Pope Leo calls Church to broader mission

Recent Catholic initiatives and teachings emphasize the Church’s responsibility to accompany people facing hardship. During a visit to a Paris center serving migrants and refugees, Pope Leo XIV praised its welcoming and integration work and urged Christians to honor the dignity of people in need. In a separate catechesis on Vatican II, he described the Church as sharing the world’s life and fragility, with a mission that includes shaping social relationships and addressing life’s profound questions. At a gathering on family life, the pope urged Church leaders to remain close to people in fragile circumstances and recognize the possibility of grace amid wounds and setbacks. The Diocese of Norwich has also appointed Sandra Chipanta, an international public-health and development leader, to head its Outreach to Haiti program.