VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Opening the first day of his second consistory with cardinals from around the world, Pope Leo XIV condemned war as "never blessed by God" while urging the Church's leaders to embrace a style of listening and collaboration.

The June 26 gathering marked the opening of a two-day meeting focused on the implementation of the Synod on Synodality, the pope's first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas,", and the Church's mission in a rapidly changing world.

Celebrating Mass in St. Peter's Basilica before the working sessions began June 26, Pope Leo said the unity of the human family "takes precedence over individual peoples and states" and described peace as "a duty of justice."

"Therefore, war is never worthy of humanity, and it is never blessed by God, because, even if we are equipped with high-tech weapons, the Creator has endowed us with intelligence and free will to resolve conflicts as human beings and not as beasts," he said in his homily.

The remarks further developed one of the central themes of "Magnifica Humanitas," released in May, in which the pope called the traditional just-war theory "now outdated" in an age shaped by advanced weapons systems and artificial intelligence.

Developed through the writings of St. Augustine and St. Thomas Aquinas, just-war theory has long held that military force can be morally justified only under strict conditions, including self-defense, legitimate authority, proportionality and the exhaustion of peaceful alternatives. The teaching has resurfaced in recent debates surrounding conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Quoting his encyclical, Pope Leo said the Church must continue working toward a "civilization of love," offering an alternative to ideological division, violence and instability because "the Church is never partial, since she is for everyone."

Addressing the 178 cardinals who attended the June consistory, the pope said in his introductory remarks after the Mass that  "none of us is untouched by the many forms of conflict, domination and division that run through our societies today."

He also asked the cardinals to help him discern how the themes of "Magnifica Humanitas" are being received in local churches around the world.

"I am especially interested in hearing how these pages resonate in your churches, what questions they raise, what perspectives they open and what steps they suggest," he said, adding that an encyclical continues its life only when it is "received, interpreted and embodied in the concrete life of the churches."

Following the closed-door morning session, the Vatican released a summary, saying that each of the ten working groups of cardinals spoke of "suffering experienced by men and women living through this period of profound social transformation."

A consistent theme throughout the first day was the growing polarization around the world and a deepening distrust of institutions and democracy, trends that have fueled political tension and violence and have been exacerbated by the spread of misinformation. The Vatican summary also said the cardinals spoke of religious violence in many parts of the world, citing the rise of antisemitism, as well as the rise of loneliness.

Throughout both his homily and  opening address, Pope Leo repeatedly returned to the importance of listening. Known for his style of attentive listening and collaboration before his election, Pope Leo told the cardinals  the papacy "cannot be lived in isolation."

"It needs your experience, your pastoral wisdom and your knowledge of the Churches and peoples entrusted to your care," he said. "I need your support: strong, explicit and public."

The pope encouraged frank discussion during the consistory's working sessions and said he welcomed honest disagreement offered in a spirit of communion.

"I need your freedom, your candor and your loyalty," he said. "Sincere counsel is always an act of communion."

He also emphasized that the cardinals had gathered not simply to discuss the Church itself.

"We are not here first and foremost to reflect on the Church's internal life," he said.

Instead, he said, the themes before the consistory all point toward a single question: "How can we help our churches today proclaim the Gospel with greater fidelity, freedom and credibility?"

Many groups discussed loneliness experienced by both the elderly and the young, contributing to increasing rates of suicide and drug use. Some cardinals aired concerns about the societal impact of secularism.

"They noted that a growing weariness and the absence of a shared horizon of truth have made it increasingly difficult for people to recognize the dignity of others and to build authentic relationships," the Vatican summary said.

The Holy See reported that some cardinals said the Church should respond to growing social divisions by serving as a welcoming mother, acknowledging its own shortcomings and standing alongside those who suffer. They identified synodality, charity, solidarity, education, popular piety and efforts to promote peace and dialogue as hopeful signs for the Church and the world.

