The CCSM highlights Pope Leo XIV's message for New Year 2026

A message of peace for the New Year: "Peace Be Upon You All"

The Catholic Center for Studies and Media  (CCSM) is pleased to present the message of peace issued for the first time by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV since his election as successor of St. Peter, on May 8. This message, issued by the Vatican at the beginning of every New Year, is titled, "Peace be with you all: Towards an 'unarmed and disarming' peace". In this message the Pope stresses that true peace is a humble and persistent one, free from weapons, free from the logic of force or deterrence, while being based on love and hope. This peace is capable of penetrating the darkness of a world burdened by conflict and fear, while calling on the faithful to be witnesses of hope and bearers of light in a reality where violence and schism escalate.

The message warns against the danger of global arms race and the increasing reliance on sophisticated weapons and military technology. Furthermore, it considers the logic of deterrence based on fear, particularly nuclear deterrence, neither creates genuine peace nor guarantees human dignity. His Holiness the Pope accentuates that peace cannot be achieved through threats and resorting to force, but rather through justice, moral responsibility, and respect for international law.

The message also calls for a resuscitation of the culture of dialogue, diplomacy, and disarmament  that is not  only based on the military level, but in the first at  the level of hearts and minds. Peace begins with changing mindsets, rejecting violence in daily and social relations, and resorting to a new language based on listening, mutual respect, and solidarity among peoples.

The message refers to two complementary  concepts:

1. A demilitarized peace”: A peace that neither relies on military deterrence nor on the threat of force, but rather on moral values ​​and shared responsibility.

2. A peace designed to  bring about disarmament: A vibrant peace that strives practically for the attainment of disarmament, halting arms race, and directing resources of war to serve humanity in the fields of education, health, and development.

The message concludes by asserting the pivotal role of religions and civil society in enhancing the procession of peace through prayer, joint action, and supporting humanitarian initiatives, particularly for the poor, the vulnerable, and the victims of war. It also calls on everyone not to give in to despair, but rather to persevere on the path of hope and joint efforts for a more just and secure world, where peace becomes a realistic choice and a shared responsibility. As is the case in every address, Pope Leo, who was the prior general of the Order of Saint Augustine, quotes    Algerian saint and philosopher Augustine that peace is harmony between one's inner and outer self: "  If you wish to attract others to peace, first have it yourselves; be firm in it; to kindle the inner flame in yourselves."

With the onset of the New Year 2026, the CCSM extends its heartfelt well wishes to the extended Jordanian family, to His Majesty King Abdullah II, the King of Peace and the inspirator of harmony and stability in his country, the region, and the world. We also extend our heartfelt well wishes to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein Ibn Abdullah II, at a time  when we plead to God that in the new year stability and brotherhood God would  instill the desired peace in Gaza and Palestine, and in the Arab region, whereby the spirit of justice, love and cooperation would prevail in the world.