God’s name can never be used to justify ‘absurd’ pursuit of war, pope says March 16, 2026By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Believing problems and differences can be resolved with war is absurd, Pope Leo XIV said, chastising those who use God’s name in their dark and deadly pursuits.
Pope Leo calls for ceasefire in Middle East, special prayers for Lebanon March 16, 2026By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Marking the two weeks since the U.S. and Israel launched their first attacks on Iran and since the Israeli military resumed strikes in Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV called for an immediate ceasefire.
Just war theory in the age of AI weapons and the ‘Department of War’ March 12, 2026By Charles C. Camosy OSV News Filed Under: AI, Commentary, Conflict in the Middle East What does the Catholic Church have to say about war? How does the concept of a “just war” which has roots in St. Augustine’s writings relate to modern warfare? And what does a discussion of the ethics of war look like with modern weaponry, including weapons made with artificial intelligence?
U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is failing the Church’s just war test, bishops warn March 12, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Catholic Social Teaching, Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News Since the start of the U.S. and Israel’s war on Iran, some U.S. Catholic bishops have highlighted Church teaching on what constitutes a “just war” — with one cardinal flatly declaring the current conflict fails to meet the necessary criteria, and is therefore “morally illegitimate.”
Pope Leo XIV meets with evacuated Tehran cardinal as U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran continue March 12, 2026By Courtney Mares OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV met privately March 11 with the cardinal archbishop of Tehran after the Belgian-born prelate was evacuated from Iran amid U.S. and Israeli military strikes on the country.
U.S. peacebuilding a ‘strategic and moral imperative,’ advocates say at Notre Dame event March 11, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, War in Ukraine, World News With American peacebuilding at a “crossroads,” amid global conflict and changes in U.S. foreign policy, a Notre Dame conference March 10 in the nation’s capital examined how to meet new challenges facing international conflict resolution and fostering peace.
Slain Lebanese priest hailed as a ‘martyr,’ commemorated by Pope Leo XIV March 11, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Lebanese Maronite Catholic priest Father Pierre al-Rahi was commemorated by Pope Leo XIV ahead of the cleric’s funeral attended by scores of faithful as well as Catholic and Lebanese government officials in his southern village of Qlayaa.
As humanitarian crisis looms in Lebanon, Mideast Christians face uncertain future March 11, 2026By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Lebanon has been gripped by panic and internal displacement crisis following Israeli evacuation orders as part of the U.S. and Israel–Iran war, with the country coming to reflect the growing pressure on Middle Eastern Christians, raising fears the conflict could force many to leave the region permanently.
Church’s unity comes from faith in Christ and from love, pope says March 11, 2026By Josephine Peterson Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Catholic Church is made up of diverse people who are united by their faith in Christ and are called to welcome all of humanity, Pope Leo XIV said during his weekly general audience.
U.S. Maronite bishops mourn priest killed in Israeli strike on Lebanon village March 11, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Two Maronite bishops in the U.S. are calling for prayer, dialogue and solidarity after a Maronite priest was killed in Lebanon amid the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.
Pope Leo XIV accepts resignation of Iraqi Cardinal Louis Sako March 10, 2026By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News Pope Leo XIV has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Louis Sako, the Iraq-based Chaldean Catholic patriarch of Baghdad, ending his 13-year tenure leading Iraq’s largest Christian denomination, the Vatican said.
Cardinal Mathieu in Rome after evacuation from Iran March 10, 2026By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Belgian Cardinal Dominique Mathieu of Tehran-Isfahan surfaced in Rome after days of uncertainty about his whereabouts following the start of a U.S. and Israel-Iran war.
