The Catholic Campaign for Human Development annual collection envelope — for those church parishioners who don’t use the electronic alternative, #iGiveCatholicTogether — announces that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ domestic anti-poverty program is “working on the margins.”

Before Pope Francis presides over Mass Nov. 17 for the World Day of the Poor, he will bless 13 keys to represent the 13 new houses he has pledged to pay for in Syria during the Holy Year 2025, the Vatican said.

In what is seen by the church of Paris as a triumphant return, the famous statue of the Virgin of the Pillar will be restored to her place in Notre Dame Cathedral Nov. 15.

The ruling Sandinista regime expelled the president of the Nicaraguan bishops’ conference, further decimating the country’s Catholic leadership as clergy are forced into exile.

There will be no white smoke nor a first blessing from the balcony. The election of the new leader of the world’s 85 million Anglicans won’t be similar to the Roman Catholic conclave, but King Charles III will have his say.

Christian martyrs from across denominations hold a place of honor in the church, Pope Francis said, highlighting their examples of faith and courage that continue to inspire Christians today.

Pope Francis met with a group of Israelis and their family members who were freed after being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas and other Palestinian militants.

Methods of further incorporating “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on care of creation, into the life of the church at the local and national level was a point of discussion for the U.S. bishops in Baltimore during their fall general assembly Nov. 13, and included the suggestion of returning to the church’s longtime practice of abstaining from meat on Fridays.

Archbishop Charles C. Thompson of Indianapolis, chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, updated his fellow bishops Nov. 13 in Baltimore on his committee’s plans to implement the ministry of the lay catechist, a ministry set forward by Pope Francis in his May 2021 apostolic letter “Antiquum Ministerium.”

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops wrapped up its fall plenary assembly’s final public session Nov. 13 in Baltimore, in which the bishops discussed topics ranging from the recent election, to synodality, to care for the environment, to life issues, including abortion and immigration.