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Four new priests and six new deacons were ordained for South Sudan's Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio on Jan. 4, 2026. | Credit: Ruru Gene News/Sister Laurencila, FSSAJan 11, 2026 / 07:00 am (CNA).The four newly ordained priests and six newly ordained deacons for South Sudan's Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio have been reminded of the urgency of their mission in the contemporary world, especially in communities wounded by conflict, poverty, and division.In his Jan. 4 homily during the ordination Mass that coincided with the solemnity of the Epiphany at St. Augustine Parish in the diocese, Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala reflected on the role of priests in reconciling broken communities, forming consciences through education, restoring dignity among the poor, and remaining steadfast where fear and suffering persist."I am not ordaining you for an ideal country," Hiiboro said and described South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, as a nation deeply loved by God and...

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Pope Leo XIV greets pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican for the recitation of the Angelus on Jan. 11, 2026. / Vatican MediaVatican City, Jan 11, 2026 / 08:25 am (CNA).Pope Leo XIV on Sunday lamented escalating violence in Iran and Syria and renewed his appeal for peace in Ukraine, while also offering a special blessing for children receiving baptism and praying for those born into "difficult circumstances."Speaking after the Angelus on Jan. 11, the pope said: "My thoughts turn to the situation currently unfolding in the Middle East, especially in Iran and Syria, where ongoing tensions continue to claim many lives." He added: "I hope and pray that dialogue and peace may be patiently nurtured in pursuit of the common good of the whole of society."The pope's remarks came amid unrest in Tehran, where anti-government protests that began about two weeks ago have left more than 70 people dead, according to human rights organizations.He also pointed to renewed f...

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Pope Leo XIV baptizes a child in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 11, 2026. / Vatican MediaVatican City, Jan 11, 2026 / 09:00 am (CNA).Pope Leo XIV baptized 20 infants, the children of Vatican employees, during Mass in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday for the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.In his homily, the pope urged parents to see faith as essential for their children's lives, comparing it to the basic care no newborn can do without."When we know that something good is essential, we immediately seek it for those we love," he said. "Who among us, in fact, would leave newborns without clothes or without nourishment, waiting for them to choose when they are grown how to dress and what to eat?""Dear friends, if food and clothing are necessary to live, faith is more than necessary, because with God life finds salvation," the pope said.Baptism as God's closenessReflecting on the Gospel account of Jesus' baptism, Leo said the Lord cho...