Joan Andrews Bell, Jean Marshall, Heather Idoni, and Paulette Harlow are four pro-life women serving time after being convicted on federal charges for for blockading the inside of an abortion clinic in 2020. / Credit: Chris Bell/Laura Gise/Heather Idoni/Paulette Harlow

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 16, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

A Catholic law firm is formally petitioning the incoming presidential administration to pardon 21 pro-life activists who are imprisoned for protests at abortion clinics under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.

In its petition to President-elect Donald Trump, the Thomas More Society argues “these pro-life Americans are deserving of full and unconditional pardons.” 

At least two times during his 2024 campaign for the presidency, Trump said he intended to release pro-life activists who are currently imprisoned.

“These peaceful pro-life Americans mistreated by [President Joe] Biden include grandparents, pastors, a Holocaust survivor, and a Catholic priest — all are selfless, sincere patriots,” the petition from the Chicago-based law firm reads.

During Biden’s four years in office, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) brought charges against more than 30 people who took part in pro-life demonstrations under the FACE Act, which was legislation in the 1990s to increase penalties for people who obstruct access to abortion clinics or pregnancy resource centers.

Although the FACE Act’s higher sentences also apply to people who obstruct or damage pro-life pregnancy centers, Biden’s DOJ only brought charges in two cases regarding attacks on those facilities despite more than 100 incidents occurring under his tenure.

“While Biden’s prosecutors almost entirely ignored the firebombing and vandalism of hundreds of pro-life churches and pregnancy centers, they viciously pursued pro-life Americans,” the petition adds.

The longest sentence was given last year to Lauren Handy, who received four years and nine months in prison for her role in a protest at an abortion clinic in Washington, D.C. The second longest was also given last year to Bevelyn Beatty Williams, who received three years and five months in prison for a protest inside an abortion clinic in Washington, D.C. 

Several pro-life activists in their mid-to-late 70s also received multiyear sentences for their protests.

“These 21 peaceful pro-lifers, many of whom are currently imprisoned for bravely standing up for unborn life, are upstanding citizens and pillars of their communities,” Steve Crampton, who works as senior counsel for the Thomas More Society, said in a statement.

“Through full and unconditional pardons for these pro-life advocates, President Trump has the chance to remedy the harm done to them and their families, deliver on his campaign promises, and repair trust in our constitutional order,” Crampton added.

The petition also asserts that Biden’s DOJ “flagrantly violated Congress’ intent in its pursuit of the prosecutions,” noting that members of Congress were “fearful that the FACE Act might be used against protesters who had been employing tactics that were used and celebrated by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

“Dr. King and many with him engaged in peaceful sit-ins at lunch counters — an act of simple trespass — and these pro-life Americans engage in similar sit-ins at abortion facilities,” the petition adds. “FACE expressly contemplated that group-oriented peaceable civil disobedience, as advocated and practiced by Dr. King and his followers, would be punishable as mere misdemeanors.”

Trump is scheduled to assume office on Monday, Jan. 20.

Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby exchange greetings with other Christian leaders at an ecumenical second vespers at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Jan. 25, 2024. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA

Madrid, Spain, Jan 16, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which runs Jan. 18–25, takes on special significance this year because of the 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council in history, the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325.

On Jan. 25, the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Pope Francis will conclude this week of prayer with vespers in St. Paul Outside the Walls Basilica at 5:30 p.m. Rome time.

In addition, on Thursday, Jan. 23, at 6 p.m., the Diocese of Rome will organize a traveling vigil involving three different places of worship: the Lutheran church located at 70 Via Sicilia, St. Andrew Orthodox Church at 153 Via Sardegna, and St. Camillus de Lellis Parish at 41 Via Piemonte.

According to a statement released by the Vicariate of Rome, this is not simply a prayer vigil but “a brief pilgrimage in three stages” with biblical meditations intended for evangelicals, Orthodox, and Catholics.

“This giving of gifts also represents circularity, communion, and diversity within the same faith,” said Monsignor Marco Gnavi, head of the office for ecumenism and interreligious dialogue of the Diocese of Rome.

