brazil) “Time is running short.” Quoting Saint Paul, Cardinal Pietro Parolin issued an appeal for urgent action to transform past climate commitments into concrete action. The Vatican Secretary of State is in Belém, capital of the Brazilian state of Pará, to lead the Holy See delegation at the “Climate Summit” ahead of the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30), scheduled for 10–21 November. Speaking to Vatican News, the Cardinal warned that climate-related emergencies are now displacing more people than armed conflicts and stressed that addressing climate change can also become an opportunity to revive multilateral cooperation, which he said “has been in deep crisis for years.” The Pope is concerned about the impact of climate change on the lives of millions of people, especially the poorest. What should be the priorities of local Churches in different parts of the world? It is indeed a phenomenon that affects more and more people, and always in a negative way, especially the most vulnerable. In recent months, we have met with authorities from Pacific island nations who presented us with the tragic reality of their possible disappearance. We can all imagine what that means for their people. From what I have read, there are now more displaced persons because of climate change than because of wars. It is truly an emergency situation. The Church is deeply engaged, beginning with the Holy See. We have recalled the great contribution made by Pope Francis through Laudato si’ and Laudate Deum, and local Churches have taken up this commitment as their own. I know that in view of COP30, the church in Brazil is working hard to raise awareness of these issues within communities and among individuals. There has also been collaboration among bishops’ conferences on different continents, creating a true movement. I believe the priority now is to emphasise above all the ethical dimension of this phenomenon. Of course, we do not have the technical means or expertise to provide scientific solutions, although experts from the Secretariat of State and other Dicasteries follow these issues closely and take part in discussions and negotiations. But the fundamental contribution of the Holy See and of local churches is to raise awareness and offer an ethical response to the problem of climate change. This necessarily involves a major effort in education and formation. You have met many world leaders. What concrete action should we expect from COP30 at the governmental level? I think that is precisely the key point. Someone said to me this morning that we should not expect great proclamations from COP30, but rather the concrete commitment and determination of world leaders to implement what has already been promised—reducing carbon emissions, supporting vulnerable nations, and building resilience. There are many areas in which action is needed, but what is essential now is to make those commitments real. As Saint Paul said, “time is short.” He said it about life, but it applies here too—the sense of urgency must be real. Another essential aspect is multilateralism. The issue of climate change truly offers a chance to relaunch multilateral cooperation, which has suffered a serious crisis in recent years. These are the directions in which we must move and work together. In recent days, you also visited projects involving children… Yes, we visited Marituba, where there is a wonderful hospital founded by Bishop Aristide Pirovano, where lay missionary Marcello Candia once served. It is now run by the Poor Servants of Divine Providence of the Don Calabria family. Among the initiatives we visited was the Fazenda da Esperança, a beautiful project for local children, many of whom come from socially vulnerable environments. It helps them learn a different way of relating to creation. I was very impressed by what I saw—their gardens, the biogas they produce from waste—truly remarkable. And it is the children who do this work. It helps them move away from negative influences and instead collaborate in creating what we all desire: a more just, healthy, and united world. Can We Start With The Children? Yes, absolutely. I met some of them, and they seemed very aware of what they were doing. It was moving to see. They acted as my guides during the visit, and I could sense how conscious they were of the challenge—and of their ability to respond to it through their own contribution. Read the full article HERE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city... ******* Ten years After The Paris Agreement, High Stakes At COP30 In The Amazon A summit of world leaders is underway in Belém, Brazil, a few days before the official opening of COP30 climate conference. With 2024 being the hottest year on record, and the first to exceed the threshold of 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, our correspondent in Belém takes a closer look at what's at stake. By Alexandra Sirgant in Belém World leaders have gathered in Belém, the gateway to the Brazilian Amazon, for a high-level summit on November 6-7 linked to the COP30 climate conference, which opens on Monday. For nearly two weeks, beginning on November 10, thousands of civil society representatives, scientists, NGO staffers, young activists, and businesspeople will converge on the city to coordinate global climate action. In order to mitigate the logistical challenge of accommodating all these people, the summit of heads of state has been brought forward. Some 140 delegations have been confirmed by the COP organizers, including around 30 heads of state and government, a figure substantially lower than previous COPs. The heads of state of the world's two most polluting powers, the United States and China, will not be attending, although China has sent its Deputy Prime Minister Ding Xuexiang. At the leaders summit, Africa is represented by leaders such as Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou N'Guesso, as well as the President of the African Development Bank Group. The British Crown is being represented by Prince William, sent by his father, King Charles III, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are