Apostles for Today - March 2026

 

  UNION OF THE CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE

    Apostles for Today

      March - 2026 

         Thomas Philipp

 Political Peace:
A Service to Justice  

The Call for Peace in a Torn World 
Dear members of the Pallottine family, dear readers worldwide, we have dedicated this year 2026 to the general theme of “Peace.” After focusing on peace of the heart in January, we now broaden our perspective to the community, the coexistence of peoples, and the responsibility of those who are meant to shape our society: political peace.

    We live in a time when 56 armed conflicts are raging worldwide and over 100 million people are fleeing violence. As someone living in the heart of Europe -between Germany and Belgium - I see every day how fragile this peace is. Brussels, the seat of the most important European institutions as well as NATO, is not only a place of administration but a symbol of the effort to create a lasting peace order from the ruins of two world wars. Yet even here, we feel the tensions: the fear of external threats challenges us. It leads to social and societal division, which results in populism on both the left and right sides of the political spectrum. 

    Amidst this fragmentation, Pope Leo XIV reminds us of a radical concept: we need a peace that is “disarmed and disarming.” Political peace is not a utopia for “others,” but a reality that must dwell within each of us, as we are all involved in making it happen. 

The Biblical Foundation: Justice as the Path to Peace 
To understand how we can become “just people” for a political peace, a deeper look into Holy Scripture helps us: 

• Faithfulness to God's Law: “Great peace have those who love your law; in 
their path they find no stumbling block” (Ps 119:165). In a political context, this 
means that peace is not merely the result of treaties or deterrence. It grows 
where the common good and the divine order of justice are placed above selfinterested power motives. Whoever integrates the law of love into their political actions finds a firm path.

• The Armor of the Gospel: The Apostle Paul calls us to move forward not with weapons of steel, but with the “armor of righteousness” and the “zeal for the proclamation of the gospel of peace” (Eph 6:14-16). In a world calling for armament, the “shield of faith” is our most important defense to extinguish hatred. 

• Radical Love for Enemies: Jesus presents us with the greatest challenge: 

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Mt 5:44). In politics, 

this signifies a revolution: seeing the opponent not as an object of destruction, 

but as a partner in dialogue. This is “spiritual food” for the harsh reality of daily 

political life. 

Political Peace as a Service (Servizio) 

Political peace is inextricably linked to the concept of serving. Serving is an expression of love and humility that places the value of others above one's own interests. If politicians and citizens alike were to begin understanding politics as a service to one's neighbor, the logic of power would be transformed into a logic of responsibility. A “just person” in the political sense is someone who sees and heals the “structural wounds” of our society. From my political experience, for example in the European Parliament in Brussels, I know how important compromise is - not as a weakness, but as a high-level service to peace. It means standing up for those who have no voice - the victims of recession and violence, the poor in our cities, the forgotten elderly, the unheard, and the marginalized. 

•The Pallottine Impulse: “To become all things to all people” 

Saint Vincent Pallotti is a shining example for us. His motto “To become all things to all people” (farsi tutto a tutti) was not an empty phrase. He saw the presence of God in every human being, regardless of rank or origin. For our contemporary efforts toward political peace, Pallotti’s legacy means: 

• Acting Together: “The good done together is more lasting and effective,” our 

founder said. Political peace requires the “togetherness” of the entire human 

family. 

• Being a Sign of Unity: The UAC is called to renew the world with the power of 

apostolic love. If we model unity and respect within our own community, we will 

become credible actors for peace in the public sphere. 

How do we become “just people” for peace?

Political peace begins on a small scale. It manifests in our ability to forgive, to 

listen,   and to give without expectations. The bishops of the European Bishops' Conference “COMECE”, also based in Brussels, remind us that as Christians in Europe, we have a special responsibility to build bridges to other parts of the world. To be a “just person” for political peace today means: 

            • Having the courage to reject the logic of violence.   

            • Getting one’s “hands dirty” by entering into dialogue with those who                     think differently. 

    • Advocating for a just distribution of resources because, as Pope Francis said, peace is not just the silence of weapons but a life in abundance for all. 

 

Questions for Personal and Communal Reflection 

At the conclusion of this month of March, I invite you, dear Pallottine sisters and brothers, to reflect on the following questions: 

• Where do I experience tensions in my environment (family, neighborhood, 

    workplace, parish) resulting from different political views, and how can I         act as a "just person" to balance them? 

