Pope Leo XIV’s diplomatic efforts may impact U.S. foreign policy, analyst says June 16, 2025By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News In a little over a month since his election to the papacy, Pope Leo XIV has appeared to embrace his role as a head of state to promote Catholic principles about peacebuilding, an analyst told OSV News. His actions as a head of state could also impact U.S. diplomacy.
Pope urges peace, warns against escalation in Middle East conflict June 15, 2025By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News As conflict in the Middle East escalated with Israeli airstrikes on nuclear sites in Iran and retaliatory drone attacks on Israel, Pope Leo XIV appealed for restraint and renewed the church’s calls for nuclear disarmament and peaceful dialogue.
In Syria, doubts raised about discovery of body said to be that of kidnapped priest June 4, 2025By Junno Arocho Esteves OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News The announcement of the discovery of a body believed to be that of Jesuit Father Paolo Dall’Oglio has prompted church officials in Syria, including the apostolic nuncio, to urge prudence as investigations continue.
Colorado faith leaders express sorrow over attack on rally for release of Hamas hostages June 3, 2025By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, World News As Boulder residents reeled from a violent attack on peaceful demonstrators June 1 who called for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, area faith leaders expressed sorrow over the attack and urged an end to such violence.
Holy See calls for respect for human dignity, international law as civilian deaths soar May 29, 2025By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News As civilian casualties from multiple conflicts have soared, the Holy See’s diplomat to the United Nations has called for a renewed respect for human dignity and international law, along with restrictions in armaments and a commitment to end the scourge of war.
As Trump returns from Middle East with massive arm deals, patriarch says ‘no’ to weapons May 16, 2025By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News As U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Gulf Arab countries, ending May 16, brought “the largest defense cooperation agreement” Washington has ever done, according to the White House fact sheet, Catholic leadership in the region expressed its concern to resolve long-standing conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, peacefully.
Jerusalem patriarch, back in Holy Land, reflects on conclave, ‘inconceivable’ Gaza situation May 14, 2025By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Vatican, World News The importance of continuity and diversity as well as the issues of war and peace were a main topic of conversation for the 133 cardinals as they gathered to vote in the conclave May 7-8, said Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem.
Francis’ final gift to Gaza: Popemobile will be transformed into mobile clinic for children May 5, 2025By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, Remembering Pope Francis, World News With the declining situation in Gaza always in his heart, in his final months, Pope Francis bequeathed his popemobile to Caritas Jerusalem and directed the agency to turn it into a mobile health station for the children in Gaza.
In Middle East, cardinal has shown political savvy, pastor’s heart May 1, 2025By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: 2025 Conclave, Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News Although conventional wisdom says he is too young to become pope, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, began appearing on media lists of possible future popes soon after he was created a cardinal in September 2023.
Gaza is in a state of ‘extreme poverty,’ but Christians still share what they have with others April 17, 2025By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News More than 1,500 people have been killed in Israeli bombardment of the enclave since it renewed the Israel-Hamas war on March 18, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said.
4,000 process in Jerusalem for Palm Sunday amid Israeli bombardment of Gaza April 14, 2025By Judith Sudilovsky OSV News Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, News, World News For the second year in a row, few foreign pilgrims were in attendance at the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives into the Old City of Jerusalem due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. But even the gray skies that threatened rain didn’t dampen the spirit of the 4,000 participants.
Franciscans in the Holy Land ask support through Good Friday collection April 12, 2025By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Giving, News, World News While pilgrimages to the Holy Land have been few and far between in the past 18 months, hundreds of Franciscan friars celebrate Mass at the sites associated with the life of Jesus each day and continue to support the local Christian populations.
