At the noon prayer on Sunday, Pope Francis called for a cease-fire and for “the continuation of negotiations” to bring about the release of hostages taken by Hamas and the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

In an exclusive interview with Gerard O’Connell, Archbishop Jorge Ignacio García Cuerva explains why his first three Masses in Buenos Aires were celebrated in a shanty town, prison and cemetery.

“Americans should be against killing Israelis but also against killing Palestinians,” the political activist Mustafa Barghouti said in an interview with Gerard O’Connell.

“If you talk today with the widows who have lost their husbands, and mothers who have lost their sons, you will understand why Russia did not succeed.”

They will continue to focus on the theme: “For a synodal church: communion, participation and mission.”

He said he told the pope, “I could spend all day here talking to you,” and Francis replied, “So could I!”

Pope Francis and Argentina’s President Javier Milei—who last year called the pope an “imbecile” and “representative of evil” while on the campaign trail—had “a very good and very friendly” hour-long conversation.

In a ceremony at the beginning of Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica this morning, Pope Francis canonized María Antonia de San José de Paz y Figueroa, popularly known as Mama Antula, Argentina's first female saint.

On Sunday, Pope Francis sent his greetings to all who will celebrate the Lunar New Year on Feb. 10 and invited everyone to pray for peace.

Members at last October’s synod, which included cardinals, bishops, women and men religious, lay men and women, noted their concern with the almost total absence of parish priests at the synod assembly.