• What does the demand for a “disarmed peace” mean for my own language,     for example, on social media? 

• How can we as a Pallottine community promote the “common good” in our     local and European politics? 

• Where do I see signs of enduring hope for peace today—despite all the             crises? 

A Concrete Proposal 

Let us rediscover the Angelus prayer and pray it every day at 12:00 PM, as is the 

ancient custom and as Pope Francis recently urgently requested again. Let us 

specifically ask for wisdom and a “heart of flesh” for politicians and decision-makers worldwide, so that they may find paths toward reconciliation. 

May the peace of Christ dwell in our hearts and guide our actions in the world.  

  Piazza San Vincenzo Pallotti, 204 00186 Roma, ITALIA

Tel: (+39) Email: uacgensec@gmail.com

Apostles for Today - February 2026

 

UNION OF THE CATHOLIC APOSTOLATE

APOSTLES FOR TODAY

FEBRUARY 2026

Luca Liverani

 Peace in the society

Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine. America's unpredictable estrangement from Europe, between disengagement in defense, delegitimization of international organizations, expansionist aims on Greenland. The harrowing massacres of civilians in the Holy Land. Everything seems to threaten the peace the West has enjoyed for 80 years.

Everything around us tells us that rearmament is inevitable, that arsenals must be replenished, that even the return to compulsory military service must be reconsidered. Obviously, this will come at the cost of cuts to public resources for healthcare (despite post-pandemic promises), welfare, education, and research. A nearly unanimous chorus, cutting across political lines. And anyone who expresses doubts is branded "deluded and unrealistic," at best. Or "Putinist" or "pro-Hamas," at worst. A single, gloomy, and resigned line of thought that challenges everyone's conscience. Especially that of Christians, raised on the pontifical  teaching that, for over a century, has warned that "war is an adventure with no return" and that the industrial development of the defense sector is a "market of death."

Naturally, then, we return to the source of our faith. And in its astonishing relevance, the Gospel says things much more realistic than some would have us believe. Among many, the most direct is perhaps the passage from the
Sermon on the Mount on the Beatitudes. The evangelist writes (Matthew 5:9): "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." Jesus' peace, we know, is not just the absence of war. It is love for one's neighbor, harmony with the Creator, the joy of feeling loved as children. But it is also—without a doubt—the absence of conflict.

And so "peacebuilding," I believe, is a complex but concrete and realistic guideline that also applies to politics, and it's no coincidence that Popes often define it as "the highest form of charity." A much more realistic approach, then, than those who believe war can resolve international disputes. For at least 80 years, the facts show, no war has made a country better than before. 

 Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya... A long list of failures, lives destroyed,
regions condemned to chronic violence and chronic instability.

And so it is false, misleading, and unrealistic to repeat, "If you want peace, prepare for war." The writer Vegetius wrote this in the 4th century AD: "Si vis pacem, para bellum." Nearly 2,000 years later, this maxim is still used, even by some governments, to justify massive military investments in the eyes of taxpayers. It is a maxim that must be contextualized within the culture of the time, that of a great civilization of the past, founded, however, on violence and slavery.

The Romans themselves knew this well. Let's not forget that the "Pax Romana" was very different from today's concept of peace. The Romans themselves knew this well. "Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant," where they make a desert, they call it peace, wrote Tacitus in 97 AD. And so "building peace by preparing for war" is an interpretation that not only ignores two millennia of Christianity and many centuries of humanist culture and civilized conquests, but is also out of touch with reality. Simply because "deterrence," the fear of an adversary armed to the teeth, no longer works, assuming it ever worked. The facts speak for themselves. 

It's worth looking at some numbers to understand the true extent of global military investment, which—just to look at the latest high-profile cases in the Euro-Mediterranean area—has failed to prevent Russia's invasion of Ukraine or Israel's disproportionate reaction to the Hamas terrorist massacre.

Let's consider the bloody Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Let's set aside, for a moment, the eight years of "lowintensity" conflict in Russian-speaking areas, ignored and underestimated by the international community.   Let's limit ourselves to the tragic date of February 24, 2022, when columns of Russian armored vehicles headed for Kiev, aiming to decapitate the unwelcome government and replace it with a pro-Russian one. A scenario, incidentally, recently revisited in Latin America. The Russian "blitzkrieg," however, failed and, with massive NATO support, transformed into a devastating war of position, which is still ongoing. If deterrence theory were to lend credence, the Kremlin would have decided to attack a de facto European country by taking advantage of a weakness in the Atlantic Alliance. But is that so? Not at all.

