
Vatican Correspondent – @CatholicHerald Editor @PerMariam Contributor @PelicanCatholic Also ✍️ @UnaVoceOfficial, @AmericaTFP, @OnePeterFive, @EuroConOfficial
Vatican City
Joined June 2015
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JUST IN: Pope Leo sends message to Assisi peace meeting on its 40th anniversary.
He states: “There is no such thing as a holy war: only peace is holy”
Adds that the “spirit of Assisi” must be the “shared quest for peace is, first and foremost, the path of prayer”
“The path of Assisi calls religious leaders to foster a climate of dialogue amongst the faithful and within society, so that the language of arrogance may give way to the language of peace, negotiation and understanding”
His message focusses on peace building using work of different religions, rather than promoting ecumenism as an end in itself.
Full details @CatholicHerald
Cardinal Fernández has said his latest document on transmitting the faith interests neither “progressives nor conservatives”
“Pope Francis’s call for a renewed missionary proclamation of the kerygma hasn’t changed the pastoral plans of dioceses and movements,” he said.
He also commented on homosexuals, divorced & re-married who “feel rejected by the Church”
Read on @CatholicHerald
One week after publishing his latest text regarding the transmission of the faith, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández has commented that neither progressives nor conservatives are interested in the document.
✍️ Michael Haynes
thecatholicherald.com/articl…
Cardinal Cupich has defended giving an Archdiocesan award to a pro-abortion businessman
Michael Sacks recently gave $600,000 to fund abortion access in Illinois. He will receive the @archchicago's Nostra Aetate Award on Oct 29 from Cupich
Cupich stated today that “honoring individuals who do not share core Catholic teachings recognizes their dignity, leadership role and service to their community without implying an endorsement of every statement or stance they maintain.”
NEW: Vatican confirms today that Pope Leo will undertake his South American trip to Uruguay, Argentina & Peru on Nov 6 - 17.
Details issued today by his medics following his Oct 13 lung cancer surgery ––
“Based on his current clinical status, as well as the instrumental and laboratory tests performed, there are no contraindications that would prevent him from undertaking his upcoming apostolic journey to Latin America as planned.
“The Pope is following medical recommendations with great care and diligence, and with a deep determination to continue serving the Church.”
Pope Leo added: “I am looking forward to returning to the continent where I’ve experienced so many moments of my life. May this journey be an occasion for us to open our hearts to one another, strengthen our communion as brothers and sisters, and renew our commitment to proclaiming the Gospel with joy.”
Vatican states today that Pope Leo will not attend the Assisi meeting, on doctors' advice.
Due to his recent lung surgery, doctors – as a "precautionary measure" – advised against the helicopter journey to get to Assisi
Instead of attending, Leo will “send a message of solidarity to the organizers, the leaders and representatives of Christian denominations and other religions, as well as to the guests who will be present”
It will be sent “in the belief that the 'spirit of Assisi,' dialogue, and the search for words and gestures of peace are precious resources in an age of conflict.”
Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 retweeted
Controversy has raged online after the annual Latin Mass pilgrimage to Rome faced a series of restrictions from the Vatican, with no reason given for the measures.
Here, @UnaVoceOfficial & @joaosilveiraaa provide clarity.
✍️ @MLJHaynes
thecatholicherald.com/articl…
Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 retweeted
Today, at the meeting of the organizers of the Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage, Christian Marquant commented on the controversy stirred up on social media by people who wish to sow confusion:
1. The request to use the altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica was made on the day of Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s audience with Pope Leo at the Vatican, on 18 December 2025, ten months and one week before the Pilgrimage.
2. On 7 August, eight months after the request, a negative response arrived from the Secretariat of State of the Holy See. No alternative date was suggested for the Mass, contrary to what's claimed by those people hungry for the limelight.
3. On 8 September, Father Claude Barthe, chaplain of the Pilgrimage, sent a request to the Secretariat of State asking whether the Pilgrimage might enter the Basilica to pray at the tomb of St. Peter, as had happened in the fourteen previous years, even when no Mass was celebrated there: “May we nevertheless, on the coming 24 October, enter the Basilica in procession, pray for the Pope at the Confession, and adore the Blessed Sacrament at the Altar of the Chair? The Basilica’s sacristy informs us that this would be possible at 1 p.m., should Your Excellency grant us the necessary permission.”
4. On 30 September, the response was sent by post, delivered a few days later to the Apostolic Nunciature in Paris, and only reached Father Barthe on 12 October, less than two weeks before the Pilgrimage. The response was negative. The pilgrims would not even be allowed to enter the Basilica to pray.
