Vatican News

The United Nations Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has decried a series of Israeli strikes on Rafah in the past few days that have killed mostly children and women. He has repeated his warning against a full-scale incursion to an area to which 1.2 million civilians are sheltering. Read all  

The Cardinal Patriarch of Jerusalem reflects on the ongoing war in Gaza expressing his belief it shows the inevitability of the two-state solution: “There is no alternative to the two states but the continuation of war.” Read all  

Reflecting on the recently celebrated World Day of Prayer for Vocations, South Sudan’s Catholic Bishop of Tombura Yambio says he is filled with gratitude for his own call to be a priest, for the priests he works with, and for the number of young people responding to join the seminary in his diocese. Read all  

Cisco, the multinational digital communications technology company, signs the Pontifical Academy for Life’s “Rome Call for AI Ethics” committing to an ethical approach to artificial intelligence in the areas of Ethics, Education and Rights. Read all  

The Director General of UNICEF says more than three million children in Haiti are in need of humanitarian assistance, as conditions in the country continue to worsen. Read all  

Pope Francis receives Ghana’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in the Vatican. Read all  

Pope Francis sends a video message to the Diocese of Termoli-Larino in southern Italy, that will welcome the statue of Our Lady of Fatima from April 27 to May 5, 2024. In it, the Pope encourages the faithful to open their doors and hearts to the Mother of God. Read all  

Pope Francis pleads for global peace, emphasizing the devastating consequences of war and urging prayers for conflict-stricken regions like Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, and Myanmar, while advocating for peaceful resolutions and reconciliation. Read all  

During his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis transitions from discussing the cardinal virtues to the theological ones, recalling that faith, hope and charity help us follow Christ, guide our journey together toward holiness, and restore us, even when we fall. Read all  

Britain’s recent decision to approve legislation allowing the deportation of asylum seekers to Rwanda has sparked condemnation from humanitarian organizations including CAFOD, the aid agency for the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Read all  

Five migrants, including a 7-year-old girl, drown attempting to cross the English Channel, only hours after Britain’s Parliament passes a bill to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, a move decried by several Catholic aid agencies. Read all  

South Korea’s highest court is set to hear a case brought by young people arguing that the government’s lack of action on climate change violates their fundamental rights. Read all  

Friends and supporters from around the world offer prayers and best wishes to Pope Francis on the feast of his heavenly patron, St George. Read all  

The World Book and Copyright Day is an annual event organized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and is held on the 23rd of April to promote reading, publishing and copyrights. Read all  

Less than a year after Pope Francis’ return visit to Portugal, a special conference in Rome organized by the Portuguese Embassy to the Holy See and Sovereign Military Order of Malta commemorates the installation of democracy in Portugal fifty years ago, and celebrates the occasion with a lecture of Professor Manuel Braga da Cruz of the Catholic University of Lisbon, and a dialogue with Andrea Tornielli, the Editorial Director of Vatican Media. Read all  

At a press conference hosted by the Holy See Press Office, organizers unveiled a 27 April event sponsored by Italy’s “Fondazione Età Grande” (Old Age Foundation) that will bring together grandparents and grandchildren to the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall as a way to promote the role and contribution of the elderly in today’s world. Read all  

On World Earth Day 2024, Pope Francis reminds everyone of our duty to protect the planet and safeguard peace. Read all  

The Saint Pio Foundation is set to unveil ten photos of the beloved 20th century saint, in order “to foster devotion to Saint Pio.” Read all  

“In some ethnic groups of Sub-Saharan Africa, people with intellectual disabilities are often marginalized,” says Sr. Claudia Samba, FCSM who has worked with children with intellectual disabilities in both Senegal and Mauritania for eight years, at the “Sr Claire” Center in Rosso. Read all  

A new study shows that global military expenditure surged to $2.443 trillion in 2023, driven by heightened tensions and regional conflicts, with top spenders like the US, China, and Russia leading the increase, while regional dynamics and emerging trends shaped spending patterns worldwide. Read all  

Faced with prospect of enlarging the European Union to include new members, the Bishops of the European Union (COMECE) say the possibility offers hope and opportunities, but also presents a series of challenges that must be concretely confronted. Read all  

On the occasion of their General Chapter, Pope Francis urges the Brothers of Christian Instruction of Ploermel – known as the La Mennais Brothers – to be “fathers who reflect the loving and compassionate face of God”. Read all  

Ukrainian and Western leaders have welcomed a desperately needed military aid package for Ukraine passed by the U.S. House of Representatives after mounting concerns the country may lose the war against Russia. In addition to the 61 billion dollars worth of military assistance for Ukraine, the House approved part of a broader foreign aid package that included about $34 billion for Israel and other allies, despite Moscow’s warning the aid package would further escalate the armed conflict. Read all  

Palestinian officials say 13 people have been killed in an Israeli military operation at a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Read all  

Pope Francis issues a heartfelt plea for peace in Palestine, Israel, and Ukraine, urging dialogue over conflict and remembering the suffering of those affected. Read all