The need for the strong voice of the OSCE is acute today, the archbishop said, at a time marked by “breakdown of mutual trust between some participating States, an increase in ideological aggression, and a flagrant disregard” for the principles on which the OSCE was established.

Those principles, the Vatican’s “foreign minister” said, reflected a recognition “that peace is not merely the absence of war or the maintenance of a balance of power, but rather the fruit of friendly relations, constructive dialogue and co-operation among states in upholding obligations under international law and respect for all universal human rights.”

The Capuchin friar, preaching in the Paul VI auditorium to Pope Francis and leaders of the Roman Curia, said that “at times, it is necessary to interrupt the flow of events to open oneself to God’s newness.”

This new feature in St. Peter’s Chapel in Lucerne is the result of a program in which the resident theologian, Marco Schmid, worked with the Immersive Realities Research Lab at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. The “Deus ex machina” program gives users the experience of a “conversation” with a computer-generated image of Jesus.

Although the encounter takes place in a confessional, the chapel administrators emphasize that it should not be confused with sacramental confession.

“And there is only, in this case, one head that rolls well enough,” said Dr. Justin Welby.

Spokesmen for sex-abuse victims reacted angrily to the prelate’s remarks, saying that he had inappropriately made a joke of their suffering.

The priest was set free by his captors on December 4.

Bishop Oscar Solis has ordered that the newly baptized children should be entered into “the faith-formation class appropriate for their age,” to begin a two-year process that would lead to Confession and Communion.

“The Mafia always impoverishes,” the Pontiff added.

Saying that the Studium was one of the “first fruits of Vatican Council II,” the Pope encouraged members to “go forward together on this path.” He observed with satisfaction that the number of female students had grown, “a sign of the times, in an area where women have often been devalued in their social role.”

Overturning a lower court decision, an Argentine appellate court has permitted Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta, convicted in 2022 of sexually abusing two seminarians, to travel to a hospital in Rome for medical treatment. The lower court had authorized the prelate to receive treatment in Argentina, though not outside the country.

Syriac Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Catholic leaders have called for prayer, and there have been no reports of Christian leaders fleeing.

“The Church knows no more than the people do,” said Father Bahjat Karakach, a Franciscan friar. “The decision to stay or leave Aleppo is a personal choice, and no one can make it on behalf of another. We friars are staying and waiting to see how things unfold.”

Referring to the upcoming jubilee year, Pope Francis told the sisters that “jubilees are precious times for taking stock of our lives, both as individuals and as communities.”

“Moreover, they are opportunities for reflection, recollection, and listening to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us today,” he continued. “Through hearts open to the Lord and to a genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the ‘door’ of our salvation, may your communities always be ‘thresholds’ in and through which those families that are the focus of your charism can find refuge, hope and peace in Christ our Saviour.”