In a letter to Catholics in the Middle East on the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, Pope Francis cited words from the Gospel of John that have sparked enmity toward Jews for centuries.

Pope Francis met with a group of transgender and intersex Catholics, along with LGBTQ+ allies and a medical doctor specializing in transgender healthcare, during a nearly 90-minute audience at his residence.

Pope Francis asked that the cardinals embody “the three attitudes with which an Argentinean poet—Francisco Luis Bernárdez—once characterized Saint John of the Cross,” namely: “eyes raised, hands joined, feet bare.”

Pope Francis appealed for “respect” for the United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon that have been hit by Israeli forces this past week.

Pope Francis and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy focused their discussion on the repatriation of Ukrainian nationals held in Russian captivity.

The Editors: “Rather than a claim to know conscience’s demands for everyone, it is a challenge for voters to engage in deeper reflection, prayer and dialogue.”