Pope Leo XIV gave an interview this week with NBC News. Asked what he loves about America, the pope spoke about the principles of “what America stands for, the sense of freedom, the sense of opportunity, the sense of having invited, for generations, people from around the world to be part of America.”
Regarding a possible future visit to the United States, the pope said that while “nothing is set in stone yet,” he hopes “to be there soon.”
The Holy Father ended his summer vacation in Castel Gandolfo, not before attending a “Canticle of Peace” concert there featuring Andrea Boccelli and a children’s choir.
“Just as we can follow a stream back to its source, so the beauty of music invites us to encounter the One who is Beauty itself,” the pope said. “Continue to cultivate the gifts God has given you, and let them lead you to Him.”
Later back in the Vatican, the pope in a private audience met American singer-songwriter, poet, and artist Patti Smith who like Pope Leo, is from Chicago.
Church Urges Care for the Elderly, Homeless Persons
On the sixth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, an official with the Vatican dicastery Laity, Family and Life said the presence of older people is “not a burden to manage, but a gift to cherish.”
Pope Leo released his August prayer intention on video, the theme of which is “evangelization in the city.”
Eliminating homelessness in urban areas to enable every person to flourish and contribute to the common good was the concern of the Holy See’s representative at the United Nations.
“Housing should therefore be viewed not just as a commodity or financial asset, but as a cornerstone of society at the service of the common good,” read the Church’s statement.
Sydney Archbishop: Church Must Offer Alternatives to Euthanasia
As Australia debates making assisted dying accessible through online consultations, the Archbishop of Sydney said such a “Pandora’s box” would turn “telehealth” into “teledeath.”
Several states in Australia already permit the practice. France became the 14th country to allow assisted dying this year, but under strict conditions. Thirteen states in the U.S. have legalized the practice.
Wildfires in Spain, France and Greece Displace Thousands
Wildfires raged this week across southern Europe, and local Churches helped displaced communities deal with the trauma of losing their homes and livelihoods. Pope Leo also appealed for prayers for affected communities in Spain and France during his Angelus address.
Vandalism Strikes Medjugorje Parish, Which Calls for Forgiveness
After an image of Mary was defaced and the outdoor altar of St. James Church set ablaze, the parish of Medjugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina urged the faithful to “pray for the conversion of the hearts of those who committed this act.”
German Archbishop Decries ‘Hatred’ Attack in Berlin
The Archbishop of Berlin and other leaders condemned an attack July 25 that left one person dead and about 30 injured in the German capital, after a minivan drove at high speed into a crowd of participants at the city’s Pride event.
Violence Across Middle East Stirs Calls for Renewed Dialogue
Amid ongoing violence and tensions in the Middle East, the Catholic bishop of Northern Arabia visited Christian communities across the Persian Gulf with a message of hope, faith and unity.
Pope Leo expressed deep concern over the escalating violence in the Gulf region as well as in Gaza and the West Bank of Israel.
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.”
One priest serving at Holy Family Parish in Gaza called the region’s humanitarian crisis “beyond disastrous,” while a priest serving in the West Bank decried the conflict there in which “people are dying in an unofficial war, undeclared but that continues, constant and widespread.”
He echoed Pope Leo’s calls for a cessation of violence on the West Bank “both by those who perpetrate it and by those who fail to intervene to stop this endless spiral.”
U.S. Bishops Call Upon Americans to Aid Church in Africa
The bishops of the United States are reminding American Catholics how they can join Pope Leo’s voice in supporting the Church in Africa through the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa, which last year awarded 97 grants totaling over $3 million.
Santa Mónica: A journey of hope for those facing addiction
What began as a prayer group among mothers in an industrial city in Argentina trying to help their children deal with addictions has grown into a pastoral center welcoming the most vulnerable, especially those who suffer from loneliness, depression and addiction.
The region’s extreme conditions of cold, wind and isolation at the tip of South America foster situations of depression, sadness and addiction.
Volunteers at the center founded by religious sisters offer free religious and therapeutic support to the entire family.
Share this story