CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) -- People of faith cannot love God while despising his creatures, and people cannot call themselves Christians without caring for everything fragile and wounded, including the earth, Pope Leo XIV told climate activists and political and religious leaders.

"There is no room for indifference or resignation," he said, inaugurating an international conference celebrating the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' encyclical "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home."

Seated behind a slowly melting chunk of ice from a glacier in Greenland, the pope said, "God will ask us if we have cultivated and cared for the world that he created, for the benefit of all and for future generations, and if we have taken care of our brothers and sisters." 

"What will be our answer?" he asked.

Pope Leo spoke Oct. 1 during the opening session of a three-day conference titled, "Raising Hope for Climate Justice." Organized by the Laudato Si' Movement and with the support of the Vatican dicasteries for Promoting Integral Human Development and Communication, the event was held at the Focolare Movement's Mariapoli Center near the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo.

The conference brought together some 500 delegates representing global leaders, faith-based organizations, governments and NGOs active in climate justice in order to celebrate what has been achieved since Pope Francis' landmark encyclical was published in 2015 and to hammer out new strategies for expanded partnerships and concrete action.

"We are one family, with one Father," Pope Leo said, and "we inhabit the same planet and must care for it together."

"I, therefore, renew my strong appeal for unity around integral ecology and for peace!" he said.

Pope Leo noted, as Pope Francis did in his follow-up exhortation "Laudate Deum," that "some have chosen to deride the increasingly evident signs of climate change, to ridicule those who speak of global warming and even to blame the poor for the very thing that affects them the most." 

"What must be done now to ensure that caring for our common home and listening to the cry of the earth and the poor do not appear as mere passing trends or, worse still, are seen and felt as divisive issues?" he asked.

"Everyone in society, through nongovernmental organizations and advocacy groups, must put pressure on governments to develop and implement more rigorous regulations, procedures and controls," the pope said.

"Citizens need to take an active role in political decision-making at national, regional and local levels," he said. "Only then will it be possible to mitigate the damage done to the environment."

Pope Leo asked the audience to "give thanks to our Father in heaven for this gift we have inherited from Pope Francis!" which was followed by enthusiastic applause.

"The challenges identified in Laudato Si' are in fact even more relevant today than they were 10 years ago," he said, and these challenges, which are social, political and spiritual, "call for conversion."

"It is only by returning to the heart that a true ecological conversion can take place," Pope Leo said, saying, "We must shift from collecting data to caring; and from environmental discourse to an ecological conversion that transforms both personal and communal lifestyles."

For believers, he said, "we cannot love God, whom we cannot see, while despising his creatures. Nor can we call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ without participating in his outlook on creation and his care for all that is fragile and wounded."

Integral ecology thrives on four relationships: with God, with others, with nature and with ourselves, he said. "Through our commitment to them, we can grow in hope by living out the interdisciplinary approach of Laudato Si' and the call to unity and collaboration that flows from it."

Pope Leo also expressed his hope that a number of upcoming U.N. summits, including the 2025 Climate Change Conference being held in Brazil in November, "will listen to the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor, families, Indigenous peoples, involuntary migrants and believers throughout the world."

"I encourage everyone, especially young people, parents and those who work in local and national administrations and institutions, to play their part in finding solutions for today's cultural, spiritual and educational challenges, always striving tenaciously for the common good," he added.

Among the participants who spoke during the opening session in the presence of the pope was Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, and the former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has long been involved in initiatives for the protection of creation. 

Indicating Pope Leo, Schwarzenegger said he was in the presence of a true "action hero" because of his election as pope and leader of a city-state whose goal is to become the first carbon-neutral state in the world.

Pope Leo later quipped in his opening remarks that "if there is indeed an action hero with us this afternoon, it is all of you who are working together to make a difference."

Schwarzenegger outlined how he continued to help take aggressive action on fighting climate change while he was governor of the state of California from 2003 to 2011, reducing greenhouse gases by 25% and promoting other green initiatives.

