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ROME (CNS) -- Asked about the deadly shootings by U.S. federal agents in Minneapolis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, said the violence unfolding there is "unacceptable."

"The position of the Holy See is always to avoid any kind of violence, obviously, and therefore we cannot accept episodes of this kind. That is our position, as you know," he told reporters when asked about operations underway by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minnesota, which have led to the shootings and deaths of two U.S. citizens.

"Difficulties, problems and contradictions must be resolved in other ways," he said Jan. 28, describing the situation as "unacceptable" and agreeing with recent statements by U.S. bishops. 

The cardinal spoke with reporters on the sidelines of an evening event at LUMSA University in Rome Jan. 28.

Asked about the possibility of the U.S. sending ICE agents to the Winter Olympics in northern Italy as part of security measures for the U.S. delegation, the cardinal said he was aware of the proposal, "but I know there is also controversy surrounding it. We don't get involved" in such controversies.

Meanwhile, secretary-general of the Italian Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Giuseppe Baturi, told reporters during a news conference Jan. 28 that "We hope that respect for public order will be ensured as much as possible by our own (Italian) authorities," adding that there has been no official statement from the conference on the issue.

WASHINGTON - “There is simply no realistic opportunity for the safe and orderly return of people to Haiti at this time,” said Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Migration, together with Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace. 

The bishops’ statement follows U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, effective February 3, based on a determination the country no longer meets the conditions for the designation. Over 300,000 Haitians in the United States are covered by the current designation. 

The U.S. Department of State’s own travel advisory for Haiti is Level 4, the highest level, because of “life-threatening risks” that include kidnapping, terrorist activity, and civil unrest; meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration is currently prohibiting any flights from the United States to Haiti’s capital.

Bishop Cahill and Bishop Zaidan’s full statement follows: 

“We are deeply concerned about the plight of our Haitian brothers and sisters living in the United States who will soon have their legal status and work authorization revoked due to the Administration’s termination of TPS for Haiti. There is simply no realistic opportunity for the safe and orderly return of people to Haiti at this time. 

“We do not dispute that TPS is intended to be ‘temporary,’ as is often pointed out as a rationale for ending it, which is why we have reaffirmed on so many occasions the need for Congress to create viable opportunities for longtime residents with TPS, regardless of nationality, to request a more durable legal status. However, so long as Congress fails in this regard, and the current conditions in Haiti persist, the onus is on the executive branch to act in a just and merciful way.

“The Trump Administration still has the opportunity to do the right thing—to safeguard human life, to uphold the law, and to promote greater stability for people in this country and beyond. TPS was created by Congress with these very goals in mind, and the ongoing conditions in Haiti are precisely the sort warranting TPS. We urge the Administration to act accordingly by extending this vital relief for Haitians. 

“Most importantly, we reaffirm the U.S. Church’s solidarity with our Haitian brothers and sisters, wherever they may be. We turn to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Patroness of Haiti, for her intercession; may she always be a source of strength and comfort for the Haitian people.”

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Translation of Bishops’ statement in Haitian Creole:

Men Deklarasyon konplè Evèk Cahill ak Evèk Zaidan: 

“Nou enkyete anpil pou frè ak sè ayisyen nou yo ki ap viv Ozetazini e ki kapab pèdi estati legal yo ak otorizasyon pou travay akòz desizyon Administrasyon an pran pou mete fen nan TPS pou Ayiti. Pa gen okenn opòtinite reyalis pou retounen moun Ayiti san danje ak nan lòd kounye a.

“Nou pa kont lide ke TPS fèt pou l ‘tanporè,’ jan sa souvan itilize kòm rezon pou mete fen nan li. Se poutèt sa nou toujou repete anpil fwa bezwen pou Kongrè a kreye opòtinite solid pou rezidan ki gen TPS depi lontan, kèlkeswa nasyonalite yo, pou yo mande yon estati legal ki pi dirab. Sepandan, toutotan Kongrè a pa reponn a bezwen sa a, e toutotan kondisyon aktyèl yo Ayiti kontinye egziste, se devwa pouvwa egzekitif la pou l aji avèk jistis ak mizèrikòd.

“Administrasyon Trump toujou gen chans pou l fè sa ki dwat—pou l pwoteje lavi moun, pou l respekte lalwa, epi pou l ankouraje plis estabilite pou moun nan peyi sa a ak lòt kote. TPS se Kongrè ki te kreye li ak objektif sa yo, e sitiyasyon Ayiti jodi a montre byen klè rezon ki fè TPS egziste. Nou ankouraje Administrasyon an pou l aji kòmsadwa lè l pwolonje sekou vital sa a pou Ayisyen yo.

