Hartford, Conn., May 17, 2021 / 19:01 pm (CNA). The historical and contemporary witness of Native American Catholics are the subject of a Knights of Columbus-produced documentary set for broadcast in upcoming weeks. “It is […]
Washington D.C., May 17, 2021 / 18:00 pm America/Denver (CNA). Some Catholic dioceses have begun updating their COVID protocols for public Masses, as federal public health officials have introduced new guidance. The new guidance from the U.S. […]
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Charleston, South Carolina / Bill Kennedy/Shutterstock
Washington D.C., May 17, 2021 / 17:00 pm (CNA).
South Carolina on Monday became the fourth state to officially sanction the use of the firing squad as a me… […]
Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, Calif. Credit: Mariusz S. Jurgielewicz/Shutterstock.
San Jose, Calif., May 17, 2021 / 15:19 pm (CNA).
Santa Clara University president Father Kevin O’Brien, S.J., engaged in questionable behavior at informa… […]
Washington D.C., May 17, 2021 / 14:00 pm (CNA).
The White House on Monday made statements in favor of legal abortion and the Equality Act. Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court had agreed to consider a challenge to Mississi… […]
Theodosios (Atallah Hanna), the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Sebastia, delivers a speech during a demonstration in Beit Jala in the West Bank May 17, 2021 to express solidarity with Gaza and Sheikh Jarah. Credit: Hazem Bader/AFP via Getty Images…. […]
Washington D.C., May 17, 2021 / 11:15 am (CNA). A crucifixion display at a church in the Brooklyn diocese was vandalized last week in what is being investigated as a possible hate crime. “This was […]
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco / CNA stock
Washington D.C., May 17, 2021 / 11:59 am (CNA).
The Archbishop of San Francisco on Monday responded to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who said last week she was “pleased” with … […]
Pope Francis meets with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, on May 17, 2021. / Vatican Media/CNA.
Vatican City, May 17, 2021 / 10:30 am (CNA).
Pope Francis spoke Monday with Iran’s foreign minister and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan amid the ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the violence in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The pope received Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s head diplomat since 2013, for a private audience on May 17 in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.
Zarif said that he and the pope “exchanged views” on Palestine, interfaith dialogue, and U.S. sanctions in a post on Twitter.
The Iranian government delegation also met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni confirmed that Pope Francis also spoke on the telephone with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the morning of May 17.
According to a statement from the Turkish president’s office, Erdogan told Pope Francis “that Palestinians would continue to be subjected to massacre as long as the international community did not punish Israel – which is committing humanitarian crimes – with sanctions.”
The Vatican did not comment on the content of the discussions in either the phone call with Erdogan or the meeting with Zarif.
Israel’s Ambassador to Italy responded to the Iranian foreign minister’s visit to Rome with an open letter to Zarif accusing Iran of funding and supporting Hamas.
“Why don’t you recognize Israel’s right to exist? Stop spreading hatred,” Ambassador Dror Eydar wrote.
“The question is: when will the West realize that behind the elegant suits, ties and smiles lies a murderous ideology that seeks to erase all of Western civilization? It is necessary to wake up,” the Israeli ambassador said.
Pope Francis appealed for an end to violence in the Israel-Gaza conflict at the end of his Regina Caeli address on May 16.
“In these days, violent armed clashes between the Gaza Strip and Israel have taken hold, and risk degenerating into a spiral of death and destruction. Numerous people have been injured, and many innocents have died,” the pope said.
“Among them there are also children, and this is terrible and unacceptable. Their death is a sign that one does not want to build the future, but wants to destroy it.”
The pope also lamented intercommunal violence involving Jews and Arabs within Israel.
He said: “Furthermore, the crescendo of hatred and violence that is affecting various cities in Israel is a serious wound to fraternity and peaceful coexistence among citizens, which will be difficult to heal if there is not an immediate opening to dialogue.”
“I ask myself: where will hatred and revenge lead? Do we really think we will build peace by destroying the other?”
He appealed for calm in the region, urging local leaders and the international community to help secure peace.
“Let us pray unceasingly that Israelis and Palestinians may find the path of dialogue and forgiveness, to be patient builders of peace and justice, opening up, step by step, to a common hope, to a coexistence among brothers,” Pope Francis said.