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Herald Malaysia
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Kyiv and allies welcome Pope Leo's Vatican peace talks offer
US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and several of Kyiv's European allies — including Paris and Berlin — gave a positive response May 19 to Pope Leo XIV's offer to host negotiations between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican, according to Italy's prime minister. May 30, 2025 Pope Leo XIV receives a gift from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting at the Vatican May 18, 2025. (CNS/Vatican Media) VATICAN: US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and several of Kyiv's European allies — including Paris and Berlin — gave a positive response May 19 to Pope Leo XIV's offer to host negotiations between Ukraine and Russia at the Vatican, according to Italy's prime minister. President Trump, President Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a joint phone call following a separate conversation between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. During the call, 'the Holy Father's willingness to host peace talks at the Vatican was viewed positively,' Meloni said in a statement. The call, she added, aimed 'to work toward the immediate opening of negotiations between the parties, in hopes of securing a cease-fire as soon as possible and laying the groundwork for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.' In remarks to representatives of Eastern Christian churches recently, Pope Leo XIV offered to mediate global conflicts, including the war in Ukraine. 'The Holy See is available for enemies to meet and look each other in the eye, so that nations may regain hope and the dignity that belongs to them — the dignity of peace,' he said. Referencing the many ongoing conflicts around the world — 'from the Holy Land to Ukraine, from Lebanon to Syria, from the Middle East to Tigray,' in Ethiopia, 'and to the Caucasus' — Pope Leo lamented the violence and called for efforts toward peace. 'I will do everything I can to help peace take root,' he vowed. Over the weekend, he also received US Vice President JD Vance in a private audience. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, confirmed the pope's willingness to host a 'direct meeting' between Ukrainian and Russian leaders, according to media reports. --LCI (https://
Herald Malaysia
2 days ago
- General
- Herald Malaysia
A practical guide to obtaining an apostolic blessing from Pope Leo XIV
Pope Leo XIV is now granting apostolic blessings to the faithful around the world, a spiritual gesture that can be officially requested through the Vatican's Apostolic Almoner's Office. May 29, 2025 Pope Leo XIV speaks in front of the famous icon at the Shrine of the Mother of Good Counsel in Genazzano, Italy, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. | Credit: Vatican Media By Victoria Cardiel Pope Leo XIV is now granting apostolic blessings to the faithful around the world, a spiritual gesture that can be officially requested through the Vatican's Apostolic Almoner's Office. These blessings, printed on parchment, are a well-established tradition in the Catholic Church and are available for significant moments in Christian life such as the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and marriage. As indicated on the website of the Vatican Apostolic Almoner's Office, the procedure for obtaining an apostolic blessing can be completed in two ways: in person at the offices of this department or through an online form. Those who choose the in-person method should go to the offices located within Vatican City, entering through the Porta di Sant'Anna, to the right of the colonnade in St. Peter's Square. Office hours are Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time. For those not in Rome, the digital process is equally accessible. Through the official website of the Apostolic Almoner's Office — the only authorized site for this purpose — applicants must follow several steps. The first step is to select the occasion for which the blessing is being requested (such as a baptism, marriage, or anniversary); then, choose the style of parchment; then, enter the information that should appear on the document; and finally, register the applicant, choose the delivery method (local pickup in Rome or shipping via DHL Express), and make a donation by credit card (only Visa and MasterCard are accepted). The requested information includes the full name of the recipient(s) of the blessing, the specific occasion, the date and location of the event (in the case of sacraments or anniversaries), as well as the sender's complete address, email address, and phone number. The system also allows users to open a personal account for future requests. Once the transaction is confirmed, the Apostolic Almoner's Office will send a confirmation email with the estimated delivery or pickup date. The processing time for the request is approximately 25 days if picked up at the Vatican office and 30 days for international deliveries. The cost of the parchment ranges between 20 and 30 euros ($23-$34), depending on the style, plus shipping costs, which vary depending on the destination, from 15 euros ($17) for destinations within Italy to 40 euros ($45) if sent to Africa. It is worth noting that, after deducting the processing and shipping costs, all proceeds go entirely to the charitable works carried out by this office in the name of the pope to help those most in need. Regarding valid occasions for requesting the apostolic blessing, the almoner's office establishes strict criteria. They are granted for sacraments such as baptism, first Communion, confirmation, marriage, ordination to the priesthood or permanent diaconate, and religious profession. They are also available for significant anniversaries of these occasions and for birthdays marking decades or particularly significant ages (such as 18, 30, 75, or even 100 years). In some cases, such as wedding anniversaries or birthdays, the applicant is asked to provide a 'declaration of suitability' attesting that the recipients are practicing Catholics. Applications by regular mail, fax, or email are not accepted, and any requests made outside of authorized channels will be automatically rejected. Obtaining an apostolic blessing is not only a symbolic gesture of communion with the successor of Peter but also direct support for the charitable works the pontiff carries out on behalf of the entire Church.--CNA
