Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 31 October 2026

Today's Holy See Press Office Bulletin, Saturday 31 October, so far contains six communications: Pope Leo XIV's address to delegations from the municipalities affected by earthquakes in Central Italy, the day's audiences, resignations and appointments, with a new Apostolic Visitator for Medjugorje and a new bishop of Soissons, the repeated notices of the briefing on the journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru and of the press conference on the Laudato Si' Action Platform, and the theme of World Mission Day 2027.

Address to the earthquake-hit municipalities of Central Italy. This morning, in the Apostolic Palace, the Pope received delegations from the municipalities affected by earthquakes in Central Italy, ten years after "the tragic series of earthquakes that struck your regions". Drawing on the Book of Nehemiah, which plays an important role in the Encyclical Magnifica Humanitas (no. 8), he pointed to "a twofold approach": the communal one, since the city is reborn "through the shared responsibility of the whole people", and a vision, "eyes capable of discerning, amidst the ruins, the blueprint for a home and a city". He recalled Saint Rita of Cascia, Saint Nicholas of Tolentino, Saint Benedict and Saint Francis of Assisi, and said that "ten years after the earthquake, we must devote all our energy to ensuring that the physical reconstruction takes place as quickly as possible, safely and transparently". With the prophet Haggai, he urged "starting anew from the centre, of starting anew from God, from people, from the common good, and from relationships". Bulletin

Audiences. This morning the Holy Father received in audience: Archbishop Filippo Iannone, O. Carm., Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops; Archbishop Dimas Lara Barbosa of Campo Grande, Brazil; Archbishop Nelson Jesus Perez of Philadelphia of the Latins, United States of America; Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life; delegations from the municipalities affected by seismic events in Central Italy; delegations from Villanova University and the University of Notre Dame. Bulletin

Appointments: Medjugorje and Soissons. The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the office of Special Apostolic Visitator for the parish of Medjugorje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, presented by Archbishop Aldo Cavalli, Apostolic Nuncio, and has appointed Bishop Francesco Cavina, emeritus of Carpi, in his place, "for an indefinite period and ad nutum Sanctae Sedis". He has also appointed the Reverend Martial Bernard, of the clergy of the diocese of Évry-Corbeil-Essonnes, until now vicar general and moderator of the Curia, as bishop of Soissons, France; born on 26 January 1978 in Bourg-la-Reine, he was ordained a priest on 25 June 2005. Bulletin

Journey briefing and Laudato Si' press conference. The Bulletin repeats two notices already issued yesterday: on Tuesday 3 November at 1 p.m. Director Matteo Bruni will hold a briefing at the Press Office on the programme of Pope Leo XIV's Apostolic Journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru (6-17 November 2026); on Wednesday 4 November at 12 noon the 5th annual report of the Laudato Si' Action Platform will be presented, with Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, F.M.A., Bishop Allwyn D'Silva, Sr. Roxanne Schares, SSND, Lorna Gold and Alonso de Llanes, streamed live on Vatican News' YouTube channel. Bulletin, briefing · Bulletin, press conference

Theme of World Mission Day 2027. "The love of Christ sends us forth" (cf. 2 Cor 5:14) is the theme chosen by Pope Leo XIV for the 101st World Mission Day, to be celebrated on Sunday 24 October 2027. The press release of the Dicastery for Evangelization recalls the Pope's words in his Message for World Mission Day 2026, "if unity is the condition of mission, love is its essence", and announces that the Holy Father's Message will be published at the start of next year. Bulletin

So far no other appointments in today's Bulletin.

Sources: Holy See Press Office, Bulletin of 31 October; Holy See Press Office, Italian

#LeoXIV #Vatican