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September 16, 2025 – General –
At the Vatican on September 15, 2025, Pope Leo XIV and Diane Foley, mother of slain American journalist James Foley, gathered with the faithful in a vigil of remembrance and healing. The event honored Foley’s life and work, while focusing on the power of forgiveness in the face of unimaginable loss. Foley, who was abducted in Syria in 2012 and brutally murdered by the Islamic State in 2014, has since become a symbol of both the dangers journalists face and the resilience of those who carry their memory forward.
Diane Foley spoke movingly about her journey to meet one of her son’s killers. She described the extraordinary difficulty of such an encounter, but also how it opened a path toward forgiveness. For her, forgiveness was not a denial of suffering, but rather a way to release herself from the weight of hatred. She explained that while justice is still vital, forgiveness offered a spiritual healing that anger never could. Her words highlighted how even the deepest grief can, over time, transform into a force for peace.
Pope Leo XIV praised Diane Foley’s courage, calling it an act of faith and humanity. He reminded those present that forgiveness does not erase the crime, but it breaks cycles of hatred and violence. In his remarks, he urged the world to see in her testimony a model for finding light in darkness. The pope said that in every act of forgiveness, there is a chance to reclaim dignity and restore humanity’s shared bonds.
The vigil, titled “For the Consolation of Those Who Suffer,” was not only about James Foley, but about all who have endured cruelty and loss. It was a gathering that turned grief into solidarity, where personal pain was met with collective prayer. Diane Foley closed her remarks by urging others to embrace the possibility of healing, even when justice seems distant.
The Vatican vigil underscored that remembrance is not only about holding on to tragedy, but also about finding ways to move beyond it. In choosing forgiveness, Diane Foley offered a universal message: even in the midst of devastating loss, reconciliation remains possible.
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