Pope Leo XIV, who is spending two weeks on summer holiday at the papal estate in Castel Gandolfo, encouraged people in his Sunday homily to embrace the summer season as a time to deepen their relationship with God through silence,

The Catholic Church will continue to allow blessings for same-sex couples — but not recognition for their unions as “marriages” — under Pope Leo XIV, a Vatican official said this week, continuing a precedent set by the late Pope Francis.