Pope backs U.S. bishops, insists on peace in Ukraine

- Cindy Wooden, Vatican City, CNS

At this morning's General Audience in St. Peter's Square, Pope Leo launched a message of protection for human dignity and the whole of creation. Last night, leaving Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo, the Pontiff endorsed before journalists the recent “special pastoral message on immigration” of the U.S. Bishops“ Conference. He called for ”dignity“ with immigrants, and again ”insisted on peace" for Ukraine.

“When people live good lives, and many of them (in the United States) for 10, 15, 20 years, treating them in an extremely disrespectful way, to say the least,” is not acceptable, the pope said Nov. 18 in referring to U.S. immigrants.

“A very important statement.”

Pope Leo told reporters at Castel Gandolfo that the pastoral message is “a statement very important. I invite especially all Catholics, but also people of good will, to listen carefully to what they said”.

“We are concerned to see among our people a climate of fear and anxiety surrounding the issues of racial discrimination and immigration control,” the bishops said. “We are saddened by the state of the current debate and the vilification of immigrants. We are concerned about conditions in detention centers and the lack of access to pastoral care. We regret that some immigrants in the United States have arbitrarily lost their legal status.”.

Leo XIV: “No one has said that the United States should have open borders”.”

“No one has said that the United States should have open borders,” the pope told reporters. “I think every country has the right to determine who, how and when people enter.”.

However, the Holy Father remarked that in implementing immigration policy “we have to look for ways to treat people humanely, to treat them with the dignity they have.”.

“If people are in the United States illegally, there are ways to deal with that,” he said. “There are courts. There is a justice system,” but the system has “a lot of problems” that need to be addressed.

The bishops also said, “We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people» and prayed «for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or law enforcement.”.

What the Pope does at Castel Gandolfo

Pope Leo was also asked what he is doing at Castel Gandolfo. 

Tuesdays are traditionally the only day of the week when Popes do not have official audiences or public events. When his schedule permits, Pope Leo goes to Castel Gandolfo on Monday afternoon and returns to the Vatican on Tuesday evening.

Pope Leo said he uses the day for “a little sport, a little reading, a little work,” specifying that at Castel Gandolfo he plays tennis and swims in the pool.

Having a rest during the week “helps a lot,” the Pope said. And it is important to take care of both body and soul.

Certain apostolic journeys, and other probable

As he prepares for his first trip outside Italy as pope, a visit to Turkey and Lebanon from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2, he was also asked when he planned to return to Peru, where he served as a missionary and as a bishop.

The pope said he enjoys traveling, but Jubilee year events kept his 2025 calendar full. The challenge for 2026 will be to find a way to schedule the trips he would like to take. Including the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico and then a trip to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, “of course.”.

“Insist on peace” in Ukraine

Journalists asked the Pope about Ukraine. Some raised the question of ceding territories to Russia to end the war. A hypothesis recently put on the table also by US President Donald Trump. 

“That is for them to decide, the Constitution of Ukraine is very clear,” said Leo XIV. 

“The problem is that there is no ceasefire, they don't reach any point to dialogue and see how to solve this problem... Unfortunately, every day people die. I think we have to insist on peace, starting with this ceasefire and then dialogue.”.

Conversion of the heart, and solemnity of Christ the King

In the Audience, Pope Leo noted that “like Mary Magdalene on Easter morning, who turned to look at Jesus, we too must allow the seed of Christian hope to bear fruit. Convert our hearts and influence the way we respond to the problems we face.”. 

“As followers of Jesus, we are called to promote lifestyles and policies that focus on the protection of human dignity and all creation,” he told the English-speaking pilgrims.

At the end, he recalled that “next Sunday, the last Sunday of Ordinary Time, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe. Put Jesus at the center of your life,” he encouraged.