Schengen Travel Friction: Nine EU countries, including France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, have been allowed to pause full rollout of the entry-exit system (EES) until end-2026 as facial and fingerprint tech readiness lags, after months of long queues and missed flights. Ukraine Diplomacy: Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said Holy See peace efforts on Ukraine have produced “rather limited” results, but vowed to keep humanitarian diplomacy and maintain direct communication channels, including with Moscow. AI and Youth Protection: A Vatican-linked moral theologian warned AI can “super manipulate” young minds, calling for safeguards akin to a “brain helmet,” as Vatican advisors and global leaders press for tighter oversight. Pope’s Formation Mandate: Pope Leo XIV told the new Leo XIV International Study Center to form people ready for public and political life for the common good, rooted in Church social teaching. World Youth Day Seoul 2027: Delegates from 160 dioceses and movements met in Seoul to review preparations and stress that WYD is about inviting young people to encounter Christ, not just attendance. Vatican Arts & Heritage: St. Peter’s Basilica completed a mosaic restoration in the Clementine Chapel dome, preserving early 1600s artwork commissioned by Pope Clement VIII. Fulton Sheen Beatification Build-up: Illinois preparations continue for Sheen’s Sept. 24 beatification in St. Louis, with a schedule of Holy Hours and events leading to the Mass. Pope Leo in France: Details emerged for Leo XIV’s Sept. 25–28 France trip, including UNESCO and an encounter in Metz on Europe, peace and unity, while reports say he declined French state honours.