NEWSWATCH | KAIROS GLOBAL | DECEMBER 2025

Church’s Seven New Saints Inspire Faith and Perseverance

On 19 October the global Catholic community celebrated with joy as Pope Leo XIV canonised seven new saints during World Mission Sunday. The solemn Mass drew pilgrims from around the world, who described the event as a profound reminder of faith, hope, and resilience. Their stories of holiness continue to inspire countless believers to live with courage and compassion in everyday life. Among those honoured was St Vincenza Maria Poloni, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy of Verona. Her congregation expressed overwhelming gratitude for her recognition, describing her as a woman who lived holiness through humble service. ‘Mother Vincenza served the sick, the poor, and the marginalised with pure joy,’ said Sr Christina, one of her spiritual daughters. Another sister, Sr Hongera Adam, reflected, ‘She saw the poor as our Lord’s, teaching us that holiness exists in simple acts of mercy.’ 

Lay missionary Esther Madaha from Tanzania shared how St Vincenza’s life has become a beacon for her own faith: ‘Her compassion and love for the poor remind me to live mercy each day.’ For the Sisters of Mercy, the canonisation reaffirmed their mission – to serve Christ in the poor with humility and love, following the example of their foundress. 

From Venezuela, the canonisation of St Maria del Monte Carmelo Rendiles Martínez – foundress of the Sisters of the Handmaids of Jesus – marked a historic moment as she became the nation’s first saint. Despite physical disabilities, she lived a life of deep Eucharistic devotion and service. ‘Her 

holiness blossomed in small, silent acts done with great love,’ said Sr Adriana from her congregation. ‘She taught us that everyday service, even in silence, can become extraordinary when done for God.’ The Salesian Sister St Maria Troncatti is remembered for her tireless work among the poor and the sick. Known for her humility and compassion, she died in a plane crash in 1969, but reports of miraculous healings through her intercession soon followed. Sr Gisele Masha of the Salesian Sisters said, ‘Her canonization renews our mission – she reminds us that holiness begins with love and service to the least of our brothers and sisters.’

From Papua New Guinea, pilgrims celebrated the canonisation of St Peter To Rot, a lay catechist and martyr who upheld the sanctity of marriage during persecution. ‘His steadfastness strengthens our faith,’ said Samantha, one of the pilgrims. Another, Cathy from Lae Diocese, added, ‘He shows us that holiness isn’t only for priests – it’s lived daily through fidelity, discipline, and love for Christ.’ Sisters from the Solomon Islands also expressed renewed commitment to their vocation, inspired by St To Rot’s courage and faith. 

From Africa to Latin America to Oceania, the lives of these saints proclaim that holiness knows no borders. Their examples – whether through mercy, mission, silent service, or martyrdom – reveal that sanctity grows wherever love for Christ and neighbour flourishes. As one pilgrim reflected, ‘These saints remind us that faith lived with courage and compassion can transform the world.’

King’s Visit Deepens Catholic–Anglican Friendship 

The recent encounter between Pope Leo XIV and King Charles III marked a milestone in the long journey of dialogue and friendship between the Catholic and Anglican Churches. On Thursday, 23 October the Pope and the British monarch shared a day rich with history and symbolism, filled with moments of prayer, reflection, and renewed commitment to unity and care for creation. The day began with a private audience in the Apostolic Palace, followed by an ecumenical prayer in the Sistine Chapel – the first time in centuries that an English king prayed alongside a Pope. The events concluded with a service at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where King Charles was officially welcomed as a Royal Confrater of Saint Paul, a title steeped in pre-Reformation tradition. Father Martin Browne, an Irish Benedictine and a member of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, reflected on the day’s significance in an interview with Vatican News. He noted that the shared prayer between the two leaders was unprecedented in modern times. ‘No English monarch has prayed with a Pope since before the Reformation,’ he said. ‘This is a powerful sign of the growing warmth and understanding between our Churches.’

During the ceremony at Saint Paul’s, King Charles was seated in a specially designed chair adorned with his royal coat of arms and the Latin phrase Ut unum sint – ‘That they may be one.’ Father Browne explained that, historically, English monarchs were considered patrons of the basilica, and symbols of the British Order of the Garter still appear in the abbey’s insignia. This renewed link, he said, ‘represents a fresh chapter in the relationship between the English crown and the ancient basilica.’

As Supreme Governor of the Church of England, King Charles wanted his visit to have a spiritual character as well as a diplomatic one. According to Father Browne, the King’s participation in prayer and worship ‘made visible the closeness he believes already exists between the Catholic and Anglican communities.’

Both Popes Francis and Leo XIV supported the initiative, which highlights how much the two Churches now share in faith and mission despite theological differences. ‘We still have serious divisions,’ Father Browne admitted, ‘but there is also a deep common heritage – a shared faith and spiritual tradition that binds us.’

Throughout the day’s liturgies, St John Henry Newman – a figure deeply respected in both traditions – was remembered as a symbol of unity. Hymns translated or written by him were featured in both the Sistine Chapel and Saint Paul’s services. Father Browne recalled that Newman’s life bridges both Churches, having served as an Anglican priest before becoming a Catholic cardinal. King Charles, who attended Newman’s canonisation in 2019, has long admired his faith and intellect. A shared concern for the environment also united the day’s prayers. The visit coincided with the tenth anniversary of Pope Francis’ Laudato si, and both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to protecting creation. Father Browne described this as ‘an ecumenism of our common home,’ emphasising that Christians of every tradition must work together to care for the planet. 

In this historic encounter, the Pope and the King not only honoured centuries of faith but also renewed a promise – to walk together in friendship, prayer, and stewardship of the world they share. 

Pope Recognises Martyrdom of Polish and Czech Priests 

Pope Leo XIV has officially recognised the martyrdom of nine Polish Salesian priests who were killed by the Nazis during World War II, along with two Czech diocesan priests executed under communist rule in the 1950s. The decrees, signed on 24 October, affirm the priests’ sacrifice and open the way for their beatification.

The Polish Salesians are honoured under the cause titled ‘Jan Świerc and Companions.’ Father Jan Świerc, rector of the Salesian parish in Kraków, was arrested by the Gestapo in 1941 and later sent to Auschwitz. Within a month, he was tortured and killed by a German soldier for refusing to renounce his faith and for continually invoking the name of Jesus. Seven other Salesians died in Auschwitz between 1941 and 1942, while Father Franciszek Miśka perished in the Dachau concentration camp on 30 May 1942, after enduring starvation and abuse. Among the group, Father Karol Gołda was executed on 14 May 1942, for hearing the confessions of German soldiers at Auschwitz.

The Czech martyrs, Fathers Jan Bula and Václav Drbola, both priests of the Diocese of Brno, were victims of communist persecution. They were executed in 1951–1952 following staged trials that falsely linked them to the murder of three communist officials in the town of Babice. Documents later revealed that both priests had been imprisoned before the killings occurred. According to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, evidence shows the accusations were fabricated by the State Police as part of an orchestrated campaign to suppress the Church. The Dicastery stated that the priests were deceived by false witnesses, brutally tortured, and coerced into signing confessions. Condemned in sham trials, they were unjustly sentenced to death – faithful unto the end.