The prayers and reflections for this event were drafted by the brothers of the Monastic Community of Bose in northern Italy together with an international group appointed by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the Faith and Order Commission of the Ecumenical Council of Churches. 

The theme for the week, “Do You Believe This?” (Jn 11:26), is inspired by the dialogue between Jesus and Martha during Jesus’ visit to the home of Martha and Mary in Bethany after their brother Lazarus had died as recounted in John’s Gospel.

According to Gnavi, the theme chosen this year “is central, because today not only the churches but also the peoples must face many forms of real death, which also involves division, separation, to the point of conflict and the massacre of innocents.”

Even in one’s personal life, the priest continued, “many are alone and, in the uncertainty of the present, the need for answers arises.”

“The dialogue between Jesus and Martha shows how in every man and woman there is an implicit or explicit question about faith. These words also help us to remember the anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, which gave us this profession of faith that unites us all in baptism,” he concluded.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Pope Francis blesses a baby during the Saturday Jubilee audience in the Vatican’s audience hall, Jan. 11, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Rome Newsroom, Jan 16, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).

At Pope Francis’ request, the Vatican will now pay a monthly bonus of 300 euros (around $309) per family to employees of the city-state who have three or more children, giving credibility to his frequent warnings about countries’ low fertility rates.

A Jan. 15 press release from the Vatican Governorate called the child bonus the pope’s “personal initiative,” and said that Francis “supports large families and offers them financial assistance.”

The economic measure applies only to employees working for the Governorate of the Vatican City State, who will receive the monthly payment until the offspring’s 18th birthday or 24th birthday if enrolled in university studies.

Francis has also determined that the city state’s three days of paid parental leave for new fathers — whether through birth, adoption, or fostering — be extended to five days.

The changes went into effect Jan. 1.

The “baby bonus” initiative is the latest in the Vatican’s efforts to make itself a more family-friendly employer. Late last year, the city-state announced its intention to open an on-site daycare center for employees’ children ages 3 months to 3 years.

Since 2020, the Vatican has also run a summer camp for the children of staff. Kids ages 5-13 can attend the day camp, which usually runs for several weeks in July, and as of 2024, includes a new sports facility and swimming pool.

Pope Francisbaptized 21 babies, all the children of Vatican staff and Swiss Guards, in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday. The group baptism is a papal custom for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

The 52nd annual March for Life will have the theme “Every Life: Why We March.” / Credit: Photo courtesy of March for Life

CNA Staff, Jan 15, 2025 / 17:10 pm (CNA).

This year, the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., is taking place on Jan. 24. Ahead of the march, the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) is inviting the faithful to take part in its “9 Days for Life” initiative.

“9 Days for Life” is an annual nine-day novena for the protection of human life. Each day’s prayer intention is accompanied by a reflection and suggested actions that participants can take to help build a culture of life.

This year the novena starts on Thursday, Jan. 16, and ends on Friday, Jan. 24, the day of the March for Life.

The nine intentions include: may the tragic practice of abortion end; may each person suffering from participating in abortion find forgiveness, hope, and healing in Christ; may every pregnant mother receive compassionate care and support as she nurtures the life in her womb; may every father of a preborn child lovingly support the mother of his child in welcoming new life; may every pregnant mother choosing adoption receive grace and support in embracing this loving option; may all who support or participate in abortion experience a conversion of heart to seek and receive the Lord’s boundless mercy; may all preborn children be protected in law and welcomed in love; may civic leaders work for the protection of all human life, in every stage and circumstance; and may all who defend life find strength and renewal in the Holy Spirit.

Each day of the novena also includes resources, such as videos or articles, that teach participants, for example, how to talk to someone considering abortion, how to support a mother in an unexpected pregnancy, and how to build a culture of life.

This year, the annual Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children, Jan. 22, falls during the novena. This date is also the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.

Participants can choose to receive the daily prayers either through email or text message and it is available in both English and Spanish.

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee during her confirmation hearing to be the next U.S. attorney general in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. / Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 15, 2025 / 16:15 pm (CNA).

