USCCB Noticias

Reconciliation

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 01:56:52 GMT

St. Mark Catholic Church

Lenten Reconciliations

Tuesday March 24, 2026

6:30 p.m.

Iglesia Católica San Marcos

Reconciliaciones de Cuaresma

Martes, 24 de marzo de 2026

6:30 p.m.

March for Digininity of Human Life and an End to Mass Deportations

Sun, 22 Mar 2026 04:55:32 GMT

March and Vigil for Human Life and an End to Mass Deportations

Communion of faithful, not just clergy, shares role in safeguarding faith, pope says

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- All baptized Christians share in the Church's mission and, guided by the Holy Spirit, are fit for renewing and building up the Church, Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly general audience.

Every person who has been baptized is called to bear witness to Christ, and the whole Church, beyond its leaders, has a role in preserving the truth of the faith, the pope said March 18 in St. Peter's Square.

Continuing his series of reflections on the Second Vatican Council, the pope focused on the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church ("Lumen Gentium"), and the participation of the lay faithful in Jesus Christ's "priestly, prophetic and royal offices," that is, the offices of teaching, sanctifying and governing.

Everyone enters the Church as a layperson, he said. Through Baptism and Confirmation, the faithful are "more perfectly bound to the Church" and are endowed "with special strength" by the Holy Spirit, so that they are "more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith, both by word and by deed, as true witnesses of Christ," he said, quoting the document.

"This consecration is at the root of the common mission that unites the ordained ministries and the lay faithful," Pope Leo said. In fact, everyone is called to bear witness to the truth of the faith.

The Doctrinal Commission of the Council specified that the sense of faith "belongs to individual believers not in their own right, but as members of the People of God as a whole," the pope said.

The function of the Holy Spirit is to lead Christians to the truth, and because the entire body of the faithful is anointed by "the holy one," he said, "the Church, therefore, as the communion of the faithful -- which naturally includes the pastors -- cannot err in matters of faith."

"From this unity, which the Magisterium of the Church safeguards, it follows that every baptized person is an active agent of evangelization, called to bear consistent witness to Christ in accordance with the prophetic gift which the Lord bestows upon His whole Church," he said.

The Holy Spirit, who comes from the Risen Christ, he said, distributes"special graces" among all the faithful, who are then able to contribute to the renewal and building of the Church.

"Dear friends, let us rekindle in ourselves the awareness of and gratitude for having received the gift of being part of God’s people; and also the responsibility that this entails," he said.

Lenten Calendar

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 04:45:40 GMT

Calendario Cuaresmal 2026

2026 Lenten Calendar

Pope Leo calls for ceasefire in Middle East, special prayers for Lebanon

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 08:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Marking the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched their first attacks on Iran and since the Israeli military resumed strikes in Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV called for an immediate ceasefire.

"On behalf of the Christians of the Middle East, and of all women and men of good will, I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: cease fire!" he said March 15.

"May paths of dialogue be reopened! Violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace for which the people are waiting," he said after praying the Angelus with people gathered in St. Peter's Square.

"For two weeks now, the people of the Middle East have been suffering the horrific violence of war," the pope said. "Thousands of innocent people have been killed, and countless others have been forced to flee their homes. I renew my prayerful closeness to all who have lost loved ones in the attacks, which have struck schools, hospitals and residential areas."

"The situation in Lebanon is a cause for great concern," he added. "I hope that avenues for dialogue will emerge to support the country’s authorities in implementing lasting solutions to the serious crisis currently unfolding, for the common good of all the Lebanese people."

The next day, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Pope Leo about the "alarming developments in the conflict in the Middle East and the living conditions of the Palestinian people," according to a communique released by the Vatican press office.

"During the conversation, the Holy Father reaffirmed the Holy See's commitment to achieving peace through political and diplomatic dialogue, as well as through full respect for international law," the press office said.

God's name can never be used to justify 'absurd' pursuit of war, pope says

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 08:30:00 GMT

ROME (CNS) -- Believing problems and differences can be resolved with war is absurd, Pope Leo XIV said, chastising those who use God's name in their dark and deadly pursuits.

"God cannot be enlisted by darkness," he said in his homily during Mass in a parish on the outskirts of Rome March 15. "Rather, he always comes to bring light, hope and peace to humanity, and it is peace that must be sought by those who call upon him."

The pope was making his fifth and final visit to parishes in his Diocese of Rome in the run-up to Palm Sunday, which falls on March 29.

Earlier, the pope had prayed the Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, where he made an urgent appeal for a ceasefire in the Middle East.

"I appeal to those responsible for this conflict: cease fire!" he said after the noonday prayer. "May paths of dialogue be reopened! Violence can never lead to the justice, stability and peace for which the people are waiting."

Marking the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched their first attacks on Iran and since the Israeli military resumed strikes in Lebanon, Pope Leo said the people in the Middle East "have been suffering the horrific violence of war."

"Thousands of innocent people have been killed, and countless others have been forced to flee their homes. I renew my prayerful closeness to all who have lost loved ones in the attacks, which have struck schools, hospitals and residential areas," he said.

Expressing his deep concern for the situation in Lebanon, the pope said he hoped that the country’s authorities would be supported through dialogue "in implementing lasting solutions to the serious crisis currently unfolding, for the common good of all the Lebanese people."

Later in the day, the pope visited the Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the northeast edge of Rome to celebrate Mass with members of the local community on "Laetare" Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Lent.

In his homily, the pope noted the meaning of "laetare" is "rejoice" with the anticipation of Easter.

However, he said, so many of "our brothers and sisters around the world are suffering because of violent conflicts, sparked by the absurd notion that problems and differences can be resolved through war."

"Some even go so far as to invoke God’s name in these choices of death," he said. What is needed is "unceasing dialogue for peace."

"This is the message of this Sunday: no matter how deep the abyss into which a person may fall because of their sins, Christ comes to bring a brighter light, capable of freeing them from the blindness of evil, so that they may begin a new life," he said in his homily.

Pope Leo praised the parish, community leaders and volunteers for all they do to be "children of light" by serving the poor, the marginalized, immigrants, the exploited and inmates of the nearby Rebibbia prison.

Meeting with parish members outside together with young people and families, he said they are "a sign of hope in a world where pain, suffering and difficulties are often too great."

In his homily, he told the faithful to nurture God's gift of light "in all its gentleness, and spread it throughout the world through prayer, participation in the sacraments and charity."

Before praying the Angelus at noon, Pope Leo said faith is an invitation to open one's eyes to see "the suffering of others and the afflictions of the world."

Given so many "questions of the human heart, as well as the tragic situations of injustice, violence and suffering that mark our time, it is essential that our faith be alert, attentive and prophetic," he said.

"It should likewise open our eyes to the darkness of the world and bring to others the light of the Gospel through our commitment to peace, justice and solidarity," he said. May the light of Christ "open the eyes of our hearts and enable us to bear witness to him with simplicity and courage."

Church's unity comes from faith in Christ and from love, pope says

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 08:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) --The Catholic Church is made up of diverse people who are united by their faith in Christ and are called to welcome all of humanity, Pope Leo XIV said during his weekly general audience.

“Its unifying principle is not a language, a culture, an ethnicity, but faith in Christ,” he said in St. Peter's Square March 11.

Continuing his series of reflections on the Second Vatican Council, the pope focused on the Dogmatic Constitution "Lumen Gentium," which describes the Church as the “People of God.”

The Church is the assembly of “all those who in faith look upon Jesus,” he said, united not by nationality or culture but by their shared faith in Christ.

Pope Leo said this understanding is rooted in the Bible, pointing to God's covenant with Abraham and the people of Israel, which prepared the way for the new covenant established through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The pope said love is the law that governs relationships within the Church, as believers receive and experience it through Jesus. Through Christ, believers from every nation are united in faith, he said. The Church is the people of God who “draw their existence from the body of Christ and who are themselves the body of Christ.”

Rather than turning inward, the pope said, the Church must remain open to everyone.

“Unified in Christ, Lord and Savior of every man and woman, the Church can never turn inwards on herself, but is open to everyone and is for everyone,” he said.

In a world marked by conflict and division, Pope Leo added, the diversity of the Church is a sign of hope.

“It is a great sign of hope -- especially in our times, marked by so many conflicts and wars -- to know that the Church is a people in which women and men of different nationalities, languages and cultures live together in faith,” he said.

Before greeting Italian-speakers, the pope said he was close to the Lebanese people "in this moment of grave trial," following the death of Father Pierre El-Rahi. The Maronite priest was killed in an Israeli bombing of southern Lebanon March 9. The pope said his funeral was to be held March 11 in Al-Qlayaa, a Christian village.

"In Arabic, ‘Adrachi’ means shepherd. Father Pierre was a true shepherd who always remained close to his people with the love and sacrifice of Jesus, the Good Shepherd," he said in Italian. "As soon as he heard that some parishioners had been wounded in a bombing, without hesitation, he ran to help them."

Before the audience, Pope Leo met privately with Cardinal Dominique J. Mathieu, Archbishop of Tehran and Isfahan, Iran. The Belgian cardinal, who is a member of the Franciscans, arrived in Rome March 8 after being evacuated along with every member of the Italian Embassy, where he is based.

During the general audience, Pope Leo asked for prayers of peace in Iran and throughout the Middle East, above all for the many civilian victims and innocent children.

"May our prayer be a comfort to those who suffer and a seed of hope for the future," he said.

Jesus is close by, just open your eyes, Pope Leo tells young people

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 08:30:00 GMT

ROME (CNS) -- Every Catholic parish needs to show that Jesus, who promises a just, true and full life, is always near, Pope Leo XIV said.

"I encourage you to ensure that parish activities are a sign of a Church that -- like a mother -- takes care of her children, without condemning them, but rather welcoming them, listening to them, and supporting them in the face of danger," he told parishioners at the Church of St. Mary of the Presentation in Rome in his homily March 8.

