Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

The following is the Letter sent by the Holy Father Leo XIV to His Holiness Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, on the occasion of the Day of Friendship between Copts and Catholics:

 

Letter of the Holy Father

To His Holiness Tawadros II

Pope of Alexandria

Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark

Your Holiness, dear brother in Christ,

Christ is risen!  Al-Messih qam!

In the joyful light of Easter, I am pleased to greet you on the auspicious occasion of the Day of Friendship between Copts and Catholics, thus continuing the noble tradition of my beloved predecessor Pope Francis.

This Day of Friendship, whose idea originated with Your Holiness, celebrates the relations between the See of Peter and the See of Mark, and is indeed a significant initiative. For us Christians, friendship is not a vague sentiment; it is at the very heart of our life and faith. For our Lord himself calls us his friends (cf.  Jn  15:15), and he teaches us that “no one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” ( Jn  15:13). Thus it is by drawing upon Christ’s friendship with us that we will be able to strengthen the friendship between ourselves, and between our Churches, as we continue to bear witness together to the divine  philanthropia  for all humanity!

This pilgrimage of friendship has enabled our Churches, separated by centuries of misunderstanding, to engage in a highly fruitful theological dialogue initiated over fifty years ago by Saint Paul VI and His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, of blessed memory. This dialogue, which was initially bilateral, has been taking place since 2003 within the framework of the  Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches , whose three landmark documents demonstrate an increasing theological understanding. It is my hope that this Commission, whose Coordinating committee is currently meeting in Rome, may resume its work as soon as possible with all Churches of the Oriental Orthodox family, in order to respond to Christ’s prayer, “that they all may be one” ( Jn  17:21).

I also take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Your Holiness and to the Coptic Orthodox Church for the truly fraternal hospitality offered to the participants in the Sixth World Conference of the Faith and Order Commission, including a large Catholic Delegation, held at the Monastery of Saint Bishoy, in Wadi El Natrun, in October 2025. I am confident that the reflections undertaken on the 1700 th  anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council will rekindle our desire to achieve the visible unity of the Church — a unity rooted in the one baptism that we profess in the Nicene Creed, and which, I sincerely pray, we shall attain.

At a time when our world is afflicted by so many conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, Christians must, more than ever, strive for full unity so that we may bear witness together to the Prince of Peace. In doing so, we can be confident in the powerful intercession and example of the countless martyrs who have suffered for the name of Christ.

Your Holiness, as our Churches prepare for the feast of Pentecost, I pray that the Holy Spirit, source and bearer of all gifts, will guide Copts and Catholics on our common pilgrimage in truth and charity towards full communion. Looking forward to having the joy of encountering Your Holiness personally, I assure you of my prayers as I convey to you a fraternal embrace of peace in Christ, our risen Lord.

From the Vatican, 4 May 2026

LEO PP. XIV

This morning, the Holy Father Pope Leo XIV had a telephone conversation with His Holiness Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark. The discussion proceeded in a cordial and fraternal atmosphere, with a desire to give new impetus to the celebration of the Day of Friendship between Copts and Catholics, seeking to overcome any obstacles to dialogue based on faith and charity.

Awareness of the shared responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel and promoting peace and reconciliation, especially in the greatly troubled Middle East, was expressed.

From the Vatican, 15 May 2026

Appointment of bishop of Danlí, Honduras

The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Patricio Larrosa Martos, of the clergy of the diocese of Guadix, Spain, priest Fidei Donum in Honduras, until now vicar general of the metropolitan archdiocese of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, as bishop of Danlí, Honduras.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Patricio Larrosa Martos was born on 21 January 1960 in Huéneja, diocese of Guadix, Spain. He studied philosophy and theology at the San Torcuato Major Seminary of Guadix and in the Facultad de Teología in Granada.

He was ordained a priest on 6 July 1985, and incardinated into the diocese of Guadix, Spain.

He has held the following offices: parish priest of Villanueva de las Torres, Dehesas de Guadix and Alicún de Ortega, diocese of Guadix (1985-1992); priest Fidei Donum in Honduras, in the archdiocese of Tegucigalpa (since 1992); parish vicar of Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (1992); parish priest (1993-1997) and parish vicar (1997-2013) of San José Obrero in El Pedregal; parish vicar of Santa Teresa de Calcuta , in the Montes de Sinaí Colony of Tegucigalpa (since 2013); founder and president of the Fundación ACOES ; and to date, vicar general of the metropolitan archdiocese of Tegucigalpa (since 2023).

