Religious quotes and news – October 5, 2025
Snippets of religious statements and highlights of events from around the world
Charity to Lazarus would have saved the rich man – Pope
In a homily on September 28, Pope Leo said: “If the rich man in the gospel had shown charity to Lazarus, he would have done good not only for the poor man but also for himself. If that nameless man had faith, God would have saved him. But his attachment to worldly riches robbed him of the hope for true and eternal good. When we are tempted by greed and indifference, the many ‘Lazaruses’ of today remind us of Jesus’s words. They serve as a catechesis for us, which is a time of conversion and forgiveness, of commitment to justice, and of sincere search for peace.”
Intersection of science and spirituality ‘an existential necessity’
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, in his Templeton Prize address, said: “Through the centuries, we have witnessed a tragic alienation – religion withdrawing to its sanctuaries, science retreating to its laboratories, each suspicious of the other’s claims upon truth. Let me propose an appeal – to see the intersection of science and spirituality not as an intellectual exercise but as an existential necessity. The future of our planet depends on our capacity to bring together the precision of scientific method with the perception of spiritual vision, the urgency of prophetic witness with the patience of contemplative practice.”
Gift of human life ‘a sign of hope defying the culture of death’
Bishop Daniel Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, chairperson of the US bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, wrote: “Every day we witness disregard for human life: through rising rates of abortion and assisted suicide; killing of innocent schoolchildren, even at prayer; mistreatment of our immigrant sisters and brothers as they endure an environment of aggression; and political and ideological violence inflicted against unsuspecting victims. Despite these realities, the gift of human life exists as a sign of hope to our world today, defying the powers of darkness and the culture of death.”
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)