Warnings that environmental legislation would ruin the state's economy were "a bunch of nonsense," he said. "Today, California has the strictest environmental laws in the United States, and we are number one economically" in the U.S. and "the fourth largest economy in the world" with a $4 trillion GDP.

Instead of people "whining" and wondering what to do, he said, everyone should "get to work" because "everyone has the power" to do something, he said.

Pope & Schwarzenegger team up for climate care

Pope Leo XIV spoke at a conference celebrating the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si', Pope Francis' encyclical on caring for creation. (CNS video/Robert Duncan) 

Pope Leo XIV answers questions during an impromptu Q&A with journalists outside Castel Gandolfo on Sept. 30, 2025. / Credit: EWTN News

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 1, 2025 / 16:05 pm (CNA).

Late Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV answered several questions from journalists at Villa Barberini, the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he addressed various issues.

Asked about the plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to resolve the crisis in Gaza, the pontiff stated: “We hope they accept it. So far, it seems to be a realistic proposal.”

“It’s important, nonetheless, that there be a ceasefire and the release of the hostages. But there are elements there that I think are very interesting, and I hope Hamas will accept it within the established time frame,” he added.

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sept. 29 that they have agreed on a plan to end the war, although it is unknown whether Hamas will accept the terms. The 20-point plan seeks to halt the war between Israel and Hamas through a temporary governing body in Gaza, headed by Trump and also including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

The plan does not require population displacement and calls for an immediate end to hostilities if both sides agree. It also demands that the remaining hostages be released within 72 hours of Israel’s acceptance of the agreement. Trump assured that Israel would have the “full support” of the United States to defeat Hamas if the armed group rejects the proposal.

The Holy Father also referred to the arrival on the coast of Gaza of vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla, sent with humanitarian aid and with the purpose of breaking the naval blockade imposed by Israel, despite warnings from the Israeli government, which has demanded the suspension of the mission.

“It’s very difficult. There’s a desire to respond to a true humanitarian emergency, but there are many elements [involved] there, and all sides are saying that we hope there will be no violence and that people will be respected. That’s very important,” he noted.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Vatican aecretary for eelations with atates. / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

Vatican City, Oct 1, 2025 / 15:05 pm (CNA).

The Holy See’s secretary for relations with states, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, decried that attacks on Christians have intensified in recent years and accused the international community of “turning a blind eye.”

“The data show that Christians are the most persecuted religious group worldwide, and yet the international community seems to be turning a blind eye to their plight,” the English archbishop declared during his Sept. 29 address to the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly.

“Christians across the world are subjected to severe persecution, including physical violence, imprisonment, forced displacement, and martyrdom,” he added.

The Vatican diplomat noted that more than 360 million Christians live in areas where they experience high levels of persecution or discrimination, “with attacks on churches, homes, and communities intensifying in recent years.”

In his address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the archbishop emphasized defending life from practices such as abortion and euthanasia.

In his speech, he insisted that the right to life, from conception to its natural end, is a “fundamental prerequisite for the exercise of all other rights” and condemned “the illegitimacy of every form of procured abortion and of euthanasia.”

‘Culture of death’

The Vatican diplomat criticized what he called a “culture of death” and called for international resources to be allocated to protecting life and supporting those in difficult situations so they can make life-affirming choices.

In particular, he emphasized the need to “enable those mothers to give birth to the child in their womb” and to “ease the burden of human suffering during illness through adequate health and palliative care.”

The archbishop also warned of the risks of a conception of freedom disconnected from objective and universal truth: “When freedom shuts out even the most obvious evidence of an objective and universal truth, which is the foundation of personal and social life, then the person ends up by his subjective and changeable opinion or interest.”

Gallagher stated that this vision of freedom leads to a “serious distortion” of life in society. “At that point, everything becomes negotiable and open to bargaining, even the first of the fundamental rights, the right to life,” he stated.

