St. Mary's Church

Vatican City, Nov 23, 2025 / 13:10 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday praised the “precious” ministry of liturgical music and told choir members from around the world that their service at the altar must be sustained above all by a deep life of prayer. He later used his pre-Angelus remarks to appeal for the release of hostages kidnapped in Nigeria and Cameroon and to encourage young people on World Youth Day. 

The pope celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Square for the Jubilee of Choirs on the solemnity of Christ the King, telling choristers and musicians that their vocation is to lead God’s people into the mystery of worship. 

“Dear choristers and musicians, today you celebrate your jubilee and you show thanks to the Lord for granting you the gift and grace to serve him by offering your voices and talents for his glory and for the spiritual edification of your brothers and sisters,” he said in his homily. “Your task is to draw others into the praise of God and to help them to participate more fully in the liturgy through song.” 

‘A true ministry’ rooted in prayer 

Drawing on the day’s responsorial psalm, “Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord” (Ps 122), Pope Leo said the liturgy calls Christians “to walk together in praise and joy toward the encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, gentle and humble Sovereign.” 

“His power is love, his throne the cross, and through the cross his kingdom shines forth upon the world,” he said. “From the wood he reigns as Prince of Peace and King of Justice who, in his passion, reveals to the world the immense mercy of God’s heart. This love is also the inspiration and motive for your singing.” 

Pope Leo described singing as a uniquely human way of expressing what words alone cannot say. 

“Music can give expression to the whole range of feelings and emotions that arise within us from a living relationship with reality,” he said, adding that “singing, in particular, constitutes a natural and refined expression of the human being: mind, feelings, body, and soul come together to communicate the great events of life.” 

Quoting St. Augustine, he recalled that “‘Cantare amantis est’ … that is, ‘singing belongs to those who love.’” 

For Christians, he continued, liturgical song is more than performance. “For the people of God, song expresses invocation and praise,” he said. “Liturgical music thus becomes a precious instrument through which we carry out our service of praise to God and express the joy of new life in Christ.” 

The pope underlined that choir members exercise a genuine ecclesial service, especially in the liturgy. 

“You belong to choirs that carry out their ministry primarily in liturgical settings. Yours is a true ministry that requires preparation, commitment, mutual understanding, and, above all, a deep spiritual life, so that when you sing, you both pray and help everyone else to pray,” he said. 

This ministry, he added, “requires discipline and a spirit of service, especially when preparing for a solemn liturgy or an important event in your communities.” 

A ‘small family’ within the larger community 

Pope Leo urged choristers not to see themselves as performers set apart from the congregation but as part of the praying assembly.

“The choir is a small family of individuals united by their love of music and the service they offer. However, remember that the community is your larger family,” he said. “You are not on stage but rather a part of that community, endeavoring to help it grow in unity by inspiring and engaging its members.”

He acknowledged the ordinary tensions that can arise in any group but said that even these can become a sign of the Church’s pilgrimage through history.

“We can say to some extent that the choir symbolizes the Church, which, striving toward its goal, walks through history praising God,” he said. “Even when this journey is beset by difficulties and trials and joyful moments give way to more challenging ones, singing makes the journey lighter, providing relief and consolation.”

Citing both St. Augustine and St. Ignatius of Antioch, the pope presented the choir as a sign of synodality and unity in the Church in which diverse voices become a single hymn of praise. 

“In fact, the different voices of a choir harmonize with each other, giving rise to a single hymn of praise, a luminous symbol of the Church, which unites everyone in love in a single pleasing melody,” he said. 

‘Without giving in to the temptation of ostentation’

Pope Leo also encouraged musicians to study the Church’s teaching on sacred music and to resist the impulse to draw attention to themselves rather than to God. 

“Strive, therefore, to make your choirs ever harmonious and beautiful, and a brighter image of the Church praising her Lord,” he said. “Study the magisterium carefully. The conciliar documents set out the norms for carrying out your service in the best possible way.” 

“Above all, dedicate yourselves to facilitating the participation of the people of God, without giving in to the temptation of ostentation, which prevents the entire liturgical assembly from actively participating in the singing,” he added. “In this, be an eloquent sign of the Church’s prayer, expressing its love for God through the beauty of music. Take care that your spiritual life is always worthy of the service you perform, so that your ministry may authentically express the grace of the liturgy.” 

At the end of his homily, the pope entrusted all choir members to the patron saint of sacred music.

“I place all of you under the protection of St. Cecilia, the virgin and martyr who raised the most beautiful song of love through her life here in Rome, giving herself entirely to Christ and offering the Church a shining example of faith and love,” he said. “Let us continue singing and once again make our own the invitation of today’s responsorial psalm: ‘Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.’”

Appeal for kidnapped priests, faithful, and students 

After Mass and before leading the Angelus, Pope Leo greeted the many choirs and pilgrims present and turned to urgent news from Africa, where priests, lay faithful, and students have been kidnapped in Nigeria and Cameroon. 

