Pope Leo XIV is urging religious leaders in France to preach messages of peace and unity.

Pope Leo XIV opens a four-day visit to France this weekend that is expected to touch on church teaching about the value of all human life.

A French statesman whose efforts helped pave the way for what eventually became the European Union has moved ahead on the Catholic church's path toward possible sainthood.

“It’s a very welcome announcement, one that inscribes itself in the efforts the secretary-general has called on member states, the groups of member states, to take," Dujarric said. But the long-awaited deal on a massive long-term budget and coronavirus recovery clinched Thursday by EU leaders swung the momentum. EU leaders have agreed that 30% of the package — some 550 billion euros — should be used to support the transition. They considered it unfair that all member states should be submitted to the same ambition without considering their respective energy mixes. EU leaders also encouraged the commission to propose a carbon tax at the bloc’s borders for countries that did do not regulate CO2 emissions as strictly as the EU does.

The bust of French statesman Robert Schuman, one of the founders of the European Union, is seen while environmental activists launch a hot air balloon during a demonstration outside of an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. European Union leaders meet for a year-end summit that will address anything from climate, sanctions against Turkey to budget and virus recovery plans. They consider it unfair that all member states should be submitted to the same ambition without taking into consideration their respective energy mixes. According to draft conclusions of the summit, member states should agree that the new target “will be delivered collectively by the EU in the most cost-effective manner possible. Greenpeace and other environmental groups have said the improved EU target is insufficient to properly tackle climate change.