If you feel like the pace of news is hard to keep up with lately, you are not alone! We are right there with you! So, we’re starting the week with this recap of Pope Leo XIV’s busy weekend to catch you up to speed. As always, visit Vatican News for the most up-to-date news relating to the Holy Father.

Prayer Vigil For Peace

On Saturday, at 6pm Rome time (12 noon EST), Pope Leo held a prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica to pray for peace in the world. The vigil followed a week of extreme unrest and political tension. According to Vatican News, an estimated 10,000 people gathered in the Basilica and Saint Peter’s Square. Additional participants joined remotely throughout the world.

Participants prayed the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary while reflecting on selected meditations from Church Fathers. At intervals, representatives from the various continents came forward to light candles using flames that they took from the Lamp of Peace that sits outside of St. Francis of Assisi’s tomb.

Pope Leo then delivered a message, which began with a decided emphasis on hope in the power of prayer. He said, “My dearest friends, all it takes is a little faith, a mere “crumb” of faith, in order to face this dramatic hour in history together — as humanity and alongside humanity.” Throughout his message, Pope Leo emphasized the power of prayer to “move mountains,” to transform hearts and situations, and to unite. He spoke of the high cost of war and of how he himself sees this cost in the letters he receives from children living in war-torn areas. He also reminded listeners that, in the Kingdom of God “there is no sword, no drone, no vengeance, no trivialization of evil, no unjust profit, but only dignity, understanding and forgiveness.” True strength, he said, comes from service, not power and war.

Pope Leo echoed Pope Francis’s call for “peacemakers, men and women prepared to work boldly and creatively to initiate process of healing and renewed encounter.” He then asked that participants return to their homes with a commitment to “pray without ceasing and without growing weary, a commitment to a profound conversion of heart” before closing with a prayer of his own:

Lord Jesus,

you conquered death without weapons or violence:

you shattered its power with the strength of peace.

Grant us your peace,

as you did to the women filled with doubt on Easter morning,

as you did to the disciples who were hiding in fear.

Send forth your Spirit,

the breath that gives life and reconciles,

that turns adversaries and enemies into brothers and sisters.

Inspire us to trust in Mary, your mother,

who stood at the foot of your cross with a broken heart,

firm in the faith that you would rise again.

May the madness of war cease

and the Earth be cared for and cultivated by those who still

know how to bring forth, protect and love life.

Hear us, Lord of life!

 Divine Mercy Sunday

In his message to those who had gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for the Regina Caeli (which replaces the Angelus during Easter), Pope Leo reflected on the Gospel reading about Thomas’ encounter with the Risen Christ. The Holy Father said that, through the Eucharist, we also encounter this same Christ and become “witnesses of his Resurrection, as indicated by the term ‘Mass,’ which means sending forth or mission.” Thus, he said, the Eucharist is vital to Christian life.

Following the Regina Caeli prayer, Pope Leo expressed his prayer for peace in all of the Eastern Churches celebrating Easter; those suffering from war; and, especially, the people of Ukraine, Lebanon, and Sudan. He condemned violence against innocent civilian populations and asked that government leaders implement ceasefires, seek peaceful solutions, and engage in dialogue so that such immoral attacks can end.

After greeting various visiting groups, the Holy Father asked that the faithful pray for his ten-day trip to Africa.

Three Cardinals Featured on 60 Minutes

On Sunday night, Cardinal Blase Cupich (Chicago), Cardinal Robert McElroy (Washington, D.C.), and Cardinal Joseph Tobin (Newark) participated in a joint interview with 60 Minutes’ Norah O’Donnell. During the segment, which O’Donnell began by framing Pope Leo XIV as a soft-spoken man who is pushing back against some of the U.S.’s violent policies, the Cardinals quickly clarified Pope Leo’s identity as “the Pastor of the World” rather than a politician or political pundit. Cardinal Tobin stated that the issues that Pope Leo addresses are the ones that are most important, implying that his calls for peace are critical. Cardinal Tobin also stated that, as the pastor of his archdiocese, he routinely hears people’s concerns regarding peace.

Cardinal McElroy then clearly stated that, while the government of Iran is “abominable,” the war in Iran is not just because a just war can only be waged with the sole intention of restoring justice and peace. Instead, this war is a “war of choice” and McElroy cautioned that we are facing the possibility of “war, after war, after war.”

Cardinal Cupich added, “We’re dehumanizing the victims of war by turning the sufferings of people and the killing of children and our own soldiers into entertainment…it is sickening,” referring to the ways in which the Trump White House has portrayed global conflicts.