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the kidnapping of priests, faithful, and students in Nigeria and Cameroon,” he said. “I feel great pain, above all for the many young men and women who have been abducted and for their distressed families.”

“I make a heartfelt appeal for the immediate release of the hostages and urge the competent authorities to take appropriate and timely decisions to ensure their release,” he continued. “Let us pray for these brothers and sisters of ours, and that churches and schools may always and everywhere remain places of safety and hope.”

Recent weeks have seen the kidnapping of a Catholic priest in Kaduna state in northern Nigeria, as well as the abduction of at least two dozen schoolgirls from a secondary school in Kebbi state, amid ongoing attacks on Christian communities and widespread insecurity in several regions of the country. 

Nigeria is classified as a “country in a situation of persecution” in the 2025 Religious Freedom in the World report by Aid to the Church in Need, which notes the continued activity of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province, and repeated attacks against churches and Christian communities. 

Message to young people and look ahead to Turkey and Lebanon 

Pope Leo also marked the diocesan celebration of World Youth Day, observed this Sunday in local Churches around the globe. 

“Today, dioceses around the world are celebrating World Youth Day,” he said. “I bless and spiritually embrace all those taking part in the various celebrations and initiatives.” 

“On the feast of Christ the King, I pray that every young person may discover the beauty and joy of following him, the Lord, and dedicating him or herself to his kingdom of love, justice, and peace,” the pope added. 

Looking ahead to his upcoming apostolic journey, the pope noted that he will soon travel to Turkey and Lebanon. 

“My apostolic journey to Turkey and Lebanon is now close. In Turkey, the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea will be celebrated. For this reason, the apostolic letter In Unitate Fidei is being published today, commemorating this historic event,” he said. 

Before beginning the Angelus prayer, he invited the faithful to entrust all these intentions to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

“Now let us turn to the Virgin Mary,” he said, “entrusting all these intentions and our prayer for peace to her maternal intercession.” 

La expectativa crece en todo el Líbano mientras el país se prepara para recibir al Papa León XIV la próxima semana. Sin embargo, la visita no es un hecho sin precedentes: el Líbano ha recibido a otros dos pontífices en tiempos recientes —Juan Pablo II en 1997 y Benedicto XVI en 2012— viajes recordados como hitos.

En la cima de algunas de las montañas más imponentes de México el P. Alejandro Zárate, sacerdote de los Legionarios de Cristo, guía a jóvenes y adultos a descubrir a Dios en las rutas más exigentes del país. 

El Pontífice ha publicado este documento magisterial cuatro días antes de aterrizar en Ankara (Turquía) donde celebrará junto al patriarca Bartolomé un acto ecuménico

La Solemnidad de Cristo Rey fue instituida por el Papa Pío XI en 1925 tras su encíclica Quas Primas. Hoy se celebra el último domingo antes del Adviento.

CNA Staff, Nov 23, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Theo, a free Catholic prayer and meditation app for children and their parents, plans to host the largest Advent celebration for children to help them discover the true meaning of the season.

From Nov. 30 to Dec. 24, more than 1 million children are expected to take part in a 25-day journey filled with stories, songs, activities, and reflections.

The Advent campaign will be led by Theodore, a cheerful animated donkey who is described as a direct descendant of the donkey that carried the Blessed Virgin Mary to Bethlehem. It will also feature several special guests including Catholic actor David Henrie and Father Ambrose Criste, among others.

Participants will read through the first two chapters of Luke, which will be accompanied by some meditations and reflection questions for children to do with their parents as well as hearing the stories of several saints, listening to songs, and explaining activities that both parent and child can do together.

Francisco Cornejo, CEO of Theo, told CNA in an interview that this campaign will help children “hear the word of God” and “prepare their hearts for the birth of Jesus.”

“We prepared these four weeks in a way that is engaging; it’s fun, but it’s also educational,” he added.

While Theo can be used for children of all ages, Cornejo pointed out that the Advent campaign is best suited for children between the ages of 4 and 12.

“The content tends to be on the more mature side of things, I would say, meaning 6 to 8 and older, but again this is the beauty of creating an app that is for the parent and the child — if the theme or the topic is a little hard to grasp or we want to go deeper in the learning, you have your parent by your side,” Cornejo said. “So you can discuss that and we’ll provide those discussion points and all the guidance there.”

Theo launched seven months ago and already has over 2 million users. Cornejo attributes the app’s success first and foremost to God but also to the need among Catholics families for a tool like this.

“We’ve seen over the last few years how families and how parents specifically wanted to have something like Theo because it’s not enough to take kids to Mass every Sunday or to get them through holy Communion preparation or confirmation preparation,” he said. “What happens every other day of the year or of their lives? So we really wanted to create a tool that makes faith accessible and teachings accessible for everyday kids and families regardless of where they are in their faith journey.”

He added: “It’s not meant to replace all the good things that we parents have to do, but it’s meant to help make faith an everyday thing. Something that kids want to hear more because it’s packed in a way that it’s accessible for them.”

