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CONDOLENCES FOR THE DEATH OF GENERAL MAURIZIO STEFANIZZI
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24 April 2026
The Secretary-General of the “United States of the World”, Michele Capasso, the Director of the “Museum of Peace” Pia Molinari, the members of the Executive Council, the Council of Ambassadors, the International Committee and the representatives of the branch offices express their deepest condolences on the untimely passing of Lieutenant General Maurizio Stefanizzi, recalling the steadfast support he gave to the “United States of the World” and the “Museum of Peace”.
“ “His loss has deeply moved us,” said Michele Capasso, “and it is as though we had lost a brother, a man to whom we could turn for guidance on the difficult paths to be taken in the pursuit of justice and peace.”
“During his various visits to the Museum of Peace,” said Pia Molinari, “Maurizio always took an interest in every aspect and was keen to learn all about the most significant elements of the various emotional journeys” .
A delegation from the “United States of the World” and the “Mediterranean Foundation” attended the funeral, which was held with great solemnity on 24 April 2026 at the Basilica of Santa Giustina in Padua, a city to which General Stefanizzi was very attached.
PREVIEW OF THE BOOK “FRANCIS: THE POPE OF THE UNITED STATES OF THE WORLD”
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21 April 2026
On the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s passing, Michele Capasso’s book “Francis: The Pope of the United States of the World” (Edizioni Magma-SUM 2026) was presented at a national preview.
The book was presented by Prof. Pasquale Gallifuoco (ACLI Cultural Heritage) in the presence of representatives from various countries and the Port Authority and Coastguard Corps.
On this occasion, Holy Mass was celebrated in memory of the Pontiff who has gone to heaven, presided over by Fr Carmine Mazza, assisted by Sr Anna Avenia (Daughters of Mary Help of Christians) and Sr Suzette Lerio (Sisters of the Crucified Adorers of the Eucharist).
REMEMBERING POPE FRANCIS: A TRIBUTE AT THE MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO HIM IN THE PORT OF NAPLES
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21 April 2026
On the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s passing, a ceremony was held at the memorial dedicated to him in the Port of Naples, which houses the relics of migrants who died at sea, victims of war, children who died of starvation, and the “Martyr Cities”.
On this occasion, Holy Mass was celebrated and Michele Capasso’s book “Francesco. Il Papa degli Stati Uniti del Mondo” (Edizioni Magma-SUM 2026) was presented in a national preview.
The event was attended by religious figures, members of the United States of the World, representatives from various countries and the Port Authority-Coastguard, as well as hundreds of faithful from various countries around the world.
IN MEMORY OF POPE FRANCIS: HOLY MASS
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21 April 2026
To mark the first anniversary of Pope Francis’s passing, the “United States of the World” and the “Mediterranean Foundation” organised a series of events entitled “Remembering Pope Francis”.
On this occasion, Holy Mass was celebrated in memory of the Pontiff who has gone to heaven, presided over by Fr Carmine Mazza, assisted by Sr Anna Avenia (Daughters of Mary Help of Christians) and Sr Suzette Lerio (Sisters of the Crucified Adorers of the Eucharist).
Representatives of the ACLI and ACLI-Cultural Heritage, members of the “United States of the World” and devotees of Pope Francis attended.
Following Holy Mass, Michele Capasso’s book “Francesco. Il Papa degli Stati Uniti del Mondo” was presented, and candles were lit at the memorial dedicated to the Pontiff in the Port of Naples, in the presence of representatives of the Port Authority and Coastguard.
POPE LEO XIV IN ANGOLA
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18 April 2026
A delegation from the “United States of the World” and the “Fondazione Mediterraneo” is taking part in the main events in Angola to mark the visit of Pope Leo XIV.
In Luanda, the Pope addresses the authorities, first of all remembering the victims of the recent floods in Benguela. He then highlights the “scars” left by the exploitation of the country, caused by predatory “overbearing interests”: “How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters this extractivist logic brings with it!”. In encouraging those who have chosen goodness, justice, peace and reconciliation, Leo XIV asks local leaders not to fear dissent.
