WASHINGTON — Pope Leo XIV spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call Wednesday afternoon. “The pope made an appeal for Russia to take a gesture that would favor peace, emphasizing the importance of dialogue to create positive contacts between the parties and seek solutions to the conflict,” Holy See Press Office Director […]
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis on Christmas Day delivered the traditional urbi et orbi address and blessing in Vatican City, inviting all individuals and nations to “silence the sound of arms and overcome divisions.” Delivering his Christmas Day message overlooking crowds of thousands of international pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square from the Central Loggia of […]
Five months ago, I wrote a column titled “Dangerously close to nuclear war – please pay attention!” Now some will no doubt say that since nuclear war did not occur this column was a false alarm. Not so. Rather, nuclear war was postponed by the loving intervention of the God of creation, the God of […]
The nine nuclear-armed states – United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel – “continued to modernize their nuclear arsenals 2023.” This alarming statement from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s recently released “SIPRI Yearbook 2024,” should serve as a wake-up call that nuclear-armed powers have no intention to dismantle […]
Pope Francis during his Wednesday general audience invoked the intercession of St. Stanislaus, patron saint of Poland, for peace in Ukraine and Israel.
In a recent interview with the Italian newspaper La Stampa, Pope Francis powerfully stated, “I will never tire of reiterating my call, addressed in particular to those who have political responsibility: ‘Stop the bombs and missiles now, end hostile stances (everywhere).’ … A global cease-fire is urgent: either we do not realize it, or we […]
During the recent World Youth Day in Portugal, one of the 10 young people who had the unique opportunity to enjoy lunch with Pope Francis, Peruvian Clara Yacolca Farfan, 24, told Catholic News Service, “Some of us asked for his advice on how young people today can face some issues that are difficult, that are […]
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis has invited Catholics to annually renew an act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25. The solemnity of the Annunciation on Saturday marks one year since Pope Francis consecrated Russia and Ukraine to the Blessed Virgin Mary in St. Peter’s Basilica with a prayer asking for […]
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis will soon pack his bags for his first foreign trip of 2023, a year that promises to be as busy as ever. The pope, who celebrated his 86th birthday Dec. 17, can move quickly – in a wheelchair – and keeps saying in interviews that a functioning head and […]
What is the greatest lesson you learned from Covid-19? For Pope Francis it is that “we all need one another.” So true, and yet, so often ignored. With this essential, foundational life lesson, the Holy Father builds a New Year’s invitation for global peace. In his Jan. 1, 2023, World Day of Peace message […]