The Cardinals expressed their concerns and condemnation of recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies that have “terrorized” people and prevented parishioners from attending Mass out of fear (attendance at Spanish Masses in McElroy’s archdiocese declined 30% in the past year, he said). Cardinal McElroy acknowledged his sense that immigration had gotten out of control under the previous administration and he said that he supported strong borders; however, he characterized current immigration policy as “A roundup of people throughout the country, people who have been living good strong lives for a long time, raised their children here, many of their children are born here and are citizens — that’s what our objection is.”

O’Donnell asked the Cardinals, “What do you say to people in the pews who say, ‘I don’t want to hear politics from my priest?’” Cupich responded: “I say fine. I want to preach the Gospel. God wants us to promote peace in the world because his desire is that we be one human family.”

Cardinal McElroy added that suffering, not politics, is what motivates the Cardinals’ work. “What we’re seeing as pastors is an enormous, profound level of human suffering and that’s what motivates us.”

When asked whether Pope Leo’s choice to spend America’s 250^th birthday in a major hub for European immigration is meant to send a message, Cardinal Cupich replied, “He’s sending a message that his top priority right now is to be with those who are downcast and marginalized.”

Cardinal Tobin smiled and said, “I know at least one member of my archdiocese that will be happy and she’s green and she’s on a little island that belongs to New Jersey and she’s technically part of the archdiocese of Newark. And she’s holding up a torch, and she’s reading from a scroll, and it says, ‘Welcome!’”

The interview concluded with Tobin saying, “I believe that Pope Leo is the right man for this time.”

Trump Posts

Shortly after three U.S. Cardinals were featured in an interview on 60 minutes, in which the differences between Pope Leo’s and President Trump’s agendas were emphasized, President Trump spoke publicly against the Holy Father and then posted a rambling attack against him via Truth Social:

Pope Leo is WEAK on Crime,[i] and terrible for Foreign Policy.[ii] He talks about ‘fear’ of the Trump Administration,[iii] but doesn’t mention the FEAR that the Catholic Church, and all other Christian Organizations, had during COVID when they were arresting priests, ministers, and everybody else, for holding Church Services, even when going outside, and being ten and even twenty feet apart.[iv] I like his brother Louis much better than I like him, because Louis is all MAGA. He gets it, and Leo doesn’t![v] I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.[vi] I don’t want a Pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked  Venezuela, a Country that was sending massive amounts of Drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers, and killers, into our Country.[vii] And I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE,[viii] to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime,[ix] and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.[x] Leo should be thankful because, as everyone knows, he was a shocking surprise. He wasn’t on any list to be Pope, and was only put there by the Church because he was an American, and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump. If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican.[xi] Unfortunately, Leo’s weak on Crime, Weak on Nuclear Weapons,[xii] does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama Sympathizers like David Axelrod, a LOSER from the Left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested.[xiii] Leo should get his act together as Pope, use Common Sense, stop catering to the Radical Left, and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician.^[xiv] It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, its hurting the Catholic Church![xv] President DONALD J. TRUMP

(Note: The post’s errors in punctuation and capitalization were faithfully reproduced for context).

(Fact checking: Most of these statements are inaccurate, misleading, or untrue. Please see the footnotes at the bottom of the article for factual information related to these claims).

Mr. Trump followed this post with a since-deleted image of himself depicted as a “Christ-like” healer.

Pope Leo, responded to these posts this morning, noting the irony of the Truth Social site’s name. The Holy Father told reporters that he does not see his role as political and that, “I have no fear, neither of the Trump Administration, nor of speaking out loudly about the message of the Gospel. And that’s what I believe I am called to do, and the Church is called to do. We are not politicians, we are not looking to make ‘foreign policies,’ as he calls it, with the same perspective that he might understand. But I do believe that the message of the Gospel — ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ — is the message that the world needs to hear today.”

The Holy Father reflected that, while the things he says as Pope are not an attack on any person, Mr. Trump’s post suggests a lack of understanding of what the message of the Gospel is. While Pope Leo said that he is sorry about this lack of understanding, he plans to “continue on with what I believe is the mission of the Church.”

The Pope also reiterated his statements that some people are abusing the Gospel for their own gains.

Africa Trip

On Monday, Pope Leo arrived in Algeria for the start of his four-country visit to Africa. While this is his first visit to Algeria as Pope, Pope Leo visited Algeria as a pilgrim in 2001 and 2013. As an Augustinian, he was eager to return to the place where St. Augustine was bishop. The trip will include stays in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. During his first day, Pope Leo called himself a “pilgrim of peace” and repeatedly returned to the theme of peace. He is expected to continue to do so throughout the trip.