"As a good and caring Shepherd, the Lord always waits for us and accompanies us, wherever we live and however we are. He mercifully heals our wounds and gives himself as a gift to us, enabling us in turn to become a gift for our brothers and sisters," he said.

Earlier in the day, before praying the Angelus at midday with people gathered in St. Peter's Square, the pope urged Catholics to be men and women of peace and charity, which the world is thirsting for.

"Let us ask Mary, Mother of the Church, to be able to serve, with Jesus and like Jesus, those men and women thirsting for truth and justice," he said. "This is not the time for opposition between one church and another, between 'us' and 'them': those who worship God seek to be men and women of peace, who worship him in Spirit and in truth."

Later in the early evening, Pope Leo made his fourth visit to a parish in Rome in the run-up to Easter. As bishop of Rome, he has been celebrating Mass and meeting with the faithful and priests in different parts of his diocese, most often in neighborhoods that face a variety of difficulties, such as poverty, violent crime and drug dealing.

"Young people risk growing up deceived by those who peddle death or disillusioned about the future," he said in his homily. "Many are waiting for a home, a job that ensures a dignified life, safe spaces where they can meet, play and plan something beautiful together."

"Men and women arrive at this parish wounded in spirit, their dignity injured and thirsting for hope," he said. "You have the urgent and liberating task of showing them the closeness of Jesus, his desire to redeem our existence from the evils that threaten it with a proposal for a just, true and full life."

The faithful can find strength in the Eucharist, he said, "and may the Gospel, which springs forth in us as a source of truth, help each of us to open our eyes, to wisely evaluate what is good and what is evil, thus forming free and mature consciences."

Before celebrating Mass, the pope met with families and young people outside.

"Jesus is coming to your home, in your heart, in your life. We have to be ready to open that door to find Jesus, who is waiting for us," he said.

"Jesus is close to us. Let's open our eyes!" he said, indicating the Lord can be found in those who suffer or seek help. "He asks us to bring them what we have received."

Pope Leo also urged the children to make peace with everyone in their lives as part of bringing peace to the world, which is "truly necessary today."

There is always a way to overcome disagreements and difficulties without resorting to bullying or violence, he told the children.

Before visiting the parish in the early evening on the outskirts of Rome, Pope Leo prayed the Angelus at midday at the Vatican.

The pope highlighted the day's Gospel reading of the Samaritan woman meeting Jesus at the well (John 4:5-42).

"According to custom, he ought to have simply ignored that Samaritan woman; instead, Jesus speaks with her, listens to her and shows her respect -- without a hidden agenda and without disdain," he said.

"How many people seek in the Church this same sensitivity, this availability! And how beautiful it is when we lose track of time in order to give attention to the person we are encountering," he said.

So many people in the world are searching "for this spiritual spring," he said, quoting the Dutch Jewish writer Etty Hillesum, who was killed at age 29 in the Auschwitz death camp in 1943: "Sometimes I am there too. But more often, stones and grit block the well, and God is buried beneath. Then he must be dug out again."

"Dear friends, there is no energy better spent than that dedicated to freeing our heart," the pope said.

El Papa: Los consagrados son fuente de paz. Muchos permanecen donde retumban las armas

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:44:00 GMT

En la Misa de la XXX Jornada Mundial de la Vida Consagrada, celebrada en la Basílica de San Pedro, León XIV explica que la vida religiosa, «con su sereno desapego de todo lo transitorio, enseña la inseparabilidad entre el más auténtico cuidado de las realidades terrenas y la amorosa esperanza en las eternas».

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Pope to religious: Even where weapons roar, you are witnesses to Jesus

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:13:00 GMT

Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass on the 30th World Day for Consecrated Life, praising consecrated men and women for living out their steadfast faith even in the most difficult of circumstances, and inviting them to be 'leavens of peace' and 'signs of hope.'

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Russia confirms new peace talks with Ukraine despite deadly drone attacks

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 16:14:00 GMT

Russia confirms that a new round of U.S.-mediated peace talks will be held with Ukraine this week in Abu Dhabi after a brief pause amid concerns over the human cost of a war in which combined military casualties on both sides are estimated to be approaching two million.

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Pope’s Peace Day message emphasizes restorative approach to peacebuilding

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 13:27:00 GMT

Throughout the United States, the Catholic Church is using restorative approaches to transform historical injustices, respond to crime and incarceration in communities, and as a practical tool to heal wounds of division at the local and diocesan level, according to the Executive Director of Catholic Mobilizing Network.

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Segundo Diálogo Nacional por la Paz: un compromiso plural por México

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:04:00 GMT

El encuentro, realizado en la Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara, convocó a representantes de todos los sectores del país para articular acciones concretas de construcción de paz, integrando a las juventudes, víctimas y comunidades locales.

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Pope sends blessings for 2026 Winter Olympics, cross arrives in Milan

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS)-- As the Olympic flame continued its journey toward the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Games, Pope Leo XIV shared his blessing, welcoming the event as an opportunity to promote peace, solidarity and encounter through sport.

Ahead of the opening of the Olympic Games in Milan Feb. 6, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, sent a telegram to the Diocese of Como, where some of the Olympic competitions will be held, as well as where a Olympic Village is located, and another to Archbishop Mario Delpini of Milan, as that city welcomed the "Cross of Athletes."

In a telegram Jan. 30, Cardinal Parolin said Pope Leo was sending warm wishes and an apostolic blessing to the Catholic community in Como. The Vatican released copies of the telegrams the same day.

"He expresses his deep appreciation for their fervent cooperation in this sporting event and hopes that it will be an opportunity to promote the authentic values of sport: loyalty, respect, team spirit and sacrifice, as well as social inclusion and the joy of encounter," the telegram said in Italian.

The telegram went on to say that the pope "encourages the parish communities of the territory to experience this significant event with willingness, offering a generous Christian witness so that they may be a bright sign of the presence of Christ who calls all to fraternity ."

The cardinal also sent a telegram to Archbishop Delpini Jan. 29 on behalf of the pope, stating that Pope Leo "hopes that this important event will awaken feelings of friendship and fraternity, strengthening awareness of the value of sport in the service of the integral development of the human person."

He wrote that the pope was sharing his apostolic blessing and prayed that "these days of healthy competition will contribute to building bridges between cultures and peoples, promoting welcoming, solidarity and peace."

Pope Leo reiterated that the Olympics sends a powerful message of fraternity and hope for peace after praying the Angelus Feb. 1. He also shared his best wishes to the organizers and athletes.

"I hope that all those who care about peace among peoples and are in positions of authority will take this opportunity to make concrete gestures of détente and dialogue," he said.

The Olympic Cross, sent by the Vatican's Dicastery for Culture and Education, has been delivered to the local diocese of every city hosting the international sports competition since the London Olympics in 2012.

Athletica Vaticana, the Vatican's official sports association, presented the cross to Milan's Basilica of San Babila during an evening Mass Jan 29. Recognized in 2019, the co-ed organization includes Vatican employees, both lay and clergy and promotes sport as a tool for education, inclusion and peace. It also represents the Holy See in international sporting events.

The cross was placed on the altar of the basilica, where it will remain until the end of the Paralympics, the archdiocese of Milan said in a press release.

During the Mass, the telegram from Pope Leo was read aloud, and Archbishop Delpini said in his homily that sports were a "school of asceticism, morality, humanity, life, courage, and imagination," according to the press release.

"In this church, we welcome the sign of the crucified body. The Athletes' Cross is more of a crack of light than a figure: the body of Christ, crucified for love, is the opening to go beyond and embrace the mystery," Archbishop Delpini said in his homily. "The absent body encourages questions, observation and attention."

León XIV pide la tregua olímpica durante los Juegos de Invierno

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 12:10:00 GMT

Milán-Cortina 2026, pero también Portugal, Mozambique y la República Democrática del Congo: en sus llamamientos tras la oración del Ángelus, la oración del Papa se dirigió a las víctimas de la violencia y de las catástrofes ambientales.

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El Papa: Las bienaventuranzas son una prueba de la felicidad

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:10:00 GMT

Antes de rezar la oración mariana del Ángelus este domingo 1 de febrero de 2026, León XIV recuerda que las Bienaventuranzas revelan la luz de Dios en la historia, elevan a los humildes y ofrecen consuelo a quienes el mundo descarta. La verdadera felicidad no se compra ni se conquista, se recibe y se comparte “a causa de Cristo”.

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Pope at Angelus: Beatitudes can become a measure of happiness

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 11:05:00 GMT

During his Sunday Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV insists that living the Beatitudes can bring us happiness, bring light to the world’s shadows, and renew our hearts.

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El Papa: Todos están llamados a la plenitud de la vida cristiana y a la caridad

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:50:00 GMT

Este sábado 31 de enero, en los Jardines Vaticanos, el Santo Padre bendijo la imagen de Santa Rosa de Lima y un mosaico de la Santísima Virgen María, que representa las diversas advocaciones con la que es venerada en el Perú. El Papa: “Los animo a ser, con la gracia de Dios, testimonio y ejemplo de esa santidad en el mundo de hoy. Porque esa es la voluntad de Dios: nuestra propia santificación”.

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Pope: St. Rose of Lima a shining example of our vocation to holiness

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:35:00 GMT

Pope Leo XIV blesses a Marian mosaic and an image of St. Rose of Lima in the Vatican Gardens, and upholds the first saint born in the Americas as an example of our earthly journey of sanctification.

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Pope Leo: 'No peace is possible while humanity wages war against itself'

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:36:00 GMT

Pope Leo XIV tells young participants in the Political Innovation Hackathon’s 'One Humanity, One Planet' Conference that 'there can be no peace while humanity wages war against itself,' and warns that 'no policy can genuinely serve the people if it denies the unborn the gift of life, or if it neglects to support those in need.'

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El Papa a los jóvenes políticos: no habrá paz si se descarta a los débiles

Sat, 31 Jan 2026 11:30:00 GMT

León XIV se reúne en el Vaticano con cien líderes de todo el mundo, protagonistas del congreso «One Humanity, One Planet»: «Solo quien cuida de los más pequeños puede hacer cosas realmente grandes».