‘Deplorable practice’ of surrogacy

The representative of the Holy See also addressed the practice of surrogacy, highlighting it as another threat to human dignity: “Another issue that endangers the inviolable dignity of human beings by reducing them to mere products is the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child. The Holy See renews its call for an international ban of this deplorable practice.”

Gallagher also denounced the fact that in a world marked by “unprecedented wealth and technological advancement,” millions of people “still lack access to basic necessities.”

“The persistence of extreme poverty, particularly in regions afflicted by conflict, climate change, and systemic inequality, demands immediate and collective action,” he stated.

Foreign debt cancellation

Similarly, Gallagher called for the cancellation of the foreign debt of the poorest countries, emphasizing that these financial burdens “trap nations in poverty and must be canceled as a matter of justice.”

In this context, he said the Holy See urges the international community to “prioritize integral human development in a spirit of solidarity, ensuring that economic policies and development programs place the human person at their core and foster not only material well-being but also spiritual and social growth.”

In the words of the Vatican diplomat, the poor must be seen “not as a problem but as people who can become the principal builders of a new and more human future for everyone.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Leo XIV and actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger address the opening day of the “Raising Hope for Climate Justice” conference held at a center near the papal villa of Castel Gandolfo on Oct. 1, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

Rome Newsroom, Oct 1, 2025 / 14:05 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV encouraged the world to unify around care for the planet as he took the stage at a climate justice conference headlined by actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger outside of Rome on Wednesday.

“We are one family, with one Father, who makes the sun to rise and sends rain on everyone (Mt 5:45),” Leo said Oct. 1 at a conference center in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. “We inhabit the same planet and must care for it together. I therefore renew my strong appeal for unity around integral ecology and for peace!”

The pontiff and Schwarzenegger addressed the opening day of the Oct. 1–3 “Raising Hope for Climate Justice” conference, held at a center near the papal villa of Castel Gandolfo.

Speakers at the gathering, promoted by the Laudato Si’ Movement in collaboration with international organizations, will include bishops, heads of international organizations, Indigenous leaders, climate and biodiversity experts, and representatives of civil society.

In remarks before the pope’s speech, Schwarzenegger cited the Catholic Church’s 1.4 billion members, 400,000 priests, and 200,000 churches as a “power … involved in our movement, in our environmental movement to terminate pollution.”

“And of course, I’m very honored to be here, because I am next to an action hero,” he added, gesturing toward Pope Leo. “The reason I call him an action hero is because as soon as he became pope, he ordered the Vatican to put solar panels on the buildings. This will be one of the first states to be carbon neutral. Let’s give him a big, big hand for this action.”

The “Terminator” actor suggested more people talk about the problem of pollution over “climate change” as an easier concept for people to understand: “We have to talk to the heart so people understand it.”

“I have a very clear vision that we can [terminate pollution] together,” he added.

The pope, in comments before his prepared remarks, said “there is indeed an action hero with us today, it’s all of you.”

Call to conversion

In his message, Leo praised Pope Francis’ environmental encyclical Laudato Si’ as a source of inspiration and dialogue that has prompted action to care for our common home.

“As with every anniversary of this nature, we remember the past with gratitude, but we also ask ourselves what remains to be done,” he said.

The pontiff said that in the 10 years since the publication of Laudato Si’, the focus has moved from studying the encyclical to putting it into practice.

“What must be done now to ensure that caring for our common home and listening to the cry of the earth and the poor do not appear as mere passing trends or, worse still, are seen and felt as divisive issues?” he asked.

Pope Leo’s speech also emphasized a need for spiritual renewal.

“The challenges identified in Laudato Si’ are in fact even more relevant today than they were 10 years ago,” he said. “These challenges are of a social and political nature, but first and foremost of a spiritual nature: They call for conversion.”

