On the recommendation of the Catholic bishops of mainland China in consultation with the Chinese government, Pope Francis has named two bishops from the country's mainland as members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Cardinal Louis Sako said he would like more Vatican support as he tries to regain formal recognition as the Chaldean patriarch in the country.

Grim developments on the southern U.S. border and the "frustrating" lack of immigration reform were on the minds of some 1,500 Southern California Catholics at the annual Mass in Recognition of All Immigrants Sept. 17 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

The Vatican urged members of the U.N. Security Council to be "creative and courageous artisans of peace and weavers of constructive dialogue" to find a peaceful solution to the war in Ukraine.

Several Catholic priests held a ceremony blessing same-sex couples outside Cologne Cathedral on the night of Sept. 20 in a protest against the city’s conservative archbishop, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki.

Saint Vincent de Paul, PriestOffice of Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer | Night Prayer | MassSt Vincent de Paul (1581 - 1660) He was born in Aquitaine and became a priest. He devoted his whole life to the service of the poor. He founded a congregation of priests for missionary work, groups of laymen to help paupers and galley-slaves, and, with St Louise de Marillac, the Sisters of Charity.See the article in the Catholic Encyclopaedia.

Tuesday of week 25 in Ordinary Time, or Saints Cosmas and Damian, Martyrs Office of Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer | Night Prayer | Mass(SS. Cosmas and Damian) They are buried at Cyrrhus in Syria, where a basilica was constructed in their honour. In the fifth century their cult spread rapidly through the entire Church. Nothing whatever is known about them, and many extravagant legends have grown up; but despite the fact that many pagan mythological stories have attached themselves to them, it is certain that they did really exist.See the article in the Catholic Encyclopaedia.

Monday of week 25 in Ordinary TimeOffice of Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer | Night Prayer | Mass(Saint Finbarr (c.550 - c.620)) He was Bishop of Cork in the 6th century and is patron saint of the city and diocese. See the article in Wikipedia.(Blessed Władysław of Gielniów, Priest)

25th Sunday in Ordinary TimeOffice of Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer | Night Prayer | Mass(Our Lady of Ransom) (St Stephanie) Very little is known about St Stephanie who was martyred at Denderah in Egypt in the fourth century. Stephanie, who was only 18 years old, suffered death together with about 500 Christians who were accused of preferring Christ to the local gods. Their faith and courage are a great challenge for us today.(Our Lady of Walsingham) The lady of the manor of Walsingham in Norfolk, Richeldis de Faverches, was instructed by a vision of the Virgin Mary to build in her village an exact replica of the house in Nazareth in which the Annunciation had taken place. The vision occurred, according to tradition, in 1061, though a more likely date for the construction of the shrine is a hundred years later. This feast celebrates the shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Walsingham, one of the great pilgrimage centres of medieval times. The original house was destroyed at the Reformation, but the Shrine was re-established at King’s Lynn in 1897 and the Slipper Chapel became the National Shrine in 1943. The Shrine was raised to the rank of Minor Basilica by Pope Francis in 2015.East Anglian Ordo (Blessed Émilie Tavernier-Gamelin (1800 - 1851)) She was born at Montréal on 19 February 1800. She married in 1823 but was widowed four years later and devoted her life, and her fortune, to charitable works.Inspired by her, Bishop Ignace Bourget founded a new religious congregation, which he named the Daughters of Charity, Servants of the Poor, and Émilie Tavernier-Gamelin became its first Superior. The congregation grew and grew, serving the poor, the sick, the old and the insane. The congregation is generally known as the Sisters of Providence and it now serves in nine countries: Canada, the United States, Chile, Philippines, Argentina, El Salvador, Cameroon, Haiti and Egypt.Mother Émilie Gamelin was beatified by Pope John Paul II on 18 December 2000.(Saint Rupert, Bishop) (Blessed Anton Martin Slomšek, Bishop)

Saint Pius of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio), PriestOffice of Readings | Morning Prayer | Evening Prayer | Night Prayer | MassSt Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968) He was born in the small village of Pietrelcina in southern Italy, and joined the Capuchin friars at the age of 16. He became a priest seven years later, and spent fifty years at the monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo, where he was very much sought after as a spiritual advisor, confessor, and intercessor. Many miracles were popularly ascribed to him during his lifetime. He died a few days after the fiftieth anniversary of his receiving the stigmata, and over 100,000 people attended his funeral.(Saint Adomnan of Iona (627/8 - 704)) (His name is written as Adamnan or Adomnan and anglicised as Eunan). He was educated by the Columban monks of his native place, subsequently becoming a novice at Iona in 650. In 679 he succeeded to the abbacy of Iona, which position he held up to his death. He was also president-general of all the Columban houses in Ireland. During his rule he paid three lengthy visits to Ireland, one of which is memorable for his success in introducing the Roman dating and celebration of Easter. On his third visit (697) he assisted at the Synod of Tara, when the Cain Adamnain, or Canon of Adamnan (the “Law of Innocents”) was adopted, which freed women and children from the evils inseparable from war, forbidding them to be killed or made captive in times of strife. He is famous for his Life of St Columba, written some time after 688, which has been praised as the best and most complete biography written in Europe for many centuries.