reflections, updates and homilies from Deacon Mike Talbot inspired by the following words from my ordination: Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach...
Pope Leo prays for Gaza victims: ‘How long, O Lord?’
Pope Leo XIV sends a message of condolence to the parish priest of Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza City after an Israeli strike kills five people, including two Christian women.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV has expressed his sorrow and assured Gaza’s Christian community of his prayers after an Israeli airstrike killed five civilians, including two Orthodox women.
The attack struck a residential building in the Rimal neighborhood of western Gaza City in the early hours of Saturday, October 3, wounding numerous others.
Among those killed were Maysa Khader Ibrahim Abu Daoud and her daughter, Mary Hafez Michel Najjar. The two Greek Orthodox women had recently found a new place of refuge and were trying to rebuild their lives.
‘How long, O Lord?’
In a message to Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, parish priest of Holy Family Church in Gaza, Pope Leo prayed for the victims and thanked him for his ministry.
“Since learning the painful news of the deaths of Maysa and Mary, I have been praying to God for them, for their families and for the entire community of Gaza. How long, O Lord?” he wrote.
“Thank you for accompanying the parish and so many people who wish to live in peace,” said the Pope. “Blessings and an affectionate embrace.”
Separately, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, expressed his condolences on behalf of the clergy and the diocese, condemning the loss of innocent lives.
The women’s funeral took place on Saturday at Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City, where Metropolitan Alexios, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchal Vicar, prayed for their eternal rest.
Humanitarian conditions worsen
According to medical sources at Al-Shifa Hospital, those wounded in the attack were in serious condition.
The Israeli military said the strike targeted a Hamas command center or leader.
Meanwhile, the local Church, led on the ground by Fr. Romanelli and the Missionaries of Charity, continues to assist hundreds of displaced people with nowhere safe to go.
Speaking to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica ahead of the anniversary of October 7, Cardinal Pizzaballa said both Israelis and Palestinians remain marked by the events of that day.
“We have not yet moved beyond that day. Both peoples, Israelis and Palestinians, remain caught in this profound, unresolved trauma,” he said. “I see no emerging willingness to say, ‘Let us stop.’”
Although the intensity of the fighting has diminished, the Cardinal warned that everyday life and humanitarian conditions may be worse.
“Reconstruction has not begun, living conditions have not improved; indeed, in some respects, they have even worsened.”
A sign of hope
With winter approaching, Cardinal Pizzaballa voiced particular concern for displaced families. “The rains will be an enormous problem for all those living in tents,” he said.
Amid these difficulties, the reopening of Gaza’s parish school has offered the community a sign of hope.
“Reopening was an important sign to give. A sign that, despite all the difficulties, we want to begin again: we are not giving up,” the Cardinal said. “There was great joy that day; everyone was crying.”
United Nations: 81st General Assembly opens in New York
The world’s major powers gather at the United Nations headquarters in New York. At the heart of the agenda are major global issues, including the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, alongside the challenges facing the global economy and the issue of artificial intelligence.
By Paola Simonetti
The atmosphere is one of “an era of profound uncertainty,” in the words of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as the 81st United Nations General Assembly opens its debate on Tuesday, September 22. Heads of state and government from around the world are taking part, addressing international challenges ranging from security and geopolitical tensions to economic issues and artificial intelligence.
Following the Secretary-General’s opening report on the state of the world, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will, as is tradition, be the first speaker, followed by US President Donald Trump. Other world leaders will then take the floor, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is expected to meet with Trump today.
The ongoing conflicts
The high-level debate will continue through September 26. The war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, Israel’s military operations in Gaza, and the hostilities between the United States and Iran will be among the most prominent issues. The latter conflict has a significant impact on oil prices and disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea. The conflict in Sudan is also on the agenda.
Regarding the confrontation between Washington and Tehran, France has announced that it is working on a new UN Security Council resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring freedom of navigation.
Expectations are generally realistic, with few anticipating any major breakthroughs. There is, however, considerable attention on what will happen away from the spotlight of the General Assembly chamber—namely, the bilateral meetings focused on the ongoing conflicts. A meeting between UN Secretary-General Guterres and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is already scheduled for September 24.
The crucial issue of AI
For the first time in its history, the General Assembly has also placed artificial intelligence at the top of its agenda—seeking a global agreement to establish limits on its development and use. Guterres has included AI among the “three existential threats” of our time, alongside the climate crisis and growing inequality.
