Friday, June 20th 2025 Established 1905 27 Brickdam, Stabroek, Georgetown, Guyana Year 120, No. 23
predecessors' appeals for peace
Pope Leo XIV condemns war and the "allure of powerful and sophisticated weapons" in an appeal for peace at the conclusion of his general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican June 18, 2025. (CNS/Vatican Media)
At the end of his General Audience June 18, with pilgrims in St Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV made a heartfelt appeal for peace, quoting his predecessors, Pope Francis and Pope Pius XII. "The heart of the Church is rent asunder, by the cries rising up from places of war," especially Ukraine,
Iran, Israel, and Gaza, Pope Leo said. "We must never become accustomed to war" but instead "reject as a temptation the allure of powerful and sophisticated weapons." He warned that the use of "scientific weapons of all kinds" in modern warfare risks "leading combatants to a barbarism far greater than that of times past." Appealing directly to world leaders, Pope Leo echoed his predecessor, Pope Francis, who had so often declared: "War is always a defeat!" He also recalled the words of Pope Pius XII, who led the Church during the Second World War. In 1939, Pius XII issued his famous appeal by radio as the world stood on the brink of the Second World War. Citing the historic radio message delivered by Pope Pius XII on 24 August 1939, Pope Leo invoked the same phrase with which his predecessor sought to avert global conflict: "Nothing is lost with peace. All may be lost with war."
Pope Leo's message came a few days after he expressed deep concern over the "seriously deteriorating" situation in the Middle East shortly after Israeli airstrikes were carried out on nuclear sites in Iran and retaliatory drone attacks on Israel were launched June 13. "No one should ever threaten the existence of another," the pope had said during an audience with pilgrims in Rome for the Holy Year 2025 June 14. While it is right to hope for a world "free from the nuclear threat," he said, "it is the duty of all nations to support the cause of peace, taking paths of reconciliation and promoting solutions that ensure security and dignity for all." Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, told the Italian news agency ANSA June 17 that the Holy See is advocating for nuclear disarmament and has prepared a document on the immorality of not only the use but the possession of nuclear arms — a notion previously expressed by the late Pope Francis.❖ (ICN & CNS)
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Bishop’s Engagements Sunday, June 22nd 08:00hrs – Corpus Christi Procession and Joint Central Cluster Mass at Sacred Heart, Main Street Tuesday, June 24th 18:00hrs – Diocesan Pastoral Council Meeting Wednesday, June 25th 09:00hrs – Antilles Episcopal Conference Meeting – via Zoom Saturday, June 28th 10:00hrs – Mass and Confirmation at St. Francis Xavier, Port Mourant, Corentyne Sunday, June 29th 09:00hrs – 150th Anniversary Mass at St. Peter’s, BV, ECD
Couples from Marriage Encounter Guyana, together with Fr. Carl Philadelphia, at the North American Convention of Worldwide Marriage Encounter, being held June 20-22 in Trinidad and Tobago.
Francis Alleyne OSB