also crossing the Atlantic for the summit. The Holy See, meanwhile, is represented by a delegation of about ten people, led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, assisted by the Apostolic Nuncio to Brazil, Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro. Read the full article HERE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/world/news/2... ******** Bridges of Hope Among Young People From Israel, Palestine, and United States During the second edition of the “Meaning Meets Us” gathering, organized by Scholas Occurrentes on November 2-5 in Rome, young university students discover a space where they can speak without fear, recognize one another as equals, and dream together of peace. By Sebastián Sansón Ferrari “In Rome, I felt I could truly be myself. I didn’t have to pretend, or hide what I think," said Shadan Khatib—a young Palestinian Arab living in Israel—about her experience during the second edition of the Meaning Meets Us encounter, held from November 2 to 5, 2025, in Rome and the Vatican and organized by Scholas Occurrentes. Over four days, fifty Israeli, Palestinian, and American students took part in workshops, games, moments of reflection, and prayer. Born from the Middle Meets program, the gathering seeks to offer a space for dialogue and attentive listening among young people who have grown up amid conflict and who now long to transform distrust into friendship and fear into hope. It follows the first edition, which took place last February. For Shadan, one of the most meaningful moments was the conversation with Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. “I shared something very intimate,” she said. “Palestinian Arabs living within Israel carry a double identity. Every day we face deep confusion. At university or at work, we can’t always express what we think. It is difficult for both sides—Palestinian Arabs and Jewish Israelis—because there is no real dialogue. We don’t speak with freedom or with truth.” Yet in Rome, she said, those barriers disappeared. “Here, we are all equal. Here, everyone can speak freely. I felt free, unafraid, my true self.” As the experience drew to a close, Shadan wanted to send a message to other young people: “I encourage everyone to speak their minds without fear. These are difficult times, but we have so many tools—like artificial intelligence—to build something different. We must dare to be ourselves.” Read the full article HERE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city... ******** Pope: Catholic Education In Africa Should Offer Signs Of Hope Meeting with a group dedicated to quality Catholic education in Africa, Pope Leo XIV calls for Catholic schools on the continent to respond to students’ silent cries for help. By Devin Watkins Pope Leo XIV met on Friday with members of the International Foundation Religions and Societies, which promotes quality education in Africa and cooperation between the Global South and North. In his address, the Pope noted that their pilgrimage to Rome comes just a few days after the Jubilee of the World of Education, held on October 27 to November 1. It also comes two weeks ahead of their second Congress in Nairobi, Kenya, which will focus on the theme: “Catholic Education and the Promotion of Signs of Hope in the African Context.” Pope Leo praised their desire to form African young people by fostering quality education “imbued with African identity”. Recalling his words at the Jubilee of Education, the Pope lamented the symptoms of “a generalized inner fragility developing at all ages,” noting that “we cannot close our eyes to these silent cries for help.” The Pope encouraged the group to continue their mission of improving African education while extending it to missionary cooperation between North and South. Jesus, he said, sent His disciples “two by two,” adding that this indicates the need for collaboration in proclaiming the Gospel. “Mission requires working in synergy, avoiding isolation, and building strong pastoral solidarity that is not limited to material means but also includes the exchange of pastoral workers between Churches,” he said. Pope Leo also recalled a meeting held in May at the Abbey of Maredsous, in Wallonia, Belgium, organized by the International Foundation Religions and Societies. He expressed support for their efforts to establish an International Center for Missiology and North-South Pastoral Studies. “I hope that this institution will come to fruition and achieve the goals expressed in your resolutions, for we want to rediscover together the missionary impulse—a mission that proposes with courage and love the Gospel of Jesus,” he said. In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV invited educators in Africa to “remind everyone of the beauty of evangelization,” and prayed that the Lord may make them “missionary disciples and pastors according to His will.” Read the full article HERE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/20... ******** Pope: 'Entrepreneurs And Communicators Must Seek Common Good' Pope Leo XIV calls on communicators to seek the common good and exercise caution against anything that dehumanizes or manipulates others, during an audience with the Advisory Board of the RCS Academy. By Deborah Castellano Lubov "The world needs honest and courageous entrepreneurs and communicators, who care for the common good." Pope Leo XIV gave this reminder when addressing the Advisory Board of the RCS Academy, a higher school of formation in the fields of journalism, economics, communication, and enterprise. The Pope expressed his delight to meet them in days where they are discussing the possibility of a new humanism in the digital age. He acknowledged they will be engaging "in dialogue on the relationship between ethics and artificial intelligence, on how communication can be at the service of persons and not become a system of algorithms that indefinitely reproduce—without any conscience or awareness—our reasonings, transforming them into mere data." An Important Educational Challenge The Pope noted that the Advisory Board finds itself before an important educational challenge. "Education," he