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Pope releases prayer intentions for 2027

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 16:42:00 GMT

Human dignity, art, life, migrants, the elderly, young people, and artificial intelligence: these are some of the themes of the prayer intentions that Pope Leo has entrusted to his Worldwide Prayer Network for next year.

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Las intenciones de oración del Papa León XIV para el año 2027

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 14:30:00 GMT

“El poder de la oración, el cuidado de la salud integral, el valor de la dignidad humana, el arte como don que nos humaniza, el desarrollo tecnológico al servicio del bien común, el buen uso de la IA, la vocación de los jóvenes”, son algunos de los temas al centro de las intenciones de oración que el Santo Padre confía a su Red Mundial de Oración para el año 2027.

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Pope: Young people, be next generation of intercessors for world’s needs

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:46:00 GMT

Pope Leo XIV meets with the leadership and members of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and thanks them for their work. He encourages them to continue their mission and invite young people to take part.

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Deadly violence in Minneapolis tied to ICE agents is 'unacceptable,' top cardinal says

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 09:30:00 GMT

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.

Cardinal Tagle: St. Rose of Lima inspires a new missionary movement

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:55:00 GMT

A conference at the Pontifical Gregorian University focuses on the figure of Pervuian saint, Rose of Lima, ahead of the installation of a statue of the saint on January 31 in the Vatican Gardens.

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Pope Leo: May horror of genocide never again be inflicted upon any people

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:26:00 GMT

At the conclusion of the General Audience, Pope Leo recalls International Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed on 27 January, and invokes “the gift of a world without antisemitism,” free from prejudice, oppression, and persecution, and founded on “mutual respect and the common good.”

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El Arzobispo Coakley convoca a una Hora Santa como momento de renovación para nuestros corazones y nuestra nación

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:30:00 GMT

WASHINGTON – “Su fe importa. Sus oraciones importan. Sus actos de amor y obras de justicia importan”, dijo el Arzobispo Paul S. Coakley, Presidente de la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos. “El clima actual de miedo y polarización, que se intensifica cuando se ignora la dignidad humana, no cumple con el estándar establecido por Cristo en el Evangelio”, continuó, y como un paso hacia la sanación, invitó a los obispos y sacerdotes de los Estados Unidos a ofrecer una Hora Santa por la Paz.

A continuación, se presenta la reflexión completa y la invitación del Arzobispo Coakley:

Muchas personas hoy se sienten impotentes ante la violencia, la injusticia y los disturbios sociales. A quienes se sienten así, deseo decirles claramente: su fidelidad importa. Sus oraciones importan. Sus actos de amor y obras de justicia importan.

Estoy profundamente agradecido por las innumerables maneras en que los católicos y todas las personas de buena voluntad continúan sirviendo a los demás y trabajando por la paz y la justicia. Ya sea alimentando a los hambrientos, acogiendo al forastero , cuidando a los enfermos, acompañando a los que experimentan la soledad, visitando a los encarcelados o esforzándose a diario por amar a sus prójimos, ninguna obra de misericordia ni acto de justicia es en vano ante los ojos de Dios. Si bien las leyes deben ser respetadas, las obras de misericordia, la asamblea pacífica y el cuidado de las personas en nuestra comunidad son signos de esperanza y construyen la paz con mayor certeza que la ira o la desesperación. Cristo nos recuerda que incluso «un vaso de agua fría» dado en su nombre no quedará sin recompensa (cf. Mt 10:42).

El reciente asesinato de dos personas por agentes de inmigración en Minneapolis y el de un hombre detenido en Texas son solo algunos de los trágicos ejemplos de la violencia que representa el fracaso de nuestra sociedad en respetar la dignidad de toda vida humana. Experimentamos duelo ante esta pérdida de vidas y deploramos la indiferencia y la injusticia que representa. El clima actual de miedo y polarización, que se alimenta del desprecio por la dignidad humana, no cumple con el estándar establecido por Cristo en el Evangelio.

Como un paso hacia la sanación, invito a mis hermanos obispos y sacerdotes de todo Estados Unidos a ofrecer una Hora Santa por la Paz en los próximos días. Oremos por la reconciliación donde hay división, por la justicia donde se violan los derechos fundamentales y por el consuelo para todos aquellos que se sienten abrumados por el miedo o el dolor. Animo a los católicos de todas partes a participar, ya sea en parroquias, capillas o en la intimidad de sus corazones, ante la presencia del Señor, pidiendo la sanación de nuestra nación y nuestras comunidades.

Que esta Hora Santa sea un momento de renovación para nuestros corazones y para nuestra nación. Confiando nuestros miedos y esperanzas al Sagrado Corazón de Jesús, pidamos al Señor que nos convierta en instrumentos de su paz y testigos de la dignidad inherente de cada persona.

Oremos juntos, con la certeza de que Dios escucha el clamor de su pueblo y permanece cerca de todos los que lo buscan.

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Archbishop Coakley Calls for Holy Hour as a Moment of Renewal for Our Hearts and Our Nation

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:30:00 GMT

WASHINGTON – “Your faith matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter,” said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel,” he continued, and as a step toward healing, invited bishops and priests across the United States to offer a Holy Hour for Peace.

Archbishop Coakley’s full reflection and invitation follow:

Many people today feel powerless in the face of violence, injustice, and social unrest. To those who feel this way, I wish to say clearly: your faithfulness matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter.

I am deeply grateful for the countless ways Catholics and all people of good will continue to serve one another and work for peace and justice. Whether feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger , caring for the sick, accompanying the lonely, visiting the imprisoned, or striving daily to love their neighbors, no work of mercy or act of justice is ever wasted in the eyes of God. While proper laws must be respected, works of mercy, peacefully assembling, and caring for those in your community are signs of hope, and they build peace more surely than anger or despair ever could. Christ reminds us that even ‘a single cup of cold water’ given in his name will not go unrewarded (cf. Mt 10:42).

The recent killing of two people by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis and that of a detained man in Texas, are just a few of the tragic examples of the violence that represent failures in our society to respect the dignity of every human life. We mourn this loss of life and deplore the indifference and injustice it represents. The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel.

As a step toward healing, I invite my brother bishops and priests across the United States to offer a Holy Hour for Peace in the days ahead. Let us pray for reconciliation where there is division, for justice where there are violations of fundamental rights, and for consolation for all who feel overwhelmed by fear or loss. I encourage Catholics everywhere to participate, whether in parishes, chapels, or before the Lord present in the quiet of their hearts for healing in our nation and communities.

May this Holy Hour be a moment of renewal for our hearts and for our nation. Entrusting our fears and hopes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us ask the Lord to make us instruments of his peace and witnesses to the inherent dignity of every person.

Let us pray together, confident that God hears the cry of his people and remains close to all who seek him.

###

Pope appeals for end to antisemitism, prejudice, genocide

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV called for an end to all antisemitism, prejudice, oppression and persecution worldwide.

"I renew my appeal to the community of nations always to remain vigilant so that the horror of genocide never again befall any people and that a society based on mutual respect and the common good be built," he said Jan. 28.

The pope made his remarks during his greeting to Italian-speaking visitors after leading his general audience talk in the Paul VI Audience Hall.

The pope recalled the previous day's commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day , which is marked Jan. 27 each year, the anniversary of the day in 1945 when Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp complex. The camp was the largest of the Nazi work and death camps; an estimated 1.1 million of the more than 6 million victims of the Holocaust died there.

"On this annual occasion of painful remembrance, I ask Almighty God for the gift of a world without any more antisemitism, prejudice, oppression or persecution of any human being," Pope Leo said.

The pope also commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day with a post on X Jan. 27, recalling "that the Church remains faithful to the unwavering position of the Declaration #NostraAetate against every form of antisemitism. The Church rejects any discrimination or harassment based on ethnicity, language, nationality or religion."

Later the same day, the pope underlined the importance of praying for peace when speaking to reporters as he was leaving the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo outside of Rome.

When asked about the situation in the Middle East, specifically the arrival of the U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is equipped with guided-missile destroyers, Pope Leo said, "I will just say that we must pray very much for peace."

Though regular, everyday people may seem "small" or insignificant, he said, "we can raise our voices and always seek dialogue rather than violence to resolve problems, especially on this day when we commemorate the Shoah."

"Let us fight against all forms of antisemitism," he said.

Let communication be conducted by real human beings, not AI, pope says

Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Humanity must not allow technology, especially AI, to obscure, exploit or suppress human voices, needs, knowledge, talents, creativity and critical thinking abilities, Pope Leo XIV said.

Algorithms designed to maximize engagement on social media can lock people into "bubbles" of easy consensus and rage, weakening people's ability to listen and think critically, and increasing polarization, the pope wrote in his message for the World Day of Communications.

"Added to this is a naively uncritical reliance on artificial intelligence as an omniscient 'friend,' a dispenser of all information, an archive of all memory, an 'oracle' of all advice," which can also further erode the ability to understand what things really mean and to think analytically and creatively, he wrote.

The pope's message was released Jan. 24, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists. The Vatican and most dioceses will celebrate the World Day of Communications May 17, the Sunday before Pentecost.

The theme for the church's 60th celebration of World Day of Communications is "Preserving human voices and faces," which the Dicastery for Communication announced Sept. 29.

The theme underlines the pope's focus on the need to respect the human person and each person's God-given uniqueness and diversity.

The challenge, he wrote, "is not technological, but anthropological. Protecting faces and voices ultimately means protecting ourselves."

Humanity can embrace the opportunities offered by digital technology and artificial intelligence "with courage, determination and discernment," he wrote, without hiding or ignoring the critical issues, problems and risks they pose.

The main concern is not what "machines" or technology can or will be able to do, Pope Leo wrote, "but what we can and will be able to do, growing in humanity and knowledge, with the wise use of such powerful tools at our service."