Who will not attend
The list of absentees is also notable. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not attend. Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent a delegate, although he is nevertheless expected to hold a direct meeting with Trump in Washington.
Pope calls for renewed negotiations for a just peace in the Middle East
During the Angelus in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV appeals for an end to violence in the Holy Land and the Middle East, urging dialogue, diplomacy, and prayers for peace.
By Linda Bordoni
Pope Leo XIV on Sunday renewed his urgent appeals for peace in the Holy Land and across the Middle East during his Angelus address in Castel Gandolfo, expressing deep concern over the escalating violence and calling for an immediate return to dialogue.
Concern for civilians in West Bank and Gaza
"I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the Holy Land," the Pope said, noting that "many civilians have recently fallen victim, both in the West Bank and in Gaza."
He called for "a return to negotiations aimed at achieving a just political solution, founded on the equal dignity and equal rights of every human person, and for the rejection of further military actions and unilateral decisions, particularly those that violate the respect due to and the status quo of the holy sites of every religious faith."
Appeal for diplomacy
Pope Leo also renewed his appeal regarding the situation throughout the Middle East, where, he said, "the intensification of military operations has once again brought violence and destruction, placing the lives of countless civilians in grave danger and worsening the shortages of drinking water and electricity.”
“I urge all parties involved to suspend their attacks and urgently reopen avenues of dialogue and diplomacy, so that the peace so greatly desired by the entire region may be achieved without delay,” Pope Leo said.
Prayers for peoples throughout the world affected by war
Pope Leo XIV encouraged everyone to continue praying for all peoples throughout the world who are suffering because of war.
“May the Lord touch hearts and enlighten the minds of those in positions of responsibility, so that reconciliation and peace may soon prevail,” he said.
Pope Leo to Rome's Sapienza University: ‘Be artisans of true peace’
Pope Leo XIV makes a special visit to Sapienza University of Rome, urging young people to reject resignation, become “artisans of true peace,” and warning against rising military spending and the dangers of artificial intelligence in war.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
“Be artisans of true peace: an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering, working for harmony among peoples and for the care of the Earth.”
Pope Leo XIV expressed this during his address to the Sapienza University of Rome on Thursday, May 14.
Prior to delivering his remarks, the Holy Father paused in prayer and greeted members of the university community before proceeding to the rectorate and the Aula Magna for his address.
In his speech, Pope Leo said he accepted “with great joy” the invitation to meet the university community, praising the university as a center of excellence in many disciplines, while also recognizing its commitment to ensuring access to education for those with fewer economic resources, people with disabilities, prisoners, and refugees fleeing war zones.
In a particular way, the Holy Father expressed appreciation for the agreement signed between the Diocese of Rome and Sapienza to open a university humanitarian corridor from the Gaza Strip.
Pope Leo noted that, having served as Bishop of Rome for just over a year, he especially desired to meet the university community and, “with a pastor’s heart,” wished to address first the students and then the professors.
Young people and the search for truth
Reflecting on his arrival at the university, the Pope said the avenues of the campus are crossed every day by many young people and marked by “contrasting emotions."
While he acknowledged they likely have some carefree and joyful moments, he recognized that they undoubtedly are likewise troubled by the great injustices around the world.
Amid this reality, the Holy Father said studies, friendships, and encounters with “masters of thought” can transform people for the better even before changing the world around them.
“When the desire for truth becomes a search,” he continued, “our boldness in study bears witness to the hope of a new world.”
St. Augustine made serious mistakes, but never lost his passion for wisdom
Pope Leo reminded the students of his spiritual connection to Saint Augustine, his spiritual father, whom he recalled was as “a restless young man” who made serious mistakes, but never lost his passion for beauty and wisdom.
The Pope said he was pleased to receive hundreds of questions from students ahead of the encounter. Lamenting that it would be impossible for him to answer them all, he reminded the students that university chaplaincies exist for this very reason, as places “where faith encounters your questions.”
Pope Leo greeting students (@Vatican Media)
‘We are not an algorithm’
Turning to the struggles faced by many young people today, Pope Leo said “We must not hide from the fact that many young people are suffering.”
The Pope pointed to the “blackmail of expectations” and pressure to perform, calling it “the pervasive lie of a distorted system that reduces people to numbers, exacerbating competitiveness and abandoning us to spirals of anxiety.”
“This spiritual malaise,” he continued, “reminds us that we are not the sum of what we possess, nor matter randomly assembled in a mute cosmos.”
The Holy Father went on to remind the students they are not algorithms and that they possess a special dignity.