WASHINGTON - This week, the Trump Administration ultimately prevailed in a court challenge to its decision to end temporary protected status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria. Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, issued the following statement in response: 

“Revoking the legal status of hundreds of thousands of people residing in our country creates a moral crisis when returning to their country of origin is not a safe or reasonable option. If we are truly to affirm the God-given dignity of every human person, we as a nation cannot turn a blind eye to such an injustice and the impossible choices it will create for families and communities. 

“Even if the Administration determines TPS is no longer warranted, deferred enforced departure remains a tool available to the President, and we urge him to exercise right judgement in this way. Forcibly sending families to dire conditions is a legacy all leaders should seek to avoid. To that end, my brother bishops and I also continue to call upon Congress to act—to meet this moment with the moral fortitude that is so desperately needed.”

The USCCB’s Committee on Migration has encouraged recent bipartisan efforts in Congress to pass legislation that would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to extend Haiti’s TPS designation. In January, Bishop Cahill was also joined by his fellow chairman in calling on the Administration to extend TPS for Haitians.

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WASHINGTON – “As rescue efforts are underway, I urge the international community to mobilize in support of the Venezuelan people, and to send the necessary humanitarian assistance to alleviate their suffering,” said Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace.

Bishop Zaidan’s statement follows:

“In the wake of the devastating earthquakes that have impacted Venezuela, causing significant loss of life and severe destruction, I offer the prayers and solidarity of the Church in the United States to our sisters and brothers affected by this tragedy.

“As rescue efforts are underway, I urge the international community to mobilize in support of the Venezuelan people, and to send the necessary humanitarian assistance to alleviate their suffering. Catholic Relief Services, the international relief agency of the Church in the United States, and its partner Caritas Venezuela, are already responding and assessing needs at this early stage. We understand the U.S. government is readying an initial response and appreciate their partnership in responding to this natural disaster. 

“Let us all join in prayer that Our Lady of Coromoto, patroness of Venezuela, will comfort and protect her children and that compassionate international assistance will arrive swiftly.”

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Participation in the Eucharist transforms believers into the Body of Christ and offers a remedy to the divisions affecting families and communities, Pope Leo XIV said during his weekly general audience June 24.

In his final general audience until Aug. 5, Pope Leo also encouraged young people to use the downtime of summer vacation to attend Mass, go to confession frequently, reflect on Scripture, go on spiritual retreats and pilgrimages and spend time with loved ones. 

"Vacation is a time for rest and to seek signs of God in the beauty of creation," he said in his remarks to Polish-speaking visitors. He also asked people to pray for students so that they may "choose wisely" the schools and universities they will attend and "discern with prudence their vocation."

Continuing his series on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, the pope focused on "Sacrosanctum Concilium," the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, explaining how the Eucharist draws the faithful into deeper communion with God and one another.

Receiving Christ in the Eucharist transforms believers into the Body of Christ, whose head is the risen Lord seated at the right hand of the Father, the pope said.

"Thus, the Eucharist is the sacrament of the Kingdom that is to come," Pope Leo said.

The Eucharist teaches Catholics to adopt Christ's way of self-giving love and to be "drawn day by day into ever more perfect union with God and with each other," he said.

"This gift draws us into the dynamic of unity, offering a powerful antidote to the forces of division that undermine our world, our communities, our families, and our hearts," he said.

The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy teaches that the faithful are called to "offer themselves in union with Jesus Christ" to the Father "through the hands of the priest and together with him," the pope said. Participation in the Eucharist also means being formed by God's word and "nourished at the table of the Lord's body."

The Eucharist cannot be separated from the Word of God, the pope said, noting that the liturgy and the Eucharist form "one single act of worship." Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he said Scripture illuminates and explains the mystery of the Eucharist, while the Eucharist opens believers to a deeper understanding of Scripture.

"This Word nourishes and sustains us together with the Eucharistic bread and leads us from the decay of sin to new life in Christ," Pope Leo said.

Referring to the Second Vatican Council's focus on giving Catholics greater access to Scripture, the pope pointed to the Lectionary -- the book containing the biblical readings proclaimed at Mass -- as a result of the council's liturgical reform. The expanded collection of readings used in the Church's liturgies today, he said, reflects the richness of the Church's living tradition, combining "fidelity to tradition with openness to legitimate progress."

