Matteo Zuppi

In Rome last week, and this is kind of related, because this to me speaks to the, I don't even know what you'd call it, Vatican amnesia maybe, about the world situation, the reality of where the world is today.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who's president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, he unveiled something called fact sheets for understanding Islam.

Now, this is for Catholic religion teachers in the state-run school in Italy.

It was drafted by Muslim organizations, and they presented, in Vatican News' own description, the Koran as, quote, the revealed word of God, end quote.

For instance, LifeSite here reports this.

This is Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the head of the Italian bishops' conference, with an asterisk next to that because the actual head of the Italian bishops is the pope.

And I don't mean that because he's pope and he's the head of every bishops' conference, but he is the head of the church in Italy in addition to being just the earthly head of the church.

But Cardinal Matteo Zuppi is the head of the Italian episcopal conference.

And apparently false religions can speak for God now.

What's the point of being Catholic if that's true? Headline from Sign of the Cross and Life site, Cardinal Zupi suggests false religions promote peace in the very name of God.

And he said it's always been that way, which is not even true.

This is from the article.

He thanked Pope Leo for his support and for the Holy See's work to secure the release of prisoners and detain civilians and the return of Ukrainian children transferred away from their homes.

The Major Archbishop highlighted Cardinal Matteo Zuppi's recent visit to Ukrainian prisoners in a Russian detention facility, describing it as a sign that no one is forgotten.

He also spoke of the challenges facing Ukrainians as another winter approaches, with infrastructure damaged by bombardment, and he appealed for solidarity from the international Catholic community.

That solidarity will take concrete form next week when the Papal Almanac Archbishop Luis Marín de San Martín travels to Ukraine.

He thanked Pope Leo for his support and for the Holy See's work to secure the release of prisoners and detain civilians and the return of Ukrainian children transferred away from their homes.

The Major Archbishop highlighted Cardinal Matteo Zuppi's recent visit to Ukrainian prisoners in a Russian detention facility, describing it as a sign that no one is forgotten.

He also spoke of the challenges facing Ukrainians as another winter approaches, with infrastructure damaged by bombardment, and he appealed for solidarity from the international Catholic community.

That solidarity will take concrete form next week when the Papal Almanac Archbishop Luis Marin de San Martin travels to Ukraine.

In this episode, today in church history from 1962, the meditation, the imitation of Jesus Christ.

Today's news from the church, Cardinal Zupi, the reassuring face of modernism, a preview of the sermon, what does it mean to forgive, and today's thought from the archbishop.

But first, the collect of today's Mass.

Guard thy household, we beseech thee, O Lord, with unceasing care, that under thy protection it may be free from all harm and serve thee by good deeds.

From this perspective, questioning contemporary ecclesiastical directives when they appear to conflict with that inheritance is not an exercise in Protestant individualism, but an application of the personal responsibility that Catholic moral theology itself requires.

To read this full article, please see the link in our show notes.

Now a preview of today's sermon.

What does it mean to forgive? As Christians, we must forgive.

At the conclusion of the meeting, participants are expected to sign and proclaim a joint message of peace addressed to the world.

In addition to the Pope, Cardinal Zuppi will also be present, not only in his capacity as president of the Italian Bishops' Conference.

The gathering will feature the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, Indonesia's Minister of Religious Affairs and Imam of Jakarta's Mosque, and Hala al-Karib, a Sudanese activist.

The Chief Rabbi of France will also be present.

Messages of closeness to the Pope have been coming in from all over the world.

Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the United Sc- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement that the bishops and faithful of the country will be praying for the Pope.

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

Similarly, Italian Bishops' Conference, through their president, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, also assured the Pope of their prayers.

"We thank Pope Leo for the simplicity and trust with which he share, he has shared this trial with us.

We are a family.

In the headlines this Sunday, the 4th of October, Poplio reflects on God's unfailing love and renews his appeal for peace in the Holy Land.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi says war is not our destiny, as Assisi marks 800 years since the death of Saint Francis.

And the season of creation draws to a close with a call to carry care for our common home into everyday life.

In the Vatican, I'm Francesca Merlo.

In the past few days, the weather in this region has also taken a turn for the worse, with heavy rainstorms across much of the Mediterranean.

For Vatican Radio, this is Nathan Morley reporting.

Meanwhile, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi celebrated Mass in Assisi on the Saints' feast day, marking 800 years since the death of Saint Francis.

Sebastian Sanson-Ferrari reports.