President-elect Donald Trump’s presumptive nominee to serve as attorney general, Pam Bondi, at her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday vowed to stop government “weaponization” against Catholics, pro-life activists, and concerned parents.

During her Jan. 15 hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Bondi — the former attorney general of Florida — referred to the Richmond FBI memo that targeted Catholics as the “ultimate weaponization” of government.

The January 2023 memo detailed an investigation into what it called “radical-traditionalist” Catholics and potential ties to “the far-right white nationalist movement.” It discussed an opportunity for “trip wire or source development” within parishes that offer the Latin Mass and within Catholic online communities the agency considered “radical-traditionalist.”

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, asked Bondi whether she would put a stop to “abuses” like this memo, which he called an “unbelievable assault on Americans’ First Amendment rights.”

“Of course,” Bondi said, adding: “I think what you’re talking about is the ultimate weaponization [of government].”

When Hawley asked whether Bondi would investigate the federal agents involved, she said she “will personally read that memo” and have discussions about it with Kash Patel, who is Trump’s nominee to lead the FBI.

“I would think this is something that we can all agree on, on both sides,” Bondi added. “This should not be happening in the United States of America, and [we should] work together on it.”

Bondi also said the FBI’s use of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) as a source on extremist groups “will be one of the first things we will look at as well.” The FBI relied on the SPLC designations of “radical-traditionalist” Catholics to draft the memo. 

Hawley also referenced the prosecution of pro-life protesters under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, some of whom are facing multiple years in prison. Bondi promised to ensure the Department of Justice would not be used to target pro-life demonstrators or people of any religious faith.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, asked Bondi whether she would end the “weaponization of government,” such as the targeting of “Catholics attempting to practice their faith, … parents showing up to school board meetings, [and] people showing up to engage in peaceful [protests] outside of abortion clinics.”

“Going after parents at a school board meeting has got to stop,” Bondi said, adding that investigations “for practicing your religion” and “sending informants into Catholic churches” must also stop.

“It will stop — must stop,” Bondi said. 

Trump is set to be sworn into office on Monday, Jan. 20. He has criticized the FBI for its investigation of Catholics and has vowed to release the pro-life activists imprisoned under the FACE Act.

Migrant parents socialize outside the Annunciation House on June 26, 2018, in El Paso, Texas. / Credit: AP Photo/Matt York

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 15, 2025 / 14:45 pm (CNA).

A Texas Catholic shelter network defended itself at the state Supreme Court this week against allegations that the nonprofit unlawfully harbors “aliens” who entered the country illegally.

Annunciation House, which has operated along the southern U.S. border for nearly 50 years, asked the Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 13 to block Attorney General Ken Paxton’s effort to shut down the organization over the alleged violations. The shelter network contends it has never violated state law and accuses the attorney general’s office of curtailing its religious mission of caring for those in need.

Several justices on the nine-member court appeared skeptical of the attorney general’s claims and expressed religious liberty concerns. Paxton is Republican, as are all nine of the justices.

Lawyers debate ‘harboring’ allegation 

Ryan Baasch, who represented the attorney general’s office, told the justices that Annunciation House “is not immunized because of its religion” and that the nonprofit cannot claim religious liberty protections if it violates Texas laws that prohibit alien harboring.

“Annunciation House’s purpose is to shelter illegally present aliens,” Baasch contended. “That distinguishes them from a service provider that serves all indiscriminately.”

Baasch alleged that Annunciation House “takes active measures to hamper law enforcement,” but when pressed to provide specifics, he simply cited examples of when the Catholic network refused entry to police “because they didn’t have a warrant.”

Although one of the justices noted that the Fourth Amendment protects against warrantless searches in most cases, Baasch said the shelters “are essentially open to the public at large” and asserted they do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

“They don’t have a right to demand a warrant when they let any alien in indiscriminately, including illegally present ones,” Baasch claimed. “Those are criminals under the federal code. If you enter illegally, that’s a crime under the federal code. They let them in indiscriminately. They don’t let law enforcement in.”