In addition to emphasizing his signature message of peace, Pope Leo’s visit draws attention to the African continent which has the fastest growing number of Catholics. In fact, according to the 2024 Vatican yearbook, 20.3% of the world’s Catholics live in Africa. Africa also has a rich Christian history, some of which Pope Leo will draw upon during his trip. For example, on Tuesday, he is expected to visit the city of Annaba (formerly Hippo) where St. Augustine was bishop. Despite its rich heritage, many parts of Africa remain places that are vulnerable to poverty and unrest. Thus, the Pope’s message of peace will be, according to Cardinal Francis Arinze, “a great blessing and encouragement as the church shares the joys and sorrows, hopes and challenges of each country.”

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[i] It is unclear what Mr. Trump was referring to here. Assuming he was referring to crime in the Vatican (since that is the only area of crime that Pope Leo has any actual influence over), it is difficult to determine crime levels because the population of the Vatican is extremely small (504 in 2026) but the number of visitors is massive (33 million in 2026). This means that when the number of crimes that occur annually is divided by the number of citizens, the rate is the highest in the world. This statistic, however, it is incredibly misleading since the rate of crime per person is vastly different when the actual number of people in the Vatican each year is considered.

[ii] Again, it is unclear what Mr. Trump was referring to here. Regardless, this is a matter of opinion or, for Catholics, religious belief. Since the Pope is promoting international relations built on dialogue, fraternity and peace, these policies are — far from being “terrible”— in line with Catholic Social Teaching.

[iii] Again, it is unclear what Mr. Trump is referring to. If he means U.S. policies that instill fear then, yes, the Pope has been critical of many of these. If, however, he means the Pope fears the Trump Administration, then this has been refuted by Pope Leo.

[iv] Pope Leo has no reason to address fears that stemmed from COVID lockdowns since those ended half-a-decade ago and Pope Leo was not Pope during the COVID pandemic. Additionally, many of the reported arrests happened in the U.S. during Mr. Trump’s first presidency, though the accuracy of some of the reporting agencies are questionable.

[v] Mr. Trump is not qualifying this as his own opinion, which it is.

[vi] Pope Leo has never said that he thinks that it is “ok for Iran to have nuclear weapons.” In fact, he has repeatedly spoken about the need for a disarmed peace and, in June of last year, said that it is good to hope for a world — not just an Iran — that is “free from the nuclear threat.”

[vii] There is no evidence that Venezuela sent criminals to the United States. Additionally, experts say that Venezuela’s role in trafficking drugs to the U.S. is minor and dwarfed by Mexico and Columbia.

[viii] Mr. Trump won a decisive victory via electoral college votes (312 to 226 or 58% to 42%), though calling it a “landslide” is debatable, particularly because the margin of victory in popular vote was significantly smaller (49.81% to 48.34%). Additionally, Mr. Trump’s campaign promises included “Prevent World War Three, restore peace in Europe and in the Middle East…a Foreign Policy centered on the most essential American Interests, starting with protecting the American Homeland, our People, Our Borders, our Great American Flag, and our Rights under God…seek peace in the Middle East. We will rebuild our Alliance Network in the region to ensure a future of Peace, Stability, and Prosperity.”

[ix] Mr. Trump is correct that, under his administration, the U.S. crime rate has continued the downward trend that began in the early 1990s, however, this overall downward trend is essential context.

[x] The U.S. economic health indices are mixed. While the stock market is doing well, Cryptocurrencies are shaky, inflation is expected to rise, the jobs market has been volatile, and consumer confidence is lower than it has been since January of 2014.

[xi] As someone who is not Catholic, Mr. Trump seems to be unaware that the Pope is the leader of the Universal Church and is elected via the College of Cardinals through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is possible, of course, that one of the many things the Holy Spirit was doing when he chose Pope Leo was creating a counter-point for Mr. Trump, but it is beyond hubris to suggest certain knowledge of this and beyond folly to think that Mr. Trump is the only thing that the Holy Spirit was concerned about.

[xii] See i and vi.

[xiii] Putting Mr. Trump’s personal opinions about Mr. Axelrod aside, during the first year of his pontificate, Pope Leo has met with people hold a wide-range of political positions, including Mr. Trump’s own vice president.

[xiv] Again, Pope Leo has not endorsed, nor catered to a political party. Instead, he has preached the religious teachings of Jesus and the Catholic Church. He is the leader of the Catholic Church, not a politician.

[xv] To be clear, teaching the authentic teaching of the Church does not hurt it, even if some people refuse to accept those teachings and the number of believers shrinks as a result (though there is no evidence of this happening currently). Jesus, himself, had people reject his teaching because he refused to speak anything but the truth (John 6:60). But, just to end on a more hopeful note, even if this pope — or any other — were to do something that hurt the Church, we need not be afraid; the gates of Hell will not overcome the Church (Matthew 16:18).

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Image: “St. Peter’s Basilica” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by paweesit