Italian Jesuit Fr Paolo Dall’Oglio "is alive and is being treated well by his kidnappers", a prominent opponent of the Assad regime has said. Pope Francis may visit Lebanon during a projected visit to the Middle East next year. The Pope named a new apostolic nuncio to the Dominican Republic yesterday, replacing Archbishop Józef Wesołowski, who was recalled to Rome after abuse allegations. Sandro Magister argues that last month's interview with Jesuit publications was "the first true 'encyclical'” of Pope Francis". Journalist Chris Brummitt makes a rare unescorted trip to a Vietnamese village where Catholicism is thriving despite repression. Megan Fincher says Vatican Cardinal Peter Turkson is "in the middle of a genetically modified food fight". And Dante scholar Robert Pogue Harrison explains "why The Divine Comedy remains the most generous work in literary history". Follow me on Twitter @lukecoppen for updates throughout the day