Pope Leo XIV, in a June 14 message given at Vatican City, appealed for the end of the war between Israel and Iran, which has escalated. President Trump is considering America’s entrance into the war despite the Constitution’s express mandate that only Congress could declare war. The Pope’s message, spoken in Italian, is translated by Vatican News to English below:
“In recent days, news is arriving that causes great concern. The situation in Iran and Israel has seriously deteriorated. In such a delicate moment, I wish to renew my appeal to responsibility and reason. The commitment to building a safer world, free from the nuclear threat, must be pursued through respectful encounters and sincere dialogue to build a lasting peace, founded on justice, fraternity, and the common good. No one should ever threaten another’s existence. It is the duty of all countries to support the cause of peace, initiating paths of reconciliation and promoting solutions that guarantee security and dignity for all!”
[Video taken from Vatican News]
On June 19, Father Paul Gofigan, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Agana and on behalf of Archbishop Ryan Jimenez, asked all Catholics to pray for world peace through the Holy Rosary every day starting today and through June 28, 2025. The following is Father Gofigan’s message:
Our dear people of God in the Church of Agaña,
On behalf of Archbishop Ryan P. Jimenez and in honor of the upcoming feasts of Corpus Christi, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, we invite all lay faithful, clergy, and religious of our archdiocese to join us in prayer for spiritual unity and peace throughout the world.
Please pray the Holy Rosary faithfully before Mass at our parishes starting June 22 until June 28. We also encourage everyone to pray the Holy Rosary and other prayers for world peace individually, as well as with their families and friends. Pray unceasingly.
With deadly fighting escalating in the Middle East and heart-wrenching violence erupting in our cities in the United States, lifting our pleas upward to God is more urgent today.
Deeply concerned for the world, Pope Leo XIV also urges everyone to show great love and compassion to all people, no matter their race, background, or circumstances. “It is the duty of All Countries to support the cause of peace by initiating paths of reconciliation and promoting solutions that guarantee security and dignity for all,” the pope said this week.
Let us renew our faith in the power of the Holy Rosary. Trust that peace and harmony of the world will come through our Lady’s Immaculate Heart and most of all, through the providential love of our Lord.
With the Peace of Christ,
/s/The Very Reverend Father Paul Gofigan
Vicar General, Archdiocese of Agaña