Amy Warr, who represented Annunciation House, accused the attorney general’s office of using “rhetoric” that is inconsistent with the facts in the case. She said that most of the people who are helped by Annunciation House are brought by law enforcement and that police can enter if they present a warrant.

“We are not concealing anyone [or] hiding anyone from detection from law enforcement,” Warr told the justices.

“Everyone in El Paso, including law enforcement, knows that we are there and [knows] what we do … as part of our mission, that we house undocumented people and, principally, documented people — people brought to us by federal law enforcement authorities,” Warr said.

Warr argued that “most of the people we house are documented,” adding: “Most of the people who we house are brought to us by [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] after they have processed them and they need a place to stay.”

Justices consider religious liberty concerns

The justices pressed Baasch on their religious liberty concerns early into his testimony and asked him questions about whether caring for migrants constitutes protected religious activity.

“Do you disagree that this is religious activity?” Justice Debra Lehrmann, who was appointed by former Gov. Rick Perry, asked Baasch.

“It may be,” Baasch responded. “And then there’s going to be a question of whether the activity at issue here substantially burdens the religious activity.”

Justice Jeff Boyd, another Perry appointee, chimed in to question how it could not be a substantial burden, adding: “I think you want to shut it down.”

Baasch contended that the attorney general’s office needs to shut down Annunciation House’s operations because otherwise “there’s absolutely no deterrent effect.” 

“If organizations know that they can engage in this activity and that the worst that’s going to happen is they get [told to stop], nothing stops them from engaging in the activity in the first instance,” Baasch said.

Baasch asserted that there is not a substantial religious liberty burden because Annunciation House could live out their faith without providing assistance to migrants who are in the country illegally. 

“If it’s an exercise of their religion to be serving the needy [and] clothing the poor … well they can do that for [United States] citizens [and] they can do that for legally present aliens,” Baasch said. “All the alien harboring ban says is that you can’t do that for illegally present aliens. So I think the burden would be very minor if anything at all.”

Warr, who called Annunciation House “an established ministry of the Catholic Church,” said all of the legal procedures initiated by the attorney general’s office have violated the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. 

“The whole scheme is invalid facially under the First Amendment,” she said.

Elizabeth Kiernan, a lawyer for First Liberty Institute, also provided arguments to the court. First Liberty Institute, which advocates religious freedom, filed a brief with the court against a forced closure of Annunciation House.

Kiernan said the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act “protects this religious charity against outright closure.” 

When asked about Baasch’s claim that Annunciation House could serve those in need without focusing on migrants, she compared the nonprofit’s focus on one subset to the Church having “different monastic orders devoted to different subsets of the poor, serving different charities.”

“Annunciation House answered the Gospel of Matthew’s call to care for the least of these in the service of Christ,” Kiernan said. “The Catholic Church has claimed Annunciation House as one of its own and Annunciation House’s founder testified that its acts of charity are motivated by its Catholic faith.”

In July, a district court threw out the attorney general’s lawsuit against Annunciation House. This led the attorney general’s office to appeal the case to the Texas Supreme Court.

A soldier passes by a wall covered with photos of hostages held by Hamas after the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack in a Tel Aviv train station on Jan. 14, 2025, Tel Aviv, Israel. / Credit: Amir Levy/Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 15, 2025 / 14:15 pm (CNA).

Israel and Hamas forces have agreed to a ceasefire deal that will pause fighting in Gaza and facilitate a hostage exchange, according to several news reports on Wednesday afternoon.  

Brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt after 15 months of war, the agreement could be implemented as early as Sunday, according to CNN. It is awaiting approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet, which released a statement saying that although “several unresolved points in the framework remain,” it plans to finalize the deal Wednesday night. 

Under the first 42-day phase of the deal, Hamas forces are expected to release 33 women, children, elderly, and wounded Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children, according to AP News.

Five Israeli female soldiers are among those to be released and will be exchanged for 50 Palestinian prisoners each. Among these, AP reported, 30 are Palestinian militants serving life sentences. Additional soldiers and other male hostages are expected to be released in the second phase of the deal. 

