Appeal of the Presidents of the Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan and the United States, with the support of the President of the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union, on the Occasion of the G7 Summit. On the occasion of the G7 Summit to be held in France in 2026, we, the Presidents of the Catholic Bishops' Conferences of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Great Britain and the United States, with the support of the President of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union, wish to address a common appeal to Heads of State and Government. In the face of armed conflicts, geopolitical divisions, growing inequalities, climate challenges and technological change, we affirm that the dignity of every human person must remain the foundation of political and economic action.

Building Bridges for Peace, Justice and Human Dignity

The ministry of the North American Dominican Promoters of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation is to encourage all members of the Dominican Family to embrace a deepening of the Dominican charism to search for and preach TRUTH as it impacts the lives of people and care for our common home, Earth. We are grounded in gospel values and Catholic Social Teaching that flows from the Gospel and our faith's tradition. We join with the International Dominican Commission on Peace and Justice whose mandate is to "support and encourage the Dominican Family in its efforts to preach more profoundly the Gospel of life, justice, peace, and the integrity of creation." These efforts are augmented by our Dominican presence at the United Nations in New York,Geneva, Nairobi, and Vienna. Read more.

Choosing Nonviolence as Gospel Witness

At this moment in history, when fear is normalized, violence is amplified, and democratic life is under strain in the United States and across the world, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) raises a clear and unwavering moral voice: violence is not the Gospel response.

The way of Jesus calls us to a love that refuses harm, rejects domination, and insists on the dignity of every person. Love demands more than silence or neutrality. It requires truth-telling, moral courage, and a willingness to stand publicly with those whose lives and rights are threatened. Nonviolence is not passivity; it is disciplined, courageous action rooted in justice and hope.

Across the globe and within our own communities — from Ukraine to Minneapolis — we see the tragic consequences of aggression. Violence does not resolve conflict or restore peace; it deepens wounds and multiplies suffering. Nonviolence, by contrast, requires profound interior strength and sustained commitment. It must be cultivated personally and communally, and practiced intentionally within social, political, and global systems.

Women religious have long understood this truth through lived experience. Since arriving in what would become the United States in 1727, congregations of women religious have participated in the shaping of this nation through education, healthcare, advocacy, and service to those most at risk. Throughout the evolving life of this democracy, women religious have sought to embody gospel values in public life, especially in times of moral crisis.

In continuity with this witness, we unequivocally denounce the use of violence in any form. We call upon individuals and communities — and especially those entrusted with leadership in local, state, and federal government — to choose paths that uphold human rights, protect democratic processes, and honor the dignity of life at every stage.

In these times, the members of LCWR commit to a public, prophetic presence rooted in prayer and expressed through concrete action. We pledge to make visible the Gospel through advocacy for nonviolence, racial justice, humane immigration policies, and care for our common home. Our hope does not rest in force or fear, but in the transformative power of love lived boldly and together.

Media inquiries: Sister Annmarie Sanders, IHM | LCWR Director of Communications asanders@lcwr.org

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, speaking on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged President Donald Trump to step back from escalating military action against Iran and instead pursue a path of peace. In his statement, Coakley warned that threatening an entire civilization or targeting civilian infrastructure cannot be morally justified and called for negotiations that protect human life and uphold justice. His remarks came in response to the president's recent public threats of intensified military action if Iran does not agree to a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Bishops Warn Against "Morally Unjustifiable" Threats Toward Iranian People

Pope Condemns Threats Toward Iranian People in Rare Public Rebuke

Speaking from Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo condemned recent threats made against the people of Iran, calling them "truly unacceptable." His remarks came just hours after President Donald Trump posted a message warning that "a whole civilization will die tonight," a statement that drew alarm from world leaders. The pope, an outspoken critic of the Iran war, emphasized that threatening an entire population violates moral principles and urged a return to restraint and peace.

Bishops Warn Against "Morally Unjustifiable" Threats Toward Iranian People

Why Cameroon??? It is one of the places around the world in the midst of conflict and where our Dominicans and communities are under direct threat and barely is noticed by world peace observers. Cameroon is home members of all of the branches of the Dominican Family who face struggles in a country now divided with some 25% of the land controlled by paramilitary groups, where our Nuns and members of the Dominican Laity live within the separatist region. We have members of the Dominican Order serving on both sides of the separation.

Pray for Peace: Cameroon

The Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose, an international congregation of women, are deeply troubled and distressed by the violent assault on Asian owned and staffed massage businesses last week. We mourn with the families of the eight people killed in the rampage, six of them women of Asian descent. We are in solidarity with these families and offer our prayers of consolation for their loss.

The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be.

At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul VI taught that “if you want peace, work for justice.” The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.

We witness our faith by rejecting activities or practices that deliberately abuse, destroy or deny our sacred humanity or the beauty and abundance of God’s creation. This recent act of violence highlights the social tensions and prejudices many face daily in our country due to racism, misogyny, sexism, homophobia and xenophobia. We denounce all these forms of discrimination, exclusion and lack of respect for others and join in the national call for an immediate end to acts of violence against our Asian-American and Pacific Island sisters and brothers.

We call on our elected leaders, locally and nationally, to recognize and celebrate the diversity in our nation. We urge them to address the dangerous, divisive forces in our midst, and to pass legislation that leads to the compassionate, just, equitable and inclusive treatment of all people.

We urge Congress to enact strong hate crime legislation to ensure that the rights of all are protected by law.

Members of the Congregational Council of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose Sister Cecilia Canales, Prioress; Councilors: S. Diane Bridenbecker, S. Liam Brock, S. Mary Susanna Vasquez and S. Verónica Esparza Ramírez

Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose Call for the End of Violence against All Persons