IN BRIEF
POPE AT AUDIENCE: ‘THE CHURCH IS THE MYSTERY MADE PERCEPTIBLE’: During his weekly general audience, Pope Leo XIV reflected on Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution ‘Lumen gentium,’ emphasizing that the Church ‘is the mystery made perceptible’ and is a sign of reconciliation in the midst of a fragmented humanity. “The Church is the mystery made perceptible,” Pope Leo XIV said today, Ash Wednesday, as he continued his catechesis series on the Second Vatican Council. He said “Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, which presents the Church as both a sign and an instrument of this plan of salvation. A sign because the Church community makes the unity established by Christ through his Cross and Resurrection visible to the world today. An instrument because it is through the Church that God achieves his goal of uniting people to himself and bringing them together. As we journey through a world still marked by division, let us ask the Lord to continue to guide his Church in the mission of sanctification and reconciliation.” Pope at Audience: ‘The Church is the mystery made perceptible’ – Vatican News and General Audience of 18 February 2026 – Catechesis. The Documents of Vatican Council II. II. Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium. 1. The mystery of the Church, sacrament of the union with God, and the unity of all humanity
POPE: SUCCESSOR OF PETER MUST BE FREE TO SPEAK TRUTH, PROMOTE PEACE: Meeting with members of the Pro Petri Sede Association, Pope Leo XIV affirms that the Successor of Peter must have the freedom to speak truth, denounce injustice, and defend the weakest. Pope Leo XIV met on Wednesday with members of the Pro Petri Sede Association, which works to support the Successor of Peter. He recalled that the association’s members are the distant heirs of the Papal Zouaves, an infantry battalion of young Catholic men who volunteered to assist Pope Pius IX in defending the Papal States. In his address, the Pope praised the Pro Petri Sede Association for its efforts to support the Apostolic See. Pope: Successor of Peter must be free to speak truth, promote peace – Vatican News
NEW VIDEO WIDGET FOR CATHOLIC WEBSITES WITH POPE’S LATEST NEWS AND VIDEOS: Pope Leo XIV has sent a note to Bishops inviting them to embed Vatican News’ new video widget in the web pages of dioceses, parishes, and organizations linked to the Catholic Church, which will be automatically updated with our latest news and videos. “Dear brother, this initiative by Vatican News is a tool for evangelization; it offers an opportunity to create a network and exchange gifts between Rome and the Church in your country. It is a way for your parishes and communities to constantly obtain information from the primary source.” CLICK HERE TO VIEW A PREVIEW OF THE WIDGET : To generate it in the language of your choice and according to the desired dimensions (both horizontal and vertical layouts are available, as well as the font for the text), click here: https://www.vaticannews.va/widget/embed.html After entering all the required details, a customized code will be generated that can be copied for embedding. This is a one-time operation to be performed by the website’s webmaster, as the video widget will then update automatically without any further intervention. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2026-02/video-widget-vatican-news-embed-websites-information-dioceses.html
NEW MOBILE APP DEDICATED TO EUCHARISTIC MIRACLES AND ST. CARLO ACUTIS: The St. Carlo Acutis Shrine & Center for Eucharistic Encounter in Malvern, Pennsylvania, launches a new mobile app inspired by the young Italian St. Carlo Acutis. On February 14, 2026, the St. Carlo Acutis Shrine & Center for Eucharistic Encounter in Malvern, Pennsylvania, launched a new mobile app dedicated to Eucharistic miracles and inspired by the young Italian saint. “Carlo used the technology of his time to bring people closer to Jesus in the Eucharist,” said Mary Bea Damico, Executive Director of The Saint Carlo Acutis Shrine at Malvern Retreat House. New mobile app dedicated to Eucharistic miracles and St. Carlo Acutis – Vatican News
Joan's Rome 