The Israeli government believes there to be 98 hostages, including several American citizens, remaining in Gaza and estimates about 60 of them are still alive. 

In addition to a pause in fighting and hostage exchange, the agreement also includes provisions for a major influx of humanitarian aid from Egypt and Jordan into the Gaza Strip and mandates a limited withdrawal of Israeli troops from the region. 

President-elect Donald Trump took to social media at 12:01 p.m. ET to announce the deal, writing: “WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU!” 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN senior correspondent Christiane Amanpour on Wednesday shortly before the deal was announced that he expects the total ceasefire, hostage exchange, and humanitarian aid surge to occur in the first six days of the agreement. 

“The ceasefire itself hopefully will concentrate minds and get people to agree on what’s necessary to get that day after, post-conflict plan in place,” he added.

Pope Francis meets with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel on June 20, 2023, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Jan 15, 2025 / 13:15 pm (CNA).

The Cuban government announced the release of 553 prisoners through the mediation of Pope Francis “in the spirit of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025.”

“President [Miguel] Díaz-Canel sent a letter to the supreme pontiff in which, in the spirit of the Ordinary Jubilee of 2025 declared by His Holiness and which has just begun, he communicated the decision to benefit by granting freedom to 553 people sanctioned in due process for various crimes established by law … [These people] will receive their respective benefits gradually,” the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement dated Jan. 14.

Cuba’s statement refers to Pope Francis’ call to release prisoners during the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope, which began on Dec. 24, 2024, at the Vatican.

In the bull Spes Non Confundit, with which he convoked the jubilee year, the pope proposed that “governments undertake initiatives aimed at restoring hope, forms of amnesty or pardon meant to help individuals regain confidence in themselves and in society.”

The Cuban Foreign Ministry’s statement notes that “as part of the close and smooth relations with the Vatican state, the Cuban government has maintained communication with Pope Francis and his representatives and, as in the past, has informed His Holiness about processes of review and release of persons deprived of liberty,” which has led, according to the statement, to the release of “more than 10,000 people sentenced to deprivation of liberty” between 2023 and 2024.

The statement also recalls a meeting in June 2023 between Díaz-Canel and Pope Francis, preceded by another with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla in August 2022.

ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, contacted Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican Press Office, to request a statement on the Cuban government’s announcement but had not received a response by the time of publication of this article.

Almudena Martínez-Bordiú, ACI Prensa correspondent in Europe, contributed to this article.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Church at the Good Shepherd Major Seminary in Kaduna, Nigeria. / Credit: Father Samuel Kanta Sakaba, rector of a Good Shepherd Major Seminary in Kaduna

Rome Newsroom, Jan 15, 2025 / 11:20 am (CNA).

Nigeria was the country with the most Christians killed and kidnapped in 2024, according to the latest report from advocacy group Open Doors.

The World Watch List, released Jan. 15, found that 3,100 Christians were killed and 2,830 Christians were kidnapped in Nigeria in 2024, far more than other countries in the same year.

The report also said the country with the most Christians arrested in 2024 was India, at 2,176, and Rwanda experienced the most attacks on Christian churches or buildings with 4,000.

The Open Doors watch list confirmed that Christian persecution continued to grow “in absolute terms” among the about 100 countries the group monitored in 2024, with 13 countries classified at “extreme levels” of Christian persecution.

The group estimates over 380 million Christians worldwide experienced at least a “high level” of persecution and discrimination because of their faith.

North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and Sudan are the report’s top five countries for Christian persecution in 2024. Nigeria ranks No. 7 on the watch list. Eritrea, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Saudi Arabia, and Myanmar round out the top 13 countries, all classified as having “extreme” levels of anti-Christian persecution.

With the release of the World Watch List 2025, Open Doors Italy Director Cristian Nani said, “380 million Christians in the world do not enjoy the basic human right to believe what they want. How many more killed, displaced, abused, and imprisoned Christians do we need to count before we put religious freedom at the center of public debate?”

