Browsing News Entries
Holy See and diplomats echo Pope Leo’s call for an ‘unarmed’ peace
Posted on 01/29/2026 13:34 PM ()
An interreligious service hosted by the Holy See’s Mission to the UN in Geneva gathers diplomats and religious leaders to reflect on Pope Leo XIV’s 2026 World Day of Peace Message amid escalating global conflicts. Cardinal Pizzaballa and the ICRC stress the urgent need for justice, humanitarian law, and a “demanding hope” grounded in dialogue and human dignity.
Pope Leo expresses gratitude for 800 years of Toledo Cathedral
Posted on 01/29/2026 13:25 PM ()
Pope Leo sends a letter to the faithful of Toledo in which he highlights the spiritual, historical and social richness of the Primate Cathedral and encourages participation in the liturgical and cultural events planned for 2026.
Pope: May the Olympics promote welcome, solidarity, and peace
Posted on 01/29/2026 12:35 PM ()
Pope Leo sends a telegram for the arrival of the Athletes’ Cross at the Church of San Babila in Milan, where it will be kept for the entire duration of the Winter Olympics.
Pope holds surprise lunch with Peruvian bishops
Posted on 01/29/2026 12:00 PM ()
The Peruvian bishops describe Pope Leo's unexpected participation at a lunch in Rome as “a gesture of closeness and communion”.
President of USCCB calls for Holy Hour for the United States
Posted on 01/29/2026 09:53 AM ()
Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issues a call to pray for renewal in the United States and in people’s hearts in the midst of the “current climate of fear and polarization”.
Deadly violence in Minneapolis tied to ICE agents is 'unacceptable,' top cardinal says
Posted on 01/29/2026 09:30 AM (USCCB News Releases)
ROME (CNS) -- Asked about the deadly shootings by U.S. federal agents in Minneapolis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said the violence unfolding there is "unacceptable."
"The position of the Holy See is always to avoid any kind of violence, obviously, and therefore we cannot accept episodes of this kind. That is our position, as you know," he told reporters when asked about operations underway by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota, which have led to the shootings and deaths of two U.S. citizens.
"Difficulties, problems and contradictions must be resolved in other ways," he said Jan. 28, describing the situation as "unacceptable" and agreeing with recent statements by U.S. bishops.
The cardinal spoke with reporters on the sidelines of an evening event at LUMSA University in Rome Jan. 28.
Asked about the possibility of the U.S. sending ICE agents to the Winter Olympics in northern Italy as part of security measures for the U.S. delegation, the cardinal said he was aware of the proposal, "but I know there is also controversy surrounding it. We don't get involved" in such controversies.
Meanwhile, secretary-general of the Italian Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi, told reporters during a news conference Jan. 28 that "We hope that respect for public order will be ensured as much as possible by our own (Italian) authorities," adding that there has been no official statement from the conference on the issue.
Bishop Chairmen Call on Administration to Extend Protections for Haitians in the United States
Posted on 01/29/2026 09:30 AM (USCCB News Releases)
WASHINGTON - “There is simply no realistic opportunity for the safe and orderly return of people to Haiti at this time,” said Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, together with Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace.
The bishops’ statement follows U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, effective February 3, based on a determination the country no longer meets the conditions for the designation. Over 300,000 Haitians in the United States are covered by the current designation.
The U.S. Department of State’s own travel advisory for Haiti is Level 4, the highest level, because of “life-threatening risks” that include kidnapping, terrorist activity, and civil unrest; meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration is currently prohibiting any flights from the United States to Haiti’s capital.
Bishop Cahill and Bishop Zaidan’s full statement follows:
“We are deeply concerned about the plight of our Haitian brothers and sisters living in the United States who will soon have their legal status and work authorization revoked due to the Administration’s termination of TPS for Haiti. There is simply no realistic opportunity for the safe and orderly return of people to Haiti at this time.