5. This was not disclosed immediately at that time because the organizers still tried to obtain permission for the group to enter the Basilica, given the importance of that gesture and the scandal it would represent for the pilgrims, and for Catholics in general, to be denied entry in the context of a pilgrimage. Since these efforts were unsuccessful, the announcement was made one day before the procession that led the pilgrims to St. Peter’s Square.
6. Christian Marquant lamented the confusion stirred up by people who have no connection whatsoever with this initiative of Catholic faithful, and he emphasized that the Summorum Pontificum Pilgrimage has at its heart love for the Pope and for the Catholic Church.
Long live Christ the King! Viva Cristo-Rei!
NEW: Members of the organising body of the annual Latin Mass pilgrimage to Rome have issued a statement about the weekend & the various restrictions faced ——
“Many members and supporters take part in the pilgrimage and we as an organisation are a member of the Caetus Internationalis Summorum Pontificum; we regard the annual pilgrimage as having great significance for the movement for the Traditional Mass. We would like to correct some misunderstandings which have arisen over the organisation of the pilgrimage this year.
The authorities (through the Secretariat of State) declined the Coetus’ request for the celebration of Mass in St Peter’s, in August. At that point it was hoped and assumed that it would nevertheless be possible to have a collective devotion of some kind for the pilgrims, in St Peter’s, as happened in 2023 and 2024 when permission for Mass was refused. The August letter did not rule this out, so the Coetus requested it.
This request was refused in a letter dated 30th September, which was however not received by the organisers until well into October.
In the meantime permission was sought and gained for a Prelatial (Pontifical) Low Mass in St Mary Major.
The Coetus was privileged to be allowed a Mass there on a Saturday, which is not normally allowed for pilgrim groups. A very reasonable time slot was allocated for this, and Mass ended at about 4:15, as would be expected.
The Cardinal Archpriest, the sacristans, and the Basilica security were all very helpful, and we are very grateful to them. The Dominican priests whose role is to hear confessions in the Basilica made themselves available to the pilgrims.
We are also grateful to the Lissom Grove choir and to the 1,500 pilgrims who filled this ancient Basilica.”
---- Una Voce International @UnaVoceOfficial
Full & further details on @CatholicHerald
Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 retweeted
LATEST: As the Vatican Secretariat of State did not specify in their Sept. 30 letter what precise request was being denied, some have asked what pilgrimage organizers had requested in their letter of Sept. 8.
I had included the content of their request in my article earlier today, but have now further specified it, writing:
In his letter of 8 September, Abbé Barthe had acknowledged the Secretariat of State’s refusal to authorize a Mass in the usus antiquior, the older form of the Roman Rite, in St. Peter’s Basilica this year. He then asked:
“May we nevertheless, this coming 24 October, enter the Basilica in procession, pray for the Pope at the Confession, and adore the Blessed Sacrament at the Altar of the Chair? The Basilica’s sacristy indicates to us that this would be possible at 1 p.m., should you grant us permission.”
Article here: dianemontagna.substack.com/p…
JUST IN: Letter Confirms Vatican Barred Annual TLM Pilgrimage from Entering St. Peter’s Basilica — dianemontagna.substack.com/p…
A Sept. 30th letter from the Vatican Secretariat of State to the organizers of the annual Ad Petri Sedem pilgrimage, obtained by this journalist, confirms reports that the pilgrims were barred from entering St. Peter’s Basilica in procession to pray at the tomb of the Apostle.
Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 retweeted
JUST IN: Letter Confirms Vatican Barred Annual TLM Pilgrimage from Entering St. Peter’s Basilica — dianemontagna.substack.com/p…
A Sept. 30th letter from the Vatican Secretariat of State to the organizers of the annual Ad Petri Sedem pilgrimage, obtained by this journalist, confirms reports that the pilgrims were barred from entering St. Peter’s Basilica in procession to pray at the tomb of the Apostle.
Bishop Schneider today at St Mary Major's ––
“Due to some liturgical restrictions and even pastoral discriminations, these (Latin Mass devotee) Catholics feel like 2nd class Catholics”
Some theories are circulating online about the Latin Mass pilgrimage, spread by people unconnected with it.
Some clarity below —
Organisers asked for permission for the Vatican Mass, via a letter delivered directly to Pope Leo by Bishop Schneider in December. The pilgrimage is in its 15th year, and is always held on the same date.
Organisers received no answer about the Mass until August, when the Secretariat of State replied to say they could not have Mass in the Vatican. Pilgrimage organisers then announced publicly that no Mass would take place in the Vatican.