He encouraged people to grow in relationship with God, others, nature, and themselves, because “we cannot love God, whom we cannot see, while despising his creatures. Nor can we call ourselves disciples of Jesus Christ without participating in his outlook on creation and his care for all that is fragile and wounded.”

The pope expressed the hope that upcoming international summits at the United Nations, such as the 2025 Climate Change Conference (COP 30), the 53rd Plenary Session of the Committee on World Food Security, and the 2026 Water Conference, “will listen to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, families, Indigenous peoples, involuntary migrants, and believers throughout the world.”

He encouraged everyone, from young adults and parents to politicians, to do their part to find solutions to educational, cultural, and spiritual challenges. “There is no room for indifference or resignation,” he underlined.

Italian Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu (right) waits prior to the start of a consistory during which 20 new cardinals are to be created by Pope Francis on Aug. 27, 2022, in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. / Credit: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images

Vatican City, Oct 1, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV said he will not interfere in the court case of Cardinal Angelo Becciu, the former deputy Vatican secretary of state convicted of embezzlement, aggravated fraud, and abuse of office.

In response to a journalist who asked the pontiff about the “Becciu trial” on Tuesday evening outside Castel Gandolfo, Leo said “the trial must go forward” and that “he has no intention of interfering” in the legal proceedings underway.  

The pope’s comments were made about one week after the commencement of Becciu’s hearing before the Vatican Court of Appeal on Sept. 22, nearly two years after his conviction by the Vatican City State criminal court.

In December 2023, after a two-and-a-half-year trial, the Italian cardinal and former deputy Vatican secretary of state was convicted, alongside eight other defendants, of financial malfeasance. 

Becciu, the first cardinal to be tried by the Vatican tribunal, was dealt a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence, an 8,000 euro (about $9,400) fine, and a permanent disqualification from holding public office.

The other defendants who were also tried and found guilty were also given a variety of sentences. Five of those defendants — Raffaele Mincione, Enrico Crasso, Gianluigi Torzi, Fabrizio Tirabassi, and Cecilia Marogna — also received prison sentences of varying length.

The former Vatican deputy secretary of state has consistently protested his innocence, maintaining that he acted with papal approval or authority when he invested money or issued payments using Vatican funds.

The Vatican realized a $200 million loss following a highly speculative real estate deal in London’s Sloane Avenue negotiated by the Vatican Secretariat of State in 2014 while Becciu was in office.

The cardinal was also found guilty of making at least 125,000 euros (about $148,000) in unauthorized payments to his brother’s charity in Sardinia as well as approving more than 500,000 euros (about $590,000) be paid to geopolitical expert Marogna who, instead of using it for intelligence and a humanitarian mission to help free a kidnapped religious sister in Mali, was accused of spending the funds on luxury goods and travel.

Last October, the Vatican released its reasons for convicting Becciu, stating he was involved in the illicit use of Holy See funds despite having no “profit-making purpose” and stressing that the trial was fair.

Pope Leo XIV gives a blessing to all those present at his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 1, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA

Vatican City, Oct 1, 2025 / 09:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday expressed his concern over the recent violent clashes between law enforcement and young protesters in Madagascar, which have left several dead and around 100 injured. 

Following the catechesis at the general audience on Oct. 1, the pontiff said: “Let us pray to the Lord that all forms of violence may always be avoided and that the constant pursuit of social harmony may be fostered through the promotion of justice and the common good.”

Madagascar is experiencing a serious social and political crisis following a series of mass protests that have left at least 22 dead and more than 100 injured. The demonstrations, led mostly by young people, erupted in the capital, Antananarivo, due to prolonged power and water outages that have affected the population for weeks. The protests quickly spread to other cities such as Mahajanga, Fenoarivo, and Diego Suárez, reflecting widespread discontent with the government of President Andry Rajoelina.

At the end of his public audience, Leo also recalled the Oct. 1 feast day of “St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, doctor of the Church and patron saint of missions.”

