Northwoods Catholic Churches -- St. Anne, Boulder Junction; St. Mary, Sayner; St. Rita, Presque Isle

President Donald Trump called Leo “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy” in a lengthy social media post April 12 that drew response from U.S. bishops and elected officials.

The pontiff called for a world order that does not exclude the vulnerable and urged leaders to serve the common good.

Bishop Juan Liébana of Chascomús, Argentina, describes the ideal profile of a politician: a person of great virtue and integrity intent on building a better society.

At the Martyrs’ Monument in Algiers, the pope’s first message on Algerian soil was an appeal for peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development explained that the pope chose this title to emphasize the duty to welcome migrant and refugee children.

Pope Leo XIV kicks off his trip to Africa in the country of Algeria, which is home to a small but lively Catholic population.

Aboard the papal flight to Algeria, Leo said he is not a politician and will continue to preach the Gospel’s call for peace and multilateral dialogue.

The 10-day Africa trip will take the pope to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea.

Trump’s social media broadside and comments to reporters came as the pope prepared to depart for an 11-day trip to Africa.

Follow here for live updates of Pope Leo XIV’s journey to Africa from April 13–23.