Catholics of Dublin have a dedicated cathedral for the first time in 500 years following Pope Leo XIV’s decision on Nov. 14 to designate St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral as the Irish capital’s official Catholic cathedral.

Mercy High School freshman Mia Smothers has been chosen to ask a question of Pope Leo XIV during the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis, a four-day gathering of 15,000 young Catholics from across the country, running Nov. 20-23.

Religious orders of men and women must continue perfecting their efforts to ensure the safety and integrity of every child, every person they meet and every member of their order, Pope Leo XIV said.

In its 2025 report, the Vienna-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians, or OIDAC, noted “a significant rise in personal attacks” against Christians in 2024.

While “creation is crying out” and millions of people suffer the effects of climate change and pollution, politicians are failing to act, Pope Leo XIV said.