Becoming ourselves
Addressing young people directly, Pope Leo said modern malaise asks the question: “Who are you?” and said this question is one "we silently pose to God.”
“Becoming ourselves,” he observed, “is the characteristic task of every man’s and every woman’s life.”
““It is the question to which only we ourselves can respond,” he continued, “yet one that we can never answer alone,” stressing that human beings are shaped by our relationships.
‘What kind of world are we leaving behind?’
Turning to older generations, the Pope said the malaise of youth also asks: “What kind of world are we leaving behind?”
The Holy Father lamented that today’s world is “disfigured by wars and by words of war,” describing this as “a pollution of reason” that invades social relationships from the geopolitical level downward.
Pope Leo XIV at the Sapienza University of Rome (@Vatican Media)
The Pope warned that the simplification that “constructs enemies” must be corrected, especially in universities, through “care for complexity and the wise exercise of memory.”
“In particular,” he added, “the tragedy of the twentieth century must not be forgotten.”
Warnings against military spending and rearmament
“The cry ‘never again war!’ of my predecessors,” Pope Leo said, “urges us toward a spiritual alliance with the sense of justice dwelling in the hearts of the young.”
The Holy Father noted that military spending around the world, especially in Europe, has grown enormously over the past year.
“Let us not call ‘defense’ a rearmament that increases tensions and insecurity, impoverishes investment in education and health, denies trust in diplomacy, and enriches elites that care nothing for the common good,” he warned.
Moreover, Pope Leo insisted that society must remain vigilant regarding the development and application of artificial intelligence in both military and civilian spheres.
“This is particularly important,” he said, “so that it does not strip human choices of responsibility and worsen the tragedy of conflicts.”
Warning against a 'spiral of annihilation'
The Pope pointed specifically to Ukraine, Gaza and the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, and Iran as examples of what he called “the inhuman evolution of the relationship between war and new technologies in a spiral of annihilation.”
“Let study, research, and investment move in the opposite direction,” the Holy Father urged.
“Let them be a radical ‘yes,’" he said, "to life — yes to innocent life, yes to young life, yes to the life of peoples crying out for peace and justice.”
Safeguarding creation
A second area of common commitment, Pope Leo said, concerns ecology.
Recalling Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment Laudato si’, the Holy Father cited the warning that “we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system.”
More than a decade later, Pope Leo observed, “beyond good intentions and some efforts directed toward this goal, the situation does not seem to have improved.”
In this context, the Pope encouraged young people not to surrender to resignation but instead “to transform restlessness into prophecy.”
The insight of those who believe
“Those who believe,” he continued, “know in a special way that history does not helplessly collapse into the hands of death.”
Rather, he said, history is always safeguarded by “a God who creates life from nothing, who gives without taking, who shares without consuming.”
“Today,” the Holy Father declared, “the implosion of a possessive and consumerist paradigm clears the ground for the new that is already sprouting forth: study, cultivate, safeguard justice!”
Pope Leo then invited students and professors alike to join him in pursuing peace.
“Be artisans of true peace: an unarmed and disarming peace, humble and persevering, working for harmony among peoples and for the care of the Earth,” he said.
Your intelligence and boldness are needed, the Pope said.
Pope Leo at the Sapienza University of Rome (@Vatican Media)
‘Believe in your students’
Turning specifically to professors, Pope Leo described Sapienza as “a place of study and a center of experimentation” that for centuries has formed minds in critical thought.
In this context, he reminded professors they have the responsibility and privilege of cultivating “fruitful contact with the minds and hearts of young people.”
“It is of the utmost importance to believe in your students,” the Pope stressed.
“Therefore, ask yourselves often: do I trust them?” he said.
Teaching as a form of charity
The Pope also described teaching as “a form of charity,” comparing it to “rescuing a migrant at sea, a poor person on the street, or a despairing conscience.”
Teaching, he continued, “means loving human life always and in every circumstance, esteeming its possibilities.”
Pope Leo said education should speak “to the hearts of young people” and not focus solely on intellectual knowledge.
The Pope went on to ask what would be the point of forming researchers or professionals who fail to cultivate conscience, justice, and respect for what “can neither nor should be dominated.”
A new educational alliance
“Knowledge,” he said, “serves not only to achieve professional goals, but to discern who one is.”
Through lectures, internships, interaction with the city, theses, and doctoral studies, he reminded that students can continually discover new motivations and learn to bring order “between study and life, between means and ends.”