The heart of the problem, he wrote, is the human temptation to passively accept the fruits of knowledge without being an integral part of the technological process, without doing the needed research and without being held accountable and responsible regarding their use.

"Giving up the creative process and surrendering our mental capacities and imagination to machines means burying the talents we have received to grow as people in relation to God and others," he wrote. "It means hiding our face and silencing our voice."

Without proper safeguards, he wrote, "digital technology risks radically altering some of the fundamental pillars of human civilization" since current technology is able to simulate "human voices and faces, wisdom and knowledge, awareness and responsibility, empathy and friendship."

"There has long been ample evidence that algorithms designed to maximize engagement on social media -- which is profitable for platforms -- reward knee-jerk emotions and penalize more time-consuming human expressions such as the effort to understand and reflect," the pope wrote.

"By closing groups of people into bubbles of easy consensus and easy indignation, these algorithms weaken the ability to listen and think critically and increase social polarization," he wrote, adding his warning about any naive and uncritical reliance on AI for information, remembering the past, "friendship" and advice.

"Although AI can provide support and assistance in managing communication tasks, shirking the effort to think for ourselves and settling for an artificial statistical compilation risks eroding our cognitive, emotional and communication skills in the long run," he wrote.

Pope Leo flagged the danger of letting AI systems take control of producing text, music and video, and allowing "masterpieces of human genius in the fields of music, art and literature" to become "mere training grounds for machines."

"Much of the human creative industry is thus at risk of being dismantled and replaced with the label 'Powered by AI,' transforming people into mere passive consumers of unthought thoughts, anonymous products, without authorship, without love," he wrote.

Pope Leo also highlighted the increased presence of "bots" and "virtual influencers" on people's social media feeds, and their ability to influence public debate and people's choices.

Another danger, he added, was "anthropomorphizing" Large Language Models, which can imitate human emotions and appear "affectionate," potentially deceiving or influencing vulnerable people and exploiting the human need for relationships.

If people replace real human relationships with AI-trained systems, where "everything is made in our image and likeness," he wrote, people can build a "world of mirrors" and be robbed of the opportunity "to encounter others, who are always different from us, and with whom we can and must learn to engage."

AI and its propensity to "hallucinate" as well as its ability to fabricate "reality" make it increasingly difficult to distinguish fact and fiction, thus posing a great risk to journalism, he wrote.

"A failure to verify sources, together with the crisis in on-the-ground journalism, which involves the continuous gathering and verification of information wherever events occur, can create even more fertile ground for disinformation, causing a growing sense of mistrust, confusion and insecurity," the pope wrote.

And finally, he warned about the danger of having a "handful of companies" be in control of so much data and be able to "subtly influence behavior and even rewrite human history -- including the history of the Church -- often without us even realizing it."

What needs to be done, he wrote, is "not stop digital innovation, but to guide it, to be aware of its ambivalent nature" and to "raise our voices in defense of human beings, so that these tools can truly be integrated as our allies."

This alliance must be based on responsibility, cooperation and education, he wrote,

"Media and communication companies cannot allow algorithms designed to win the battle for a few extra seconds of attention at any cost to prevail over their professional values, which are aimed at seeking the truth," he wrote. "Public trust is earned through accuracy and transparency, not by chasing after any kind of engagement."

"Content generated or manipulated by AI must be clearly labeled and distinguished from content created by humans," the pope wrote. Authorship, ownership and copyright must be protected.

"Information is a public good. A constructive and meaningful public service is not based on opacity, but on transparency of sources, inclusion of stakeholders and high standards of quality," he said in his message.

The pope called for increased media, information and AI literacy on all levels. "As Catholics, we can and must make our contribution so that people -- especially young people -- acquire critical thinking skills and grow in freedom of spirit."

More should be done, too, he added, in protecting people's face, image and voice from being used in "the creation of harmful content and behaviors such as digital fraud, cyberbullying and deepfakes that violate people's privacy and intimacy without their consent."

"We need faces and voices to represent people again," he wrote. "We need to cherish the gift of communication as the deepest truth of humanity, to which all technological innovation should be oriented."

New year marks time to usher in era of peace, friendship among all people, pope says

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 21:16:55 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The world is not saved by threatening violence or by judging, oppressing or getting rid of others, Pope Leo XIV said.

"Rather, it is saved by tirelessly striving to understand, forgive, liberate and welcome everyone, without calculation and without fear," the pope said during Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the feast of Mary, Mother of God, and World Peace Day Jan. 1.

Therefore, at the beginning of a new year with "new and unique days that await us, let us ask the Lord to help us experience at every moment, around us and upon us, the warmth of his fatherly embrace and the light of his benevolent gaze," he said in his homily .

The Mass marked the 59th World Day of Peace celebrated by the church. The pope's message for the world day, published in December, was dedicated to the humble, "unarmed and disarming" peace of the risen Christ who loves unconditionally.

Thousands of people were present in the basilica for the celebration on New Year's Day, including young people dressed as the three kings who visited Jesus. A figurine of the infant Jesus was before the altar, in keeping with the Christmas season of celebration, and an image of Our Lady of Hope was to the side of the main altar as a sign of the Jubilee of hope, which will end Jan. 6.

In his homily, Pope Leo reflected on the mystery of Mary's divine motherhood, which "helped give a human face to the source of all mercy and benevolence: the face of Jesus. Through his eyes -- first as a child, then as a young man and as an adult -- the Father's love reaches us and transforms us."

By being born of Mary in a grotto, he said, "God presents himself to us 'unarmed and disarming,' as naked and defenseless as a newborn in a cradle."

"He does this to teach us that the world is not saved by sharpening swords, nor by judging, oppressing or eliminating our brothers and sisters," he said. Rather, the world is saved by seeking to understand, forgive, free and welcome everyone with love.

Mary bearing the Christ child represents "two immense, 'unarmed' realities" that come together, he said: "that of God, who renounces every privilege of his divinity to be born in the flesh, and that of a human person who, trustingly and fully, embraces God's will."

"Thus, at the dawn of the new year, the liturgy reminds us that for each of us, every day can be the beginning of a new life, thanks to God's generous love, his mercy and the response of our freedom," Pope Leo said. "It is beautiful to view the coming year in this way: as an open journey to be discovered."

"Indeed, through grace, we can venture forth on this journey with confidence -- free and bearers of freedom, forgiven and bringers of forgiveness, trusting in the closeness and goodness of the Lord who accompanies us always," he said.

Overlooking St. Peter's Square after Mass, Pope Leo urged Christians to help usher in "an era of peace and friendship among all peoples."

"The Jubilee, which is about to end, has taught us how to cultivate hope for a new world. We do this by converting our hearts to God, so as to transform wrongs into forgiveness, pain into consolation, and resolutions of virtue into good works," he said before praying the Angelus .

The Son of God also illuminates "the consciences of people of goodwill, so that we can build the future as a welcoming home for every man and woman who comes into the world," he said.

"The heart of Jesus, therefore, beats for every man and woman; for those who are ready to welcome him, like the shepherds, and for those who do not want him, like Herod," he said.

"His heart is not indifferent to those who have no heart for their neighbor: it beats for the righteous, so that they may persevere in their dedication, as well as for the unrighteous, so that they may change their lives and find peace," Pope Leo said.

Every unborn child reveals "the divine image imprinted in our humanity," he said, and he called for prayers for peace: "first, among nations bloodied by conflict and suffering, but also within our homes, in families wounded by violence or pain."

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We have an app for that!

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 21:10:12 GMT

Do you know whats going on at St. Marks Parish community?
We have an app where you can find all the up to date information that can help you be more engaged in your parish community. You can find things like:

The parish bulletin
Weekly announcements
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Daily readings and prayers
Scripture reflections
Mass and confession times
A prayer guide
A guide for confession
The Rio Grand Diocesan news paper
and much more.

Send a text with the word APP to 88202 and follow the instructions to download, install and setup myParishapp.

¿Sabes qué está pasando en la comunidad parroquial de San Marcos? Tenemos una aplicación donde puede encontrar toda la información actualizada que puede ayudarle a participar más en su comunidad parroquial. Puedes encontrar cosas como:

El boletín parroquial
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Una lista de todos los ministerios
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Lecturas y oraciones diarias
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Envíe un texto con la palabra APP al 88202 y siga las instrucciones para descargar, instalar y configurar la aplicación myParishapp. O haga clic en el enlace a continuación para seguir las instrucciones.

God's plan of salvation is greater than any 'weaponized' plots underway, pope says

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The tenacious hope of people of faith, believing in a better tomorrow, keeps God's plan of salvation alive in the world, Pope Leo XIV said.

They keep hope alive even though today, just like in the past, there are other kinds of plans unfolding, he said during an evening prayer service in St. Peter's Basilica Dec. 31.

They include plans "aimed at conquering markets, territories and zones of influence. Weaponized strategies, cloaked in hypocritical speeches, ideological proclamations and false religious motives," he said.

The pope, accompanied by dozens of cardinals and bishops, and thousands of visitors in the basilica, prayed vespers and then sang the "Te Deum" ("We praise you, oh God") in thanksgiving for the blessings of the past year.

The prayer service was held less than a week before the official close of the Holy Year 2025, which was inaugurated by Pope Francis when he opened the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica during Christmas Eve Mass in 2024. Pope Leo was scheduled to close the door Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany, thereby officially marking the end of the Holy Year.

"Let us thank God for the gift of the Jubilee, which has been a great sign of (God's) plan of hope for humanity and the world," Pope Leo said in his homily.

In this plan, God has "reserved a special place for this city of Rome," he said. "Not because of its glories, not because of its power, but because Peter and Paul and so many other martyrs shed their blood here for Christ."

"That is why Rome is the city of the Jubilee," he told the congregation, which included Rome's mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, who was seated in the front row.

The birth of the Son of God "suggests a plan, a great plan for human history," the pope said, which will "sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth."

"Sisters, brothers, today we feel the need for a wise, benevolent, merciful plan," he said. "May it be a free and liberating, peaceful, faithful plan, like the one the Virgin Mary proclaimed in her canticle of praise: 'His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.'"

