Pope Leo XIV kicks off his Apostolic Journey in Africa with an intense day in Algiers, where he meets with government authorities, visits a mosque, meets with a community of Augustinian missionary sisters, and prays with the Algerian community.

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Pope Leo XIV encourages the Christian community in Algeria to remain rooted in “prayer, charity and unity,” praising their quiet witness and urging them to be a sign of peace and fraternity.

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In a private visit to a community run by Missionary Augustinian Sisters in Algiers, Pope Leo XIV highlights the enduring witness of martyrdom and encourages a renewed commitment to peace, dignity, and respect for differences.

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Pope Leo XIV visits the Grand Mosque of Algiers, highlighting its role as a sacred space for prayer, dialogue, and the search for God.

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Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Christian Unity and the Commission for Religious Relations with Judaism, in a statement released to Vatican News and L’Osservatore Romano, recalls that “Pope John Paul II charted a significant course for the future reconciliation between the Catholic Church and Judaism.” Today marks the 40th anniversary of John Paul II’s visit to the Great Synagogue of Rome. It was the first time ever that a pope entered a Jewish place of worship.

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WASHINGTON - Reports detailing harmful conditions faced by pregnant and postpartum mothers detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have become more frequent, despite existing policy that discourages the arrest and detention of such women in most cases.

In response to these reports, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop Brendan J. Cahill, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, wrote to recently confirmed Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and Mr. Todd Lyons, senior official performing the duties of the Director at ICE.

The two bishops urged ICE to abide consistently by its existing policy, avoiding the arrest and detention of pregnant and postpartum mothers, absent exceptional circumstances. They went on to state:

“No matter one’s immigration status, there is no overarching justification for separating nursing infants from their mothers or endangering the health and safety of pregnant women or their preborn babies. In this regard, we urge you in the strongest possible terms to extend the Administration’s commitments on life to all vulnerable mothers, infants, and children in the womb.”

The bishops also took the opportunity to congratulate the Secretary on his confirmation and assured him of their prayers as he continues his service to the country.

The full text of their letter may be found on the USCCB’s website. 

Their letter follows a joint statement made last May by Bishop Thomas and Bishop Cahill’s predecessor on pregnant and postpartum mothers and infants in U.S. Customs and Border Protection custody, as well as a statement by Bishop Thomas in January, welcoming pro-life actions taken by the Administration.

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ABOARD THE PAPAL FLIGHT FROM ITALY TO ALGERIA (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent social media jabs, declaring he harbors "no fear of the Trump administration," while greeting journalists on the first day of his four-country journey around Africa.

Despite provocative remarks from the president, Pope Leo maintained his focus on peace and ending ongoing conflicts around the world.

"I’m not a politician, and I have no intention of getting into a debate with him," he told an Italian television reporter April 13. "Rather, the message has always been the same: to promote peace -- and I say this for all world leaders, not just him."

Trump posted on Truth Social April 12 that Pope Leo was "terrible for foreign policy," and that "Leo should get his act together as Pope." Trump also wrote that the pope should be "thankful," for him.

"He wasn't on any list to be pope and was only put there by the Church because he was an American and they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump," he posted. "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican."

As has been the custom, the pope walked through the aisles of the papal flight, greeting journalists. Many journalists asked Pope Leo about the post just hours after it was published, and he was unusually candid. 

The pope repeatedly reiterated that he was not a politician, did not want to enter into a debate with the U.S. president, and would continue to speak out against war. 

"Too many people are suffering in the world today," he said. "Too many innocent people are being killed and I think someone has to stand up and say there's a better way."

He told the Associated Press that his own comments are not intended to attack anyone.

"To put my message on the same plane as what the president has attempted to do here, I think, is not understanding what the message of the Gospel is," Pope Leo said. "I'm sorry to hear that, but I will continue on with what I believe is the mission of the Church in the world today."

He called on all to build bridges of peace and reconciliation as part of the mission of the Church. 

When asked by the New York Times if he saw the Truth Social post, he responded, “It’s ironic -- the name of the site itself. Say no more.”

His comments to the media follow months of Pope Leo's continued remarks, homilies and speeches focused on calls for peace. He held a prayer vigil for peace April 11 at St. Peter’s Basilica, where he warned that "the Church rejecting the logic of war may lead to misunderstanding and scorn." 

In his first stop of his 11-day Africa tour, he told the people of Algeria to seek peace, saying true peace is "not merely an absence of conflict, but one that is an expression of justice and dignity," which leads to a "reconciled spirit," that is "possible only through forgiveness."

"However, as conflicts continue to multiply throughout the world, we cannot add resentment upon resentment, generation after generation," he said. "Mutual respect is the path that enables everyone to walk together."

Following Pope Leo's remarks on the plane, a reporter asked Trump at the White House if he wanted to apologize to the pope.

 "No, I don't because Pope Leo said things that are wrong," Trump said at the White House. "There is nothing to apologize for. He's wrong."

Meeting with the civil authorities of Algeria, Pope Leo XIV calls for societies to foster oases of peace in which human life and dignity are recognized as inviolable and never exploited.

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Martin I lay too sick to fight on a couch in front of the altar when the soldiers burst into the Lateran basilica. He had come to the church when he heard the soldiers had landed. But the thought of kidnapping a sick pope from the house of God didn't stop the soldiers from grabbing him and hustling him down to their ship. Elected pope in 649, Martin I had gotten in trouble for refusing to condone silence in the face of wrong. At that time there existed a popular heresy that held that Christ ...

Our Editorial Director reflects on Pope Leo XIV’s first words after he lands on Algerian soil, which is an appeal for mutual forgiveness as the key to building the future.

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