A new and updated version of the Pope’s prayer app helps the faithful pray for a synodal Church.

By Linda Bordoni

"Click To Pray" 2.0 is an updated digital proposal that can be downloaded on iOS and Android platforms. Launched by the “Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network”, the app offers users a variety of specific propositions to pray together with Pope Francis on a daily basis, and support the synodal process.

The Conference of Secretaries of Christian World Communions held its yearly meeting virtually from October 12th to the 14th, 2021. The ecumenical officers of each respective church family and communion shared their reports and updates. The executive session of the conference elected its new chair for the upcoming term, and finalized the details of the in-person meeting that will be held in 2022 in Vancouver, Canada.

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa chaired the annual meeting of the Latin bishops in the Arab countries, which opened on Monday, October 18, in Abu Dhabi, the UAE. The meeting is hosted by the Apostolic Vicariate in Southern Arabia.

In a message to the Director General of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, Pope Francis says we must adopt “innovative solutions” to transform the way we produce and consume food “for the well-being of people and of the planet.”

On October 18, 2021, the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II laid the foundation ston of the Syrian Hungarian Private School in Bab Sharqi - Damascus, Syria.

Thanks to the efforts of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund’s US partner, Armenia Fund Inc, $1 million was raised and transferred to the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia to meet the urgent social needs of the Armenian community and support Armenian educational institutions in Lebanon. The fundraising was organized in September upon the appeal of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia to Armenians around the world.

His Beatitude Patriarch of Babylon for the Chaldeans Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako sends the following appeal to Iraqis:

Owing to a patriotic and conscientious affiliation, I address these words to you, stemming from my concern and love to our citizens and the homeland.

His Holiness Pope Francis celebrated Mass at St Peter’s Basilica for the solemn opening of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place in three stages over the next two years.

By Christopher Wells

His Holiness Pope Francis formally opened the Synod of Bishops on Sunday with a solemn Mass in St Peter’s Basilica.

Plenary meeting of the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land

October 5-6, 2021

NAZARETH - The Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land met in Nazareth for their ordinary plenary meeting on October 5-6, 2021, guests of the Casa Nova for pilgrims, which we thank for the fraternal welcome. The choice of location was dictated by the celebration of the year dedicated to St. Joseph and his family.

The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar speaks to Vatican Media about his relationship with His Holiness Pope Francis: "From the first minute of our meeting I had confirmation that he is a man of peace and humanity. The encyclical is an appeal to create a true fraternity where there is no room for discrimination on the basis of differences of religion, race, gender, or other forms of intolerance."

As per tradition at the Catholicosate of Cilicia, on the Feast of the Holy Translators, the Divine Liturgy is officiated by the Dean of the Seminary at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, in Antelias, Lebanon, followed by a celebration at the Main Hall of the Catholicosate to mark the opening of the academic year of the Seminary. Thus, on Sunday, October 10th, 2021, His Holiness Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I presided over the celebrations of the Feast.

Balamand, Lebanon: October 8, 2021

The Holy Antiochian Synod, presided by His Beatitude Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Patriarch John X (Yazigi), held its twelfth regular session from October fifth to October eighth of 2021 in Balamand, Lebanon.

Given that nearly nine years have passed since the kidnapping of Metropolitan Paul Yazigi without knowing anything about his fate, the Holy Antiochian Synod that is held in Balamand, took a decision to transfer Metropolitan Paul Yazigi to be the bishop of the honorary diocese of Diyarbakir.

On Monday, October 4, 2021, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem was convened, chaired by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III.

His Beatitude discussed with the members of the Synod a number of issues related to ecclesiastical and pastoral administrative affairs that fall into the service of the Patriarchate, its monasteries, churches, clergy and the people.

Your Eminence Christoph Cardinal Shonborn, Archbishop of Vienna,

Your Beatitude Patriarch Joseph Absi,

Your Eminence Mario Cardinal Zenari,

Your Eminence, Graces, Excellencies, Distinguished guests,

With great pleasure and immense joy, I welcome you, Your Eminence, together with your entourage to the seat of our Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and to Damascus, the city of St Paul the Apostle and ancient capital of our beloved country Syria. The most ancient capital continuously inhabited in the entire world.

In his weekly General Audience, His Holiness Pope Francis continues his reflection on St. Paul’s Letter to the Galatians, exploring the concept Christian freedom and how Christ, the Truth, achieved it in His supreme act of love on the Cross.

By Robin Gomes

Christian freedom is the gift of God based on the truth of Jesus, who revealed the depth of God’s love in His supreme sacrifice on the Cross. This freedom is the way to happiness, His Holiness Pope Francis said in his General Audience of 6 October at the Vatican's Paul VI Hall.

On Sunday 20 September/3 October 2021, the first Sunday after the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, this feast was celebrated again at the Holy Monastery of the Cross, near the Jewish Knesset, in West Jerusalem.

The order of the Church of Jerusalem celebrates the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in this Monastery one week after the actual feast date, due to the old ecclesiastical tradition that Lot planted there the three-composed wood of palm, cypress and cedar branches…

His Holiness Pope Francis has chosen the single word, “Listen!” as the theme for the 56th World Communications Day, which will be celebrated in 2022. Announcing next year’s theme, the Holy See says, “Pope Francis is asking the world to listen again.”

By Holy See Press Office

This is the theme that the Holy Father Francis has chosen for the 56th World Communications Day, to be celebrated in 2022:

Listen!

The beginning of the new school year started on Tuesday 15/28 September 2021 at the Patriarchal Seminary School on the hill of Holy Zion, Jerusalem.

For this reason, there was the Service of the Sanctification of the water at the Church of the Holy Trinity in the School by H.H.B. our Father and Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media (CCSM) in Jordan has the pleasure to send out the text of the final statement issued at the conclusion of the "Journalists Against Hate" Conference which convened in Amman, Jordan, on September 27-28, 2021. The conference was organized by the Muslim Council of Elders and the CCSM. It was read out by Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders Dr. Sultan Al-Rumaithi and CCSM Director Fr. Dr. Rif'at Bader.