“We do not dispute that TPS is intended to be ‘temporary,’ as is often pointed out as a rationale for ending it, which is why we have reaffirmed on so many occasions the need for Congress to create viable opportunities for longtime residents with TPS, regardless of nationality, to request a more durable legal status. However, so long as Congress fails in this regard, and the current conditions in Haiti persist, the onus is on the executive branch to act in a just and merciful way.
“The Trump Administration still has the opportunity to do the right thing—to safeguard human life, to uphold the law, and to promote greater stability for people in this country and beyond. TPS was created by Congress with these very goals in mind, and the ongoing conditions in Haiti are precisely the sort warranting TPS. We urge the Administration to act accordingly by extending this vital relief for Haitians.
“Most importantly, we reaffirm the U.S. Church’s solidarity with our Haitian brothers and sisters, wherever they may be. We turn to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Patroness of Haiti, for her intercession; may she always be a source of strength and comfort for the Haitian people.”
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Translation of Bishops’ statement in Haitian Creole:
Men Deklarasyon konplè Evèk Cahill ak Evèk Zaidan:
“Nou enkyete anpil pou frè ak sè ayisyen nou yo ki ap viv Ozetazini e ki kapab pèdi estati legal yo ak otorizasyon pou travay akòz desizyon Administrasyon an pran pou mete fen nan TPS pou Ayiti. Pa gen okenn opòtinite reyalis pou retounen moun Ayiti san danje ak nan lòd kounye a.
“Nou pa kont lide ke TPS fèt pou l ‘tanporè,’ jan sa souvan itilize kòm rezon pou mete fen nan li. Se poutèt sa nou toujou repete anpil fwa bezwen pou Kongrè a kreye opòtinite solid pou rezidan ki gen TPS depi lontan, kèlkeswa nasyonalite yo, pou yo mande yon estati legal ki pi dirab. Sepandan, toutotan Kongrè a pa reponn a bezwen sa a, e toutotan kondisyon aktyèl yo Ayiti kontinye egziste, se devwa pouvwa egzekitif la pou l aji avèk jistis ak mizèrikòd.
“Administrasyon Trump toujou gen chans pou l fè sa ki dwat—pou l pwoteje lavi moun, pou l respekte lalwa, epi pou l ankouraje plis estabilite pou moun nan peyi sa a ak lòt kote. TPS se Kongrè ki te kreye li ak objektif sa yo, e sitiyasyon Ayiti jodi a montre byen klè rezon ki fè TPS egziste. Nou ankouraje Administrasyon an pou l aji kòmsadwa lè l pwolonje sekou vital sa a pou Ayisyen yo.
“Pi enpòtan toujou, nou renouvle solidarite Legliz Katolik Ozetazini ak frè ak sè ayisyen nou yo, kèlkeswa kote yo ye. Nou vire je nou sou Notre Dame du Secours Pèpétuel, Patronn Ayiti, pou entèsesyon li; ke li toujou yon sous fòs ak rekonfò pou pèp ayisyen an.”
View this release in Haitian Creole.
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Cardinal Ambongo highlights the enduring relevance of Ecclesia in Africa after three decades
Posted on 01/29/2026 08:54 AM ()
Ecclesia in Africa continues to be a pivotal document for the Church on the continent, even after 30 years. This affirmation was articulated recently by African Bishops meeting in Chad for a plenary assembly of the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACERAC).
Pope: Even amid crises, Church in Africa 'is a living, strong, dynamic reality’
Posted on 01/29/2026 06:12 AM ()
In a message to the Bishops of Central Africa, Pope Leo XIV recognizes the great challenges the pastors in their region face, and emphasizes that “faced with the evils that undermine society," including tribalism, interethnic conflicts, wars, and family divisions, "the Gospel calls for reconciliation and the pacification of hearts.”
Climate change causing the worsening of deadly floods in Africa
Posted on 01/29/2026 05:57 AM ()
A study carried out by scientists from different parts of the world shows the effects of climate change on the recent extreme weather events.