The Holy See’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations called for an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine “not at some undefined moment in the future, but right now.”

The head of the U.S. military archdiocese on Dec. 3 urged respect for the human person and the rule of law amid new questions about the legality of a deadly U.S. military attack Sept. 2 on a boat in the Caribbean.

Bishop Christian Carlassare of Bentiu delivered an early Christmas message as Advent began on Dec. 1, through which he sought to inspire hope among the people of the world’s youngest nation, who are suffering from conflict and climate change-related disasters, such as flooding.

A commission set up by Pope Francis to study women deacons has voted against the possibility of ordaining women deacons while also supporting more study on the issue.

Churches and temples in Sri Lanka have been turned into emergency relief camps for thousands left stranded by Cyclone Ditwah, which brought heavy rains, flooding and landslides across the island nation.

Despite an uptick in executions in the U.S. in 2025, opponents of the death penalty lauded decreases in new death sentences and waning public support for the practice during comments at a Dec. 3 press event announcing a new coalition called the U.S. Campaign to End the Death Penalty.

Pope Leo XIV’s childhood home just outside of Chicago has been declared a historic landmark.

As Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians accompany U.S.-brokered peace talks that as of Dec. 3 produced no breakthrough, Ukraine’s religious leaders warn that failure to halt Russia and hold it accountable will expand the war to Europe.

Spending time with Catholics, other Christian leaders and top Muslim clerics in Turkey Nov. 27-Nov. 30 and Lebanon Nov. 30-Dec. 2, the pope made formal speeches about how believing in God as the father of all means recognizing one another as brothers and sisters.

A New York state bishop, who is a Baltimore native, has echoed a recent call from the nation’s Catholic bishops to respect God-given human dignity, regardless of immigration status.