Yesterday afternoon, the Holy Father received in audience:

- Archbishop Bruno Forte, metropolitan of Chieti-Vasto, Italy;

- Bishop Giuseppe Marciante of Cefalù, Italy;

- His Eminence Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization.

* * *

Today, the Holy Father received in audience:

- Participants in the Interparliamentary Conference on the Fight against Organized Crime in the OSCE Region;

- Bishops of Pakistan on their “ad Limina Apostolorum” visit;

- His Eminence Cardinal Ennio Antonelli, archbishop emeritus of Florence, Italy, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Family;

- His Eminence Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, metropolitan archbishop of Bologna, Italy, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference;

- Sr. Nina Benedikta Krapić, M.V.Z., deputy director of the Holy See Press Office.

* * *

Activities of the Holy Father:

- Funeral of Cardinal Paul Emil Tscherrig.

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the participants in the Interparliamentary Conference on the Fight Against Organized Crime in the OSCE Region, to whom he delivered the following address:

 

Address of the Holy Father

Distinguished Parliamentarians, Representatives of the participating States of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Mr. Ambassador, Ladies and gentlemen,

With profound hope and pastoral concern, I greet you as you gather for the Second International Conference on the Fight against Drugs and Organized Crime in the OSCE Region, dedicated to the grave and urgent struggle against the scourge of illicit drugs. Your presence, drawn from many of the OSCE participating States stretching from Vancouver to Vladivostok, stands as a testimony of collective resolve to confront a phenomenon that sustains criminal networks and imperils the very future of our societies.

The Holy See is firmly convinced that the rule of law, crime prevention and criminal justice must advance together in unity. Indeed, the authentic implementation of the rule of law remains indispensable for integral human development. No truly just society can endure unless the law — and not the arbitrary will of individuals — remains sovereign (cf.  Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church , 408), while no person or group, regardless of power or status, may ever claim the right to violate the dignity and rights of others or of their communities. Therefore, preventing and responding to criminal activities is closely interrelated with the respect for and protection of universal human rights. This requires not only the efforts of law enforcement authorities but also the engagement of society at large, at both the national and the international levels.

In this regard, the Holy See wholeheartedly supports every initiative that seeks to establish an effective, just, humane and credible criminal justice system capable of preventing and countering the production and the trafficking of illicit drugs. Recognizing that true justice cannot be satisfied with punishment alone, such efforts must likewise embrace approaches marked by perseverance and mercy, aimed at the re-education and full reintegration of offenders into the fabric of society. The same respect for the inherent dignity of every person, including those who have committed crimes, precludes the use of the death penalty, torture, and every form of cruel or degrading punishment.

Comprehensive programs are needed to reach out to those enslaved by addiction, offering them medical treatment, psychological support and sustained rehabilitation. Such a multidisciplinary approach must regard the human person in his or her entirety, rising above purely repressive measures and permissive solutions, both of which fail to liberate individuals from the chains of dependence. In this way, they may rediscover and live anew the fullness of their God-given dignity.

Moreover, I wish to emphasize that education is key to prevention. It forms the foundation of integral human development and equips children and youth to recognize the profound devastation brought by drugs. In our time, when social media so often disseminates dangerous misinformation that trivializes these risks, education must begin within the family and be strengthened in the school, imparting accurate scientific knowledge of the ruinous effects of narcotics upon the brain, the body, personal conduct and the common good of the community.

Preventing and countering organized crime is essential to building safe, just and stable societies. From this perspective, I would like to acknowledge all law-enforcement officers and members of the judiciary who have sacrificed their lives or suffered injury in the courageous performance of their duties. Their witness should provoke in us sentiments of gratitude, responsibility and renewed determination.

The Catholic Church, through its many institutions around the world and drawing upon her long experience in accompanying those afflicted by addiction, stands ready to deepen still further her bond of fruitful cooperation with civil society. Together, in a spirit of mutual respect and shared responsibility, we can promote policies that truly serve the common good and the inalienable dignity of every human being.

May this Conference bear abundant and lasting fruit in strategies of transnational cooperation, effective prevention and genuine hope. Upon all of you, upon your deliberations and upon the peoples you represent, I invoke God’s abundant blessings of wisdom, courage and enduring peace.   Thank you.