“May her example encourage each of us to follow Jesus on the path of life, bearing joyful witness to the Gospel everywhere,” he said.

Before the audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo stopped to bless an Italian-made replica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, in France, crafted entirely out of wheat stalks.

The Church’s mission

In his spiritual message at the audience, Pope Leo spoke about the Church’s mission to communicate the joy of the Resurrection without exerting power over others.

“This is the heart of the mission of the Church: not to administer power over others but to communicate the joy of those who are loved precisely when they did not deserve it,” he said.

He reminded Christians of their responsibility “to be instruments of reconciliation in the world.”

The pontiff dedicated his catechesis this week to the Resurrection and to Christ’s appearance afterward to the disciples in the Upper Room.

The risen Christ’s appearance, Leo said, “is not a bombastic triumph, nor is it revenge or retaliation against his enemies. It is a wonderful testimony to how love is capable of rising again after a great defeat in order to continue its unstoppable journey.”

The pope described how Christ appears to the apostles with meekness, demonstrating “the joy of a love greater than any wound and stronger than any betrayal.”

Appearing in the upper room, Jesus does not force his friends, the apostles, to accept the reality of his resurrection, he said. “His only desire is to return to communion with them, helping them to overcome the sense of guilt.”

Leo noted that it could be considered strange that Christ displayed his wounds to those who had disowned and abandoned him: “Why not hide those signs of pain and avoid reopening the wound of shame?”

The reason, he continued, is because Jesus is fully reconciled with what he has suffered. He has no resentment, he holds no grudges. “The wounds serve not to reproach but to confirm a love stronger than any infidelity.”

“They are the proof that, even in the moment of our failure, God did not retreat. He did not give up on us,” he added.

He invited Catholics to follow Jesus’ example and to not give in to the temptations of revenge or retaliation. “When we get up again after a trauma caused by others, often the first reaction is anger, the desire to make someone pay for what we have suffered. The Risen One does not react in this way,” said.

Another temptation after betrayal, the pontiff said, is to “mask our wounds out of pride, or for fear of appearing weak. We say, ‘it doesn’t matter,’ ‘it is all in the past,’ but we are not truly at peace with the betrayals that have wounded us.”

“At times we prefer to hide our effort to forgive so as not to appear vulnerable and to risk suffering again,” he added. “Jesus does not. He offers his wounds as a guarantee of forgiveness. And he shows that the Resurrection is not the erasure of the past but its transfiguration into a hope of mercy.”

WASHINGTON – On the fifth anniversary of Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis’ encyclical letter on fraternity and social friendship, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops released an invitation for reflection.

Encouraging every American to reflect on the value of every human life and to see Christ in every person, including in those who hold differing thoughts, he challenged: “Each of us should examine our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions and ask ourselves how we contribute to the polarization and animosity plaguing our nation. We should also put into practice those behaviors that can help us begin to heal the rifts between us.”

Read Archbishop Broglio’s reflection:

“Come, Holy Spirit, show us your beauty, reflected in all the peoples of the earth.”

As shepherd to our nation’s uniformed service members and their families, I have known the pain that the violence of war inflicts on men and women and those closest to them. Trained military chaplains work tirelessly to help servicemembers and families heal from the wounds of war. This ministry has changed my life forever. Today, grievous acts of violence have intruded into the daily lives of too many Americans—an experience that, tragically, many civilians around the world have long endured. Places once regarded as safe harbors to grow and learn—our schools, universities, and churches—have become sites of heartbreaking tragedy and bloodshed. 

Five years ago, in his encyclical Fratelli tutti, Pope Francis outlined steps our world must take to rebuild a sense of communion in the wake of what he described as “shattered dreams.” As the encyclical prophetically points out, people are being manipulated “to serve as tools for domination, as meaningless tags that can be used to justify any action.” We have seen the manifestation of this notion in the perverse idea that one can serve the common good by becoming an instrument of violence. This happens when we refuse to see the face of Christ in the other person and only see an enemy that must be dominated or destroyed. Tragically, decent people of every political persuasion continue to fall victim to this deadly trend. Too much of everyday life is strained by hostility and division, which has resulted in shocking acts of political violence. 

