Rubio meets Pope after Trump’s month-long tirade
The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, will meet Pope Leo at the Vatican this morning, amid tense relations after Trump raged against the Pope’s calls for peace and an end to the war with Iran. Almost a month ago, President Trump erupted on social media saying the Pope was weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy, and he should “stop catering to the Radical Left and focus on being a Great Pope, not a Politician”. The next day, Trump posted an image of himself as Jesus (he said it depicted him as a doctor), healing a man. The Pope carried on calling for peace as he embarked on his visit to Africa. On Monday, Trump re-ignited the dispute, saying the Pope was “endangering a lot of Catholics” and claiming the Pope believed Iran should have nuclear weapons. The Vatican responded immediately rejecting the claims, and Pope Leo told reporters he had never supported nuclear weapons and that those who criticise him need to speak the truth. Rubio has told reporters that his visit to see the Pope was a normal diplomatic engagement, not an attempt to re-set the relationship, admitting there was “a lot to talk about”.
Faith and Belief Forum launches consultation to stop faith based hate
The Faith and Belief Forum is organising a meeting of community and faith leaders across Britain, in a “Stop Faith Based Hate Consultation” to halt the rise in hate crime which has led to recent cases of murder, arson, rape and stabbings. The Forum’s CEO, Carrie Alderton, writes in a blog: “Our society has been a multifaith, multi-cultural one for generations, and now that interfaith fabric of harmony and mutual respect is under attack”. She says interfaith work is urgently required and “the courage to re-connect and rebuild our national social fabric is needed now more than ever”. The meeting will be held in mid-June to consider ways forward: “It is our responsibility to highlight how our country is beautiful in its diversity – and how that diversity is our greatest strength. The answer is connection. There is no other answer.”
Faith groups need better operational structures to make ethical investment work
FaithInvest, a London based organisation that advises faith organisations on ethical investments, has produced a report showing the sector is growing in popularity but ideas are failing to be enacted on the ground. Good Intentions 2026 has found most organisations have yet to fully integrate their values into how capital is allocated, managed, and monitored. FaithInvest offers organisations advice on their ethical intentions, and a framework for a process of ethical investment, from initially identifying beliefs, through screening potential companies, then advising on governance, portfolio construction and ongoing review. Among the 275 groups reviewed for the report, the researchers found more negative screening than positive intentions towards social and environmental outcomes. FaithInvest Executive Chair, Dave Zellner, said: “There is enormous untapped potential in faith-based investing. Realising it depends not only on organisational commitment, but on access to the right structures, expertise, and support – and too many still lack the architecture needed to translate intent into practice.”
Antisemitism incidents in United States drop 33 per cent in a year
The number of antisemitic incidents in the United States in 2025 has dropped by 33 per cent due to a decline in incidents on campus. Latest statistics from the Anti-Defamation League say there were 6,274 incidents of antisemitic assaults, harassment and vandalism recorded in 2025, down from the record-high 9,354 incidents in 2024. However this is still much higher than in 2022. On college campuses, 583 cases were recorded in 2025, down from 1,694 in the previous year, a drop of 66 per cent. ADL’s national director and CEO, Jonathan Greenblatt, told the Associated Press that despite the overall decrease, 2025 “was one of the most violent years for American Jews”. Physical attacks increased and during the year, two Jewish people were shot dead in Washington last May, and an 82 year old woman died after a firebombing attack last June. ADL stats here.
Police raid Unification Church sites in investigation over corruption and fraud
There are reports from South Korea that investigators have launched a raid on more than 10 sites affiliated with the Unification Church, over allegations that its leader, Han Hak-ja, embezzled church funds. She is the widow of the church’s founder, Sun Myung Moon, and was arrested and placed in pre-trial detention last September, over claims she gave luxury gifts to South Korea’s former first lady. Media reports suggest that the police suspect money was embezzled into a slush fund, and their investigations centre on two sacred church sites and the church’s Seoul headquarters. Han Hak-ja is 83 years old.
The woman who hung up on the Pope
A priest from Chicago has told the story of the time when Pope Leo called his bank soon after his election, to change the contact details. Fr Tom McCarthy explained that the Pope phoned the bank in south Chicago and was taken through routine security questions by a bank clerk, but was then told nothing more could be done unless he visited the bank in person. The story goes that the Pope replied: “I am not going to be able to do that.” Then after a brief back and forth, he said: “Would it matter to you if I told you I am Pope Leo?”. And at that point, Fr McCarthy said: “She hung up on him. Could you imagine being known as the woman who hung up on the Pope?” The Pope managed to get a priest to contact the president of the bank, and the account details were eventually changed. Times story here.
Robot monk vows devotion in South Korea ordination ceremony
Gabi, a 4ft 3 inches high robot, has taken part in an ordination ceremony to become a Buddhist monk at a temple in South Korea. It wore brown robes, bowed to monks, prayed with hands together pledging: “Yes, I will devote myself”, and was given a rosary necklace as a sign of belonging. The robot has been developed by Unitree Robotics, a Chinese civilian robotics company, and the ceremony was organised by the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday on 24 May. Korean Herald story here and film of the ceremony here.
