While Pope Francis is in Mongolia Aug. 31-Sept. 4, not only will the geopolitical undertones of the visit be on full display, but so will his affinity for the global and ecclesial peripheries, as he meets one of the Catholic Church’s smallest flocks.
Pope Francis has appointed Father Robert M. Pipta, who is a priest of Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix and a seminary rector in Pittsburgh, as bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, Ohio.
Temüjin, a fearsome general and emperor of the Mongols, is better known to history by his title “Genghis Khan,” which roughly translates as “universal leader.” In the 13th and 14th centuries, he formed the largest empire the world has ever known by uniting all Mongol tribes under his rule.
Pope Francis confirmed plans to publish a “second Laudato Si’,” which is expected to update and expand on his 2015 encyclical on the environment.
In a video series published ahead of Pope Francis’ Aug. 31-Sept. 4 visit to Mongolia, Cardinal Giorgio Marengo said the papal trip showcases the pope’s love of the peripheries and allows the voice of one of the Church’s smallest flocks to be heard.
Russian clergy and lay Catholics were “caught by surprise” by the pope’s remarks in a video call Aug. 25 to a youth gathering in St. Petersburg praising the country’s past empire and urging young people to “never give up this heritage.”
The head of the Ukrainian Catholic Church said Ukrainians were shocked when Pope Francis told Russian Catholic youths to be proud of their heritage and cited two historic Russian leaders that, the archbishop said, are “the worst example of imperialism and extreme Russian nationalism.”
In a wide-ranging conversation with Jesuits in Portugal during his visit to Lisbon for World Youth Day earlier this month, Pope Francis touched on several hot-button topics, including criticism of his papacy among U.S. Catholics, outreach to the LGBTQ+ community, and problems of chastity among clergy.
The top-ranking U.S. military officer told reporters he and Pope Francis discussed the war in Ukraine, especially the war’s impact on the people there.
African American Catholics plan to visit the Vatican in November to promote the cause for Mother Mary Lange, one of six African American Catholics who are candidates for sainthood.