said, "is what makes active and transformative the equal dignity of all human beings, promoting an effective local and global citizenship, in the sign of participation, solidarity, and freedom." "For this reason," he continued, "education in inhabiting digital environments and in the critical relationship with artificial intelligences is essential and must not be separated from the integral development of persons and communities." Read the full article HERE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/20... ******** Pope Leo: 'We must Commit To Preventing Addiction' Pope Leo XIV sends a video message to Italy's 7th National Conference on Addictions, and proposes a path to concretely combat the phenomenon of addiction and the tendency of young people to "withdraw into themselves." By Deborah Castellano Lubov "We must commit ourselves, in a concerted way, to a work of prevention." Pope Leo XIV made this invitation in a video message, released on Friday, to Italy's Seventh National Conference on Addictions taking place in Rome. In the message, the Pope acknowledged that, even if addictions such as drugs and alcohol continue to be the most prevalent, new forms of addiction have appeared. "The growing use of the internet, computers, and smartphones is associated not only with clear benefits," he said, "but also with excessive use, which often results in addictions with negative consequences for health." The Pope lamented that these are often "connected with compulsive gambling and betting, with pornography," and with "the almost constant presence on the platforms of the digital world." In these cases, he said, "the object of addiction thus becomes an obsession, conditioning behavior and daily existence." Symptoms of mental or inner distress These phenomena, the Pope reflected, are often "the symptom of a mental or inner distress of the individual and of a social decline in values and positive points of reference," particularly among adolescents and young people, who "search for meaning in existence," and "of choices that concern the future." "The increase of the market and of the consumption of drugs, the recourse to easy earnings through slot machines, the dependence on the internet—which also includes harmful content—show that we live in a world without hope, where vigorous human and spiritual proposals are lacking," he said. Consequently, Pope Leo warned that many young people "think that all behaviors are equivalent," since they often are unable to distinguish properly, thereby making the efforts of parents and of the various educational agencies, such as schools, parishes, and youth centers, all the more precious. These institutions, he said, "seek to instill and inspire in the younger generations spiritual and moral values, so that they may behave as responsible persons." Deep thirst for life The Pope went on to say that adolescents and young people "need to form their conscience, to develop their inner life, and to establish positive relationships with their peers and a constructive dialogue with adults, in order to become the free and responsible architects of their own existence." Fearing the future and commitment in adult life, Pope Leo noted, makes young people especially "fragile" and feeds into their "tendency to withdraw into themselves." "The institutions of the State, volunteer associations, the Church, and society as a whole," Pope Leo insisted, "are called to perceive in these young people a plea for help and a deep thirst for life, in order to offer an attentive and supportive presence that invites them to intellectual and moral effort, and that helps them to forge their will." Read the full article HERE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/20... ******** Catholic Conference On Mental Health: Dignity Is Antedote To Isolation As mental health issues continue to grow around the world, the Ministry of Hope Catholic Conference on Mental Wellbeing, held in Rome, highlights how the Church is working to combat isolation and individualism with an emphasis on human dignity. By Kielce Gussie On the second day of the Ministry of Hope Catholic Conference on Mental Wellbeing, participants from all over the world listened to testimonies of “suffering and resilience worldwide—from humanitarian crises and poverty-driven hardship to isolation and social change in relatively stable settings." Experts, clergy, and medical professionals from across the globe shared their experience working with people struggling with their mental health in this modern era. One of the organizers for this conference was Deacon Ed Shoener from the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, in the United States, who lost his daughter to suicide in 2016. Speaking to Vatican News, he explained that this conference emerged to gather “diverse voices from across the globe in different circumstances and how they’re addressing and dealing with the challenge of our time, which is mental health, mental illness, suicidality.” Isolation And Individualism One such voice was Samuelle Falk, a Catholic wife, mother, medical doctor in psychiatry, and researcher in autism genomics. Ms. Falk, who works with Respekt, a pro-life organization in the Diocese of Stockholm, exposed the superficial blanket covering the rise of mental illness in Sweden. “One third of all the causes of death between young people aged 15-29 was due to suicide,” she explained. Ms. Falk argued one of the reasons is that Sweden is one of the most secular countries in the world, and with that, there is a strong sense of individualism. Statistics outline how the most common type of household in Sweden in 2023 was a single-person household without children. Read the full article HERE: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city... ******** VISIT: https://www.facebook.com/vaticannews and https://www.pinterest.com/levineoliverpub/... and spread the WORD. If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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agnes levine
Part-Time Teacher, Baltimore County Public Schools Member Since August 2008 |
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