Pope Francis speaks with Patriarch Kirill (CNS) Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill spoke via video conference about the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and the hopes for a peaceful solution, the Vatican said. In a statement released March 16, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the meeting “was motivated by the desire to show, as shepherds of their people, a road to peace, to pray for peace so that there may be a cease-fire.” Both the pope and the patriarch agreed that “the church must not use the language of politics, but the language of Jesus,” Bruni said…

Catholic charity van struck by artillery fire in Ukraine (CNA) Three aid workers for a Catholic charity operating in Ukraine were hurt last week when the van they were riding in was hit by artillery fire, the leader of the humanitarian group said. Jason Jones, the founder of the U.S.-based Vulnerable People Project (VPP), told CNA Wednesday the three Ukrainian men sustained head injuries. He said one of the aid workers remains hospitalized in critical condition. The other two were treated at the hospital and released…

Pell calls for Vatican to reprimand cardinal and bishop over their comments on sexuality (AP) Cardinal George Pell has called for the Vatican’s doctrine office to intervene and reprimand two leading European Catholic churchmen who called for changes in Catholic teaching on sexuality and homosexuality. Pell, who was convicted and then acquitted of sex abuse charges in his native Australia, said he understood the secular pressures in Germany were forcing debate about homosexuality and other hot-button issues in the church. But in an interview with KTV, the German Catholic television agency, Pell said the church cannot follow “the changing dictats of contemporary secular culture” and must stay true to its faith…

Top USCCB committee calls for immediate end to “unprovoked” Ukraine war (CNS) The Administrative Committee of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops March 16 called for “the immediate cessation of Russia’s armed aggression and unprovoked war on Ukraine.” “We are witnessing an unprecedented threat to world peace,” it said in a statement. “This possibility of global warfare is compounded by the unthinkable consequences that would result from the potential use of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction…”

Soup kitchen operator suspended over charges of sexual coercion (Crux) The head of a Massachusetts parish soup kitchen was placed on administrative leave on March 11 after allegations were made to the diocese that for years he has coerced vulnerable women who use the soup kitchen’s services into sex…