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.” - 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.” - 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. - '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. - 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.” - 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. - 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.” - 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. - 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.” - 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. - 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. - 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. - Pope Leo reflects on hospitality offered by Abraham, Mary, and Martha (CWN)
On July 20, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at the cathedral in Albano and delivered his Sunday Angelus address in Castel Gandolfo, two miles away. - Vatican spokesman: Hamas attack on Israel cannot justify mass killing of Gaza's civilians (Vatican News)
Following the Israeli military attack on Gaza’s sole Catholic parish, a Vatican spokesman denounced earlier Israeli attacks on a Greek Orthodox church and mosques in Gaza. “All innocent victims cry out for vengeance in the sight of God, every life is sacred, and Christians of every denomination in Gaza share in all things the fate of their people, the martyred Palestinian people,” said Andrea Tornielli, editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication. “The inhumane massacre against Israel perpetrated by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, was condemned by the Holy See with unambiguous words,” he continued. “However, that inhuman massacre—to the detriment of so many innocent civilians—cannot justify 60,000 dead and cities razed to the ground.” “It is time for the international community to finally regain the courage to intervene with all the tools that the law makes available: to silence weapons, to stop the massacres, and to put an end to power games whose price is paid by thousands of innocent victims,” he concluded. - 'Environmental justice is closely linked to social justice,' Vatican cardinal tells Latin American bishops (CELAM (Spanish))
In a video message to the Latin American and Caribbean Episcopal Council (CELAM), Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, said that “environmental justice is closely linked to social justice.” Discussing the effects of mining, the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development lamented “environmental degradation, human rights violations, forced displacement, violence and loss of means of subsistence.” He also said that “the human being should not despotically dominate what is created, but establish a relationship based on respect, balance, and reciprocity.” Cardinal Czerny made his remarks as CELAM released pastoral guidelines related to mining. - Sri Lanka archdiocese seeks prosecution of top official for Easter church bombings (AFP)
The Archdiocese of Colombo, Sri Lanka, has called for the criminal prosecution of a former police official who was dismissed on July 19 because of his role in the Easter 2019 bombing of Christian churches that caused 279 deaths. Nilantha Jayawardena, who was head of the Director of the State Intelligence Service at the time of the bombings, was charged with negligence by an investigative panel because of his failure to prevent the bombings. Cyril Gamini Fernando, a spokesman for the archdiocese, welcomed that disciplinary action but suggested more. “This is for the negligence part of it, but we want the authorities to investigate Jayawardena’s role in the attack itself,” he said. - German archdiocese sees complaints against cardinal as 'baseless' (CNA)
The Archdiocese of Cologne has dismissed a complaint that Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki “re-victimized” sex-abuse victims by his handling of complaints. The archdiocese reports that the complaints are “obviously baseless,” and built on “false assumptions.” The complaint was filed by the Betroffenenbeirat, a group of victims’ advocated working under the authority of the German bishops’ conference. Cardinal Woelki has broken with the leadership of the episcopal conference, refusing to endorse the radical recommendations of the bishops’ “Synodal Path.” - Papal encouragement for America's Ruthenian Catholics (Vatican Press Office)
Pope Leo XIV has written a message, dated July 12 and released July 19, to Ruthenian Catholics attending the 3rd Metropolitan Assembly of the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh. “Your Assembly, held under the theme ‘Come, let us worship and bow before Christ,’ offers a precious opportunity to grow in unity and to reaffirm your commitment to the Lord,” Pope Leo wrote. “Through your liturgical celebrations, prayerful reflection and fraternal dialogue, you will surely renew your faithful witness to Christ and deepen your proclamation of the Gospel in the rich tradition of the Byzantine Catholic Churches.” “I give thanks for the witness of your forebears, who built vibrant Byzantine communities in North America amidst various challenges and uncertainty,” he continued. “Their legacy continues in your courageous embrace of pastoral renewal, which is rooted in fidelity to your heritage.” The Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church (CNEWA profile), an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with the Holy See, includes two European eparchies immediately subject to the Holy See, as well as five North American jurisdictions under the purview of the Ruthenian Metropolitan Archbishop of Pittsburgh. - More...