"Dear brothers and sisters, let us draw with faith from this source of divine life and allow ourselves to be transformed by the mystery we celebrate," he said.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations has released its annual survey, A Portrait of the Permanent Diaconate in 2025: A Study for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Since 2005, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University has conducted this survey, which provides important statistics and forecasting trends on the state of the permanent diaconate in the Church in the United States. 

“Deacons continue to bring a spirit of renewal and encouragement to the missionary ministry of the Church through their service in the liturgy and works of charity expressed in everyday life,” said Archbishop Ronald A. Hicks, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. “With nearly 15,000 active deacons in ministry in 2025, the permanent diaconate plays a vital role in bringing the Gospel to life through their witness as icons of Christ the Servant. With their primary duty of service in the Church being to proclaim the Gospel, preach, and perform charitable works, deacons serve a unique and vital ministry in the life of the Church. This annual survey is an opportunity for our faithful to recognize the work of the diaconate, pray for our deacons, and also discern if they are called to such ministry themselves.” 

The survey utilized contact information from the National Association of Diaconate Directors (NADD) and was sent to the Office of the Permanent Diaconate in the Latin and Eastern Rite (arch)dioceses and eparchies. In total, CARA received responses from 143 of the 185 (arch)dioceses/eparchies whose bishops are members of the USCCB and have an active Office of Deacons, for a 77% response rate. 

The full survey conducted by CARA may be accessed here. 

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WASHINGTON – In marking the anniversary of the Supreme Court of the United States’ ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, Bishop Daniel Thomas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities asks for the intercession of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in building a culture of life.

“The victory of the Dobbs decision risks being undone by the massive influx of abortion pills,” said Bishop Thomas. “While the Dobbs decision gave states the freedom to pass pro-life laws and protect preborn children, these laws are now being undermined.” He continued, “The Food and Drug Administration, a government agency responsible for protecting public health, has enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry by allowing abortion pills to be prescribed in telemed appointments and sold both at neighborhood pharmacies and online, circumventing state laws that protect life in the womb.”

Bishop Thomas then invited the faithful to unite in prayer and action: “What can we do to help protect women and babies from the evil of abortion pills? First, pray for women who are deceived by the abortion industry. Second, share the facts about abortion pills with your friends (see one-pager). Third, take action to help protect women and babies from these dangerous drugs by sending a message to your pharmacy or to pharmaceutical companies that produce these drugs. From mid-August through the end of October, Respect Life Month, the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities will be inviting Catholics to unite in prayer and action. Please sign up and join us at https://www.respectlife.org.”

Read Bishop Thomas’ full statement here for more information and to sign up for the prayer and action campaign.

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WASHINGTON - “I commend President Trump and President Pezeshkian for taking the vitally important step of signing a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending hostilities between the United States and Iran and advancing deeper dialogue for lasting peace in the region,” said Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace.   

Bishop Zaidan’s statement follows: 

“I commend President Trump and President Pezeshkian for taking the vitally important step of signing a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending hostilities between the United States and Iran and advancing deeper dialogue for lasting peace in the region. Preventing further proliferation of nuclear weapons is critically important for avoiding a dangerous escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Echoing our Holy Father Pope Leo XIV’s expression of hope, I call on all parties to engage in good faith, and pray that ‘this agreement may help strengthen mutual trust, security and stability in the Middle East, promoting paths of dialogue and cooperation among peoples.’ 

“I call on the United States, Iran, and Israel to now also prioritize an end to the fighting in Lebanon. The disarming of Hezbollah is necessary for peace and development in Lebanon. Over one million people have been internally displaced, including 400,000 children, and thousands have fled to neighboring Syria, potentially adding to the region’s instability. If the fighting and humanitarian catastrophe continue in Lebanon, I fear that peace across the wider Middle East will remain unreachable.  

“Let us pray that the Holy Spirit, creator and vivifier, may breathe wisdom, compassion, and perseverance into the minds and hearts of the negotiators, so that peace in the region may finally become a reality.”   