To assess the scale of military investments by the two opposing sides at the time of the invasion, we can rely on the valuable work of SIPRI, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This authoritative research center tells us that in 2022, Russia spent $86 billion on its armed forces. Nearly triple Italy's $33 billion, for comparison. More than the United Kingdom's $68 billion, Germany's $56 billion, and France's $54 billion. And the United States? At the time of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Washington spent $877 billion on its armed forces.

 Yes, ten times Moscow's spending. Not only that, but NATO as a whole—America plus Europe—had allocated a whopping $1.232 trillion to its armed forces. That is, fourteen times Russia's spending, 54% of all global military spending. An  overwhelming military force, then. But it did not in the least prevent the Kremlin,
evidently guided by different strategic considerations, from carrying out its brutal aggression against Ukraine.

And today? Russia has multiplied its investments exponentially, thanks to its energy resources and China's assistance, which have allowed it to withstand the wave of Western economic sanctions. In 2024, Moscow nearly doubled its military spending, to €149 billion, a staggering 7.4% of gross domestic product. The growth in the NATO area is similar: the United States is approaching the impressive figure of €997 billion, or €3.45 billion of GDP. And the Atlantic Alliance as a whole is €1,506 billion, €274 billion more in two years. An impressive deterrent. It's a shame that no one today would have the intellectual honesty to claim we live in a safer world. Clearly, weapons don't create security.

Deterrence has also failed in Israel, which in 2024 spent €23 billion, a full 4.5% of its GDP, more than its American ally. For years, addressing the Palestinian issue solely with a muscular and repressive approach, rather than seeking a laborious and complex political and diplomatic solution, has led to devastating results for
all to see. First, the success of the Islamists of Hamas, initially cynically and recklessly supported by the Tel Aviv government, in an effort to delegitimize the Palestinian National Authority. Then came the massacre of October 7th. Then came Israel's devastating response, including attempts at ethnic cleansing and accusations of genocide. This has had repercussions throughout the Middle East, and tragic resurgences of anti-Semitism around the world.

There are calls for rearmament, as if the arsenals were empty. Some have calculated that 600 nuclear warheads would be enough to wipe out the entire human race on Earth. Today, there are 12,000, twenty times as many, stored in nine countries. Overflowing warehouses of lethal weapons have failed to slow the wars in recent years. None of the governments that have unleashed bloody conflicts, massacres of civilians, and destruction of economies and ecosystems have been intimidated by the presence of missiles, tanks, and fighter-bombers
in opposing countries. And so, in an era that, for the first time in human history, has the scientific knowledge, technology, and resources to combat hunger,  poverty, epidemics, underdevelopment, and the climate crisis, governments continue to divert funds from the construction of a peaceful society.

Precisely at a time when "warmongering" thinking marginalizes those who hold different views, citizens who care about peace—Christians in particular—are called to make an extra effort to change a widespread culture that views rearmament as vital for states. This is the war economy. An approach that contrasts with the one
wisely chosen in Italy by the founders of the Republic after World War II. Article 11 of the Italian Constitution states: "Italy repudiates war as an instrument of aggression against the freedom of other peoples and as a means of resolving international disputes." War is a last resort, never a political instrument like any other. 

The truth is that armed conflicts don't arise out of nowhere, due to the madness or wickedness of the autocrat in power, but are the consequence of specific political choices, adopted globally: unbridled capitalism, imperialism, neocolonialism, resource hoarding, climate change. Ever-decreasing funding for diplomacy, the fight against inequality, and the fight against global warming. Ever-increasing money for the purchase of instruments of death and destruction. Then, when the outcomes of these policies lead to the predictable outbreak of conflict, we are told that "war is inevitable." A lie. All the popes have been repeating it for decades, essentially unheard, calling the economic system that seeks only profit a "structure of sin" and the military industrial sector a "market of death."

As Christian "peacemakers," we can and must begin to spread a different narrative. To tell the story that war does not solve problems, but worsens them. That deterrence doesn't work, but only serves to enrich the arms industry. That in our communities of believers, we cannot simply take from the Magisterium what we like, but must also consider peace as an inescapable commitment on a par with solidarity, the defense of life, and the protection of creation. We can collaborate on the many initiatives that contribute to building a more just and
war-free society. We must work against poverty and inequality, for the environment, people's rights, health, development cooperation, ethical finance, and disarmament.

