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Pope Francis invited Christians on Wednesday to pray for the grace to have a “pastoral heart” like Jesus that “suffers and takes risks” out of love for others.
In his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Francis said that God’s justice is often misunderstood as mere punishment when in reality it “raises us up” by “freeing us from the snares of evil.”
In his Christmas Day blessing, Pope Francis prayed that leaders will listen to the “cries of the Prince of Peace” and bring an immediate end to the war in Ukraine and “the other theaters of this third world war.”
In a message sent to heads of state across the world, Pope Francis has asked leaders to reflect on what lessons can be learned three years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov said his government is willing to talk with Pope Francis, the United States, and France to find a solution to the war in Ukraine.
Pope Francis made a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin for an immediate ceasefire on Sunday, imploring him to end the “spiral of violence and death” in Ukraine.
Pope Francis said Sunday that Christians should not become discouraged or remain indifferent to stories of corruption, but instead “be creative in doing good with prudence.”
“Our people need support of world spiritual leaders who should convey to the world the truth about acts of horror committed by the aggressor,” the Ukrainian president said.
In his Angelus address, the pope posed a question: “How do we bring the good news of the Gospel to others?
The pope meditated on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary in union with Marian shrines around the world.
Pope Francis has again lamented the suffering caused by the invasion of Ukraine and encouraged the faithful to pray a rosary every day for peace.
The pope said that the foundation brings ‘love, hope, and mercy’ to those it supports.
The pope offered a reflection on "Our Lady of Tears."
Major Serhiy Volyna, who has been leading the 36th marine brigade in the battle for the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, pleaded with the pope to help do something to safely evacuate people from the city.
The pope made the comments during a reflection on his recent trip to Malta at his weekly general audience.
Major Archbishop Shevchuk said: ‘Bring the devil to light and we will overcome.’
"Before the danger of self-destruction, may humanity understand that the moment has come to abolish war, to erase it from human history before it erases human history," Pope Francis said in another plea for peace more than one month after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
On March 25 Pope Francis led a celebration of the sacrament of penance and the act of consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary in St. Peter's Basilica. The following is the full text of the pope's prepared homily.
In his homily, the pope said that the consecration ‘is no magic formula but a spiritual act.’
Catholic Bishops in Africa have, in separate statements, responded to Pope Francis’ call for prayer and consecration of Russia and Ukraine scheduled to take place on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, Friday, March 25.