Saint Joseph Catholic Church

Amid “serious ongoing threats against peace, shaped by persistent armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions in many regions of the world,” Archbishop Gintaras Grušas of Vilnius made “a strong common appeal to pray for peace, in whatsoever liturgical form you see fit, especially during the upcoming Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, so that this unity may be achieved not only among Christians but also among all the parties in conflict with each other.”

Archbishop Grušas made his appeal in a January 12 letter to presidents of the various European bishops’ conferences.

In a letter to the director of La Repubblica for the Italian newspaper’s 50th anniversary, Pope Leo XIV paid tribute to freedom of the press and said that the press should be “animated by the search for truth.”

“These are moments of great pain and suffering,” Pope Leo said. “Where can you find consolation worthy of what you are experiencing, comfort that is not made up of empty and superficial words, but that touches you deeply and rekindles hope?”

The Pope continued:

Perhaps there is only one word that is adequate: that of the Son of God on the cross—to whom you are so close today—who, from the depths of his abandonment and pain, cried out to the Father: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mt 27:46). The Father’s answer to the Son’s plea is delayed for three days, in silence. But then, what an answer! Jesus rises gloriously,

“Be assured of His closeness and tenderness: He is not far from what you are experiencing; on the contrary, He shares it and carries it with you,” the Pope continued. “Our Lady of Sorrows is close to you in these days, and it is to her that I entrust you. Turn to her without reservation with your tears and seek in her the maternal comfort that perhaps only Mary can give and certainly will give you.”

“The State of Kuwait reaffirms its steadfast principles of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence among religions, which are values that are enshrined in its ideals from its inception and were later codified in its Constitution,” according to the statement, which concluded:

His Eminence’s visit aims to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation that the Holy See and the State of Kuwait have maintained since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1968, when Kuwait became the first country of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf to establish such relations with the Holy See. The visit also intends to bear witness to the longstanding tradition of religious coexistence that has consistently characterized the State of Kuwait within the Arabian Gulf.

“2026 is a very important year for dialogue, and multilateralism,” said Álvaro Lario, who leads the UN agency that assists poor rural farmers. “Leaders, such as Pope Leo XIV, give us hope that addressing the economic roots of instability and forced migration is the way forward to support livelihoods despite an ever increasing number of fragile and conflict-affected contexts in the world.”

Lario subsequently discussed IFAD’s work in an interview with Vatican News.

The 58-year-old Colombian prelate was appointed auxiliary bishop of Bogotá in 2015 and the second-ranking official of the pontifical commission in 2024. Pope Leo named him a member of the Dicastery for the Clergy last May.

Bishop Alí Herrera has remained auxiliary bishop of Bogotá while serving as secretary of the pontifical commission, the current (2025) edition of the Annuario Pontificio notes. Yesterday’s announcement of his appointment to Santa Maria Maggiore included no announcement of a resignation from either of these positions.

The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins on January 18.