Religion
NEW POPE LEO XIV CALLS FOR PEACE AND UNITY IN FIRST COMMENTS
The newly elected Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Robert Prevost of the United States, has called for the light of Christ to serve “as the bridge” to God’s love in his first comments after being elected as the new Pope.
In his first comments in Italian, Pope Leo XIV said he wants this message of peace to “enter your hearts, to reach your families and all people, wherever they are.” Paying tribute to Pope Francis, he urged the faithful to “move forward, without fear, united, hand in hand with God and with each other.”
The new Pope also thanked his fellow cardinals for choosing him for the role and led the faithful in St Peter’s Square in prayer, with Ave Maria. He recalled the words of St Augustine: “For you I am a bishop; but with you I am a Christian.”
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, is a moderate, Chicago-born cardinal who has significant missionary experience in Peru, having served as bishop of the northern city of Chiclayo. He was created a cardinal by Francis in 2023 and appointed as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, which oversees the selection of new bishops from around the world.
The new Pope’s election is seen as significant, given the Vatican’s longstanding opposition to the idea of a pope from the US due to the country’s superpower status and secular global influence. However, Prevost’s experience and moderate stance may help to redeem him in the eyes of those who would not usually countenance the idea of an American pope.
Pope Leo XIV has strongly condemned the escalating war involving Iran, describing the ongoing conflict as “atrocious violence” and calling on all parties to immediately halt hostilities.
Speaking during his weekly Angelus prayer at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City on Sunday, the pontiff appealed to leaders involved in the conflict to declare a ceasefire and pursue dialogue instead of continued military confrontation.
The appeal comes as the war widely reported to involve strikes by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets, entering its third week, leaving thousands of civilians dead or displaced across the Middle East.
“For two weeks, the peoples of the Middle East have been suffering the atrocious violence of war,” the Pope said, warning that violence can not bring justice, stability, or lasting peace to the region.
The Catholic leader expressed solidarity with victims of the conflict, particularly civilians who have lost loved ones or been forced to flee their homes. He emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian support for affected communities.
The Pope also raised concerns about the growing instability in Lebanon, where clashes between Israel and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah have worsened the humanitarian situation.
Calling for a diplomatic solution, the pontiff urged global leaders to pursue dialogue that could lead to lasting peace and stability in the Middle East.
Despite maintaining the Vatican’s traditional diplomatic neutrality, the Pope’s comments are seen as one of his strongest appeals yet for an end to the expanding regional conflict.
The Vatican has accepted the resignation of Bishop Emanuel Hana Shaleta of the Chaldean Catholic Diocese of St. Peter the Apostle in San Diego following his arrest on allegations of embezzling $250,000 from his congregation.
Bishop Shaleta, who had served the Chaldean Catholic community since 2017, pleaded not guilty to 16 counts of embezzlement and money laundering during a court hearing on Monday. According to San Diego Deputy District Attorney Joel Madero, the alleged offenses occurred in 2024 and were discovered after a church employee reported missing funds, local broadcaster KGTV reported.
Authorities detained Shaleta on March 5 at San Diego International Airport while he was attempting to leave the United States. His lawyer stated that the bishop had planned to travel to Germany.
Chaldean Catholics, while recognizing the authority of the Pope, follow an Eastern Christian liturgical tradition. Vatican statistics estimate approximately 71,000 Chaldean Catholics reside in the San Diego area.
The arrest and resignation have sent shockwaves through the local religious community, prompting calls for greater transparency and accountability in church financial management.
A shocking breach of protocol occurred during the secret conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV last May, a new book by veteran Vatican reporters reveals.
As 133 cardinals gathered in the Sistine Chapel for their first vote, which is typically safeguarded by signal-jamming equipment to prevent outside communications, security officials detected an active mobile phone signal inside the chapel.
In a scene the authors describe as “unimaginable even for a film,” one of the older cardinals discovered a cellphone in his pocket and handed it over to security. The book, The Election of Pope Leo XIV, does not identify the cardinal or suggests he had any motive for carrying the phone but notes he was “disoriented and distressed” by the incident.
The incident is unprecedented in the history of modern papal conclaves, which require cardinals to relinquish all communication devices to ensure the election process remains secret.
Pope Leo XIV, elected on the fourth ballot with 108 votes, became the first pope from the United States. The revelation of this security lapse provides a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of the world’s most secretive religious events.