2-8 March 2026

Vatican News

Vatican hosts seminar on AI and ethics (Photo: Vatican News)On Monday, 2 March, in Rome, the Secretariat for the Economy and the Office of Labor of the Apostolic See (ULSA) hosted a seminar titled “Potential and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence” at the Salone San Pio X. Opening the event, ULSA Director Professor Pasquale Passalacqua said Pope Leo XIV had “appreciated and encouraged” the initiative, calling for greater awareness of AI’s complexities. Speakers including Bishop Paul Tighe, Father Paolo Benanti, and Professor Corrado Giustozzi examined ethical concerns, geopolitical pressures, and the need for morally grounded AI governance, with Bishop Tighe highlighting the human need for “wisdom of the heart” to navigate rapid technological change. Read more →

Pope Leo XIV receives the President of the Republic of Malta (Photo: Vatican News)Pope Leo XIV met with Maltese President Myriam Spiteri Debono at the Vatican on Monday morning. She then held talks with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul R. Gallagher, focusing on the international situation, especially the Middle East and Ukraine. The Holy See Press Office described the discussions as cordial, noting strong bilateral relations and cooperation between Malta and the Church. They also addressed migration and demographic challenges. Read more →

Caritas Europa calls for local leadership at heart of humanitarian action (Photo: Vatican News)Caritas Europa released a report on 2 March titled “Advancing local leadership in humanitarian action: Tracking progress, challenges and opportunities,” urging a shift in power so local actors lead rather than implement aid. Abriel Schieffelers, Caritas Europa’s Humanitarian Advocacy Officer, told Vatican News that short-term grants still sideline local organisations from decision-making. Caritas Europa President Monsignor Michael Landau stressed that local leadership reflects the Church’s social mission but remains underfunded and under-trusted in the wider humanitarian system. The report warns that recent cuts by USAID and European donors leave local groups bearing heavier burdens, risking unsustainable, transactional partnerships. Read more →

Activities of the General Council

Statistics of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate – 2026 (Photo: OMI World)The General Secretariat at the General House in Rome released the 2026 statistics for the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, showing a slight increase in membership from 3,307 in January 2025 to 3,331 in January 2026. The data, compiled from reports submitted by Oblate Provinces, Delegations, and Missions worldwide, includes figures on vows, ordinations, departures, and deaths. Among the 3,331 Oblates in 2026 are one cardinal, eight archbishops, 37 bishops, and one Apostolic Prefect. The statistics reflect updates from previous years due to occasional delays in reporting. Read more →

Mission and the Classroom: Oblates Gather in Cedara (Photo: OMI World)The General Mission Committee of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate held its 2026 assembly at St. Joseph’s Theological Institute in Cedara from February 23 to 27, focusing on the role of higher education in their mission. Twenty-four Oblates from various regions gathered to explore how education serves the poor, with Fr. Lizwelinjani Mlotshwa, Provincial of Southern Africa, emphasizing listening to communities and responding with concrete support. Bishop Neil Frank and Fr. Joseph Phiri highlighted education as a missionary tool and stressed the importance of mental health in academic settings, while Fr. Raymond Mwangala concluded the day with Mass, underscoring prayer as central to their work. Read more →

Regional Activities

Europe

Letter for the Bicentennial of the Pontifical Approval of Our Congregation (Photo: OMI World)On 17 February 2026, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate marked the bicentennial of their pontifical approval with a letter from Rome reflecting on the legacy of Saint Eugene de Mazenod and the call to recognize, embrace and walk forward in their charism. The letter expressed gratitude for the year-long celebrations, including congresses, retreats and pilgrimages, culminating in a papal audience with Pope Leo XIV. It highlighted the Oblates’ humble origins in 1826 and their enduring mission, honoring 30 beatified brothers and two lay associates who lived the charism through martyrdom. The text urged the Oblates to reclaim their dignity by seeing God’s presence in their history and heroic witnesses, preparing for their third centenary. Read more →

Canada and United States

Choosing the Story of Grace: 200 Years of Oblate Mission (Photo: OMI World)The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate marked the 200th anniversary of the approval of their Constitutions and Rules in the Notre-Dame-du-Cap Province of Canada. Reflecting on the bicentenary, Oblate Father Nnaemeka Ali shared a parable about feeding either the "wolf of gratitude" or the "wolf of anger," choosing to emphasize the Oblates' legacy of perseverance and mission. Despite a shrinking and aging community, many members remain committed, including priests, brothers, associates, and young people, as seen during a jubilee celebration at Sacred Heart Parish in Ottawa. The event highlighted how the Oblate charism continues to inspire the whole Church. Read more →

Spirituality and Oblate Charism

Pilgrimage of Hope: With Our Charismatic Family in Indonesia and Australia (Photo: OMI World)This Lent, Superior General Luis Ignacio Rois Alonso, OMI, began a pilgrimage to Indonesia and Australia to meet Oblates and others in the charismatic family, reflecting on how they live their mission as a minority Church. In Indonesia, where Christians are a small minority within a largely Islamic society, and in Australia, where faith often meets indifference, he seeks to listen and learn. The journey, set against a backdrop of global conflict and rising violence, including the war in the Middle East, is framed as a call to pray for peace and to actively build it through prayer and lived witness. He invites the Oblate family to join him in prayer and solidarity as he walks this path in communion with them. Read more →

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