I can tell you how, in my life as a reporter, I have met, in very diverse and unpredictable contexts, wonderful people whose actions have enabled them to shine a light in the darkness of suffering and pain. Women and men, young and old. Christians, Jews, even non-believers, who sometimes have much to teach, through their actions, to those of us who don't always live our faith consistently.
They are witnesses who rightfully are peacemakers, people who have been fighting for years against nuclear rearmament, against the arms race, because the money spent on this could be used much more effectively to address and resolve what the United Nations calls the "Sustainable Development Goals," for which there is never enough money: hunger, disease, illiteracy, gender inequality, the climate crisis, because we prefer to invest in war.

It is a people of women and men of good will who tenaciously organize, demonstrate, lobby politicians, and strive for cultural change every day. Peacemakers capable of organizing even large-scale anti-war demonstrations in the streets, and at the same time setting up "peace caravans" to collect aid and deliver it to the bombed civilian populations.

And, moreover, we can pray; we must not stop praying. With tenacity and obstinacy. To ask God for the impossible. So that, through the intercession of Mary, Queen of Peace, he may touch the hearts of the powerful and convert them, caress and comfort the victims of war, and free us from the evil of war.

Suggestions for community reflection:                               

1. How can we make the teaching and witness of peacemakers relevant today?

2. Today, how can we be a sign of peace and goodness?   

            

Piazza San Vincenzo Pallotti, 204 00186 Roma, ITALIA

Tel: (+39) Email: uacgensec@gmail.com

Apostles for Today -January 2026

           Union of Catholic Apostolate 

APOSTLES FOR TODAY
JANUARY 2026

Gabriella Acerbi

«Peace be with you all: towards an 'unarmed and 
disarming' peace»

Message for the World Day of Peace on 1 January 2026
Peace of heart

"Peace be with you all: towards an 'unarmed and disarming' peace" is the theme chosen by Pope Leo XIV for the World Day of Peace. The message invites the entire human family to reject the logic of violence, war and armed deterrence, in order to rediscover an authentic peace, rooted in love, justice and solidarity.

The peace proposed by the Pope is "disarmed", because it is not based on the threat or accumulation of weapons, and at the same time "disarming", as it is capable of resolving conflicts, generating trust and reconciling hearts. The message recalls personal and collective responsibility: it is not enough to desire peace, it is necessary to incarnate it in daily life, through a nonviolent lifestyle, attentive to the visible and structural wounds that run through our societies. (cf Vatican News, 18 December 2025) With this announcement from Vatican News, we too open our new year of Apostles for today.  

With the General Secretariat and the General Coordination Council, we have thought of Peace as a general theme to be pursued during this year, a theme declined in many aspects that highlight how today it is more necessary than ever to consider peace not as something that concerns others, or unattainable, but as a reality that can and must dwell in everyone, because we are all involved in living
it and making it happen.

But what can we do to build and concretise our desire for peace....
Currently, there are 56 active conflicts of varying extent and intensity in the world, involving, more or less directly, over 92 countries, while over 100 million people have been forced to migrate to escape the violence.  

In this disastrous situation, a key word that can help us contribute to building peace is prayer. However, we have been praying for peace for a long time, in various ways, on various occasions; the Pope constantly reminds us of this, but peace is slow to come, it does not come. 

Faith makes us believe that in any case the Lord will carry out his plan for peace and we also believe that prayer can change people, it can change ourselves. 

Pope Leo in his speech in the presence of religious leaders at the Colosseum - in Rome on October 28, 2025 - assures us: "we have faith that prayer changes the history of peoples." Faith, therefore, sees this  desire for peace fulfilled.

 I recently came across a very symbolic image that I propose to you:

This image makes us understand how peace is hanging by a thread, but the Family of Nazareth is also hanging by that thread, accepting to live the same experience as us, sharing our expectation and accompanying our situation. Their presence and their involvement tells us that we must not be afraid, lose hope because with them, with us there is Jesus, the only reference point in our lives. 

In this time, in the today of our lives, however, we  can do more of our part to achieve peace, praying together. 

Let's add, then, a second keyword: together. 
This is an inclusive way of praying that does not set limits and distinctions, and is already convenient in itself, because "Reason and experience demonstrate that the good done individualistically is usually lacking and of limited duration. "Even the best efforts of individuals cannot be successful unless they are united and directed to a common goal." as St. Vincent Pallotti said. (Cf OOCC IV 122-123).

