US bishops’ doctrine chair defends Church’s just war tradition after Vance comments April 16, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Shortly after Vice President JD Vance appeared to warn Pope Leo XIV to “be careful” when speaking about theology and taking issue with his description of the U.S. conflict in Iran as unjust, the U.S. bishops’ point-man on doctrine issued a forceful statement on the Church’s teaching about just war theory.
Lebanese Christians mourn rising death toll as war shatters communities, hope April 13, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Lebanese Christians are reeling from the death and destruction wrought on their community, caught in the crossfire between Israel and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, a deadly side conflict in the U.S. and Israel-Iran war.
Pope Leo responds to Trump: ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ April 13, 2026By Courtney Mares OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV said April 13 he has “no fear” of President Donald Trump’s administration and responded to Trump’s criticism by telling journalists that his message to the U.S. president is “the message of the Gospel: Blessed are the peacemakers.”
US cardinals speak out against Iran war, mass deportations in 60 Minutes appearance April 13, 2026By Lauretta Brown OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, Vatican, World News Three American cardinals voiced their concerns over the Iran war, mass deportations and more in an interview that aired April 12 on CBS’s “60 Minutes.”
Trump lashes out at Pope Leo amid Iran war rebuke April 13, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News President Donald Trump lashed out at Pope Leo XIV on social media and in verbal remarks April 12, calling him “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy,” as tensions escalate in the Mideast.
At peace vigil, Archbishop Lori condemns threats of ‘obliterating’ a civilization April 12, 2026By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Archbishop's Ministry, Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, Local News, News Echoing Pope Leo XIV’s repeated calls for an end to the war in the Middle East, Archbishop William E. Lori insisted during an April 11 prayer vigil that peace is more than the absence of conflict.
Pope decries horror, inhumanity that ‘some adults boast of with pride’ April 12, 2026By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Warning against an increasingly unpredictable and aggressive “delusion of omnipotence” threatening the globe, Pope Leo XIV called on world leaders and individuals to empty their hearts and minds of hatred and violence, and to start serving life.
Vatican says report Pentagon officials lectured its ambassador about Pope Leo ‘completely untrue’ April 11, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Holy See Press Office issued a statement April 10 disputing a report by The Free Press several days earlier that the Vatican’s top diplomat in the U.S. was brought to the Pentagon in January for a “bitter lecture” about comments from Pope Leo XIV that some senior U.S. defense officials perceived as criticism of the Trump administration.
USCCB chairman calls on Trump to back peace, humanitarian aid for Lebanon after massive strikes April 10, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News A U.S. bishop is calling for peace and humanitarian aid to Lebanon, where the U.S.-Israel war on Iran has spread with devastating consequences.
Nuncio to Lebanon says war ‘is not the right path,’ calls for ceasefire April 9, 2026By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As the death toll in Lebanon continues to rise following devastating strikes by the Israeli military, the Vatican’s representative in the country said the bombardment “is not the right path.”
Pentagon disputes report senior officials lectured Vatican diplomat about Pope Leo April 9, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The top Vatican diplomat in the U.S. was brought to the Pentagon in January for a “bitter lecture” about comments from Pope Leo XIV that some senior U.S. defense officials perceived as criticism of the Trump administration, The Free Press reported April 6.
Pope Leo praises ceasefire as ‘genuine hope,’ presses for dialogue, peace April 8, 2026By Josephine Peterson Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV welcomed the newly announced ceasefire in the Middle East as “a sign of genuine hope” after what he described as “hours of extreme tension,” while urging a return to negotiations and calling the faithful to prayer.