"The Holy Mother of God, the smallest and highest among creatures, sees things through the eyes of God: she sees that with the might of his arm, the Most High disperses the plots of the arrogant, overthrows the powerful from their thrones and raises up the lowly, fills the hands of the hungry with good things and empties those of the rich," he said.

"God loves to hope with the heart of the least" and the meek, he said, "and he does so by involving them in his plan of salvation."

"The more beautiful the plan, the greater the hope," he said. "And indeed, the world goes on like this, driven by the hope of so many simple people, unknown but not to God, who, despite everything, believe in a better tomorrow, because they know that the future is in the hands of the One who offers them the greatest hope."

After the service, Pope Leo visited the Vatican Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square and prayed at the creche while the band of the Swiss Guard played Christmas carols. He then greeted the faithful gathered there, exchanging small talk and wishing people a happy new year.

Open your hearts to baby Jesus and one another, pope says on Christmas

Thu, 25 Dec 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Jesus entering the world as a little baby in need of everything is a sign of God's solidarity with every person in need, longing for love and a helping hand, Pope Leo XIV said at Christmas morning Mass.

"The Word has pitched his fragile tent among us. How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold; and of those of so many other refugees and displaced persons on every continent; or of the makeshift shelters of thousands of homeless people in our own cities?" he asked in his homily at the Mass Dec. 25 in St. Peter's Basilica.

In celebrating the morning liturgy publicly, Pope Leo restored a tradition that had lapsed for 30 years. St. John Paul II did not preside over the liturgy in 1995 because he had the flu, and the morning Mass never returned to the papal calendar.

Like his predecessors, Pope Leo went to the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at noon to give his solemn blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and world). And, returning to a tradition set aside by Pope Francis, who claimed he was bad at languages, Pope Leo wished people a merry Christmas in 10 languages: Italian, French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Arabic, Chinese and Latin.

"Merry Christmas! May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts and in your families," he said.

In his homily and in his Christmas message before the "urbi et orbi" blessing, Pope Leo insisted that the Christian mission of sharing the good news of salvation in Christ means being serious about what is going on in the world and working to alleviate suffering, promote dialogue and end wars and violence.

Taking on the fragile flesh of a baby, God wanted to identify with every human person, he said in the morning homily.

"Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds," he said. "Fragile are the minds and lives of young people forced to take up arms, who on the front lines feel the senselessness of what is asked of them and the falsehoods that fill the pompous speeches of those who send them to their deaths."

"When the fragility of others penetrates our hearts, when their pain shatters our rigid certainties, then peace has already begun," the pope insisted.

The response of Christians to suffering and violence must be firm but tender, he said.

"We do not serve a domineering Word -- too many of those already resound everywhere," the pope said, but rather Christians profess and serve a Lord who "inspires goodness, knows its efficacy and does not claim a monopoly over it."

The peace proclaimed by Jesus, he said, will take root "when our monologues are interrupted and, enriched by listening, we fall to our knees before the humanity of the other."

Pope Leo continued his reflection in his "urbi et orbi" message, telling the crowd gathered in the rain in St. Peter's Square that Jesus, "out of love" wanted "to be born of a woman and so share our humanity; out of love, he accepted poverty and rejection, identifying himself with those who are discarded and excluded."

As is customary, the pope used his message to call attention to urgent needs and suffering in places around the globe and to urge people to help relieve that suffering.

"Those who do not love are not saved; they are lost," he said. "And those who do not love their brother or sister whom they see, cannot love God whom they do not see," as the First Letter of John says.

"If all of us, at every level, would stop accusing others and instead acknowledge our own faults, asking God for forgiveness, and if we would truly enter into the suffering of others and stand in solidarity with the weak and the oppressed, then the world would change," Pope Leo said.

Looking around the world, the pope prayed for peace and justice in dozens of countries, including Ukraine, and, as he did the night before and during the Christmas morning Mass, Pope Leo also called attention to the plight of migrants and refugees, asking governments to accept and assist them.

"In becoming man," he said, "Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent."

"On this holy day, let us open our hearts to our brothers and sisters who are in need or in pain," Pope Leo said. "In doing so, we open our hearts to the Child Jesus, who welcomes us with open arms and reveals his divinity to us."

Octavia Thuss and her son Henry Thuss from La Cañada, California, were among the 26,000 people in St. Peter's Square for the pope's blessing. They also had been in the square late the night before, watching the pope's Christmas Mass on a screen in the rain.

Since it was Pope Leo's first Christmas as pope, "It was historic," she said. "It was a really beautiful service."

Spending the Christmas holiday in Rome during the final days of the Jubilee Year added to the experience, since they were among some of the last pilgrims to pass through the Holy Doors at the city's major basilicas.

"It's kind of a no brainer," Henry said, adding that he felt being at the Vatican during Christmas in a Jubilee Year was akin to Muslims making a pilgrimage to Mecca.

- - -

Contributing to this story was Josephine Peterson.

Pope thanks priests, encourages them to share responsibilities with laity

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- At a time when so much pressure and so many demands are placed on priests, they should find support, freedom and relief in recognizing the gifts of laypeople and collaborating with them, Pope Leo XIV said.

"The ministry of the priest must move beyond the model of exclusive leadership, which leads to the centralization of pastoral activities and the burden of all responsibilities entrusted to him alone," the pope wrote in an apostolic letter titled, "A Fidelity that Generates the Future."

The letter, released Dec. 22, marked the 60th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council's decrees on priestly formation and on the life and ministry of priests.

Pope Leo used the letter to express his "gratitude for the witness and dedication of all priests throughout the world who offer their lives in celebrating the sacrifice of Our Lord in the Eucharist, proclaiming the Word and absolving sins, as well as devoting themselves generously each day to their brothers and sisters, fostering communion and unity among them and taking special care of those who suffer most and are in need."

He also said the church must "look carefully and compassion-ately" at the background of priests who have left active ministry and ensure that seminary programs engage "the entire person, heart, mind and freedom" to help men make a lifelong commitment.

Pope Leo did not ignore the clerical sexual abuse crisis and said that, too, showed the importance of a thorough preparation for ministry.

"In recent decades, the crisis of trust in the Church caused by abuses committed by members of the clergy has filled us with shame and called us to humility," he wrote. "It has made us even more aware of the urgent need for a comprehensive formation that ensures the personal growth and maturity of candidates for the priesthood, together with a rich and solid spiritual life."

The letter did not mention that in several of the Eastern Catholic churches married men can be ordained to the priesthood.

But it insisted that "only priests and consecrated persons who are humanly mature and spiritually solid -- in other words, those in whom the human and spiritual dimensions are well integrated and who are therefore capable of authentic relationships with everyone -- can take on the commitment of celibacy and credibly proclaim the Gospel of the Risen One."

Most of the letter focused on fidelity, missionary outreach and recognizing that a priest's vocation flows from his baptism, a sacrament he shares with all Catholics.

"Our contemporary world, characterized by its fast pace and the anxious need to be hyperconnected, often makes us feel rushed and inclines us to activism," the pope wrote.

Two very negative consequences that can be tempting to priests, he said, are "an efficiency-oriented mentality, whereby the value of each person is measured by performance" or simply withdrawing, "adopting a lazy and defeatist approach."

Pope Leo told the priests that nothing can take the place of devoting time to personal prayer and the celebration of the sacraments and cultivating a special bond of brotherhood with one's fellow priests, but that never should lead to a sense of superiority over laypeople.

"Even before dedicating himself to guiding the flock," the pope wrote, "every priest must constantly remember that he himself is a disciple of the Master, just like his brothers and sisters."

The pope insisted in the letter on the importance of getting priests on board with efforts to create a more synodal church, one marked by listening to each other, discerning God's will together and recognizing that every baptized Catholic has something to contribute to the church's mission.

"Communion, synodality and mission cannot be achieved if, in the hearts of priests, the temptation to self-referentiality does not yield to the mindset of listening and service," Pope Leo wrote.

In encouraging a more synodal church, he said, "there is still much to be done."

A priest is called to let the love and mercy of Christ shine through him, the pope said, so he must shun "all forms of egotism and celebration of self."

For that reason, Pope Leo encouraged priests to evaluate carefully their presence in the media and on social networks, "making service to evangelization the basis for discernment," because, as First Corinthians says, "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are beneficial."

El Papa: La concordia y el respeto empiezan con nuestras acciones cotidianas

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:30:45 GMT

El Papa: La concordia y el respeto empiezan con nuestras acciones cotidianas

En el discurso que el Pontífice dirige a los jóvenes de Acción Católica Italiana propone a Pier Giorgio Frassati y a Carlo Acutis como modelos de santidad. Y les alienta a imitar su pasión por el Evangelio y sus obras, siempre animadas por la caridad. Además, asegura que la paz es una “acción católica” por excelencia, porque es el gesto que nos hace testigos de Jesús.

Rocio Lancho García - Ciudad del Vaticano

León XIV ha recibido esta mañana, 19 de diciembre, a los jóvenes de la Acción Católica Italiana, acompañados por el presidente nacional y el asistente eclesiástico general, el equipo nacional de ACR, así como educadores y colaboradores.

La paz compromiso para los cristianos

A los presentes, el Pontífice invitó a pedir “ser como esos ángeles que anuncian la gloria de Dios y la paz a los hombres”, cuando recen delante del pesebre. Porque esta paz – aseguró el Papa – es el compromiso de toda persona de buena voluntad, y sobre todo de nosotros cristianos, que estamos llamados no solo a ser buenos, sino a ser mejores cada día.

Tal y como señaló el Papa en su discurso, “el nombre de vuestra asociación expresa claramente su identidad: sois discípulos de Jesús, testigos de su Evangelio y compañeros de camino junto a toda la Iglesia”.

