VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- God is always merciful toward everyone, Pope Francis wrote.

"He heals our wounds so that we can love each other as brothers and sisters," he said in the text he prepared for the midday Angelus prayer March 30.

While the 88-year-old pope was back at the Vatican and had appeared briefly on the balcony of Rome's Gemelli hospital March 23, the Sunday he was discharged, to offer his blessing, he was following doctors' orders to rest and did not make a televised or public appearance.

The pope's message focused on the day's Gospel reading, the parables of the lost sheep and the lost son from Luke 15:1-3, 11-32. The Pharisees are scandalized instead of happy that sinners are being welcomed by Jesus, so Jesus tells them the parable of the son who squandered his inheritance and repented and was still loved and welcomed by his father.

"This is how Jesus reveals the heart of God: He is always merciful toward all," the pope wrote.

"Let us live this Lent as a time of healing, all the more as it is the Jubilee," he wrote, saying he, too, was experiencing this period as a time of healing "in my soul and in my body." 

"That is why I give heartfelt thanks to all those who, in the image of the Savior, are instruments of healing for their neighbor with their word and their knowledge, with kindness and with prayer," he wrote. "Frailty and illness are experiences we all have in common; all the more, however, we are brothers in the salvation Christ has given us."

Like the other messages he released on Sundays, the pope also called for prayers for peace, including in Myanmar, "which is also suffering so much because of the earthquake," and he made two urgent appeals.

Concerning the increasing instability in the wake of the collapse of the government of national unity in South Sudan, the pope renewed a "heartfelt appeal to all leaders to do their utmost to lower the tension in the country."

"We must put aside our differences and, with courage and responsibility, sit around a table and engage in constructive dialogue. Only in this way will it be possible to alleviate the suffering of the beloved South Sudanese people and to build a future of peace and stability," his message said.

Also in Sudan, "the war continues to claim innocent victims," he said, urging the international community to "increase its efforts to address the appalling humanitarian catastrophe."

"I urge the parties concerned in the conflict to put the safeguarding of the lives of their civilian brothers and sisters first; and I hope that new negotiations will begin as soon as possible, capable of securing a lasting solution to the crisis," the pope wrote.

The pope also praised "positive events" taking place in the world, for example, "the ratification of the agreement on the demarcation of the border between Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, which is an excellent diplomatic achievement. I encourage both countries to continue on this path."

WASHINGTON – Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop George J. Lucas, 75, from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Omaha, and has appointed Bishop Michael G. McGovern of Belleville, as his successor. 

The resignation and appointment were publicized in Washington, D.C. on March 31, 2025, by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The Archdiocese of Omaha is comprised of 14,051 square miles in the State of Nebraska and has a total population of 1,035,885, of which 241,011, are Catholic.

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WASHINGTON - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Department of Migration and Refugee Services, in collaboration with the National Association of Evangelicals, World Relief, and the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, has released a report entitled “One Part of the Body: The Potential Impact of Deportations on American Christian Families.” This comprehensive analysis highlights the profound impact that mass deportations could have on Christian families and congregations across the United States if carried out in the way some policymakers have proposed.

The report underscores that roughly one in twelve Christians in the United States—and one in five Catholics specifically—either face the risk of deportation or live in a household with someone who does. The report further emphasizes the impact of mass deportations on every Christian believer, beyond those who could be directly affected by such enforcement efforts. On this point, Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, and representatives of partner organizations introduced the report by articulating, “The Apostle Paul describes the church of Jesus Christ as ‘one body’ that is ‘not made up of one part but of many,’ each of which is distinct from and yet interdependent upon the other parts (1 Cor. 12:13-14). Furthermore, we are called to both rejoice and to suffer together: ‘If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it’ (1 Cor. 12:26). Just as the hand cannot go about its business unaffected if the foot is in debilitating pain, whenever one part of the church is suffering, the whole is called to suffer alongside.”

The information presented in this collaborative report draws on extensive data analysis and first-hand testimonies to paint a vivid picture of how the proposed scope of deportations could affect Christian families, local congregations, and American communities in general.

Key findings include:

• Over ten million Christian immigrants in the United States are vulnerable to deportation, including those with temporary protections that could be withdrawn.
• Nearly seven million Christians who are U.S. citizens live in households with someone at risk of deportation.
• 80% of immigrants vulnerable to deportation identify as Christians, with 61% being Catholic and 13% identifying as evangelical Christians.

Ultimately, the report calls on all Christians to recognize and respond to the human consequences of unmitigated deportation efforts and for a thoughtful and compassionate approach to immigration policy that promotes justice, while also protecting the God-given dignity of every person and the sanctity of families. The full report is available on the USCCB website at: https://www.usccb.org/resources/one-part-of-the-body.pdf

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