Catholic News
- 'You are in the heart of the Pope,' Leo XIV tells Middle East's Christians (Dicastery for Communication)
At the conclusion of his July 20 Angelus address, Pope Leo XIV pleaded for peace in the Middle East and read aloud the names of those killed in the Israeli military strike on Gaza’s Catholic parish. “I express my profound sadness regarding last Thursday’s attack by the Israeli army on the Catholic Parish of the Holy Family in Gaza City, which as you know killed three Christians and gravely wounded others,” the Pope said. “I pray for the victims, Saad Issa Kostandi Salameh, Foumia Issa Latif Ayyad, Najwa Ibrahim Latif Abu Daoud, and I am particularly close to their families and to all the parishioners.” “Sadly, this act adds to the continuous military attacks against the civilian population and places of worship in Gaza,” he continued. “I again call for an immediate halt to the barbarism of the war and for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.” The Pope added: I renew my appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and to respect the obligation to protect civilians, as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, the indiscriminate use of force and the forced displacement of the population. To our beloved Middle Eastern Christians I say: I deeply sympathize with your feeling that you can do little in the face of this grave situation. You are in the heart of the Pope and of the whole Church. Thank you for your witness of faith. May the Virgin Mary, woman of the Levant, dawn of the new Sun that has risen in history, protect you always and accompany the world towards the dawn of peace. - Cardinal Parolin laments destruction of Gaza, starvation of its population (Vatican News)
In an interview with an Italian news program, the Secretary of State of His Holiness lamented “war without limits” in Gaza. Cardinal Pietro Parolin said, “How can a population like that of Gaza be destroyed and starved like this? Many boundaries have already been crossed.” Cardinal Parolin welcomed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s phone call to Pope Leo XIV following the Israeli military strike on Gaza’s Catholic parish. Cardinal Parolin called for a “serious” investigation into incident, adding: Let’s take the time needed to truly understand what happened—whether it really was a mistake, something which can legitimately be doubted, or whether there was a deliberate intent to strike a Christian church, knowing how Christians serve as a moderating force in the Middle East, including in relations between Palestinians and Jews. If that’s the case, it would mean that once again, there’s an intention to eliminate any element that might help lead to at least a ceasefire, and eventually, peace. - Israel's actions in Gaza are unjustifiable, Jerusalem cardinal says (Vatican News (Italian))
After returning from a three-day visit to Gaza, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem described Israel’s actions there as “not justifiable.” “As the Pope rightly said—and we continually repeat—all of this is not justifiable,” Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, told Vatican News.” I’d like to clarify one thing: we have nothing against the Jewish world, and we absolutely don’t want to appear to be against Israeli society and Judaism. But we have a moral duty to express our criticism of this government’s policies in Gaza with absolute clarity and frankness.” The prelate, who visited Gaza’s Catholic parish from July 18 to 20, said that he was struck by the “enormous expanses of tents that weren’t there before,” as well as “the mutilated children” in hospitals, “blinded by the effects of the bombings.” - Israeli ambassador to Vatican: Blame Hamas for continued fighting (Crux)
Yaron Sideman, the Israeli ambassador to the Holy See, laid all responsibility for the continued warfare in Gaza on Hamas in an interview with Crux. “Hamas’ barbarism initiated the war, it is solely responsible for it, and it is the sole obstacle to bringing it to an end,” the Israeli envoy insisted. He said that Israel has accepted all proposed ceasefire terms, while Hamas has rejected all agreements. Sideman complained that Alistair Dutton, the head of Caritas International, was “disingenuous, to say the least,” when he reported that the people of Gaza are now living under “unbearable conditions.” He said that the elimination of Hamas leadership is the only solution to the suffering. Sideman predicted that “just as most of the world released a sigh of relief after Israel set back Iran’s nuclear program, so will the future of Gaza dramatically improve after Israel removes Hamas as a military and governing force.” - The world can no longer tolerate war, Pope tells journalists (L'Osservatore Romano (Italian))
In a brief exchange with journalists on July 20, Pope Leo XIV said that the world “can no longer tolerate war.” “There is so much conflict, so many wars,” he said. “We must truly work for peace, pray with trust in God, but also work” toward peace. Referring to his phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Pope Leo spoke of the “need to protect the sacred places of all religions,” as well as to work with “respect for people” to end “so much violence, so much hatred, so many wars.” - 'You are not forgotten,' Jerusalem cardinal preaches at Gaza parish (CWN)
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem celebrated Sunday Mass at Gaza’s Catholic parish on July 20, three days after an Israeli strike on the parish left three dead and ten injured. - Palestinian president condemns attack on Gaza parish (CWN)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the Israeli military strike on Gaza’s Catholic parish and called Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, OFM, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, to express his “condolences and solidarity.” He also spoke by phone with Father Gabriele Romanelli, Gaza’s parish priest, who was wounded in the incident. - Pope Leo will continue reform of Roman Curia, English cardinal predicts (The Tablet)
Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster has confidently asserted that Pope Leo XIV will introduce new reforms to the Roman Curia, beginning this autumn. Speaking to an audience at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, Cardinal Nicholas said that the need for reforms in the Curia had been discussed among the cardinal-electors prior to the papal conclave in May. He said that Pope Leo had been elected in part because he, having served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, was very familiar with the inner workings of the Roman Curia. - US bishops call for ceasefire, dialogue in Holy Land (USCCB)
The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said that “with the Holy Father, the Catholic bishops of the United States are deeply saddened” by “the deaths and injuries at Holy Family Church in Gaza caused by a military strike.” “Our first concern, naturally, goes out to Father Gabriele Romanelli and all his parishioners, most especially to the families of those killed,” said Archbishop Timothy Broglio. “Our prayers are for them during these tragic times. With the Holy Father, we also continue to pray and advocate for dialogue and an immediate ceasefire.” - The Church in the EU stands with the Church and people of Ukraine, prelate says (COMECE)
