After more than a decade without its most famous vacationer, the quiet town of Castel Gandolfo once again counts the pope among its summer residents.

Local churches and bishops worldwide will be instrumental in helping implement the proposals and foster the spirit of the 2024 final document of the Synod of Bishops on synodality, the Vatican synod office said.

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for July is for expanded formation in discernment.

Pope Leo XIV began his summer break July 6 at Castel Gandolfo, where he’ll stay through July 20. But don’t expect the Holy Father to simply relax.

Three North Americans are among recent appointees to Vatican dicasteries that address issues of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.

Pope Leo XIV’s appointment of the new president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors shows that safeguarding remains a top priority, its former president said.

Addressing the faithful gathered for his Sunday Angelus on July 6, Pope Leo offered a reflection on the missionary nature of the church, grounded in the Gospel of Luke.

Archbishop Thibault Verny is the new president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. He will put his French experience at the service of the universal church, while retaining his diocesan responsibilities.

Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori and Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly met July 4 in a private audience with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican to discuss the work of the order around the world.

Almost four years after Pope Francis opened the Catholic Church’s path toward synodality — a term many in the church had never heard before — his successor has thrown his support behind the last leg of the church’s synodal journey.