Vatican & World News 12.10.2026

Laudator Jesus Christus, Vatican and World News.

Today, Monday, October 12th, is the Feast of St. Carlo Acutis. And these are today's headlines.

Pope Leo will be admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday, where he'll undergo surgery to remove a small, localized lung nodule.

Cardinal Gerald Lecrae says the church needs to be present to families and go out to meet them where they are.

And in Geneva, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher says migrant and refugee children must be welcomed, not merely assisted.

In the Vatican, I'm Christopher Wells.

Our top story today, Pope Leo XIV is scheduled to be admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital late in the morning on Tuesday, October 13th.

for surgery to remove a localized nodule in his lung.

The Pope announced the upcoming operation at Sunday's Angelus, explaining that the small localized nodule had been discovered during recent medical examinations.

Responding to journalists' questions about the Pope's health on Monday,

Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, clarified that the examinations had been routine checks.

He also confirmed that the Pope's hospital stay following surgery expected to last approximately one week, as had been indicated on Sunday.

Following yesterday's announcement, messages of support for Pope Leo have been pouring in from churches and political leaders across all five continents, as Devin Watkins reports.

Soon after Pope Leo XIV announced on Sunday that he will undergo surgery this week, prayers have poured in from Christian leaders for his quick recovery.

Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Bishops' Conference, invited everyone to offer a prayer for the Pope and his medical team.

May the hand of Pope Leo's surgeons be guided by the divine physician Jesus Christ, he said.

In Chicago, Cardinal Blaise Cupich asked the diocese of the Pope's birthplace to pray for his swift and complete recovery.

Cardinal Robert McElroy asked every priest in the Archdiocese of Washington to offer Mass for the Holy Father's health.

Across Latin America, bishops also expressed their closeness.

The Peruvian bishops praised the Pope's fortitude and humility, entrusting his recovery to the Lord of Miracles.

In Argentina, the bishops prayed for strength, peace, and a successful operation, placing him under the maternal care of the Virgin Mary.

Colonel Daniel Sturla of Montevideo called for prayers as Uruguay continues preparing for the Pope's visit in November.

In Asia, Archbishop Arpondrathana invited Catholics throughout Thailand to accompany the Pope in prayer.

In the Philippines, Archbishop Gilbert Garcia asked bishops and priests to offer Mass.

He encouraged families and religious communities to offer the rosary, daily sacrifices, and acts of charity for the Pope's healing.

Prayers also came from the Archbishop of Canterbury, who asked for God's protection, closeness, and care.

With Christians across the country and around the world, wrote the head of the Anglican Communion, I pray for the Pope's swift recovery.

I'm Devin Watkins. Pope Leo held all his scheduled audiences on Monday morning,

including an audience of members of the Circo di San Pietro, an organization in Rome that assists the most vulnerable,

and he emphasized the importance of Christian charity as a guiding force.

Founded in 1869, the Cercolo San Pietro manages soup kitchens, runs welcome centers and shelters, and more.

Isabella de Carvalho has the story.

May charity always be the source of your prayer, the soul of your action and the expression of your spiritual sacrifice, Pope Leo XIV told the members of the Circo di San Pietro.

The Pope thanked them for their work, noting that they helped shape the beautiful face of the Church, which bears witness to the Gospel among the poor and the most vulnerable.

Drawing inspiration from the motto of the association, Prayer, Action and Sacrifice, Pope Leo reflected on the word charity, which he said sums up and encapsulates the other three.

He first highlighted the importance of prayer as the foundation of charity, as it nurtures our relationship with God.

Prayer is

precisely that relationship through which we receive the very charity we are called to give, he explained, urging those present to always return to the word of God and prayer as a source of strength for their service.

Publio then turned to the second word of their motto, action, which he says indicates where one should place the love received from God, which becomes a commitment to life and service.

Prayer becomes effective when it is directed toward our neighbor, he noted.

Love must become the goal, the way and the meaning of our lives.