WHAT A PAPAL AGENDA LOOKS LIKE…
Pope Leo returned to Rome from his first international Apostolic trip to Turkiye and Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon, December 2, and went directly to Castelgandolfo for a day of rest. Hopefully he did get some rest before he returned to Rome last evening because today, December 4, he had a huge morning of audiences, including Archbishop Giovanni d’Aniello, apostolic nuncio in Russia and Uzbekistan; Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the General Secretariat of the Synod; Peter Pellegrini, president of the Slovak Republic, and entourage; Cardinal Raymundo Damasceno Assis, archbishop emeritus of Aparecida, Brazil; with Bishop Antônio Luiz Catelan Ferreira, auxiliary of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro; Fr. Giuseppe Adobati Carrara, C.P., Superior General of the Congregation of the Passion of Jesus Christ (Passionists); Ms. Florence Mangin, ambassador of France, on her farewell visit; Alfredo Vásquez Rivera, ambassador of Guatemala, on his farewell visit; and President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh of Mongolia, and entourage.
Pope Leo and President of Mongolia –
Pope Leo and President of Slovak Republic –
To be honest, there are many days when the papal agenda looks like this: audiences with apostolic nuncios, cardinals and bishops from around the world, both reigning and emeritus, heads of offices in the Roman Curia (many have fixed weekly appointments), heads of State and government as well as delegations from organizations and institutions, civil and religious, as they celebrate anniversaries, meet in a plenary session or come to Rome on a pilgrimage.
Not to mention weekly general audiences, including the special Jubilee Year audiences on Saturdays this year, liturgies and special events such as the upcoming celebration on December 8 of the Immaculate Conception, known as the Immacolata in Italy where it is a national holiday. The Pope will pray the noon Angelus that day and, in the afternoon, will visit Pza. di Spagna to pay homage to the statue of Mary Immaculate atop a pillar in the square. There is also the December 12 Mass for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Mass for the Jubilee of Prisoners on December 14. On December 12 at 6 pm In the Paul VI Hall, there will be a concert, conducted by celebrated Maestro Riccardo Muti in honor of and in the presence of Pope Leo XIV who will award Muti with the 2025 Ratzinger Prize.
Muti has strong ties to Pope Leo’s native Chicago, He was Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) from 2010 until the summer of 2023, and has been named Music Director Emeritus for Life of the CSO.
Corriere della Sera photo
And now we know how special Pope Leo’s time will be each week when he can go to Castelgandolfo on Monday afternoon, spend the night and entire day Tuesday is this special, beautiful, restful setting!
POPE LEO SUPPRESSES COMMISSION FOR DONATIONS TO THE HOLY SEE
As a result of consultations with the Council for the Economy and other experts, Pope Leo XIV issues a chirograph suppressing the Commission for Donations to the Holy See, which had been established by Francis on 11 February 2025.
By Christopher Wells (Vatican News)
With a chirograph (a papal decree intended for the Roman Curia) signed on 29 September but released today, 4 December, Pope Leo XIV suppresses the Commission for Donations for the Holy See, less than ten months after its establishment by Pope Francis in February 2025.
Francis had intended to the new commission to promote donations from the faithful, episcopal conferences, and other potential benefactors in support of the mission and charitable work of the Holy See. The chirograph establishing the commission was signed on 11 February 2025 and made public two weeks later, on 26 February, while Francis was hospitalized at the Gemelli Policlinic in Rome.
In the new chirograph, Pope Leo writes, “The issue of donations and fundraising for the Holy See represents an important aspect of the bond of unity and charity between the particular Churches and the Apostolic See, particularly from the perspective of the effective exercise of the Petrine ministry.”
He goes on to note that the Council for the Economy, charged with overseeing the administrative and financial structures and activities of the Holy See “has devoted particular attention” to the study of fundraising for the Holy See, and made “several recommendations aimed at reshaping the current institutional structure responsible for managing this area.”
In accordance with the procedures outlined in Praedicate Evangelium, after evaluating the suggestions of the Council and consulting experts, Pope Leo goes on to approve the content of the Council’s “resolution and recommendations,” beginning with the suppression of the Commission for Donations to the Holy See. CONTINUE: Pope Leo suppresses Commission for Donations to the Holy See – Vatican News
PETROCCHI COMMISSION SAYS NO TO FEMALE DIACONATE, THOUGH JUDGMENT NOT DEFINITIVE
A report presenting the results of the Commission’s work has been released. It rules out admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders, but says that it is not currently possible “to formulate a definitive judgment, as in the case of priestly ordination.”
By Vatican News
“The status quaestionis of historical research and theological investigation, as well as their mutual implications, rules out the possibility of moving in the direction of admitting women to the diaconate understood as a degree of the sacrament of Holy Orders. In light of Sacred Scripture, Tradition, and the Church’s Magisterium, this assessment is strongly maintained, although it does not at present allow for a definitive judgment to be formulated, as is the case with priestly ordination.”
The above is the conclusion reached by the second commission chaired by Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi, Archbishop emeritus of L’Aquila, Italy, which — at the request of Pope Francis — had examined the possibility of proceeding with the ordination of women as deacons and concluded its work in February. This is explained in the seven-page report the Cardinal sent to Pope Leo XIV on 18 September and which is now being made public at the Pope’s request.
During its first working session (2021), the Commission determined that “the Church has, at different times, in different places, and in various forms, recognized the title of deacon/deaconess with reference to women, though attributing to it no univocal meaning.” In 2021 the theological discussion unanimously concluded that “a systematic study of the diaconate, within the framework of the theology of the sacrament of Holy Orders, raises questions about the compatibility of the diaconal ordination of women with Catholic doctrine on ordained ministry.” The Commission also unanimously expressed support for the establishment of new ministries that “could contribute to synergy between men and women.”
In the second working session (July 2022), the Commission approved (with seven votes in favor and one against) the statement quoted in full at the beginning of this article, which rules out the possibility of proceeding toward the admission of women to the diaconate as a degree of Holy Orders, but without issuing “a definitive judgment” at this time.
At the last working session (February 2025), after the Synod had allowed anyone who wished to submit contributions, the Commission examined all the material received. “Although many interventions were submitted, the persons or groups who sent their writings numbered only twenty-two and represented few countries. Consequently, although the material is abundant and in some cases skillfully argued, it cannot be considered the voice of the Synod, much less of the People of God as a whole.”
The report summarizes arguments for and against; Petrocchi Commission says no to female diaconate, though judgment not definitive – Vatican News
Joan's Rome 