Además, el Pontífice recordó que, en torno al Señor, que se hace hombre para salvarnos, hay sitio para todos. “Él hace sitio a cada persona, a cada niño, muchacho, joven y anciano. Cuando el Hijo de Dios viene al mundo no encuentra espacio en una casa, sino que llama a nuestro corazón precisamente mientras abre el suyo para acoger a todos con amor”.

Pier Giorgio Frassati y Carlo Acutis modelos de santidad

Por otro lado, propuso a Pier Giorgio Frassati y a Carlo Acutis como modelos de santidad: “Os animo a imitar su pasión por el Evangelio y sus obras, siempre animadas por la caridad”. Actuando como ellos, “vuestro anuncio de paz será luminoso, porque en compañía de Jesús seréis realmente libres y felices, dispuestos a tender la mano al prójimo, sobre todo a quien está en dificultad”.

En esta misma línea, el Santo Padre aseguró que el nacimiento del “Príncipe de la paz” nos revela “el sentido auténtico de esta palabra”, que no es “solamente ausencia de guerra, sino una amistad entre los pueblos fundada en la justicia”. Todos nosotros – prosiguió León XIV - deseamos esta paz para las naciones heridas por los conflictos.

La paz nos hace testigos de Jesús

Al mismo tiempo pidió recordar “que la concordia y el respeto empiezan con nuestras acciones cotidianas, los gestos y las palabras que intercambiamos en casa, en la parroquia, con los compañeros de escuela y de deporte. A propósito, hizo una sugerencia para la santa noche de Navidad: pensar en una persona con la que hacer las paces.

“Será un regalo más valioso que los que se pueden comprar en las tiendas, porque la paz es un don que se encuentra, realmente, solo en el corazón”.

Para concluir el discurso, León XIV aseguró que hacer la paz es una “acción católica” por excelencia, porque es el gesto que nos hace testigos de Jesús.

Pope urges people to protect, cultivate even smallest signs of peace, hope

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The "confrontational" tone dominating both global and national politics is "deepening instability and unpredictability day by day," Pope Leo XIV wrote in his message for World Peace Day .

"It is no coincidence that repeated calls to increase military spending, and the choices that follow, are presented by many government leaders as a justified response to external threats," he wrote in the message for the Jan. 1 observance.

But peace must be protected and cultivated, Pope Leo said. "Even when it is endangered within us and around us, like a small flame threatened by a storm, we must protect it."

Throughout the coming year, Pope Leo will give visiting heads of state signed copies of his message, which was released by the Vatican Dec. 18, and Vatican ambassadors will distribute it to government leaders in the countries where they serve.

Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, presented the message at a Vatican news conference.

"In some ways we have been beaten into accepting the logic of war, the logic of armaments, the logic of enemies," the cardinal said. Pope Leo's message recognizes that "the first triumph of the logic of war is that we give up our hope for peace."

"I am not a soldier, I have never been a soldier," the cardinal said, but "even a soldier can be comforted" by Pope Leo's appeal to cultivate "peace in his heart and in his relationships and in his prayer and in his aspirations."

While the message "does not diminish in any way the horrors that we are surrounded with," he said, "it puts an enormous part of the responsibility on ourselves."

The theme of the pope's message, "Peace be with you all: Towards an 'unarmed and disarming' peace," begins with the first words he said to the crowd in St. Peter's Square May 8, the night of his election.

Pope Leo wrote in the message that he and all religious leaders have an obligation to teach and preach against "the growing temptation to weaponize even thoughts and words" and to condemn the use of religion to justify violence and exaggerated forms of nationalism.

"Unfortunately, it has become increasingly common to drag the language of faith into political battles, to bless nationalism, and to justify violence and armed struggle in the name of religion," the pope wrote.

"Believers must actively refute, above all by the witness of their lives, these forms of blasphemy that profane the holy name of God," Pope Leo said.

What is needed instead, he said, is prayer, spirituality and ecumenical and interreligious dialogue "as paths of peace and as languages of encounter within traditions and cultures."

The message echoed what Pope Leo had told reporters Dec. 2 after meeting Christian, Muslim and Druze leaders in Turkey and Lebanon during his first foreign trip: "The more we can promote authentic unity and understanding, respect and human relationships of friendship and dialogue in the world, the greater possibility there is that we will put aside the arms of war, that we will leave aside the distrust, the hatred, the animosity that has so often been built up and that we will find ways to come together and be able to promote authentic peace and justice throughout the world."

The first step in sowing peace, the pope wrote, is to believe that peace is possible and that all people desire it.

"When we treat peace as a distant ideal," he wrote, "we cease to be scandalized when it is denied, or even when war is waged in its name."

"When peace is not a reality that is lived, cultivated and protected, then aggression spreads into domestic and public life," he said. When that happens, "it could even be considered a fault not to be sufficiently prepared for war, not to react to attacks, and not to return violence for violence."

Statistics show that is already happening, the pope said.

Global military expenditures "increased by 9.4% in 2024 compared to the previous year, confirming the trend of the last ten years and reaching a total of $2718 billion -- or 2.5% of global GDP," he wrote, citing studies by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Pope Leo also decried a shift in education and in the media that instead of focusing on achievements in peacemaking and diplomacy since World War II and on remembering with horror just how many people died in that war, "we now see communication campaigns and educational programs -- at schools, universities and in the media -- that spread a perception of threats and promote only an armed notion of defense and security."

That shift becomes especially frightening given advancements in weapons technology, particularly the development of drones, robots and other automated lethal weapons systems that can be controlled by artificial intelligence.

"There is even a growing tendency among political and military leaders to shirk responsibility, as decisions about life and death are increasingly 'delegated' to machines," he wrote.

Pope Leo called on Christians and all people of goodwill to join forces "to contribute to a disarming peace, a peace born of openness and evangelical humility."

"Goodness is disarming," he wrote. "Perhaps this is why God became a child."

Pope Leo prayed that as the Jubilee Year draws to a close, its legacy would be a "disarmament of heart, mind and life."

Christmas creche, tree are signs of hope, pope says

Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Nativity scene and the Christmas tree are signs of faith and hope, Pope Leo XIV said.

"As we contemplate them in our homes, parishes and town squares, let us ask the Lord to renew in us the gift of peace and fraternity," he said, calling for prayers for all those who suffer because of war and violence. "We must eliminate hatred from our hearts."

The pope was speaking Dec. 15 during a meeting with the government representatives, artisans and donors responsible for providing the Christmas decorations in the Paul VI Audience Hall and in St. Peter's Square.

Pope Leo thanked the Costa Rican artist who created the Nativity scene for the audience hall, titled "Nacimiento Gaudium." Created by Paula Sáenz Soto, it features a pregnant Virgin Mary and 28,000 colored ribbons, each representing a life saved from abortion thanks to the prayers and support provided to many mothers in difficulty by Catholic organizations, according to a press release by the Vatican City State's governing office.

On Christmas Eve, the statue will be replaced with a different image of Mary kneeling in adoration of the newborn Baby Jesus, and 400 ribbons will be placed in Jesus' manger containing prayers and wishes written by young patients at the National Children's Hospital in San José.

"I thank the Costa Rican artist who, together with the message of peace at Christmas, also wanted to launch an appeal for the protection of life from the moment of conception," Pope Leo said.

"The Nativity scene and the Christmas tree are signs of faith and hope," he said to all those present. "Let the tenderness of the child Jesus illuminate our lives. Let God's love, like the branches of an evergreen tree, remain fervent in us."

The pope thanked those from a small town in the northern autonomous province of Bolzano who donated the 82-foot-tall Norway spruce weighing 8.8 tons that was to be lit in a special ceremony Dec. 15 when the large Nativity scene in the square would be unveiled.

"For pilgrims from all over the world who will gather in St. Peter's Square, the Nativity scene will remind them that God draws close to humanity, becomes one of us, entering our history in the smallness of a child," the pope said.

"Before every Nativity scene, even those made in our homes, we relive that event and rediscover the need to seek moments of silence and prayer in our lives, to find ourselves and enter into communion with God," he said.

The Nativity scene in St. Peter's Square for 2025 came from a diocese south of Naples, not far from the Amalfi coast. Among the gifts being offered by the shepherds are agricultural products famous from the region, such as San Marzano and Corbarino tomatoes, walnuts, spring onions and artichokes.

Both the creche and the tree were to be in St. Peter's Square until Jan. 11 -- the feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

The Vatican City State governing office said that the tree's needles and green branches will be sent to an Austrian company to extract its essential oils, and the wood will be donated to a charity.

When Pope Leo met Dec. 13 with hundreds of people acting in a living Nativity scene being held at Rome's Basilica of St. Mary Major, he said the creche "is an important sign: it reminds us that we are part of a wondrous adventure of salvation in which we are never alone."

"Spread this message and keep this tradition alive. They are a gift of light for our world, which so badly needs to be able to continue to hope," he said.

On Guadalupe feast day, pope prays leaders shun lies, hatred, division, disrespect for life

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV prayed for Mary's maternal intercession so that she would help nations avoid lies and hatred and instruct leaders to protect the dignity of all human life.

He also prayed that families find strength, young people find meaning and people of faith seek greater communion because "within the church, Mother, your children cannot be divided."

In his homily at Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Peter's Basilica Dec. 12, Pope Leo also asked Mary to support him in his ministry as the successor of St. Peter and "grant that, trusting in your protection, we may advance ever more united, with Jesus and among ourselves, toward the eternal dwelling place that He has prepared for us and where you await us."

While it was his first Mass marking the Marian feast day at the Vatican as pope, as Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, he had already served as the main celebrant at the altar during the Dec. 12 Mass in 2024 and 2023 when he was prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Pope Francis had presided over both of those Masses, but due to bouts of illness, he remained seated during the celebrations and gave the homily.

Pope Leo, who spent more than two decades as a missionary in Peru, gave the homily in Spanish and recalled how the Marian apparitions in 1531 in Tepeyac, Mexico, awakened "in the inhabitants of America the joy of knowing that they are loved by God."

Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is deeply rooted in Latin America. According to tradition, Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego, an Indigenous Mexican, and left her pregnant image imprinted on his cloak. It was said she assured him in his native language not to be afraid because, "Am I not here, who am your Mother?" offering protection, health and safety in the folds of her mantle.

"It is the voice that echoes the promise of divine fidelity, the presence that sustains when life becomes unbearable," especially "amidst unceasing conflicts, injustices and pains that seek relief," Pope Leo said.

Her motherhood "makes us discover ourselves as children," and "as children, we will turn to her to ask" what must be done, especially "how to grow in faith when our strength fails and shadows grow," the pope said. Referring to her son, Jesus, she will "tenderly reply: 'Do whatever he tells you.'"

Pope Leo then prayed for Mary's intercession, asking that she "teach nations that want to be your children not to divide the world into irreconcilable factions, not to allow hatred to mark their history or lies to write their memory."

"Show them that authority must be exercised as service and not as domination," he said. "Instruct their leaders in their duty to safeguard the dignity of every person during all stages of their life," and may these people create places "where every person can feel welcome."

He prayed that Mary would accompany young people so they could find strength in Christ "to choose what is good and the courage to remain firm in the faith, even when the world pushes them in another direction."

"Show them that your Son walks beside them. May nothing afflict their hearts so that they may fearlessly welcome God's plans," he said, praying that she also help keep young people safe "from the threats of crime, addiction and the danger of a meaningless life."

"Seek out, Mother, those who have strayed from the holy church," he said. "May your gaze reach them where ours cannot, break down the walls that separate us, and bring them back home with the power of your love."

Pope Leo then implored Mary to touch the hearts of those "who sow discord toward your Son's desire that 'they may all be one' and restore them to the charity that makes communion possible, for within the church, Mother, your children cannot be divided."

"Strengthen families," he prayed. "Following your example, may parents educate their children with tenderness and firmness, so that every home may be a school of faith."

He prayed that those who teach be inspired to share the truth "with the gentleness, precision and clarity that comes from the Gospel," and he prayed that the clergy and consecrated men and women find support and encouragement to be faithful, prayerful and revitalized.

"Holy Virgin, may we, like you, keep the Gospel in our hearts," he said, and help Christians understand "we are not the owners of this message, but, like St. Juan Diego, we are its simple servants."

Gratitude should accompany your turkey and pie, pope says

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Thanksgiving is a "beautiful feast" that reminds everyone to be grateful for the gifts they have been given, Pope Leo XIV said.

"Say thank you to someone," the pope suggested two days before the U.S. holiday when he met reporters outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo before returning to the Vatican after a day off.

Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pope, was scheduled to spend his Thanksgiving Nov. 27 in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey, the first stops on his first foreign trip as pope.

A reporter asked the pope what he was thankful for this year.

"Many things I'm thankful for," he responded.

He described Thanksgiving as "this beautiful feast that we have in the United States, which unites all people, people of different faiths, people who perhaps do not have the gift of faith."

The holiday is an opportunity "to say thank you to someone, to recognize that we all have received so many gifts -- first and foremost, the gift of life, the gift of faith, the gift of unity, to encourage all people to try and promote peace and harmony and to give thanks to God for the many gifts we have been given."

Pope Leo was asked about his upcoming trip, particularly about relations with Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who will host the pope for several prayer services in addition to having a private meeting and lunch with him.

"This trip was born precisely to celebrate 1,700 years of the Creed of Nicaea, the Council of Nicaea" and what it affirmed about Jesus, the pope said.

In his apostolic letter, "In Unitate Fidei" ("In the Unity of Faith"), published Nov. 23, Pope Leo highlighted the importance of the anniversary and of the Creed that all mainline Christians still share.

"Unity in the faith," he told the reporters, "can also be a source of peace for the whole world."

Pope Leo also was asked if he was concerned about going to Lebanon when Israel continues to strike what it says are Hezbollah and Hamas positions in Lebanon. Israel said it killed Hezbollah's top military leader Nov. 23 in a suburb of Beirut; Lebanon said the strike killed five other people as well and wounded 28 more.

"It's always a concern," the pope said. "Again, I would invite all people to look for ways to abandon the use of arms as a way of solving problems and to come together, to respect one another, to sit down together at the table, to dialogue and to work together for solutions for the problems that affect us."

"I am very happy to be able to visit Lebanon," the pope said. "The message will be a word of peace, a word of hope, especially this year of the Jubilee of hope."

Pope tells U.S. high school students their voice, ideas, faith matter

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV urged U.S. high school students to be "intentional" with their screen time, their prayer time and their involvement in a local parish.

"One of my own personal heroes, one of my favorite saints, is St. Augustine of Hippo," the pope told 16,000 young Catholics meeting in Indianapolis. "He searched everywhere for happiness, but nothing satisfied him until he opened his heart to God. That is why he wrote, 'You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you."

With a livestream connection, Pope Leo spoke for close to an hour Nov. 21 with participants at the National Catholic Youth Conference meeting at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

The pope responded to questions from five high school students: Mia Smothers from the Archdiocese of Baltimore; Ezequiel Ponce from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; Christopher Pantelakis from the Archdiocese of Las Vegas; Micah Alcisto from the Diocese of Honolulu; and Elise Wing from the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa.

The questions were developed in meetings with other students and adults and were sent to the pope in advance.

Pope Leo did respond to a question and comment posed by Katie Prejean McGrady, who was moderating the event. She mentioned that she had given the pope a pair of socks some time ago and said she wanted to know what he used as an opening word when he played Wordle each day.

"I just want to say I only wear white socks, and I use a different word for Wordle every day, so there's no set starting word," the pope said, before turning to the young people's questions.

Pantelakis asked for the pope's advice on balancing the use of smartphones and social media with "making faith connections outside of technology."

Pope Leo, using technology to address the students, listed many good things technology does. For example, "it lets us stay connected with people who are far away," he said, and there are "amazing tools for prayer, for reading the Bible, for learning more about what we believe, and it allows us to share the Gospel with people we may never meet in person."

"But even with all that, technology can never replace real, in-person relationships; simple things (like) a hug, a handshake, a smile -- all those things are essential to being human and to have those things in a real way, not through a screen," is important.

Pope Leo encouraged the students to follow the example of St. Carlo Acutis, who used technology to spread devotion to the Eucharistic but limited his time online and made sure he went to Mass, spent time in Eucharistic adoration and served the poor.

"Be intentional with your screen time," the pope told the young people. "Make sure technology serves your life and not the other way around."

Alciso asked for advice about using ChatGPT and other forms of artificial intelligence.

While Pope Leo has continued to push AI developers and governments to formulate ethical guidelines and include controls to protect young people, he told the high school students that "safety is not only about rules; it is about education, and it is about personal responsibility. Filters and guidelines can help you, but they cannot make choices for you; only you can do that."

"Using AI responsibly means using it in ways that help you grow, never in ways that distract you from your dignity or your call to holiness," the pope said. "AI can process information quickly, but it cannot replace human intelligence -- and don't ask it to do your homework for you."

AI, he said, "will not judge between what is truly right and wrong. And it won't stand in wonder, in authentic wonder, before the beauty, the beauty of God's creation. So be prudent. Be wise. Be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth."

"Use it in such a way that if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think how to create, how to act on your own, how to form authentic friendships," the pope said. And "remember, AI can never replace the unique gift that you are to the world."

Responding to Wing, who asked about the future of the church, Pope Leo told the young people they are an important part of its present. "Your voices, your ideas, your faith matter right now, and the church needs you," he said.

But, looking ahead, he asked them to ask themselves: "What can I offer the church for the future? How can I help others come to know Christ? How can I build peace and friendship around me?"

Smothers asked the pope if he ever finds it difficult to accept God's mercy.

"All of us struggle with this at times," the pope said. "The truth is that none of us is perfect."

But, he added, it also is true that God always forgives.

"We may struggle to forgive, but God's heart is different," Pope Leo told the teens. "God never stops inviting us back. We experience this mercy of God in a special way in the sacrament of reconciliation; in confession, Jesus meets us through the priest. When we honestly confess our sins and accept our penance, the priest gives absolution, and we know with certainty that we are forgiven."

"Do not focus only on your sins. Look to Jesus, trust his mercy and go to him with confidence; he will always welcome you home," the pope said to applause.

Pope calls treatment of migrants in U.S. 'extremely disrespectful'

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 09:30:00 GMT

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Insisting that the dignity of all people, including immigrants, must be respected, Pope Leo XIV asked U.S. Catholics and "people of goodwill" to read and listen to the U.S. bishops' recent pastoral message on the topic.

"When people are living good lives -- and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years -- to treat them in a way that is extremely disrespectful, to say the least," is not acceptable, the pope said Nov. 18.

Meeting reporters outside his villa in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo was asked what he thought of the "special pastoral message on immigration" approved overwhelmingly by members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 12.

"We are disturbed when we see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement," the bishops said. "We are saddened by the state of contemporary debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about the conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We lament that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status."

The bishops also said, "We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people," and they prayed "for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement."

Pope Leo told reporters in Castel Gandolfo that the pastoral message is "a very important statement. I would invite especially all Catholics, but people of goodwill, to listen carefully to what they said."

"No one has said that the United States should have open borders," the pope said. "I think every country has a right to determine who and how and when people enter."

However, he said, in enforcing immigration policy "we have to look for ways of treating people humanely, treating people with the dignity that they have."

"If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to treat that," he said. "There are courts. There's a system of justice," but the system has "a lot of problems" that should be addressed.

Pope Leo also was asked about what he does in Castel Gandolfo.

Tuesdays traditionally are the one day a week when popes have no official audiences or public events. When his schedule permits, Pope Leo goes to Castel Gandolfo late Monday afternoon and returns to the Vatican Tuesday night.

Pope Leo said he uses the day for "a bit of sport, a bit of reading, a bit of work," specifying that at Castel Gandolfo he plays tennis and swims in the pool.

Having a break during the week "helps a lot," the pope said. And it is important to take care of the body as well as the soul.