The wisdom Pope Francis offers reminds us that “authentic reconciliation does not flee from conflict, but is achieved in conflict, resolving it through dialogue and open, honest and patient negotiation.” “The path to social unity,” he stresses, “always entails acknowledging the possibility that others have, at least in part, a legitimate point of view, something worthwhile to contribute, even if they were in error or acted badly.” Building peace in our nation “requires us to place at the center of all political, social, and economic activity the human person from conception to natural death, who enjoys the highest dignity, and respect for the common good.”

I ask every American to reflect on the value of every human life. I beg you to see Christ in every person, even those whose politics you oppose. Each of us should examine our hearts, our thoughts, and our actions and ask ourselves how we contribute to the polarization and animosity plaguing our nation. We should also put into practice those behaviors that can help us begin to heal the rifts between us. Consider performing a corporal work of mercy—feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Consider fasting from social media for one day a week or in the evening. Pray for your enemies. Listen and talk with those you with whom you disagree—especially within your own family. Disagree, debate civilly, stand for your rights, but always remember in your heart that we are all children of God and deserve dignity and life. 

On this fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical letter Fratelli tutti, let us pray “so that we may discover anew that all are important and all are necessary, different faces of the one humanity that God so loves. Amen.”

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Sharing the joy of being loved by God despite one's human flaws is the mission of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV said.

"This is the heart of the mission of the church: not to administer power over others, but to communicate the joy of those who are loved precisely when they did not deserve it," the pope said Oct. 1 during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square.

"It is the strength that gave rise to the Christian communities and made them grow: men and women who discovered the beauty of returning to life to be able to give it to others," he said.

And as the month of October is dedicated to the holy rosary, Pope Leo invited the faithful "to pray it daily for peace in our world." 

In his ongoing series of audience talks on the Jubilee theme, "Jesus Christ our Hope," Pope Leo reflected on Christ's resurrection as the source of Christian faith and hope.

Not only did the Son of God rise from the dead after his passion and violent death, he said, but he did so in a humble and loving way.

"Indeed, Jesus' resurrection is not a bombastic triumph, nor is it revenge or retaliation against his enemies," he said. "It is a wonderful testimony to how love is capable of rising again after a great defeat in order to continue its unstoppable journey."

"When we get up again after a trauma caused by others, often the first reaction is anger, the desire to make someone pay for what we have suffered," Pope Leo said.

Instead, Jesus "does not take revenge. He does not return with gestures of power, but rather with meekness; he manifests the joy of a love greater than any wound and stronger than any betrayal," he said. 

The Risen Christ appears to his disciples, who had "denied and abandoned him" and are gathered in fear in the upper room, the pope said. He greets them with a simple, "Peace be with you!"

Then Jesus shows his disciples the wounds of his passion, Pope Leo said, but he does so not to shame or embarrass them, but to demonstrate how he is "fully reconciled with everything he has suffered."

"There is not a shadow of resentment. The wounds serve not to reproach, but to confirm a love stronger than any infidelity. They are the proof that, even in the moment of our failure, God did not retreat. He did not give up on us," he said.

"The Lord shows himself to be naked and defenseless," he said. "His is a love that does not humiliate; it is the peace of one who has suffered for love and can now finally affirm that it was worthwhile."

Often, people mask their wounds "out of pride or for fear of appearing weak," he said. And they may say "It doesn't matter" or "It is all in the past," even though "we are not truly at peace with the betrayals that have wounded us."

Jesus, however, "offers his wounds as a guarantee of forgiveness. And he shows that the resurrection is not the erasure of the past, but its transfiguration into a hope of mercy," he said. 