Angola is a “vibrant mosaic” and, as such, must be preserved from all predatory attempts that undermine its harmonious development, rooted in justice and brotherhood. This is the heart of the message that the Pope, having arrived in this region of southern Africa, delivers whilst speaking – following a courtesy visit to the President of the Republic, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço – to some 400 people, including political and religious authorities, business leaders, and representatives of civil society and culture gathered in the ceremonial hall of the Presidential Palace. An institutional gathering ‘warmed up’ first by a procession – a very colourful one indeed – which flanked the popemobile along the route, and then by a musical tribute featuring the typically slow and captivating rhythm of the kizomba.
In his address, delivered in Portuguese, the Pope focused on the unethical exploitation of the country’s resources, following the President’s welcoming remarks, in which the latter painted a troubling picture of a situation beset by what he described as “a frenzied race for raw materials, seized by force of arms by the world’s most powerful armies against sovereign nations”. For his part, Gonçalves Lourenço is keen to outline to the guest of honour the government’s efforts to promote appropriate social policies and to provide investment in water and electricity supply, as well as in ensuring housing, jobs, healthcare and education that function effectively. Aware that the challenge is complex, the President reaffirms the government’s commitment to the poorest, driven by the daily struggle against inequality, indifference and social exclusion.
A complex and difficult challenge, indeed, at least when one considers what happened last Sunday, when the population was hit by severe floods that caused around thirty deaths and overwhelmed the infrastructure, submerging entire neighbourhoods. Over 34,000 people were forced to leave their homes. The toll was highest in Benguela, on the Atlantic coast, where 23 people lost their lives. It is to them, in particular, that the Pope’s thoughts turn, right at the start of his address.
Leone states that the Angolan people “possess treasures that cannot be sold or stolen”. While pleased that there are still those who resist what he calls “the deception of wealth”, the Pontiff’s words nevertheless warn of the risk that joy and hope – virtues he describes as “political” – may be undermined and tainted by genuine distortions.
TOWARDS A UNITED STATES OF EUROPE
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17 April 2026
The closing meeting, entitled “Towards a United States of Europe”, took place at the headquarters of the “United States of the World” and was coordinated by Senator Giuseppe Lumia, a founding member of the organisation.
There were many participants from federalist and voluntary movements, including Pier Virgilio Dastoli, Emanuele Alecci and Mimmo De Simone.
Speakers included Patrizia Giunti, President of the La Pira Foundation.
Secretary-General Capasso outlined the history of the United States of the World, which since 1990 has advocated the establishment of the “United States of Europe” as an inescapable necessity.
THE POPE IN CAMEROON MAKES AN APPEAL: “THERE IS A HUNGER FOR PEACE”
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15 April 2026
A delegation from the “United States of the World” and the “Mediterranean Foundation” is taking part in the main events in Cameroon to mark the visit of Pope Leo XIV. The Pope meets over one hundred thousand people representing the people of Cameroon and of that “plundered” Africa, as he himself described it, repeating Christ’s question to his disciples in the passage on the multiplication of the loaves and fishes: This is the Gospel proclaimed at Mass in Douala, the economic capital with four million inhabitants, overlooking the ocean, an hour’s flight from Yaoundé, which the Pontiff is visiting on his apostolic journey through four nations of the continent. By car, Leo XIV travels along the main road that cuts through the shanty towns that plague Africa. He passes between the wooden shacks and the families living on the barren land. Then he arrives at the “Japoma Stadium” in the “Africa Cup of Nations” sports complex, where he celebrates the Eucharist. The heat is scorching. And in the popemobile, he makes his way through the crowd amidst singing and dancing. During the liturgy, Leo XIV quotes the question from Scripture which, he says, today “is addressed to those who bear the social and political responsibility of looking after the people and their welfare”. And they have the duty to respond to the “hunger of the people” that humiliates a large part of humanity, he denounces. “A hunger for peace, for freedom, for justice,” he is keen to emphasise. And a hunger for “food” that is “rationed in times of emergency”, “stolen in times of strife”, “wasted by those who gorge themselves whilst others have nothing to eat”. The alternative to greed is the “miracle” of “sharing”, as the Pope calls it in his homily delivered in both French and English. And he warns: “There is bread for everyone if it is given to everyone. There is bread for everyone if it is taken not with a hand that grasps, but with a hand that gives”.