At the conclusion of a visit to Ukraine, the president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE) said that “witnessing first-hand the wounds inflicted upon this land and its people by Russia’s brutal war of aggression has profoundly moved us.” “We wish to assure the Church and the people of Ukraine that they are not forgotten,” said Bishop Mariano Crociata of Latina-Terracina-Sezze-Priverno, Italy. “The Church in the European Union stands with them in prayer, compassion and concrete solidarity.” - Sit at the feet of Jesus, listen, and pray, Pope says at home for elderly (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV visited a home for elderly women in Castel Gandolfo, the site of the papal summer residence. During the July 21 visit, the Pope greeted each of the residents before reflecting on the previous day’s Gospel reading. “In each of us, there is a part of Martha and a part of Mary,” he said. “This stage of life is a precious time to embrace the ‘Mary’ within us—to sit at the feet of Jesus, to listen to His word, and to pray.” - Vatican diplomat calls for 'immediate debt relief' for poor island nations (Holy See Mission)
Addressing a UN forum on small island developing states (SIDS), a Vatican diplomat called for “immediate debt relief for SIDS, and a comprehensive rethinking of the global debt architecture.” Citing Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ , Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the apostolic nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, added: It is essential to recognize the “ecological debt which exists, particularly between the global north and south, connected to commercial imbalances with effects on the environment, and the disproportionate use of natural resources by certain countries over long periods of time,” while poorer, more vulnerable nations, including SIDS, bear the brunt of climate impacts. This is not just an economic issue, but a profoundly moral one too. - Kidnapped Nigerian priest who served in Alaska is released unharmed (Anchorage Daily News)
Father Alphonsus Afina, a Nigerian priest who served for years as a chaplain in the Diocese of Fairbanks, Alaska, has been released by kidnappers who seized him on June 1. Father Afina had been seized by armed men ambushed a convoy in which he was traveling, firing a rocket-propelled grenade that destroyed one vehicle and killed one man. Bishop John Bogma Bakeni of Maidururi said that the attackers were members of the Boko Haram terrorist group. The bishop reported that Father Afina was in good health when he was released, suffering only from minor wounds on his legs from having been tightly bound. He was expected to return to his parish assignment in Mubi. - Swiss political leader faces charges after shooting image of Virgin and Child (CNA)
Sanija Ameti, a militant atheist and former leader of the Green Liberal Party, faces criminal charges for disparaging religious beliefs after the circulation of a video in which she repeatedly fired an air pistol at a reproduction of a painting by the 14th-century artist Tommaso del Mazza, Madonna with Child and the Archangel Michael. - Cardinal Vingt-Trois, retired Paris archbishop, dies at 82 (CWN)
Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris announced that Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, the archbishop emeritus of Paris, died on July 18, at the age of 82. The announcement did not indicate a cause of death. - Papal gift of chausable to Albano bishop (Dicastery for Communication)
At the conclusion of his July 20 Mass in Albano Cathedral, Pope Leo XIV gave a chausable to Bishop Vincenzo Viva, the diocesan bishop. “We present this gift to Your Excellency as an expression of our closeness to your Diocesan Church, with the wish that the Lord’s Blessing may always accompany you,” Pope Leo said. “Thank you for your service and thanks to your people.” Albano is two miles from Castel Gandolfo, the site of the papal summer residence. It is also a suburbicarian see of the Diocese of Rome. - Pope and Netanyahu talk after attack on Gaza church (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV spoke at length with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on July 18, the day after shells from an Israeli tank killed three people and injured several others at the only Catholic parish in Gaza. During the telephone conversation, which lasted more than an hour, the Pope renewed his appeal for an immediate ceasefire and negotiations to end bloodshed in Gaza. “He again expressed his concern about the tragic humanitarian situation of the population in Gaza, whose children, elderly and sick are paying an agonizing price,” the Vatican reported. He also stressed the need to protect the security of sacred sites and houses of worship throughout the Holy Land. Pope Leo placed a call the same day to Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who was visiting the devastated Holy Family parish in Gaza. - Journalists pay tribute to Pope Francis (CWN)
Five journalists who interviewed Pope Francis—Bernarda Llorente, Gustavo Sylvestre, Jorge Fontevecchia, Elisabetta Piqué and Daniel Hadad—gathered recently at the National University of Lanús in Buenos Aires to share their memories with the public. - Vatican official jailed for child pornography returns to work in Secretariat of State (Pillar)
A Vatican diplomat who completed a five-year prison sentence for child pornography returned to work in the Secretariat of State and is listed as an official there in the new edition of the Annuario Pontificio, the Holy See’s annual directory. Father Carlo Alberto Capella, an Italian priest who worked in the nunciature in Washington, was sentenced by a Vatican court in 2018 and released in 2023. His return to work at the Vatican after his release “was clearly presented as an act of mercy,” an official of the Secretariat of State told The Pillar. “The intention was that this man, who had not been laicized but clearly could not return to his diocese or serve in a parish, could collaborate in the office, and remain in the Vatican where he is effectively secluded, but without a formal office.” - Palestinian President Abbas talks with Pontiff (Vatican News)
Pope Leo XIV spoke on July 21 with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who called to discuss the continuing warfare in Gaza. The Vatican reported that Pope Leo had renewed his call for respect for international humanitarian standards, particularly emphasizing the obligation of armed forces to protect civilians and sacred sites and “the prohibition of the indiscriminate use of force and of the forced transfer of the population.” The Pope also stressed the urgency of allowing for the prompt delivery of humanitarian aid to the victims of warfare. - More...