If you haven't been checking the Vatican bulletins lately, you might have missed a pretty massive shift. We aren't talking about Pope Francis anymore. The latest from the pope—specifically Pope Leo XIV—is all about a sharp pivot toward what he calls "unarmed and disarming peace."
He took over the chair of Peter in May 2025, and honestly, he hasn't wasted a single second. While everyone was still reflecting on the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, Leo XIV kicked off 2026 by slamming the door on "the zeal for war." He’s not just talking about spiritual warfare, either. He's taking direct aim at international diplomacy and the way we use technology to kill each other.
The Franciscan Jubilee: Why Assisi is Suddenly the Center of the World
Basically, the biggest thing happening right now is the Year of St. Francis. Pope Leo XIV proclaimed this special Jubilee to mark the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. It started on January 10, 2026, and it’s going to run until January 2027.
Why does this matter to you? Well, if you’re Catholic, there are plenary indulgences involved. You can get one by visiting basically any Franciscan church or place of worship dedicated to the saint. But for the rest of the world, it’s about the message. Leo XIV is obsessed—in a good way—with the idea that St. Francis wasn't just a guy who liked birds. He sees Francis as a "model of holiness" for a world where "the virtual takes over the real."
He’s worried. You can hear it in his voice during the Wednesday audiences. He thinks we're losing our grip on reality because of social media and digital echo chambers. By pushing this Franciscan year, he’s trying to drag us back to the "Poverello" (the Little Poor One) and the idea of radical, hands-on charity.
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What happened to Pope Francis?
It's kinda bittersweet to look back. Pope Francis spent his final months in 2025 struggling with a nasty bout of bilateral pneumonia. He was in and out of Gemelli Hospital, often using a nasal cannula for oxygen. Even from his hospital bed, he was working on a document called Dilexi Te (I Have Loved You), which focused on the Church's care for the poor. He never got to finish it. Leo XIV took that draft, added his own reflections, and released it as one of his first major acts. It’s like a baton being passed between two men who deeply cared about the "peripheries" of society.
The "State of the World" Shock: Diplomacy is Failing
On January 9, 2026, the Pope gave his annual "State of the World" speech to diplomats. It wasn't your typical polite, religious fluff. He was blunt. He said "war is back in vogue."
He specifically called out:
- The erosion of human rights: He believes the right to life is being "short-circuited" by global policies.
- Surrogacy and Abortion: He hasn't pulled any punches here, calling surrogacy a "negotiable service" that turns children into products.
- Artificial Intelligence: This is a big one for Leo XIV. He’s terrified that we are "delegating" life-and-death decisions to machines. He thinks using AI in military tech is a "destructive betrayal" of everything human civilization is supposed to stand for.
It's a lot to take in. He’s trying to be a "sentinel in the night," as he put it during his World Day of Peace message. He’s pushing for a diplomacy that isn't based on who has the biggest missiles, but on "unarmed" peace. It sounds idealistic, maybe even naive to some, but he’s doubling down on it.
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The Latest From the Pope on Daily Life: Are You Listening?
If you want to know what the latest from the pope means for your Tuesday morning, look at his new catechesis series. He’s currently obsessed with the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II), specifically a document from 1965 called Dei Verbum.
He told a crowd in the Paul VI Audience Hall on January 14 that friendship with God "does not tolerate silence." He compared our relationship with the divine to a human friendship. You know how you stop texting a friend and eventually the friendship just... dies? He says the same thing happens with God. If you don't spend time daily—even just a few minutes—listening and speaking, the "neglect erodes the relationship."
He’s remarkably practical for a guy living in a palace. He’s basically telling people to put down their phones and rediscover the "dialogical nature of friendship."
What’s Next for Leo XIV in 2026?
The calendar is packed. Here is what we know is coming:
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- Massive Restoration: The Vatican Museums are working on Michelangelo’s Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel right now. They’re trying to finish before Holy Week because the millions of tourists are literally wearing the paint off the walls.
- Travel Dreams: He wants to go to Algeria. He also mentioned wanting to visit Argentina and Uruguay (places Francis never quite made it back to) and a stop at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.
- The Becciu Case: The legal drama isn't over. There’s an appeal hearing coming in February regarding the big financial scandal that rocked the Vatican. Leo XIV has to clean up the mess.
Actionable Insights for the Faithful (and the Curious)
If you’re trying to keep up with the latest from the pope, don't just wait for the evening news. Most of the real "meat" is in the transcripts of his Wednesday audiences.
- Practice "Listening": Take the Pope's advice and carve out five minutes of silence today. No podcasts, no music. Just sit.
- Visit a Franciscan Site: If you’re near a Franciscan mission or church, 2026 is the year to visit. It’s a focal point of the current papacy’s spiritual agenda.
- Watch the AI Debate: Pay attention to how the Vatican lobbies at the UN this year regarding "Killer Robots" and AI ethics. Leo XIV is making this his signature issue.
The transition from Francis to Leo XIV has been smoother than many expected, but the tone is definitely shifting. It's more urgent. It's more focused on the collision of technology and ancient faith. Whether you agree with him or not, the latest from the pope shows a man who is deeply worried about where the 21st century is headed—and he’s using every bit of his "soft power" to try and steer the ship in a different direction.
Key takeaway for your week: Focus on real, face-to-face connections. In the Pope’s eyes, that’s the first step toward a world that doesn’t default to violence or digital isolation.