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Reflecting on his weeklong trip to Spain, Pope Leo XIV said one of his clearest impressions came from the Canary Islands, where migration revealed both the challenges facing Europe and what he described as a Christian path toward a "civilization of love."

Speaking at his weekly general audience June 17, the pope said the archipelago's role as a gateway for thousands of migrants from Africa offered a "comprehensive insight" into a complex issue that also challenges Christians to reread the Gospel in today's world.

He said migration is "complex and requires organic and coordinated action plans," but it also challenges Christians to "reread the Gospel in today's world, exchanging with each other the gifts of our respective cultures, and in particular the results produced in them by the fruitfulness of Christ's message."

"This path is not easy; it requires goodwill and God's help, but it is the path that leads to the civilization of love," he said in St. Peter's Square.

The pope repeatedly returned to migration during the final days of his trip, delivering some of the strongest language of his pontificate on the issue.

"A human conscience, and even more so a Christian conscience, cannot remain indifferent in the face of these graveyards of the sea, to the victims of shipwrecks and the lack of aid," he said while meeting organizations helping integrate migrants in Tenerife June 12.

Standing at the port of Arguineguín on Gran Canaria the previous day, he warned against indifference to migrant deaths.

"We cannot grow accustomed to counting the dead," he said. "Human dignity has no passport and does not lose its value when crossing a border."

Despite joking with journalists on the flight to Spain that more people might be interested in the Bad Bunny concerts taking place in Madrid the same week, the pope encountered massive crowds throughout the country. More than 1.2 million people attended a Mass at Madrid's Plaza de Cibeles, and another 500,000 gathered for a youth prayer vigil at Plaza de Lima.

"I was able to observe with joy how much people of every age and situation were looking forward to the pope's visit: everywhere I found multitudes who welcomed me with great warmth. This fact was not to be taken for granted, and is worthy of reflection," he said.

Throughout the trip, Pope Leo said the service of the papacy is to promote communion, dialogue and unity through diversity, themes he emphasized in speeches across Spain.

Reflecting on the enthusiastic reception he received, he said, "I believe it reveals a widespread need to find unity on a true and deep foundation, one that is neither ideological nor based on partial interests." What people are searching for, he said, can ultimately be found only in Christ, whose Gospel responds to humanity's search for truth and thirst for justice.

Among the major moments of the trip, the pope highlighted his visit to Barcelona's Basilica of the Sagrada Família, where he celebrated Mass and blessed the newly completed Tower of Jesus Christ, which made the basilica the tallest church in the world.

"This encounter of ancient and modern Catholic tradition and contemporary culture enabled me to perceive first-hand the very character of Europe, its inestimable wealth, as a living reality, not a thing of the past," he told the crowd in St. Peter's Square.

"It is a heritage to be safeguarded with care, so that it may be invested in today's global world with its momentous challenges: peace, integral ecology, equitable and sustainable development, and respect for human dignity."

The pope also reflected during his weekly audience on his encounters with young people, abuse survivors and prisoners, saying modern society often leaves people searching for hope and meaning.

"It is important to recognize how mental health is increasingly threatened in the context of societies that consider themselves advanced," he said June 9 at Barcelona's Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium. "This is a sign that there is something deeply wrong with a certain notion of progress that subjects people to pressures, expectations and tensions that compromise healthy balances."

While in Spain, he also rejected attempts to "spiritualize pain, superficially attributing it to 'God's will' or to some mysterious plan of his, because this risks minimizing that suffering, silencing it and hurting people."

"God does not want suffering. He carries it with us and invites us to trust in him with perseverance," he said, because "with God, life is always reborn."

The motto of the journey was "Lift up your eyes," drawn from the Gospel account in which Jesus teaches his disciples to look beyond their circumstance and recognize the desire for life, truth and fullness in others. Pope Leo said he witnessed that longing throughout Spain.

