Pope Francis described Kazakhstan as “a unique multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious laboratory” that reveals its “peculiar vocation, that of being a country of encounter.” The pontiff visited there September 13-15 for the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held in the capital Astana, a bridge between East and West. Our director – who was part of the papal retinue – recounts the stages of the trip and their significance in Francis’ Journey to Kazakhstan, ‘Country of Encounter’.

On the last day the pope met with 19 Jesuits working in the Russian Region of the Society of Jesus, which includes three countries: Russia, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. The conversation with them was frank and familiar in tone. Francis believes the Russian invasion of Ukraine is “a war world,” and reflecting on how to stand by the people in ‘Freeing Hearts From Hatred’.

A Poet Martyr – Robert Southwell (1561-1595) takes us back to the dramatic story of the anti-Catholic persecution of Elizabethan times and one of its most eminent victims. But the spirit that animates him is not confrontational; on the contrary, today can be read in the ecumenical spirit of reconciliation.

As we enter the tenth year of Francis’ pontificate, ‘Either an Evangelizing Church or a Worldly Church’ offers a brief summary of the main lines of thought of Francis on the Church and its mission in today’s society.

‘Love Does Not Live By Words’ Saint Teresa of Calcutta, 25 Years After Her Death looks at the history as well as the work of the Missionaries of Charity since then and also the spiritual trials she lived through.

Also in the issue:

Toward The Next Global Financial Crisis?, Gaël Giraud
1522: Martin Luther’s New Testament in German, Giancarlo Pani
The Work and Inculturation of Chinese Jesuit Wu Li, You Guo Jiang
The ‘Catechism of the Catholic Church’ is 30 Years Old, Federico Lombardi
Robert Bresson’s Close Encounter with Ignatius of Loyola, Piero Loredan
Who Are Scientists? Prometheus, Icarus, John the Baptist and scientific research, Paolo Beltrame
25 Years of Google, Paul A. Soukup
Benedict XV, 100 Years After His Death, Giovanni Sale

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