Violence was a prominent theme this week. At the Vatican, Pope Francis called for prayers about the conflict in Syria. He urged Syrian leaders to “silence the weapons” and “put an end to the violence.” He made the remarks while condemning the assassination of Frans van der Lugt, a 75-year-old Dutch Jesuit priest in Syria who was killed this week by unidentified gunmen in the city of Homs. After war broke out in 2011, Van der Lugt stayed behind to help homeless Muslims and Christians. He had worked in Syria for nearly 50 years.