2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

01-18-2026Pastor's CornerFr. Bob Deehan

On January 9, Pope Leo provided a forceful commentary on what is currently happening in our world and in our country in an address to 184 ambassadors from countries with full diplomatic relations with the Holy See. He said, “War is back in vogue, and a zeal for war is spreading... The principle established after the Second World War, which prohibited nations from using force to violate the borders of others, has been completely undermined.

Peace is no longer sought as a gift and a desirable good in itself. Instead, peace is sought through weapons as a condition for asserting one’s own dominion. This gravely threatens the rule of law, which is the foundation of all peaceful civil coexistence.”

He emphasized the need for a reform of the United Nations to ensure that it “not only reflects the situation of today’s world rather than that of the post-war period, but that it is also more focused and efficient in pursuing policies aimed at the unity of the human family instead of ideologies.” …“(Humanitarian) law must always prevail over the ambitions of belligerents, in order to mitigate the devastating effects of war, also with a view to reconstruction. We cannot ignore that the destruction of hospitals, energy infrastructure, homes and places essential to daily life constitutes a serious violation of international humanitarian law.” Pope Leo also condemned “any form of involvement of civilians in military operations” and said, “… the protection of the principle of the inviolability of human dignity and the sanctity of life always counts for more than any mere national interest.”

He reiterated the Holy See’s longstanding position in favor of providing “a place where people can meet and talk.” “In our culture today, he said, the meaning of words is ever more fluid, and the concepts they represent are increasingly ambiguous. Language is no longer the preferred means by which human beings come to know and encounter one another. Moreover, in the contortions of semantic ambiguity, language is becoming more and more a weapon with which to deceive, or to strike and offend opponents.” He cited many other areas of concern.

In one particular passage on migrants, very relevant to our country today, Pope Leo said, “it cannot be overlooked that every migrant is a person and, as such, has inalienable rights that must be respected in every situation.” He reminded them that many migrants “are forced to flee because of violence, persecution, conflict and even the effects of climate change.” He expressed the hope “that the actions taken by states against criminality and human trafficking will not become a pretext for undermining the dignity of migrants and refugees.”

To read his full address, visit vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2026/january.

God bless you!