As he prepares for his first trip outside Italy as pope -- a visit to Turkey and Lebanon Nov. 27-Dec. 2 -- he also was asked when he thought he would get back to Peru where he served as a missionary and as a bishop.

Pope Leo said he likes to travel, but the events of the Jubilee year kept his 2025 calendar full. The challenge for 2026 will be finding a way to schedule the trips he would like to make, including to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico and then a trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, "of course."

Religious Formation Registrations

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 18:09:49 GMT

Registrations for Religious Formation

Inscripciones para Formación Religiosa

The Religious Formation Program has completed its registration process

and will begin sessions on September 6th, 2025

If you still need to register, we still have a waiting list where you can sign up and we will make our best effort to find you a place.

Please contact the office of religious formation at 915-300-2801.

El Programa de Formación Religiosa ha completado su proceso de inscripción

y comenzará sus sesiones el 6 de septiembre de 2025.

Si aún necesita inscribirse, aún tenemos una lista de espera donde puede inscribirse y haremos todo lo posible por encontrarle un lugar.

Comuníquese con la oficina de formación religiosa al 915-300-2801.

Adult Confirmation

test@4lpi.com (Web Team) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 05:41:25 GMT

Adult Confirmation

Adult Confirmations

Are you 18+ yrs old and are Baptized, but did not complete you Sacraments of Initiation: Communion and/or Confirmation?

We have the class for you!

Registration for Adult Confirmation .

Please contact the Religious Formation Office to know the date of when the next sessions start.

Sessions usually start in January and August.

We are open Monday thru Thursday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.
Religious Formation Office at 915-300-2801.

Programa para Adultos

¿Tienes más de 18 años y estás bautizado, pero no completaste los Sacramentos de Iniciación: Comunión y/o Confirmación?

¡Tenemos la clase para ti!

La inscripción para la Confirmación de Adultos.

Por favor comunicate a la Oficina de Formación Religiosa para saber cuando comienza la proxima sesión.

Las sesiones usualmente comienzan en enero y agosto.

Estamos abiertos de lunes a jueves de 9:00 am a 5:00 pm.

Oficina de Formación Religiosa al 915-300-2801.

Humanity cries out and calls for peace.

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 21:43:10 GMT

El Papa León XIV hace llamado a la paz.

¡Que la diplomacia haga callar las armas!

Today more than ever, humanity cries out and calls for peace. This is a cry that requires responsibility and reason, and it must not be drowned out by the din of weapons or the rhetoric that incites conflict. Every member of the international community has a moral responsibility to stop the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm. There are no “distant” conflicts when human dignity is at stake.

War does not solve problems; on the contrary, it amplifies them and inflicts deep wounds on the history of peoples, which take generations to heal. No armed victory can compensate for the pain of mothers, the fear of children, or stolen futures.

May diplomacy silence the weapons! May nations chart their futures with works of peace, not with violence and bloodstained conflicts! - Pope Leo XIV - Sunday Angelus

Hoy más que nunca, la humanidad clama y pide la paz. Es un grito que exige responsabilidad y razón, y no debe ser sofocado por el estruendo de las armas ni por las palabras retóricas que incitan al conflicto. Todo miembro de la comunidad internacional tiene la responsabilidad moral de detener la tragedia de la guerra, antes de que se convierta en una vorágine irreparable. No existen conflictos “lejanos” cuando está en juego la dignidad humana.

La guerra no resuelve los problemas, sino que los amplifica y produce heridas profundas en la historia de los pueblos, que tardan generaciones en cicatrizar. Ninguna victoria armada podrá compensar el dolor de las madres, el miedo de los niños, el futuro robado.

¡Que la diplomacia haga callar las armas! ¡Que las naciones tracen su futuro con obras de paz, no con la violencia ni conflictos sangrientos! - Papa León XIV - Sunday Angelus

OCIA

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 06:20:00 GMT

Order of Christian Initiation for Adults

OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation for Adults.) The OCIA program is for individuals 7 years old and older who have never been baptized. Please use the following link to sign up for the OCIA Program . For more information, please contact the religious formation office at 915-300-2801.
We have the class for you!

OICA (Orden de Iniciación Cristina para Adultos.) El programa OICA es para personas de 7 años o más que nunca han sido bautizadas.

Utilice el siguiente enlace para inscribirse en el programa OICA . Para más información, comuníquese con la oficina de formación religiosa al 915-300-2801.
¡Tenemos la clase para ti!

Letter from Bishop Seitz

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 20:48:00 GMT

An Open Letter to the Borderlands Community in El Paso Most Rev. Mark J. Seitz, Bishop of El Paso March 10th, 2025

Una carta abierta a la comunidad fronteriza en El Paso Mons. Mark J. Seitz, Obispo de El Paso 9 de marzo del 2025

Dear Community,

As a pastor in the borderlands, I am sensitive to the palpable anxiety which has taken hold of
so many of our residents in recent months, both immigrant and non-immigrant alike.
Over just the past several weeks, we have seen the closure of the border to the vulnerable,
immigration enforcement actions against our neighbors and the denial of reasonable
protections for our schools, hospitals and places of worship. In recent days, I myself have lost
friends who have chosen to self-deport back to immensely challenging conditions in their
home country.

The heartwrenching pain coursing through our community is real. Indiscriminate immigration
enforcement, the denial of due process and the pulling apart of families strike at our
community and are grave attacks on human dignity. The threat of mass deportations is
untenable and immoral and demands a credible response.

Therefore, I invite all of our El Paso residents – all people of faith and everyone committed
to the common good – to come to San Jacinto Plaza at 6pm on Monday, March 24, 2025,
on the Memorial of Archbishop Oscar Romero, for a March & Vigil organized in
collaboration with the Hope Border Institute.

There, we will be joined by an international delegation of bishops as well as many of our
community leaders. Together, we will march in solidarity with all our neighbors gripped by fear
at this moment.

Let us walk together, confident that God is present in our desires for a more just world and in
our actions to make them a reality.

USCCB Noticias

Reconciliation

St. Mark Catholic Church

Lenten Reconciliations

Tuesday March 24, 2026

6:30 p.m.

Iglesia Católica San Marcos

Reconciliaciones de Cuaresma

Martes, 24 de marzo de 2026

6:30 p.m.

March for Digininity of Human Life and an End to Mass Deportations

March and Vigil for Human Life and an End to Mass Deportations

March and Vigil for Human Life and an End to Mass Deportations

Communion of faithful, not just clergy, shares role in safeguarding faith, pope says

Lenten Calendar

Calendario Cuaresmal 2026

Pope Leo calls for ceasefire in Middle East, special prayers for Lebanon

God's name can never be used to justify 'absurd' pursuit of war, pope says

Church's unity comes from faith in Christ and from love, pope says

Jesus is close by, just open your eyes, Pope Leo tells young people

El Papa: Los consagrados son fuente de paz. Muchos permanecen donde retumban las armas

Pope to religious: Even where weapons roar, you are witnesses to Jesus

Russia confirms new peace talks with Ukraine despite deadly drone attacks

Pope’s Peace Day message emphasizes restorative approach to peacebuilding

Segundo Diálogo Nacional por la Paz: un compromiso plural por México

Pope sends blessings for 2026 Winter Olympics, cross arrives in Milan

León XIV pide la tregua olímpica durante los Juegos de Invierno

El Papa: Las bienaventuranzas son una prueba de la felicidad

Pope at Angelus: Beatitudes can become a measure of happiness

El Papa: Todos están llamados a la plenitud de la vida cristiana y a la caridad

Pope: St. Rose of Lima a shining example of our vocation to holiness

Pope Leo: 'No peace is possible while humanity wages war against itself'

El Papa a los jóvenes políticos: no habrá paz si se descarta a los débiles

Pope releases prayer intentions for 2027

Las intenciones de oración del Papa León XIV para el año 2027

Pope: Young people, be next generation of intercessors for world’s needs

Deadly violence in Minneapolis tied to ICE agents is 'unacceptable,' top cardinal says

Cardinal Tagle: St. Rose of Lima inspires a new missionary movement

Pope Leo: May horror of genocide never again be inflicted upon any people

El Arzobispo Coakley convoca a una Hora Santa como momento de renovación para nuestros corazones y nuestra nación

Archbishop Coakley Calls for Holy Hour as a Moment of Renewal for Our Hearts and Our Nation

Pope appeals for end to antisemitism, prejudice, genocide

Let communication be conducted by real human beings, not AI, pope says

New year marks time to usher in era of peace, friendship among all people, pope says

Priest on Call

We have an app for that!

God's plan of salvation is greater than any 'weaponized' plots underway, pope says

Open your hearts to baby Jesus and one another, pope says on Christmas

Pope thanks priests, encourages them to share responsibilities with laity

El Papa: La concordia y el respeto empiezan con nuestras acciones cotidianas

El Papa: La concordia y el respeto empiezan con nuestras acciones cotidianas

Pope urges people to protect, cultivate even smallest signs of peace, hope

Christmas creche, tree are signs of hope, pope says

On Guadalupe feast day, pope prays leaders shun lies, hatred, division, disrespect for life

Gratitude should accompany your turkey and pie, pope says

Pope tells U.S. high school students their voice, ideas, faith matter

Pope calls treatment of migrants in U.S. 'extremely disrespectful'

Religious Formation Registrations

Registrations for Religious Formation

﻿ Inscripciones para Formación Religiosa

Adult Confirmation

Adult Confirmation

Humanity cries out and calls for peace.

El Papa León XIV hace llamado a la paz.

OCIA

Order of Christian Initiation for Adults

Letter from Bishop Seitz

An Open Letter to the Borderlands Community in El Paso Most Rev. Mark J. Seitz, Bishop of El Paso March 10th, 2025

Una carta abierta a la comunidad fronteriza en El Paso Mons. Mark J. Seitz, Obispo de El Paso 9 de marzo del 2025

Inscripciones para Formación Religiosa