Jesus then entrusts the apostles "with a task that is not so much a power as a responsibility: to be instruments of reconciliation in the world," he said. It is "as if he said: 'Who will be able to proclaim the merciful face of the Father, if not you, who have experienced failure and forgiveness?'"

Jesus gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit, which "sustained him in obedience to the Father and in love even to the cross," the pope said. "From that moment, the apostles will no longer be able to remain silent about what they have seen and heard: that God forgives, lifts up and restores trust."

"Dear brothers and sisters, we too are sent," he said. "Do not be afraid to show your wounds healed by mercy. Do not be afraid to draw close to those who are trapped in fear or guilt."

"May the breath of the Spirit make us, too, witnesses of this peace and this love that is stronger than any defeat," he said.

When greeting Arab-speaking pilgrims, especially those from Lebanon and the Holy Land, Pope Leo said every Christian "is called to be a witness of love and forgiveness being greater than every wound and stronger than every injustice."
 

Pope Leo: Bring Christ's love to a broken world

A look at Pope Leo's general audience Oct. 1.

WASHINGTON - “As an international community and people of faith who deeply care for all our brothers and sisters who live in the land of Christ’s life, death, and glorious resurrection, we cannot lose this opportunity for peace,” 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: 

“As details emerge of a new, 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza—which includes provisions for the freeing of hostages, amnesty for those willing to accept peace, the ability for Gazans to remain on their land, and robust humanitarian and development assistance in the Strip—I call on Catholics and all men and women of good will to, once again, pray ardently for an end to this devastating war. 

“Crucially, this plan incorporates Israel’s and Palestine’s neighbors, including Jordan and Egypt, in a multilateral coordination for the plan’s implementation that recognizes the reality of the region’s interconnectedness. I am especially hopeful of the plan’s ‘interfaith dialogue process,’ which is intended to create a greater sense of community between Israelis and Palestinians ‘based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence.’ As Pope Leo XIV recently reminded us, the ‘deepest purpose of the Church’s social doctrine’ is a ‘contribution to peace and dialogue in the service of building bridges of universal fraternity.’ 

“Cautiously calling the peace plan a realistic proposal, Pope Leo XIV expressed hope that Hamas would accept the plan within the established time frame. In this difficult context, any peace plan will involve challenges that will require the utmost effort and cooperation from all sides. However, as an international community and people of faith who deeply care for all our brothers and sisters who live in the land of Christ’s life, death, and glorious resurrection, we cannot lose this opportunity for peace. May Our Lady, Seat of Wisdom, instill on all sides a sincere willingness to attain peace.”   

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Pope Leo XIV prays during his general audience on Sept. 24, 2025, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Oct 1, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV’s prayer intention for the month of October is for collaboration between different religious traditions.

In a video released Sept. 30, the Holy Father asked the faithful to “pray that believers in different religious traditions might work together to defend and promote peace, justice, and human fraternity.”

In the video, Pope Leo recites an original prayer written specifically for this month’s prayer intention.

Here is Pope Leo’s full prayer:

Lord Jesus,

You, who in diversity are one

and look lovingly at every person,

help us to recognize ourselves as brothers and sisters,

called to live, pray, work, and dream together.

We live in a world full of beauty,

but also wounded by deep divisions.

Sometimes religions, instead of uniting us,

become a cause of confrontation.

Give us your Spirit to purify our hearts,

so that we may recognize what unites us

and, from there, learn again how to listen

and collaborate without destroying.

May the concrete examples of peace,

justice, and fraternity in religions

inspire us to believe that it is possible to live

and work together, beyond our differences.

May religions not be used as weapons or walls,

but rather lived as bridges and prophecy:

making the dream of the common good credible,

accompanying life, sustaining hope,

and being the yeast of unity in a fragmented world.

Amen.

The video prayer intention is promoted by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which raises awareness of monthly papal prayer intentions.