On July 26, the Church commemorates the 6th World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Pope Leo XIV’s message for the day is entitled “I will never forget you“ (Isaiah 49.15).

“For the Church in Asia, leadership is not supervision from a distance but missionary closeness; not self-centered administration but pastoral conversion,” Cardinal Poola, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, preached at Mass during the plenary assembly of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences in Jakarta. “The Church cannot proclaim Christ through power, but through humble service, sincere dialogue, courageous witness, and compassionate presence.”

“From France to Spain, and across vast areas of the Mediterranean, fires of unprecedented violence are devouring forests, countryside, homes, and infrastructure, fueled by an increasingly explosive combination of fierce winds, extreme heat, and prolonged drought,” the newspaper reported. “The flames are advancing with alarming speed, turning entire landscapes into expanses of ash within a matter of hours.”

The unsigned article concluded:

Every burned hectare represents lost biodiversity, destroyed habitats, carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere, and landscapes that will take decades to regenerate. It also means farms brought to their knees, economic activities paralyzed, families forced to leave everything behind, and communities watching the landscape that has defined their lives for generations vanish in a matter of hours.

Pope Leo XIV today named Archbishop Christophe Zakhia El-Kassis as the new Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations in New York.

In a video message released today, Pope Leo XIV asked the bishops of Asia to promote a Eucharistic spirituality.

The materials, according to the subcommittee, “support Catholics in seeking the conversion of hearts and to address the sin of racism. These materials are designed to guide parishes and individuals in meaningful prayer and reflection, especially on September 9th, the Feast of St. Peter Claver, and throughout the year.”

Die Tagespost reported that the cardinal responded that the guidelines were not canonically binding. The cardinal also reportedly said he would discuss the matter after the completion of a one-year trial period, accordin to The Pillar.

Archbishop Cordileone and Bishop Lohse will continue to lead their respective dioceses. Last week, Bishop Arrieta questioned the validity of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s July 2 declaration that the confessions of SSPX priests are no longer valid.

Members of the Church’s Supreme Tribunal are appointed for five-year terms. The tribunal’s responsibilities are outlined in Praedicate Evangelium (articles 194-199), the 2022 apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia.

Auxiliary Bishop Wolfgang Bischof of Munich and Theresia Reischl, head of the Archbishop’s Women’s Commission, delivered a joint homily at St. Michael’s Church in Munich.

“Another prominent feature in the Mass was a woman dancing through the central aisle of the church, while members of the congregation bounced large, inflatable balls over each other’s heads,” reported Michael Haynes, who posted a video of the dancing and ball bouncing.

According to the study:

• 34% of monasteries whose liturgy is celebrated in French have closed
• 19% of monasteries whose liturgy is celebrated in French and Latin have closed
• 0% of monasteries whose liturgy is celebrated in Latin (whether in the ordinary or extraordinary form) have closed