Finally, Pope Leo XIV reminded that his visit was intended to serve as “a sign of a new educational alliance” between the Church in Rome and the university community, before assuring those present of his prayers and imparting his Apostolic Blessing.
Cardinal Parolin responded to questions on the sidelines of the event marking the 25th anniversary of the Osservatorio for Independent Thinking in Rome
Cardinal Parolin: Tensions between US and Europe worsen international climate
Speaking to journalists, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin touches on the tensions between the United States and Europe, saying it is essential “to discuss the controversial issues, but without engaging in polemics and without creating further tensions.”
By Daniele Piccini
The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, spoke to journalists about tensions between the United States and Europe on January 21 on the sidelines of the event entitled, ‘An International Dialogue to Connect Young People to the Future’ in Rome.
He stressed that “tensions are not healthy and create a climate that worsens an international situation that is already serious. I believe the important thing would be to eliminate tensions, to discuss the controversial points, but without entering into polemics and without fueling tensions.”
The event held at the Auditorium Antonianum marked the 25th anniversary of the Observatory for Independent Thinking.
Invitation to the Board of Peace on Gaza
Turning to the topic of the Board of Peace for Gaza, the Cardinal reflected on how President Trump is inviting a number of countries to participate.
“I believe I read in the newspaper this morning that Italy, too, is considering whether or not to join,” he continued, “We also received the invitation to the Board of Peace for Gaza; the Pope has received it, and we are considering what to do.”
He argued, “It is an issue that requires some time to be properly assessed and to provide a response.”
Speaking about the Board of Peace for Gaza, the Cardinal said that the Holy See would not take part financially, noting, “We are not even in a position to do so.”
However, he pointed out that the Vatican is in a different situation from other countries, and therefore the analysis will be different. But, the Cardinal said, “I believe the request will not be for economic participation.”
Respect for international law
Commenting on the US President’s statement in Davos that he loves Europe but does not like the direction it is taking, the Vatican Secretary of State said: “That is his point of view. What matters is respect for international law. I believe this is the essential point, beyond personal feelings, which are legitimate, but what is important is respect for the rules of the international community.”
Freedom of the press and trust in journalism
When asked about freedom of the press, the Cardinal said that “trust in the media is extremely important.”
But, he said, it is equally important to ensure “responsible use of the press. I think that is the key: a responsible use of the media that seeks to build up rather than polarize or destroy.”
Venezuela, a beautiful country
“Venezuela is a beautiful country—I enjoyed it during the four years I served as Apostolic Nuncio in Caracas. It was an unforgettable experience,” Cardinal Parolin said, answering questions from journalists during the event at the Auditorium Antonianum.
Between 2009 and 2023, the Cardinal added, “there were major political difficulties. When I arrived, there was tension between the bishops and Chávez, because the bishop's voiced criticism of the President’s political direction; then things got worse. Now we find ourselves in this new situation of enormous uncertainty, and it is hard to predict how it will develop. What matters is to respond to the needs of the people, who are living through a profound crisis,” he concluded.
Iran and a “Third World War fought piecemeal”
The Secretary of State then recalled the Church’s perspective in conflicts.
“A crisis brings unspeakable suffering for the population. This is the Holy See’s lens. First and foremost, our attention is on people—we must not think in terms of numbers, but of faces,” he said in response to a question about the protests in Iran.
He acknowledged that the expression Pope Francis used to describe the international situation— “a Third World War fought piecemeal”—has become a “reality.”
Yet, he added, slogans do not always capture complexity. “I’m sorry,” he continued, “that these phrases then become slogans with no impact on reality and without solutions being found. This is a great limitation of our world.”
Answering a question about the nuclear threat, the Cardinal reiterated that “the Holy See has always worked for disarmament. We must reduce armaments, because once they exist, they are used. The Holy See,” he stressed, “upholds the immorality not only of the use but also of the possession of nuclear weapons.”
The Israeli Palestinian conflict
Cardinal Parolin said he was convinced that the resolution of the conflict between Israel and Palestine is the key to peace throughout the Middle East.
“Once that is resolved,” he commented, “the others will be resolved as well. For ten years now, the Holy See has recognized the State of Palestine.”
Finally, the Secretary of State reiterated what he called the “still viable” two-state solution supported by the Holy See.
“We still consider the formula of two peoples in two states feasible, but the important thing is to reach an agreement and offer hope to the Palestinian people," he said. "We will see what happens with the Board of Peace on Gaza. What is needed is creativity—to find an approach that ensures Palestinians the right to live in peace in their own land.”
