Pope expresses deep concern about ongoing conflict in Middle East and deplores practice of surrogacy Pope Francis has expressed his deep concern about the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine and deplored the practice of “so-called surrogate motherhood” in his annual ‘State of the World’ address to members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See. The pope opened his address by condemning the October 7 attacks on the Israeli people and renewed his condemnation of “this act and every instance of terrorism and extremism.” The pope also expressed deep sorrow at the death of tens of thousands of...