"Today I would like to share this invitation with you: let us lift up our eyes! Let us learn from Jesus to look at our neighbor, at people, at the world 'through God's eyes,' that is, with love, respect and compassion," he said June 17.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered June 10-12 for their Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando, Florida. The assembly began with the bishops sending prayers and a message to the Holy Father. Archbishop Paul S. Coakley addressed the body of bishops for the first time as Conference president. He was followed by Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States, who delivered his first plenary address to the U.S. bishops since Pope Leo XIV appointed him nuncio earlier this year.

During the plenary, the bishops held a canonical consultation on the causes of beatification and canonization for the Servant of God John Rick Miller, and for Monsignor Joseph Francis Buh. By a voice vote, the bishops affirmed the advancement of both causes of beatification and canonization on the diocesan level.

Two of the action items the bishops voted on during the plenary were put forth by the USCCB’s Committee on Divine Worship:

• The bishops voted 184 in favor, 1 against, and 0 abstentions to approve elements of a new edition of the Lectionary for Mass. The approval of this requires a two-thirds vote of the members of the USCCB, with subsequent confirmatio and recognitio by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
• They also voted 187 in favor, 0 against, and 0 abstentions to approve the 2025 Roman Missal-Liturgy of the Hours Supplement. The approval of this requires a two-thirds vote of the members of the USCCB, with subsequent confirmatio by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People:

The bishops voted 179* in favor, 22 against, and 6 abstentions to approve revisions to the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, a comprehensive set of procedures originally established by the USCCB in 2002 to address allegations of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy. This revisions address elements of the Charter that the bishops determined to be in need of improvement or further development and align with the Charter’s original intention of safeguarding minors, underscoring the bishops’ continued commitment to addressing the prevention of abuse and ensuring the structures continue to be in place to respond to allegations. In putting forth these revisions, the Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People emphasized their attempts to balance its care of and sensitivity to victim-survivors, with an awareness of due-process, the rights of the accused, pertinent aspects of the revised Book VI of the Code of Canon Law, Vos estis lux mundi, and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s Vademecum. Read Bishop Barry C. Knestout’s introduction of the action item, the final revised text of the Charter, and a Q&A on the revisions.

The plenary agenda also included:

• a reflection on Ex Corde Ecclesiae, Pope John Paul II’s apostolic constitution that guides Catholic colleges and universities on theological and pastoral principles, on the 25th anniversary of its implementation in the United States;
• an update on World Youth Day 2027, to be held in Seoul, South Korea from Bishop Paul Kyung Sang Lee, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul and General Coordinator for World Youth Day Seoul; 
• an update from Bishop Juan Miguel Betancourt, SEMV, the chairman of the USCCB’s Synod Implementation and Evaluation Task Force;
• a presentation by Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre on the feedback received during the bishops’ fraternal dialogues at the November 2025 plenary on Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. bishops’ teaching document on the political responsibility of Catholics;
• remarks by Bishop William A. Wack on Catholic prison ministry and an invitation to his brother bishops to deepen their engagement with the ministry serving those affected by incarceration and detention;
• an update by Bishop Oscar Cantú on an international pastoral initiative to prepare for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2031.

While not on the public agenda for the plenary, the bishops also held a discussion in executive session on Pope Leo XIV’s new encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, addressing artificial intelligence.

Semi-quincentennial of the United States:
As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence this year, the U.S. bishops marked the American semi-quincentennial with a special Mass consecrating the United States to the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Basilica of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando. To prepare for the moment, Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre, and Archbishop Alexander K. Sample each gave prayerful reflections and insights on the Sacred Heart during the morning public session before the bishops traveled to the basilica for the celebration of Mass. Archbishop William E. Lori delivered the homily. The bishops’ event was intended to be a catalyst for commemorations of the 250th anniversary at the diocesan and local levels. View re-cap video.

News updates, texts of addresses and presentations, and other materials from the plenary are posted to: www.usccb.org/meetings, including an infographic summarizing the public portions of the plenary and a re-cap of the consecration.

*following the final vote count.

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WASHINGTON – As the G7 summit approaches June 15-17 in France, the presidents of the episcopal conferences of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, issued a joint statement.  

Read the full statement (and summary) that includes Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as a signatory.

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