Pope Francis has officially recognized the second miracle of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, clearing the way for her canonization, which will reportedly take place on September 4, 2016, as a major event of the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
One year ago today, President Barack Obama announced a radical change in U.S. policy towards the rogue communist government of Cuba, insisting that funneling new money to the Castro regime would empower “democracy and human rights” n the island. Today, the failure of President Obama’s diplomacy is abundantly clear, as Cuba’s political detention rates skyrocket and thousands more risk their lives to reach the United States before the Castros are emboldened even more.
A group of prominent Orthodox rabbis in Israel, the United States and Europe have issued a historic public statement affirming that Christianity is “the willed divine outcome and gift to the nations” and urging Jews and Christians to “work together as partners to address the moral challenges of our era.”
In his Wednesday audience, Pope Francis departed from his written text to caution pilgrims against crooks who would charge money to pass through the Holy Door at Saint Peter’s Basilica, reminding them that God’s blessings come free of charge. “Be
Contents: Russian Duma goes after Protestant churches as ‘sects and cults’; Central African Republic elections may worsen Muslim-Christian violence
The Vatican has announced the program for Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to Mexico, which will include a visit to the U.S.-Mexican border with the celebration of a “cross-border” Mass.
After officially kicking off the Jubilee Year Tuesday, Pope Francis addressed crowds on Wednesday, telling them that the purpose of a Holy Year is to “live mercy” and that what God likes best is “forgiving his children.”
Amidst unprecedented security measures, tens of thousands of pilgrims flocked to Saint Peter’s Square in Vatican City early Tuesday for Pope Francis’ inauguration of the Jubilee Year of Mercy and the opening of the Holy Door. The crowds started arriving
Italian counterterrorism forces are taking no chances of an incident for the opening of the holy door of Saint Peter’s Basilica on December 8 and have prohibited the transport of fuel and natural gas in the city, as well as ammunition, weapons, and toxic gases.
Virtually every newspaper in Italy had the California shooting splashed across its front page Thursday, often in tandem with pieces on the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), as Italians grapple with the possibilities of violent Islamist assault on their own territory.
Italian Police have arrested four suspected Islamist terrorists Tuesday who were reportedly planning an attack on Pope Francis.
In his most apocalyptic language to date, Pope Francis told reporters aboard the papal plane returning from Africa that the COP21 climate change conference in Paris is the last chance for humanity to avert environmental destruction. The pope discussed global
On the final day of his apostolic trip to Africa, Pope Francis visited the Central Mosque of Bangui Monday morning and told the Muslim community that Christians and Muslims must consider one another brothers and behave as such. “Christians and Muslims
Just when you thought Pope Francis had no more surprises up his sleeve, he has released his first prog-rock album titled “Wake Up!”
After last year’s infamous dustup when German Cardinal Walter Kasper dissed the African bishops present in the Vatican synod, the Germans have once again gone after the Church in Africa as poor, ignorant, and socially backward.
On arriving in Uganda, the second visit of his three-nation tour through Africa, Pope Francis praised the generosity of the Ugandan people in welcoming refugees.
Contents: Pope Francis to visit Central African Republic in middle of civil war; Pope Francis blames starvation and poverty on a new form of colonialism; Baby kissed by Pope Francis recovers from deadly brain tumor
In the last day of his visit to Kenya, Pope Francis visited a poor neighbourhood and spoke to young people in a sports stadium, hammering home his message of outreach to the poor and downtrodden and the need for economic
In an address before the United Nations Office in Nairobi Thursday, Pope Francis reiterated his environmental message, declaring that it would be “sad, and I dare say even catastrophic,” were particular interests to prevail over the common good at the
Pope Francis lashed out at wealthy minorities who hoard resources at the expense of the poor as he visited a crowded Nairobi slum on Friday, wrapping up the first-leg of a three nation tour. The 78-year-old pontiff was given a
On the second day of his historic trip to Africa, Pope Francis denounced the recruitment of young people for violence and terrorism by radical Islamists.
Pope Francis said on Thursday in Kenya, a country that has seen a spate of attacks by Islamist militants, that dialogue between religions in Africa was essential to teach young people that violence in God’s name was unjustified. Bridging divisions
In a strongly worded homily, Pope Francis is calling Christmas a “sham” in the face of recent terrorist attacks and wars.
After initial investigations into the theft and dissemination of confidential documents of the Holy See, resulting in the arrests of Msgr. Lucio Vallejo Balda and Francesca Immaculate Chaouqui, a Vatican magistrate has indicted them and three others.
Pulling no punches, Pope Francis laid out statistic after statistic before a group of German bishops, and wondered aloud why the Church in Germany is in freefall.
For the second time in just three days, the U.S. Embassy to Italy has alerted American citizens to a serious security threat, this time regarding an “armed individual” at large on the streets of Rome.
From the outset of his pontificate, Pope Francis has predicted that he would have a short reign, and now a leading Vatican watcher has profiled a series of likely candidates to take his place when the time comes.
Liberal Catholic media are trying to push the U.S. bishops to amend their election guidelines to focus more on care for the poor and immigration than issues such as same-sex marriage, abortion and religious liberty.
Pope Francis continued his meditations on the end of the world, preaching Tuesday morning on “how to behave in the face of persecution” and urging his hearers to defend their Christian identity at all costs.
Two days after the horrendous jihadist attacks in Paris, Pope Francis preached about the “end times,” encouraging his hearers to be vigilant and ready at any moment to meet God face to face. In his Angelus message Sunday, the Pope invited
In a rare recognition of the abuses of radical environmentalism, Pope Francis condemned the immanentism of a form of ecology that refuses to look beyond creation to discover the glory of its Creator.
In a video message to the participants in a meeting of alumni of Jesuit Institutions, Pope Francis asked his listeners whether they still had “Jesuit virus” or if they no longer bore the distinctive characteristics of a Jesuit education.
Where there is no family meal together, there is no family, Pope Francis told the thousands gathered in Saint Peter’s Square Wednesday, urging his hearers to put away their cell phones and protect family dinners as a precious way to bind the family together.
Zaqueo Báez, the Cuban dissident arrested for approaching Pope Francis during his visit to the island and shouting the word “freedom,” was just freed from prison and is awaiting trial in the communist dictatorship for “public disorder” and “disrespect.”
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is set to make official visits to France, Italy, and the Vatican next week. In doing so, he will be the first Iranian president to make state visits through Europe in a decade, according to reports.
While celebrating the ordination of a new bishop, Pope Francis encouraged priests to use simple words in their preaching and to shorten their sermons at Sunday Mass. “Preach the Word in season and out of season,” Francis said, but use “simple words that everyone can understand” and avoid “long sermons.”
For the first time, “Catholic leaders representing all regional and national bishops conferences” have come together in a “joint appeal.” According to reporting in the New York Times, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, archbishop of Mumbai, India, called the October 26 meeting at the Vatican a “historic occasion.” What brought all these Catholic leaders together for the first time? Not the refugee crisis in Europe. Not the plight of Christians in the Middle East. Not a prayer meeting or a Bible study. It was climate change.
In his Sunday midday Angelus message, Pope Francis came down hard on those involved in leaking confidential Vatican documents to the press, saying that many people had been upset by the news.
The Pope’s health is always a question—especially when dealing with a 78-year-old pontiff with a history of serious health issues—and tripping on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica Saturday has added more grist to the rumor mill.
Pope Francis said that in our times, the shedding of blood for Christ has become a “shared experience” of Catholics, Orthodox, Anglicans, Protestants, Evangelicals, and Pentecostals, which is “deeper and stronger” than the differences that still separate Christians.
