Pope Leo Marks Feast of Fatima with Prayer at Site of John Paul II Assassination Attempt
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo marked the feast of Our Lady of Fatima with a deeply symbolic act of prayer, visiting the site in St. Peter’s Square where St. John Paul II was shot during the 1981 assassination attempt.
Reflecting on the connection between the attack and the message of Fatima, the Holy Father recalled how St. John Paul II famously credited the Blessed Virgin Mary with saving his life after the shooting on May 13, 1981 — the anniversary of the first Fatima apparition.
Entrusting the Church and the world to Our Lady’s intercession, Pope Leo renewed Fatima’s call to conversion, repentance, and prayer for peace amid growing global tensions.
The Holy Father emphasized that Fatima’s message remains urgently relevant today, pointing to prayer and sacrifice as essential responses to both spiritual and worldly crises.
Vatican Warns SSPX Over Planned Episcopal Consecrations
The Vatican is warning that members of the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) could face excommunication if proposed episcopal consecrations proceed without papal approval.
According to Vatican officials, such consecrations would constitute a schismatic act under canon law. The Holy See stressed the importance of maintaining unity with the Church while also reiterating its continued openness to dialogue with the SSPX.
The situation recalls the illicit episcopal consecrations carried out by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre in 1988, which resulted in automatic excommunications and a decades-long rupture between the Vatican and the traditionalist society.
Church officials say efforts toward reconciliation remain ongoing despite renewed concerns surrounding the possible consecrations.
Vatican Bank Reports Major Increase in Profits
The Vatican Bank — officially known as the Institute for the Works of Religion — has reported a significant rise in profits, increasing by more than 55 percent over the previous year.
Officials attributed the growth to improved investment strategies, tighter financial controls, and continued reforms aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability within Vatican financial institutions.
The positive financial report is being viewed as another sign that Vatican economic reforms are helping stabilize key institutions and strengthen their ability to support the Church’s global mission.
Leaders emphasized that the goal of the reforms is not profit alone, but ethical stewardship guided by Catholic social teaching.
Pope Leo Warns Religion and Science Face a Common Threat
During an audience at the Vatican with members of the Vatican Observatory Foundation — which supports the Church’s astronomical research at Castel Gandolfo — Pope Leo warned that both religion and science face a shared danger: the denial of objective truth.
Addressing scholars, scientists, and supporters of the Observatory’s work, the Holy Father cautioned against relativism and ideological pressures that distort reality for political, cultural, or personal convenience.
The Pope insisted that faith and reason are not opposed to one another, but complementary paths that ultimately point toward truth.
He urged scientists, academics, and believers alike to resist pressures to conform truth to ideology, emphasizing that authentic progress depends on a shared commitment to what is real and knowable.
Pope Leo Renews Call to Marian Devotion and Family Prayer
Returning once again to the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, Pope Leo highlighted Mary as a guide who leads humanity more deeply to Christ.
The Holy Father focused especially on the importance of prayer — particularly the Rosary — as a powerful response to today’s challenges.
He encouraged the faithful to rediscover Marian devotion not as a relic of the past, but as a living path toward conversion, peace, and deeper trust in God’s providence.
Pope Leo also urged families to make prayer a daily habit, saying that through Mary, the Church learns to place greater confidence in God during times of uncertainty and trial.