Instead, pilgrims would process into the Vatican at 1pm on the Saturday, and then go to St Mary Major for a 3pm Mass. Permission for the procession into the Vatican was granted in April 2026.
Weeks after this, in September, St Peter’s announced an event taking place at 3:30pm at the Altar of the Chair (used by the pilgrimage last year for Mass).
Then this week – just yesterday I am told – organisers received another letter from the Secretariat of State informing them they could not even process into the Vatican as planned, and as permitted since April. Basilica events are not the prerogative of the Secretariat but of the Archpriest & the Fabric of St Peter’s: hence why the Secretariat of State’s involvement is so strange.
On Saturday, pilgrims walked through the streets up to the obelisk in St. Peter’s Square – accompanied by Italian state police – where they were stopped by the Vatican as this was the limit of the Italian police’s jurisdiction.
Then they were informed that their usage of St Mary Major’s had changed: they could only be inside for an hour.
Thus meaning that the planned and authorised pontifical solemn Mass would have to be a low Mass.
Also St Mary Major’s informed pilgrimage that no official photos could be taken
NEW: The group was stopped at the obelisk in St Peter’s Square, by order of the Vatican, at the edge of Italian jurisdiction
Now also the pilgrimage has been told that it can only be at St Mary Major for 1 hour — so no solemn Mass as planned, just a low Mass
Latin Mass pilgrims are currently walking through the streets in front of the Vatican, in a non-liturgical event
Comes after the Secretariat of State banned the procession from entering St Peter’s Basilica, in a letter delivered this week
NEW: Bishop Schneider at the annual Latin Mass pilgrimage to Rome, states —
“History has shown us that there is nothing more dangerous - nothing more likely to result in discontent & apostasy - than interference with the liturgy”
Michael Haynes 🇻🇦 retweeted
JUST IN: Vatican Bars Annual TLM Pilgrimage from Entering St. Peter’s Basilica — dianemontagna.substack.com/p…
According to organizers of the annual ‘Summorum Pontificum’ pilgrimage , the decision was communicated in a recent letter from the Vatican Secretariat of State
More here: dianemontagna.substack.com/p…
JUST IN: The annual Latin Mass pilgrimage to Rome has been banned even from processing into the Vatican tomorrow
Organisers learned in August that the request for a Mass in the Vatican was refused.
Today, organisers stated that even the procession has been banned. They were informed in recent days by the Secretariat
Full details via @LuigiCasalini1 in Italian & @dianemontagna in English -- blog.messainlatino.it/2026/1…
dianemontagna.substack.com/p…
The Irish Synodal Assembly voted recently for the Church to continue advocating for female deacons.
The Assembly was attended by just under half of the nation's bishops among 300+ participants
Now the bishop's conference must decide how to act on such a proposal
Details below
Members of the Irish Synodal Assembly have voted for women to be ordained as deacons, marking the conclusion of a synodal process which has lasted for over five years. The Irish bishops must now decide what to do with this proposal.
✍️ Michael Haynes
thecatholicherald.com/articl…
Vatican states today that Pope Leo will not attend the Assisi meeting, on doctors' advice.
Due to his recent lung surgery, doctors – as a "precautionary measure" – advised against the helicopter journey to get to Assisi
Instead of attending, Leo will “send a message of solidarity to the organizers, the leaders and representatives of Christian denominations and other religions, as well as to the guests who will be present”
It will be sent “in the belief that the 'spirit of Assisi,' dialogue, and the search for words and gestures of peace are precious resources in an age of conflict.”
Pope Leo will attend the upcoming mtg in Assisi on Oct 27, for the 40th anniversary of the 1986 Assisi meeting
It is organised by influential Rome-based Sant'Egidio group
2026 version will feature nearly 400 religious representatives over 3-days
Details coming @CatholicHerald
Analysis for @CatholicHerald on the Vatican's new text regarding transmission of the faith ––
As for its efficacy, only time will tell whether the new “Considerations” serve to aid the spread of the Faith.
Yet upon first appraisal, the text appears to be re-presenting the sweet sentiment and lack of doctrinal force which have marked the Church’s life in recent decades: it thus risks being unlikely to produce anything vastly different.
The Vatican is examining how to pass on the Faith in an “epochal change”, particularly highlighting good catechesis, liturgy and Catholic witness.
A new text draws on the suggestions of bishops’ conferences regarding transmitting the Faith, but remains notably vague, risking undermining its own efficacy.
✍️ @MLJHaynes
thecatholicherald.com/articl…






















