Mission is to preach peace, says Pope in response to Trump attacks

Mission is to preach peace, says Pope in response to Trump attacks7 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMadeline HalpertandRobert Greenall,BBC NewsReutersPope Leo has spoken out several times about the war in the Middle EastPope Leo has responded to attacks by US President Donald Trump, saying he hoped to be able to preach the Gospel and about peace, but anyone was free to criticise him.In his latest remarks about the pontiff, Trump suggested that he believed that it was okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.The Pope has said no such thing, but he has opposed the US and Israel's war on Iran. His stance has angered Trump, prompting the US president to lash out repeatedly.The latest exchange comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to the Vatican for a two-day visit. The State Department said Rubio would work to "advance bilateral relations" with Italy and the Vatican and discussion "the situation in the Middle East and mutual interests in the Western Hemisphere", including during meetings with other Italian counterparts. On Tuesday before Rubio's visit, Pope Leo said he would continue to call for peace despite criticisms. "The mission of the Church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace," he said, according to Reuters. "If someone wants to criticize me for preaching the Gospel ... I hope simply to be listened to because of the value of God's words."Most recently, this week, Trump told conservative radio talkshow host Hugh Hewitt that the Pope was "endangering a lot of Catholics and a lot of people" because he "thinks it's fine for Iran to have a nuclear weapon". The Pope has not said he supports Iran having a nuclear weapon. But Brian Burch, the US ambassador to the Holy See, told reporters this week that despite the recent tensions there was no "deep rift" between the US and the Vatican. "Nations have disagreements, and I think one of the ways that you...