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Pope Leo meets Italian Serie A champions Napoli
Pope Leo XIV meets with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis after Serie A title victory, at the Vatican, May 27, 2025. Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS Pope Leo XIV meets with SSC Napoli players and managers after Serie A title victory, at the Vatican, May 27, 2025. Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS Pope Leo XIV meets with Napoli player Scott McTominay after Serie A title victory, at the Vatican, May 27, 2025. Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS Pope Leo XIV meets with SSC Napoli players and managers after Serie A title victory, at the Vatican, May 27, 2025. Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS Napoli Player Romelu Lukaku looks on, as Pope Leo XIV meets with SSC Napoli players and managers after Serie A title victory, at the Vatican, May 27, 2025. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS Pope Leo XIV meets with Napoli coach Antonio Conte and Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis after Serie A title victory, at the Vatican, May 27, 2025. Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS Pope Leo XIV meets with SSC Napoli players and managers after Serie A title victory, at the Vatican, May 27, 2025. Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo XIV welcomed Italy's newly crowned Serie A champions Napoli to the Vatican on Tuesday, joking about his own soccer allegiances. Napoli won their fourth "Scudetto" on Friday with a 2-0 home victory over Cagliari, edging out Inter Milan by one point in a nail-biting end to the season. The team, captained by Italian international Giovanni Di Lorenzo, arrived for their papal audience a day after a triumphant open-top bus parade through central Naples. "The press says I am an AS Roma fan, but you are welcome! This is what the press says. Not everything you read in the press is true," the pope said, according to a transcript. Leo, the first pope to come from the U.S., follows and practices sports, including tennis. People who know him have described him to the media as an AS Roma supporter. Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis gave him a blue Napoli jersey signed by players, bearing the number 10 and his name in Italian, "Papa Leone XIV". "You are a number 10, so you are a great striker", De Laurentiis said. Leo replied with a chuckle and a simple "thank you". Coach Antonio Conte, whom De Laurentiis introduced as "deeply Catholic", knelt down and kissed the pope's hand, before Leo told him he had seen him many times on TV. In a short speech, the pontiff stressed the importance of team spirit and collaboration, and sport's educational value, especially for young people. Winning comes "at the end of a long journey, where what matters the most is not a one-time exploit or the extraordinary performance of one champion", he said. "The championship is won by the team, and when I say 'team' I mean the players, the coach with the whole squad, and the club," he added. Leo ended his remarks giving his blessings to players and club officials, and offering congratulations, also on behalf of his personal cook. "She is from Naples and she says: best wishes! She would like to be here too, Mrs Rosa, (she is) a big fan", the pope said. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Herald Malaysia
4 days ago
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Catholic and Buddhist delegations to hold 8th Colloquium in Cambodia
The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue announces the 8th Buddhist-Christian Colloquium, which will take place in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh on May 27-29. May 27, 2025 A delegation of Thai Buddhists met with the late Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot in the Vatican on June 15, 2023 (Vatican Media) CAMBODIA: The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, together with Buddhist universities and monasteries in Cambodia and the Bishops' Conference of Cambodia, will host the Eighth Buddhist-Christian Colloquium in Phnom Penh on May 27-29, 2025. According to a comunique from the Holy See Press Office, the event's theme is: 'Buddhists and Christians Working Together for Peace through Reconciliation and Resilience.' Around 150 Christian and Buddhist participants from across Asia and elsewhere will meet in the Cambodian capital city to 'reflect, dialogue, and collaborate on promoting peace in our time.' Representatives will hail from 16 countries and the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC). 'In a world ravaged by conflict and violence,' noted the comunique, 'this colloquium is a timely reminder of the power of religion not only to prevent violence but also to foster healing, reconciliation, and resilience.' The colloquium seeks to continue a tradition of 'fostering mutual understanding and strengthening cooperation between Buddhists and Christians in the service of peace.' 'Held in a land marked by the legacy of His Holiness Maha Ghosananda, this international gathering will explore how sacred texts, spiritual teachings, and lived experiences can offer healing and hope,' concluded the comunique. The 7th Buddhist-Christian Colloquium took place in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 13-16, 2023, and focused on finding common actions to 'heal the wounds of humanity and the planet.'--Vatican News
Herald Malaysia
22-05-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Pope Leo XIV: 'Christ is our Saviour, and in Him, we are one family'
