By Pemphero Malimba:
The Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB) has rallied behind Pope Leo XIV in the ongoing dispute with United States (US) President Donald Trump.
MCCB took the position in a press statement dated April 18, 2026 issued by president Martin Anwel Mtumbuka.
Mtumbuka said the conference stands in solidarity with the Pope as he “has shown a courageous voice for peace, justice and the dignity of all people”.
“At a time when division is often promoted, we find inspiration in the Holy Father’s unwavering commitment to the Gospel and his refusal to be silenced by political intimidation,” he said.
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He said the Pope’s calls for peace, dialogue and the protection of the vulnerable are a vital moral compass for the world.
“We firmly stand with him as he continues to witness to the Gospel message that blessed are the peacemakers and we thank him for his courageous leadership as the successor of St Peter,” he said.
He said the church in the country has joined the Pope in prayers for world peace.
On April 12, 2026, Trump accused the Pope of failing to speak against nuclear weapons.
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“We don’t like a Pope who is going to say that it is OK to have nuclear weapons. We don’t want a Pope who says crime is in our cities. I am not a big fan of Pope Leo,” he said while briefing reporters in the United States.
He described the Pope as a man who does not believe in stopping crime.
In response on April 13, 2026, the Pope said he was not afraid to speak against Trump on issues relating to the Iran–US and Israel war.
“I have no fear of the Trump administration or of speaking loudly about the message of the Gospel and that is what I believe I am called to do.
“We are not politicians; we are not looking to make foreign policy as he calls it from the same perspective that he might understand it,” he said.
The Iran–US and Israel war began on February 28 this year when the US and Israel struck Iran.
This led to Iranian attacks on Israel, US bases and Gulf states, while opening a new front in Lebanon, according to Reuters.