“In 32 years of research, we record a steady increase in anti-Christian persecution in absolute terms,” Nani added. “2024 is again a record year of intolerance: 1 in 7 Christians suffer discrimination or persecution because of their faith: It is crucial to get back to talking about religious freedom in the public debate.”

Open Doors, which supports persecuted Christians in more than 70 countries, compiles its annual World Watch List through information from local networks, national researchers, external experts, and an ad hoc team of analysts. 

To formulate its ranking, the advocacy group analyzes the pressure on a Christian’s life in five areas: private, family, community, church, and public life. Violence is added as a separate element in the analysis.

Nigeria has been grappling with Muslim extremist violence since 2009, perpetrated by groups such as Boko Haram, which reportedly persecute Christians, sometimes kidnapping them for ransom and, in some cases, killing them.

While a 2025 report from the pontifical charity Aid to the Church in Need said the abduction of Catholic clergy and religious in Nigeria decreased from 28 in 2023 to 12 in 2024, it is still one of the most dangerous countries in which to be a priest or religious.

The latest religious to be kidnapped in Nigeria, Sisters Vincentia Maria Nwankwo and Grace Mariette Okoli, who were abducted on Jan. 7 from the Archdiocese of Onitsha, have been released and are “in good health,” according to the leadership of their congregation, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Mother of Christ (IHM).

Pope Francis greets pilgrims gathered in the Paul VI Audience Hall for his Wednesday general audience on Jan. 15, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 15, 2025 / 10:50 am (CNA).

Pope Francis on Wednesday called for a global commitment to eradicate child labor, saying injustices committed against “the invisible little ones” are a gross violation against God’s commandments.

The Holy Father told groups of pilgrims attending his Jan. 15 general audience that they should be aware that millions of children — “the most beloved of the Father” — are trafficked for organ harvesting, to become child brides, or are forced to work as slaves, drug dealers, prostitutes, and for the porn industry.

“This is very bitter in our societies,” he told pilgrims gathered inside the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall. “Unfortunately, there are many ways in which children are abused and mistreated.”

“Child abuse, of whatever nature, is a despicable and heinous act,” he continued. “It is not simply a blight on society. No, it is a crime!”

During the address, the pope decried the widening social divide that has left many children even more vulnerable to exploitation.

“Widespread poverty, the shortage of social support tools for families, the increased marginality in recent years along with unemployment and job insecurity are factors that burden the youngest with the highest price to pay,” he lamented on Wednesday.

To eliminate the reality of forced child labor, the pope said it is “necessary to awaken the consciences” of individuals, institutions, and nations to work in solidarity to protect vulnerable boys and girls.

“When we purchase products that involve child labor — how can we eat and dress, knowing that behind that food and those garments there are exploited children who work instead of going to school?” the Holy Father asked. 

“Awareness of what we purchase is a first act in order not to be complicit,” he emphasized. 

Praising the wisdom of countries and international organizations that have enacted policies to protect children’s rights, the pope stressed that they must “shift their investments to companies that do not use or permit child labor.”

The Holy Father also implored journalists to raise awareness of the issue and to help find solutions: “Don’t be scared, criticize these things!”   

Asking for the intercession of St. Teresa of Calcutta, the pope prayed that the “mother to the most disadvantaged and forgotten boys and girls” will help all those committed to denouncing child labor.

“With the tenderness and attention of her gaze, she can accompany us to see the invisible little ones, the too many slaves of a world that we cannot abandon to its injustices,” he said.

Before imparting his final blessings to pilgrims following a circus performance inside the Paul VI Hall, the pope expressed his closeness with the victims of the Jan. 3 Myanmar earthquake. 

Following the disaster, the country’s Kachin state was struck by a landslide on Monday that killed at least a dozen people and displaced several families.

He also asked people to continue to pray for the many countries at war, including Ukraine, Palestine, and Israel, reminding his listeners that “war is always a defeat” with a high human cost.

“Let us pray for the conversion of the hearts of weapons manufacturers because their products help people to kill,” he said.