Pope Leo XIV praises the important global efforts of the Pontifical Mission Societies, marveling that they are "effectively the 'primary means' of awakening missionary responsibility among all the baptized and supporting ecclesial communities in areas where the Church is young. May 22, 2025 Pope Leo receives Pontifical Mission Societies in the Vatican (@Vatican Media) By Deborah Castellano Lubov"Today, as in the days after Pentecost, the Church, led by the Holy Spirit, pursues Her journey through history with trust, joy and courage as She proclaims the name of Jesus and the salvation born of faith in the saving truth of the Gospel. The Pontifical Mission Societies are an important part of this great effort." Pope Leo XIV gave this encouragement to the Societies on Thursday morning in the Vatican on the occasion of their General Assembly. "In their work of coordinating missionary formation and animating a missionary spirit on the local level," he urged, "I would ask the National Directors to give priority to visiting dioceses, parishes and communities, and in this way to help the faithful to recognize the fundamental importance of the missions and supporting our brothers and sisters in those areas of our world where the Church is young and growing." Speaking in English, the Holy Father, who remembered his own time as a missionary, commended those representing more than 120 countries before him for their meaningful work for the Church in the world. 'I can personally attest' "I begin by expressing my gratitude to you and your associates for your dedicated service, which is indispensable to the Church's mission of evangelization, as I can personally attest from my years of pastoral ministry in Peru." "The Pontifical Mission Societies are effectively the 'primary means,'' he stated, of "awakening missionary responsibility among all the baptized and supporting ecclesial communities in areas where the Church is young." In this context, the Pope drew attention to the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, "which provides aid for pastoral and catechetical programmes, the building of new churches, healthcare, and educational needs in mission territories" and the Society of the Holy Childhood, which provides support for Christian formation programmes for children, in addition to caring for their basic needs and protection. Likewise, he cited the Society of Saint Peter the Apostle to "help cultivate missionary vocations, priestly and religious," and the Missionary Union "committed to forming priests, religious men and women, and all the people of God for the Church's missionary work." Our world needs to hear Gospel message of God's love The promotion of apostolic zeal among the People of God, Pope Leo underscored, "remains an essential aspect of the Church's renewal as envisioned by the Second Vatican Council, and is all the more urgent in our own day." "Our world, wounded by war, violence, and injustice," he insisted, "needs to hear the Gospel message of God's love and to experience the reconciling power of Christ's grace." 'Our world, wounded by war, violence and injustice needs to hear the Gospel message of God's love and to experience the reconciling power of Christ's grace.' In this sense, the Church herself, the Holy Father reaffirmed, is increasingly called to be 'a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the Word … and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.' Urgency to bring Christ to all people Given this, Pope Leo XIV said, "We are to bring to all peoples, indeed to all creatures, the Gospel promise of true and lasting peace, which is possible because, in the words of Pope Francis, 'the Lord has overcome the world and its constant conflict 'by making peace through the blood of His Cross.'' Hence, he suggested, "we see the importance of fostering a spirit of missionary discipleship in all the baptized and a sense of the urgency of bringing Christ to all people." The Pope expressed his gratitude to them and their associates for their efforts each year in promoting World Mission Sunday on the second-to-last Sunday of October, "which is of immense help to me in my solicitude for the Churches in areas under the care of the Dicastery for Evangelization." In Christ, we are one family of God Before concluding his remarks, the Pope chose to reflect on two distinctive elements of the Societies' identity, namely communion and universality. "As Societies committed to sharing in the missionary mandate of the Pope and the College of Bishops," he explained, "you are called to cultivate and further promote within your members the vision of the Church as the communion of believers, enlivened by the Holy Spirit, who enables us to enter into the perfect communion and harmony of the blessed Trinity." "Indeed," he marveled, "it is in the Trinity that all things find their unity." With this sentiment, Pope Leo said, "This dimension of our Christian life and mission is close to my heart, and is reflected in the words of Saint Augustine that I chose for my episcopal service and for my papal ministry: In Illo uno unum . Christ is our Saviour and in Him we are one, a family of God, beyond the rich variety of our languages, cultures and experiences." 'This dimension of our Christian life and mission is close to my heart, and is reflected in the words of Saint Augustine that I chose for my episcopal service and for my papal ministry...' The richness that comes from knowing Jesus Christ The appreciation of our communion as members of the Body of Christ, the Holy Father explained, naturally "opens us to the universal dimension of the Church's mission of evangelization," and "inspires us to transcend the confines of our individual parishes, dioceses and nations, in order to share with every nation and people the surpassing richness of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. " Finally, Pope Leo concluded by reminding them that the Holy Year challenges all of us to be 'pilgrims of hope,' and thus, before entrusting them, their benefactors, and "their important work" to the Blessed Mother, encouraged them to be 'missionaries of hope among all peoples.' --Vatican News