But the most specific theme of this first Apostles for Today of 2026 concerns: peace of heart.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither be afraid." (John 14:27)

These are the words of Jesus that show us how the need for peace, the peace that appeases the wounded heart and animates it, is not what we/the world think it should be, no! it is another peace, it is the peace of Jesus.

It is the peace that is based on communion despite differences, on encounter, on dialogue, on the openness of each one to the other; to that other in front of whom we are willing to lose a little of ourselves, to get our hands dirty, to lose our "serenity" and our quiet life.

Let us allow peace to grow within us as harmony, through gestures, words, attitudes. And if the peace of Christ lives in our hearts, everything changes!

 But the most specific theme of this first Apostles for Today of 2026 concerns: peace of heart.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither be afraid." (John 14:27)

These are the words of Jesus that show us how the need for peace, the peace that appeases the wounded heart and animates it, is not what we/the world think it should be, no! it is another peace, it is the peace of Jesus.

It is the peace that is based on communion despite differences, on encounter, on dialogue, on the openness of each one to the other; to that other in front of whom we are willing to lose a little of ourselves, to get our hands dirty, to lose our "serenity" and our quiet life.

Let us allow peace to grow within us as harmony, through gestures, words, attitudes. And if the peace of Christ lives in our hearts, everything changes!

The message for the World Day of Peace reminds us that reconciling hearts is our responsibility, personal and collective at the same time, and this is achieved by embodying in daily life a lifestyle that puts itself at the service of others. Here, then, is another key word: serve.

Serving is an act that goes beyond simply fulfilling one's duties. It is a profound expression of love and humility. When we serve, we put the good of others above our own personal interests, and it is in this gesture that we reveal the true meaning of human greatness.

Serving does not diminish anyone, on the contrary, it elevates the soul and purifies the heart. Those who serve with joy transform the environment around them, spreading goodness and the barriers built fall.

Love. And his heart, filled with this presence, was at peace: My God, God all, all, all, all God! (cf. OOCC X 277; 482) 

In St. Vincent we have the model of service: "to become all things to all men" at every moment of the day, because in everyone he met, in every event or circumstance he saw the presence of God, infinite.

Pope Francis also exhorts us to make peace real in us and among us: "Peace can be built if we begin to be at peace with ourselves – at peace within, in our hearts – and with those who are close to us, removing the obstacles that prevent us from taking care of those who are in need and destitution. (…) Peace is in life: it is not only the absence of war but it is a life rich in meaning, set up and lived in personal fulfillment and fraternal sharing with others."1 (Cf Meeting with 137 Schools of Peace. Avvenire-Rome 7, 19 April 2024).

In daily life, it will be our patience, our ability to forgive and understand, to share, to listen, to give without expectations, to create opportunities for reconciliation to the point of loving even our enemy, that will make the difference.

Getting to know each other in order to discover the positive that is in each one; listen to and understand each other; to look at each other with love, covering with mercy any mistakes; to accept one another in order to build a common basis of respect, esteem and mutual trust.

What a program of life - another key word - which questions the whole Pallottine Family, in the first place, internally and, then, in its relations with the outside world!

To be all this, I believe that once again we must not disregard what St. Vincent dreamed of: to renew the Church, the whole world, with the strength of apostolic love and to become a sign of unity, hope, peace and salvation for all men and women. Who can stop us from doing it? Who can stand in our way if we want to live like this? No one, only ourselves.

Prayer, togetherness, service, life program: these are the key words that we have shared so that, if we start to live them, peace of heart can be realized.

May this year 2026 bring with it the gift of peace: for each one and for the world; inner peace and peace of words, intentions and relationships. True peace to be recognized and restored.Piazza San Vincenzo Pallotti, 204 00186 Roma, ITALIA  Tel: (+39) 393.5560794 E-mail: uacgensec@gmail.com 

Suggestions for community reflection: 

1. How can we be protagonists of a change towards peace in our daily lives?2. What does the experience in San Vincenzo Pallotti tell us? 

3. Do we have hope for peace? 

4. Proposal: A daily commitment to peace. 

Every day at 12:00 noon, let us join the Universal Church in theAngelus prayer, wherever we are: at home, at work, where we can, and let us also recite a specific prayer for peace of heart.

Piazza San Vincenzo Pallotti, 204 00186 Roma, ITALIA 

Tel: (+39) Email: uacgensec@gmail.com