Decrying what he described as “hostile times” when antisemitism and violence against Christians are on the rise, Pope Francis said a renewed commitment to Catholic-Jewish dialogue is needed.

Pope Francis is writing to all the heads of state around the world, asking them to consider granting some prisoners clemency at Christmas.

Preparing for the priesthood, seminarians must remember both the joy of being called by God and the real sacrifices they will be called to make, Pope Francis told young men preparing for the priesthood at the seminary of Barcelona, Spain.

Even the most fervent believers go through moments of doubt and questioning about God, and it is a good thing, Pope Francis said, because it helps one see that God does not fit into the little box people make for him.

Nicolas Brown directed “The Letter: A Message for Our Earth,” a documentary on the pope’s 2015 encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.”

All workers should feel welcomed by the church and know that their needs and problems are taken seriously, Pope Francis said.

While many people involved with the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative continue to hope Pope Francis will issue an encyclical promoting nonviolence as a spirituality and way of life, they also know that Catholics already are engaged in teaching and supporting nonviolence in situations of conflict and exploitation around the globe.

Pope Francis asked Catholics around the world to join him in entrusting to Mary “the universal desire for peace, especially for the martyred Ukraine, which is suffering so much.”

The mayor of Lviv, Ukraine, and a team of doctors treating those injured in the war gave Pope Francis a cross with an embedded piece of shrapnel removed from the body of a young girl.

True love of God or love of another person should lead to a sense of freedom, not to a need to possess or control, Pope Francis said.