Of course, explains Leo XIV, ‘the food that nourishes the body must be combined with equal charity with the nourishment of the soul’. Because ‘many experience poverty, both material and spiritual’, he says, addressing young people. And he reserves a special word of encouragement for them: “Do not give in to mistrust and discouragement; reject all forms of abuse and violence, which deceive by promising easy gains but harden the heart and make it insensitive. Be protagonists of the future, following the vocation that God gives to each of you, without allowing yourselves to be bought by temptations that squander your energies and do not serve the progress of society’. He points to Floribert Bwana Chui as an example for them, the young Congolese man of Sant’Egidio who was martyred for opposing corruption and was the first person to be beatified during the pontificate of Leo XIV.
THE UNITED STATES OF THE WORLD AND THE FONDAZIONE MEDITERRANEO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH POPE LEO XIV
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13 April 2026
The Council of Ambassadors of the United States of the World and the Executive Board of the Fondazione Mediterraneo have expressed their full solidarity with Pope Leo XIV, condemning President Donald Trump’s attack as unacceptable and wholly inappropriate for a representative of the Catholic faith.
POPE LEO XIV IN ALGERIA TO BUILD BRIDGES AND FOSTER DIALOGUE
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13 April 2026
A delegation from the “United States of the World” and the “Mediterranean Foundation” took part in the various events during Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Algeria, in the capital Algiers and in Annaba, the city of St Augustine.
“A blessed visit” - with these words, the Pontiff thanked the Algerian authorities and the “small but significant” local Church, reaffirming the relevance of St Augustine’s message to “seek unity among all peoples and mutual respect despite differences”, and recalled his visit to the Great Mosque of Algiers: “Despite different beliefs and different ways of praying, we can live together in peace.”
The Holy Father recalled the “special visits” he made on 13 and 14 April to the Basilica of Notre-Dame d’Afrique in Algiers and to the Basilica of Saint Augustine in Annaba, on the hill overlooking the modern city and the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Hippo. According to the Pontiff, all this has “great symbolic value”, because Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo for more than thirty years, “is a figure from the past who speaks to us of tradition, who speaks to us of the life of the Church in the early centuries of its development”, yet, at the same time, remains an “extremely important figure even today”.
Secretary-General Capasso states: “St Augustine’s writings, teaching, spirituality, and call to seek God and the truth are the message we so desperately need in today’s world; a message that is highly relevant not only to all of us believers but also to every person.”
For a Pope who immediately declared himself a “son of Saint Augustine”, it was therefore “a special grace” to be able to return to Annaba and “offer to the Church and to the world” the vision of the great Father of the Church: “That of the search for God and the effort to build community, to seek unity among all peoples and mutual respect despite differences”.
THE “GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA” OUTSIDE THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE “UNITED STATES OF THE WORLD”
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11 April 2026
The Global Sumud Flotilla, an international mission to deliver aid to Gaza, stopped off in Naples with around 18–20 vessels moored at Mergellina, outside the headquarters of the “United States of the World” and the “Mediterranean Foundation”.
The activists, part of the “Freedom Flotilla Coalition”, stopped in the Campania capital before continuing on to Calabria and the eastern Mediterranean to challenge the naval blockade.
Coming from Marseille, the “Thousand Madeleines to Gaza” mission aims to deliver humanitarian aid, with crews comprising activists, doctors and nurses, supported by a local “land fleet”.
The fleet’s presence sparked rallies and demonstrations of support in the centre of Naples, with hundreds of people gathering in Piazza del Plebiscito and Piazza Sannazaro.
“The stopover was one of the main Italian ports of call before the Mediterranean crossing, confirming Naples as a central hub for humanitarian and protest initiatives in support of Gaza,” said Secretary-General Michele Capasso, on a solidarity visit to the fleet members, to whom he described the aid initiatives launched since 2023 by the United States of the World for the people of Gaza.
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