Church can teach what’s at stake when nations choose war, not peace, cardinal says March 3, 2026By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, News, Vatican, World News In a fractured world threatened by war, Christians can strengthen their bonds of unity to show the world that peace is possible, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago said.
Lebanese archbishop: Innocents are ‘paying the price’ of Middle East war March 3, 2026By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News As the scourge of war spreads across the Middle East, including Lebanon, the ones paying the ultimate price are the innocent men, women and children who want to live in peace, said Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop Georges Iskandar of Tyre.
From Algeria to Angola, Africans hope message of peace, dialogue will resonate during papal trip March 3, 2026By Ngala Killian Chimton OSV News Filed Under: News, Religious Freedom, Vatican, World News From Algeria to Angola, Church leaders across Africa expressed profound joy and hopes that the upcoming apostolic trip would bring much needed change to regions needing reconciliation and social stability, and dialogue to those who live interreligious relations daily.
Una Ministra Laica al Servicio del Pueblo March 2, 2026By Catholic Review Staff Catholic Review Filed Under: En Español, Protagonistas de Fe Long: ¿Cómo mantener la esperanza cuando el miedo toca a la puerta de nuestra comunidad? Estela Villagrán Manancero, una líder de la Arquidiócesis de Minneapolis, que está transformando la realidad de muchas familias latinas en medio de sus pruebas.
Congress expected to consider war powers resolution after US, Israel strikes on Iran March 2, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, U.S. Congress, World News President Donald Trump’s decision to initiate major combat operations against Iran in concert with Israel has raised debate within Congress over its war powers prerogatives. It has also raised questions about the justice of committing the U.S. into a new Middle East war.
Bishops, Christian leaders call for peace, urge diplomacy as Middle East conflict escalates March 2, 2026By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As the United States and Israel continued their campaign against Iran and the newest war continued to spread across the Middle East, bishops and Christian leaders appealed for peace before the conflict escalates any further, with the Catholic Church’s humanitarian giant Caritas saying it “unequivocally” condemns the attacks which would “destabilize” the region.
Pope Leo’s prayer to St. Francis: a call to peace in a divided world March 2, 2026By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Commentary, Conflict in the Middle East, Vatican As tensions escalate following the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, we share this prayer to St. Francis of Assisi — a timeless intercessor for peace — which Pope Leo XIV shared with leaders of the Franciscan order on the beginning of the 800th anniversary of St. Francis’ death in January 2026.
Sorrow, shock, prayer for Catholics in Middle East as U.S. and Israel strike Iran amid negotiations March 2, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Catholics across the Middle East are reeling with shock and sorrow, and responding with prayer, amid joint strikes Israeli and U.S. forces launched on Iran Feb. 28.
In the face of the mystery of evil, Christians must be signs of hope, pope says March 2, 2026By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Life is a journey that requires trust and reliance on Jesus, who sometimes asks his disciples to leave everything behind, Pope Leo XIV said.
Pope Leo warns of ‘irreparable abyss,’ if diplomacy doesn’t take over violence in Iran, Middle East March 2, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV issued a fervent appeal for return of diplomacy in “these dramatic hours” in the Middle East and Iran, condemning use of weapons that cause “destruction, pain, and death.”
USCCB president: Prayer, diplomacy needed in Middle East to avert ‘tragedy of immense proportions’ March 2, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News The leader of the U.S. Catholic bishops has echoed Pope Leo XIV’s call for deescalation and dialogue in the Middle East, following the joint attacks on Iran launched Feb. 28 by the U.S. and Israel, which killed Iran’s longtime supreme leader, 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Pope Leo XIV concludes retreat urging Church to live the Gospel worthily March 2, 2026By Paulina Guzik OSV News Filed Under: Lent, News, Vatican, World News As the first Lenten retreat of his pontificate drew to a close, Pope Leo XIV thanked Norwegian Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim for “a profound, spiritual experience” after which, the pope said, he felt “particularly invited to reflect at certain moments.”
