St. James Intercisus

Feast date: Nov 27

St. Francesco Antonio Fasani

Feast date: Nov 27

St. Francesco (Francis) Antonio Fasani was born as Giovanneillo in Lucera, Italy in 1681, the son of Giuseppe Fasani and Isabella Della Monaca. He entered the Conventual Franciscans in 1695 and took the names of St. Francis and St. Anthony. He spent much of his time studying, and was ordained a priest 10 years after entering the order. He then taught philosophy to younger friars, served as the guardian of his friary, and later became provincial of his order. When his term of office as provincial ended, Francesco became a novice-master, and eventually pastor in his hometown. In all his various ministries, he was loving, devout and penitential. He was a sought-after confessor and preacher. One witness at the canonical hearings regarding Francesco’s holiness testified, "In his preaching he spoke in a familiar way, filled as he was with the love of God and neighbor; fired by the Spirit, he made use of the words and deed of Holy Scripture, stirring his listeners and moving them to do penance." Francesco showed himself a loyal friend of the poor, never hesitating to seek from benefactors what was needed. He was also a mystic, known for his deep prayer life and supernatural gifts, and was known to levitate while praying. The people of Lucera were known to compare him with St. Francis of Assisi, from whom he derived his name. He died in 1742 and was canonized in 1986.

The offices of Catholic World News are closed on Thursday, November 27, so that our staff may celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

The prayer includes a petition to “kindle the flame of the Korean martyrs’ faith in our hearts, making us into disciples who live out the gospel of peace, love, and truth.”

“In order for you to live this threefold return in the best way, not only in these days but always, I would like to recommend three means, typical of your tradition: fraternity, service and Marian spirituality,” Pope Leo said.

“Dear friends, may Mary, present at the Cross, strong, faithful, show you how to stand beside the countless crosses where Christ still suffers in his brethren, to bring them comfort, communion, help and the valuable bread of affection,” the Pope added.

The new regulations:

• Downgrade the use of Latin as the language of the Curia. The former regulations stated that curial acts should be drafted “as a rule in Latin”; the new regulations state that “Curial Institutions shall draft their acts as a rule in Latin or in another language.”
• Require offices of the Roman Curia to “examine and, if necessary, adjudicate on matters that the faithful, exercising their right, directly refer to the Holy See”—ensuring that the laity receive responses to pleas.
• Mandate a six-day work week, with regular hours, and puts tighter controls on absences due to illness.
• Stipulate that religious superiors and diocesan bishops must be consulted on matters involving their communities.

The Italian blog Silere Non Possum has published an English-language summary of the new regulations, which replace those issued by St. John Paul II in 1999.

“The very high value of Maestro Muti’s art is universally recognized, and Benedict XVI also considered himself a sincere admirer of it,” the Foundation stated. “For his part, the Maestro reciprocated this esteem with repeated personal manifestations of attention and affection, even when Pope Benedict, after his resignation, was in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery.”

“I have always followed and deeply admired Pope Benedict XVI, whose thoughts, reflections and meditations have been and will be a nourishment for men and women of good will,” said Muti. “The last private meeting with Benedict will remain for me and my wife a memory full of faith and hope.”

The 76-year-old prelate, accused of abusing a seminarian over a period of several years in the 1990s, is under Vatican investigation. Bishop Zornoza denies the allegation.

“As happens to sailors, if you lose sight of the North Star, it is not uncommon for the ship to drift,” Pope Leo said. “For Christian education, the compass is Christ. Without its light, the educational mission itself is emptied of meaning.”

Christian identity “is the foundation that articulates the educational mission, defines its horizon of meaning and guides its daily practices,” the Pope continued. “When identity does not inform pedagogical decisions, it runs the risk of becoming a superficial ornament that fails to sustain educational work in the face of the many cultural, ethical and social tensions that characterize our times of polarization and violence.”

In the ninth special jubilee audience of 2025, Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to the Servant of God Dorothy Day (1897-1980).