Pope Francis praised Poland’s welcoming of refugees escaping the violence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Kyiv-Halych and the Ukrainian Embassy to the Holy See said they had received information that Russia planned airstrikes on the Cathedral of St. Sophia in Kyiv.

The failure of the U.S. Senate Feb. 28 to advance an “extreme measure” to establish a legal right to abortion at any stage of pregnancy nationwide “is a tremendous relief,” said the chairmen of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life and religious freedom committees.

As half a million Ukrainians crossed the borders into neighboring countries to flee the war, the European Ukrainian diaspora and ordinary citizens turned out to welcome and help transport, feed and house them.

Vice President Kamala Harris Feb. 24 held a ceremonial swearing-in of Catholic lawyer Joe Donnelly of Indiana as the new U.S. ambassador to the Holy See.

A Byzantine priest from Lviv, a native of Donetsk who became famous throughout Ukraine after being captured by separatists in 2014, announced the beginning of an exorcism ritual aimed at Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pope Francis said his heart was “broken” by the war in Ukraine, and he pleaded again, “Silence the weapons!”

As Russia continued its assault on Ukraine and Russian troops pressed toward the capital, Kyiv, Pope Francis left the Vatican Feb. 25 to pay a visit to the Russian ambassador to the Holy See.

President Joe Biden announced Feb. 25 at the White House that he has chosen a “proven consensus builder” by nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, a federal appeals court judge, to serve on the Supreme Court.

Reflecting themes he has emphasized throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis participated Feb. 24 in a webinar with university students from North, Central and South America to discuss Building Bridges North-South.