The content on Theo includes daily Scripture readings, prayers, bedtime stories, faith-based affirmations, meditations, novenas, stories of the saints, the rosary, and much more. 

Cornejo also highlighted the importance of having both child and parent involved in using the app because “education needs to be done together.”

“You need to exemplify what you want to try to teach and you have to do it with your kids — that’s the domestic Church. That’s what we are meant to do as parents,” he added. 

As for what he hopes children and their parents will take away from participating in the Advent campaign, Cornejo said: “I think the main thing is remembering and living the actual meaning of Advent — the waiting for Jesus’ birth, preparing our hearts as the manger to welcome Jesus into our hearts” and that participants “forget about the fluff and the gifts and the ‘me me me’ and start thinking about what this actually represents.”

El Papa León XIV ha publicado la Carta apostólica "In unitate fidei" sobre el Concilio Ecuménico de Nicea en la solemnidad de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo Rey del Universo.

El Pontífice hizo un enérgico llamamiento para que la comunidad internacional no permanezca indiferente ante la violencia que afecta a varias regiones de África occidental.

CNA Staff, Nov 23, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

As Advent quickly approaches and the hustle and bustle of the holiday season begins to make its way into our lives, here are five resources to help you prepare to welcome Jesus this Christmas. 

From Ascension: 

Join Father Mike Schmitz this Advent for “Waiting Well: Advent with Fr. Mike Schmitz” on the Ascension app. 

Beginning Nov. 30, a 26-day video series will guide viewers on becoming aware of how God is shaping them through seasons of waiting and how to wait well. Each day a five-minute video will be released and feature a reflection from Schmitz that unpacks the daily Mass reading as well as Scripture versus, catechism excerpts, and reflection questions to encourage participants to go deeper into the meaning of Advent. 

Schmitz’s weekly homily videos during Advent are part of the “Waiting Well” series and available for free on YouTube. However, the daily reflections will only be available on the Ascension app with a subscription or free trial.

This year’s video reflections will also be accompanied by the “Waiting Well” printed journal for individuals, parishes, and small-group study. It is designed to help readers slow down for 15 minutes a day as they prepare to meet Christ in the manger. Each day includes a word or Scripture verse to pray with, a reflection, and a prompt to write down your thoughts and insights. 

From Hallow:

Hallow’s annual “Advent Prayer Challenge” is back once again. Beginning Dec. 1, “Pray25: Be Still” features Jonathan Roumie; Chris Pratt; Gwen Stefani; Father John Burns; Mother Natalia; Sister Miriam James Heidland, SOLT; and Father Pierre Toussaint, CFR. This Advent, listeners are invited to discover deeper stillness amid the chaos of the holiday season, just like the Blessed Mother did that first Christmas. 

Roumie and Heidland will lead reflections on “The Reed of God” by Caryll Houselander, while Pratt will guide sessions on “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer. Stefani and Mother Natalia will guide sessions focusing on being still, using the lives of saints as inspiration. Burns will guide listeners through sessions of imaginative prayer and Toussaint will offer homily reflections each Sunday during Advent.

From Blessed Is She:

Blessed Is She has Advent devotionals for the whole family this year — women, men, and children. “In Time: An Advent Devotional for Women” invites readers to reflect on God’s continuous presence in our lives. Written by Claire Dwyer, this devotional helps women see that waiting is filled with God’s loving action. 

“Feast: An Advent Devotional for Men” is written by Paul George, rooted in Scripture, and inspired by the story of the prodigal son. This devotional invites men to return to God the Father with courage, humility, and hope. It also aims to encourage those seeking renewal, healing, and deeper faith during Advent. Both the devotionals for men and women include daily Scripture readings, prayer, and reflection.

Lastly, “Watch and Wait: A Kids Advent Devotional” written by Olivia Spears helps kids prepare for Christmas with daily prayers, reflections, and simple Scripture-based activities. This devotional teaches children to wait with hope and joy as they prepare for the birth of Christ. It is recommended for children older than 7 years old.

From the Augustine Institute:

The Augustine Institute is inviting Catholics to enter into the Advent season with renewed purpose and joyful expectation with a new video series titled “How To Advent.” 

The video series will consist of four 12- to 15-minute-long episodes that explore the beauty and meaning of Advent traditions in an engaging and meaningful way and highlight a different cherished Advent tradition — the Advent calendar, Advent wreath, Jesse Tree, and Nativity scene. The video series is available on Formed. 

From EWTN’s Religious Catalogue:

The EWTN Religious Catalogue offers a wide variety of Advent devotionals including “Encountering Emmanuel: A Guided Advent Journal for Prayer and Meditation” by Heather Khym, cohost of the “Abiding Together” podcast, and “The True Gifts of Christmas” by Megan Alexander, which takes readers on a journey through the deeper meaning of our most cherished Christmas traditions. (Editor’s note: EWTN is CNA’s parent company.)

Durante la Misa del Jubileo de Coros y Corales celebrada este domingo, el Papa León XIV pidió a los coros que no caigan en la “tentación del exhibicionismo"