In a week marked by historic gatherings and heartfelt appeals, the Vatican has become the epicenter of global conversations about faith, freedom, and the future of humanity. From private audiences with religious leaders to state visits and interfaith summits, Pope Leo XIV has placed the Catholic Church at the heart of urgent debates on peace, human dignity, and the world’s most pressing challenges.
On October 10, 2025, Pope Leo XIV welcomed national directors of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) to a private audience at the Vatican, a moment that Bernard Toutounji, ACN’s National Director for Australia & New Zealand, described as both humbling and inspiring. According to The Catholic Weekly, the group was led by Cardinal Mauro Piacenza and Regina Lynch, ACN’s Executive President, and included representatives from many national offices as well as the Editorial Committee’s leadership of the Religious Freedom in the World Report 2025.
The meeting marked the 25th anniversary of ACN, an organization dedicated to defending the right to religious freedom and supporting Christians suffering for their faith worldwide. Pope Leo XIV, in his address to the delegation, spoke with urgency about the rising hostility and violence faced by those of differing convictions, stating, “Your visit is timely, for our world continues to witness rising hostility and violence against those who hold different convictions, including many Christians.” He added, “In contrast, your mission proclaims that, as one family in Christ, we do not abandon our persecuted brothers and sisters. Rather, we remember them, we stand with them, and we labour to secure their God-given freedoms.”
Underscoring the Church’s role, Pope Leo XIV declared, “The right to religious freedom is not optional but essential,” describing it as “a cornerstone of any just society, for it safeguards the moral space in which conscience may be formed and exercised.” He also reminded those present that religious freedom is more than a legal right—it is “a foundational condition that makes authentic reconciliation possible.”
The ACN delegation presented Pope Leo XIV with an advance copy of the upcoming Religious Freedom in the World Report 2025, set for official release in Rome on October 21. Regina Lynch also gifted the pope an icon crafted from wood salvaged from the destroyed ceiling of the Maronite Cathedral of Saint Elias in Aleppo, Syria—a poignant symbol of resilience and renewal. The cathedral, devastated during Syria’s conflict, was restored with ACN’s support and reopened on July 20, 2020, underscoring the foundation’s commitment to rebuilding shattered communities.
Personal touches colored the day as well. Toutounji, seeking a gift that would represent both home and family, offered the Holy Father a painting of the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains and a box of Haigh’s Chocolates, Australia’s oldest chocolatier. He also presented a card created by his five children, each contributing a drawing or message for the pope. “It became a joyful labour of love, and to me it symbolised what ACN truly is – faith lived within families,” Toutounji reflected. The encounter, he said, was “a privilege beyond words.”
Just days later, on October 14, the Vatican’s commitment to dialogue and peace took center stage again as Pastor Dr. Mark Burns was invited to speak at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. As reported by ACCESS Newswire, Burns—Chief Spiritual Diplomat for Global Peace and Spiritual Advisor to President Donald J. Trump—was welcomed by Sir Prof. Dr. Gabriele Pao-Pei Andreoli, President of the Institute for Advanced Studies and Cooperation and Founder of the World Changers Summit. The Pontifical Academy, renowned for fostering dialogue between faith and science, convened global leaders, Nobel laureates, and religious representatives to tackle issues vital to humanity’s moral and spiritual progress.
Burns, accompanied by Maryna Ovtsynova, President of the ALLATRA International Public Movement, was set to address a special session on interfaith cooperation and the moral responsibility of leadership in pursuit of global peace. ALLATRA, which previously received Apostolic Blessings from both Pope Francis in 2024 and Pope Leo XIV in 2025, has been recognized for advancing humanitarian dialogue. “It is a profound honor to speak at the Vatican’s Pontifical Academy of Sciences,” Burns said. “At a time when the world faces division and despair, faith must again become the bridge between nations. Peace is not merely the work of governments—it is the sacred duty of all people of conscience.”
This invitation, according to the release, reflects international recognition of Burns’ tireless efforts to promote peace, reconciliation, and freedom through interfaith diplomacy and moral leadership. The Vatican’s openness to such voices underscores its commitment to building bridges across faiths and nations, especially in an era marked by polarization and conflict.
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV made his first state visit as pontiff to Italy, meeting President Sergio Mattarella at the historic Quirinal Palace on October 14. As reported by Catholic News Service, the pope’s journey—complete with a military escort and the stately Italian cavalry—was rich in symbolism and ceremony. In private and public remarks, Pope Leo XIV and President Mattarella discussed the urgent challenges facing both Italy and the world: war, migration, ecology, and the country’s declining birthrate.
“In a climate of cordial respect, the Catholic Church and the Italian state collaborate for the common good—at the service of the human person, whose inviolable dignity must always remain at the forefront of decision-making and action at all levels of social development, especially in defending the most fragile and needy,” the pope told Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and senior cabinet members. He lamented the “grave suffering that wounds humanity worldwide and demands urgent yet farsighted responses.”
Pope Leo XIV renewed his “heartfelt appeal that we continue to work to reestablish peace in every part of the world,” emphasizing the principles of justice, equity, and cooperation as the irreplaceable foundation of peace. He also looked ahead to the 800th anniversary of St. Francis of Assisi’s death in 2026, calling it a chance to “highlight the urgent issue of caring for our common home.” Quoting Pope Francis, he reminded Italy of its mission to promote a culture that “recognizes the earth as ‘a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us.’”
On the demographic front, the pope expressed concern about Italy’s declining birthrate and called for robust government support for families, including dignified work and better conditions for motherhood and fatherhood. “Let us do everything possible to give confidence to families—especially young families—so that they may look to the future with serenity and grow in harmony,” he urged.
Migration and human trafficking also featured prominently in the discussions. Pope Leo XIV thanked Italy for its “generous assistance” to migrants and its efforts to combat trafficking. He encouraged Italians to maintain their “attitude of openness and solidarity,” stressing that migrants must be helped to integrate by learning “the values and traditions of Italian society.”
As the Vatican prepares for the launch of the Religious Freedom in the World Report 2025 and Pope Leo XIV’s participation in World Food Week at the FAO in Rome on October 16, these events highlight a papacy deeply engaged with the world’s wounds and hopes. In words and deeds, the Vatican is striving to offer a vision of unity, justice, and compassion—reminding all that the work of peace and human dignity is never finished, but always worth pursuing.