“Pi enpòtan toujou, nou renouvle solidarite Legliz Katolik Ozetazini ak frè ak sè ayisyen nou yo, kèlkeswa kote yo ye. Nou vire je nou sou Notre Dame du Secours Pèpétuel, Patronn Ayiti, pou entèsesyon li; ke li toujou yon sous fòs ak rekonfò pou pèp ayisyen an.”

View this release in Haitian Creole.

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The Roman Martyrology commemorates St. Gildas the Wise (516-570), Scottish bishop and author and sometimes listed as Badonicus. He was born in the Clyde River area of Scotland. After becoming a disciple of St. Finnian, Gildas was a hermit for a time in Wales. He was also trained by St. Illtyd. He was famous for writing De Excidiio Britanniae, a Latin work describing moral decline in Britain.

This is such a cute idea for Lent! 😍

It's the 100th anniversary of the Basilica of St. Mary, the first and beautifully magnificent minor basilica in the United States. Here's how Catholics can gain a plenary indulgence during this special year of grace!

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV called for an end to all antisemitism, prejudice, oppression and persecution worldwide.

"I renew my appeal to the community of nations always to remain vigilant so that the horror of genocide never again befall any people and that a society based on mutual respect and the common good be built," he said Jan. 28.

The pope made his remarks during his greeting to Italian-speaking visitors after leading his general audience talk in the Paul VI Audience Hall.

The pope recalled the previous day's commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is marked Jan. 27 each year, the anniversary of the day in 1945 when Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp complex. The camp was the largest of the Nazi work and death camps; an estimated 1.1 million of the more than 6 million victims of the Holocaust died there. 

"On this annual occasion of painful remembrance, I ask Almighty God for the gift of a world without any more antisemitism, prejudice, oppression or persecution of any human being," Pope Leo said. 

The pope also commemorated Holocaust Remembrance Day with a post on X Jan. 27, recalling "that the Church remains faithful to the unwavering position of the Declaration #NostraAetate against every form of antisemitism. The Church rejects any discrimination or harassment based on ethnicity, language, nationality or religion."

Later the same day, the pope underlined the importance of praying for peace when speaking to reporters as he was leaving the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo outside of Rome.

When asked about the situation in the Middle East, specifically the arrival of the U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is equipped with guided-missile destroyers, Pope Leo said, "I will just say that we must pray very much for peace."

Though regular, everyday people may seem "small" or insignificant, he said, "we can raise our voices and always seek dialogue rather than violence to resolve problems, especially on this day when we commemorate the Shoah."

"Let us fight against all forms of antisemitism," he said.

WASHINGTON – “Your faith matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter,” said Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel,” he continued, and as a step toward healing, invited bishops and priests across the United States to offer a Holy Hour for Peace.

Archbishop Coakley’s full reflection and invitation follow:

Many people today feel powerless in the face of violence, injustice, and social unrest. To those who feel this way, I wish to say clearly: your faithfulness matters. Your prayers matter. Your acts of love and works of justice matter. 

I am deeply grateful for the countless ways Catholics and all people of good will continue to serve one another and work for peace and justice. Whether feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, caring for the sick, accompanying the lonely, visiting the imprisoned, or striving daily to love their neighbors, no work of mercy or act of justice is ever wasted in the eyes of God. While proper laws must be respected, works of mercy, peacefully assembling, and caring for those in your community are signs of hope, and they build peace more surely than anger or despair ever could. Christ reminds us that even ‘a single cup of cold water’ given in his name will not go unrewarded (cf. Mt 10:42).

The recent killing of two people by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis and that of a detained man in Texas, are just a few of the tragic examples of the violence that represent failures in our society to respect the dignity of every human life. We mourn this loss of life and deplore the indifference and injustice it represents. The current climate of fear and polarization, which thrives when human dignity is disregarded, does not meet the standard set by Christ in the Gospel.

As a step toward healing, I invite my brother bishops and priests across the United States to offer a Holy Hour for Peace in the days ahead. Let us pray for reconciliation where there is division, for justice where there are violations of fundamental rights, and for consolation for all who feel overwhelmed by fear or loss. I encourage Catholics everywhere to participate, whether in parishes, chapels, or before the Lord present in the quiet of their hearts for healing in our nation and communities. 

May this Holy Hour be a moment of renewal for our hearts and for our nation. Entrusting our fears and hopes to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, let us ask the Lord to make us instruments of his peace and witnesses to the inherent dignity of every person.

Let us pray together, confident that God hears the cry of his people and remains close to all who seek him. 

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The Universal Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). He is considered the Dominican Order's greatest glory. He taught philosophy and theology with such genius that he is considered one of the leading Christian thinkers. His innocence, on a par with his genius, earned for him the title of "Angelic Doctor."

How are you teaching your children the Catholic faith? Here are four great ways to do it!