Pope Leo XIV will lead a worldwide rosary for peace to accompany his repeated calls for an end to war in the Vatican Gardens on Saturday, May 30 at 7 p.m. (Rome time).
Each decade of the rosary will be dedicated to people impacted by war — from families suffering loss of loved ones and homes to medical personnel and volunteers.
Underscoring the need for prayers for peace, the conflict between the U.S. and Iran entered its fourth month. The Israeli military launched more strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing scores of people and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Pope Leo separately urged respect for human rights in Gaza, and for prayer and work to build a world of peace that is “welcoming and hospitable to all.” He prayed that the Holy Spirit may help overcome “resistance, selfishness, mistrust, and prejudice,” allowing fraternity to flourish.
Pope Leo’s First Encyclical Explored by Prelates, Faithful Around the World
Pope this week presented his first social encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, at a news conference he led in Rome. He appealed for artificial intelligence to be placed firmly at the service of humanity, warning against technologies that foster domination, exclusion and war.
Read an analysis of the encyclical by Vatican News.
Archbishop Nelson Pérez of Philadelphia was among a number of prelates to release statements on the encyclical. He was joined by Archbishop Ronald Hicks of New York, Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago and Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the United States Conference of Bishops.
Father Brendan McGuire, a former engineer and now parish priest in California’s Silicon Valley, says Pope Leo’s encyclical gives a new impetus to the Church’s engagement with those on the cutting edge of technology.
Pope Leo Addresses Youth Spirituality, Focus on Essentials of the Gospel
During talks in Rome this week, Pope Leo said that Catholic communities throughout the world must work to respond to the crisis of spiritual poverty among young people.
He told a group of bishops that God does not ask the Church to measure fruitfulness according to numbers, visibility, or influence. Instead, he urged the bishops to “have the courage to focus on what is essential,” which primarily is the Gospel.
He called for an ongoing initiation and formation in Christian life, welcoming and missionary parishes where families can gather, and listening to young people without limiting their questions.
Pope: Tradition of Mass and Renewal Drive Evangelization
Renewing the liturgy and allowing it to progress while preserving tradition allows the Church to grow, be united and continue her mission of spreading the Gospel to all, Pope Leo said during his Wednesday catechesis on the documents of the Second Vatican Council.
He reflected on the 1963 Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium, especially on liturgy through the perspective of tradition and development.
Pope Aids Visitor in St. Peter’s Square Who Fainted
During his talk in the Roman sun that day, a priest in the audience at St. Peter’s Square fainted due to the heat. Pope Leo quickly walked over to him and held him until medical aid arrived.
In Peru, Cardinals and Bishops Kneel Before ‘Sodalitium’ Victims
During a Mass of reparation for victims harmed by the now-suppressed “Sodalitium Christiane Vitae,” a number of Vatican delegates and Peruvian clergy knelt before victims as a sign of repentance.
Members of the Tallán indigenous communities suffered persecution, land expropriation, and harassment for more than a decade by the movement that was suppressed by Pope Francis in 2025.
Holy Spirit Enlightens Minds and Protects Us, Pope Says
The Holy Spirit, whose gift to the Church was proclaimed on Pentecost Sunday May 24, continues to work wonders in our lives, Pope Leo said at Mass.
By enlightening minds and instilling new vitality in our hearts, the Paraclete “transfigures history, opening it to salvation, which is the gift that the Lord offers to everyone,” Pope Leo said.
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