The Holy See's Permanent Observer to the Organisation of American States (OAS) addresses its Permanent Council, reflecting on democracy, human rights, security, and development.

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The Director of L'Osservatore Romano, Andrea Monda, reflects on the 95th birthday of Vatican Radio as a key tool of Vatican communications, saying, 'God favors radio.'

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From Guglielmo Marconi’s first radio transmission in 1931 to today’s digital and AI era, Vatican Radio marks 95 years of service to the Pope, the Gospel, and communities around the world.

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‘All my affection and gratitude.’ Those are Princess Elettra Marconi's words on the 95th anniversary of Vatican Radio, inaugurated by her father Guglielmo on 12 February 1931 at the invitation of Pope Pius XI.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Ignorance of sacred Scriptures is ignorance of Jesus Christ, Pope Leo XIV said during his weekly general audience.

"The ultimate purpose of reading and meditating on the Scriptures," he said Feb. 11, is "to get to know Christ and, through Him, to enter into a relationship with God, a relationship that can be understood as a conversation, a dialogue."

Also, with the season of Lent beginning in one week, Feb. 18, the pope said the season "is a time for deepening our knowledge and love of the Lord, for examining our hearts and our lives, as well as refocusing our gaze on Jesus and his love for us." 

"May these coming days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving be a source of strength as we daily strive to take up our own crosses and follow Christ," he said during his audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall.

In his main catechesis, Pope Leo continued his series of talks on Vatican II, specifically the Dogmatic Constitution "Dei Verbum," on divine revelation and the Word of God.

The word of God is a source of comfort, guidance and strength for Christians, he said, and it should be shared with others, too, he said.

"Indeed, we live surrounded by so many words, but how many of these are empty!" he said.

"On the contrary, the Word of God responds to our thirst for meaning, for the truth about our life," he said. "It is the only Word that is always new: revealing the mystery of God to us, it is inexhaustible, it never ceases to offer its riches."

Sacred Scripture is "the means by which we come to know the incarnate living Word of God who is Jesus Christ," the pope said in his summary in English. "Indeed, praying with Scripture opens the door for an intimate relationship with God who, through these sacred writings, invites us into conversation with him." 

"As St. Jerome rightly points out, ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of God," he said, encouraging all faithful to read and reflect on the word of God every day, so that it may "nourish our hearts and our minds and lead us to the fullness of life."

Speaking to Portuguese-speaking visitors, Pope Leo said prayerfully reading the word of God is a special kind of "nourishment" and an invigorating "medicine in moments of weakness"; from it, the faithful can draw "light and comfort."

"Christians are called to listen to the word of God, to keep it in their hearts, and to put it into practice in their daily lives, because it is alive, effective and a light on their path," he told Arabic-speaking visitors, which included members of the Sisters of Nazareth living in Haifa, Israel.

Pope Leo said in his English summary that there is a "profound and vital connection" between the word of God and the Catholic Church.

"Sacred Scripture, which has been entrusted to the Church and is guarded by her, reveals its meaning and manifests its strength in the life and faith of the Church, above all in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist," he said. 

"For this reason, the Church continually meditates upon and interprets Scripture because it is the means by which we come to know the incarnate living Word of God who is Jesus Christ," he added. 

To mark the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, celebrated Feb. 11, Pope Leo began the general audience with lighting a candle placed in front of a statue of Our Lady, and he joined in singing the "Immaculate Mary," also known as the Lourdes Hymn, with the thousands of faithful in the hall.

After the general audience, he visited the replica of the grotto at Lourdes in the Vatican Gardens and lit a candle there, too, "as a sign of my prayer for all the sick, whom we remember with particular affection today, World Day of the Sick."

Gathered together with a small group of people experiencing illness and those who care for them, the pope said, "We pray for you." 

Thanking them for taking part in the moment of prayer, he said, the feast day "reminds us of the closeness of Mary, our mother, who always accompanies us and teaches us so much: what suffering means, what love means, what it means to entrust our lives into the hands of the Lord."

WASHINGTON – Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, 76, from the Office of Archbishop of New Orleans. On the same day, Coadjutor Archbishop James F. Checchio, will assume the pastoral governance of the archdiocese.

The announcement was publicized in Washington, D.C. on February 11, 2026, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

Archbishop Checchio’ biography may be found here.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans is comprised of 4,208 square miles in the State of Louisiana.

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As the Church celebrates the 34th World Day of the Sick, Cardinal Michael Czerny celebrates Mass in Chiclayo, Peru, and invites Christians to care for one another, especially in moments of illness or pain.

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U.S. President Donald Trump is to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House to discuss a possible deal with Iran, as many continue to die in Gaza despite the ceasefire.

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This World Day of the Sick and feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, Pope Leo XIV welcomes a group of sick people in front of the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens, and reminds them that the Blessed Mother teaches us the meaning of suffering and love.

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With Ramadan and Lent starting on the same day, Church leaders in the Philippines see the moment as a rare opportunity for Muslims and Christians to deepen prayer, solidarity, and mutual understanding.

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