A Tennessee bishop has told his parishes to stop praying the St. Michael Prayer together at Mass. The prayer was written by Pope Leo XIII, and it's being set aside under Pope Leo XIV. Plus: Pope Leo is home after lung cancer surgery, and Michael Haynes of the Catholic Herald brings the latest on his
recovery and on the 30 theologians just named to advise the Vatican on doctrine.

Bishop Mark Beckman of Knoxville says communal prayers recited "immediately before, during, and immediately after Mass," including the Prayer to St. Michael, should end, and he has asked priests to "catechize the people of God as we move away from" them. Michael Matt of The Remnant joins Joe on the Knoxville directive, Bishop Rob Mutsaerts' talk at the 2026 Catholic Identity Conference ("The answer to a Catholic crisis cannot be less Catholicism. It must be more."), and the riots spreading from France across Europe while too many bishops sit on the fence.

Michael Haynes walks through where Pope Leo XIV stands after doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung and confirmed adenocarcinoma, including what the Vatican has said, what it hasn't, and what it means for Assisi and his trip to South America. He also breaks down today's overhaul of the International Theological Commission: 24 new members, 6 reconfirmed, 30 in all.

SCRIPTURE (Douay-Rheims):

• Apocalypse 12:7 — "And there was a great battle in heaven, Michael and his angels fought with the dragon."
• James 5:14-15 — "Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church... And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man."
• Matthew 16:18 — "Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

FURTHER READING:

• Pope Leo XIII, Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel (prayers after Low Mass, 1886)
• Sacred Congregation of Rites, Inter Oecumenici (26 September 1964)
• Pope Francis, Traditionis Custodes (16 July 2021)

IN THE NEWS:

• LifeSiteNews — Bishop bans St. Michael prayer at the end of Masses https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/bishop-bans-st-michael-prayer-at-the-end-of-masses/
• The Remnant — The Catholic Response to a (Synodal) Church in Crisis | Bishop Mutsaerts, CIC 2026
  https://www.remnantnewspaper.com/the-catholic-response-to-a-synodal-church-in-crisis-bishop-mutsaerts-cic-2026/
• EWTN News — Pope Leo XIV leaves Gemelli Hospital, returns to Vatican https://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/pope-leo-xiv-leaves-gemelli-hospital-returns-to-vatican
• Vatican News — Pope Leo XIV appoints members of International Theological Commission
  https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-10/pope-leo-xiv-appoints-members-international-theological-commissi.html
• EWTN News — French bishops appeal for calm as riots and looting sweep France https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/europe/french-bishops-condemn-riots-call-for-peace-amid-arson-attacks-looting

MICHAEL J. MATT:

• The Remnant: https://remnantnewspaper.com/
• X: https://x.com/Michael_J_Matt

MICHAEL HAYNES:

• Per Mariam: https://www.permariam.com/
• X: https://x.com/MLJHaynes

Please keep the Holy Father in your prayers. And if this helped you make sense of the week, send it to a Catholic friend who's trying to do the same.

#StMichaelPrayer #PopeLeoXIV #MichaelMatt #BishopMutsaerts #CatholicNews #TraditionalLatinMass #ACatholicTake #Catholic

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