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Vatican City

Pope leads prayers for peace in ‘tormented’ Syria

VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Leading thousands of pilgrims in prayer, Pope Francis lit a candle in remembrance of the people of Syria, especially innocent children tormented by the country’s eight-year conflict. “May this flame of hope and many flames of hope dispel the darkness of war,” he said Dec. 2 after praying the Angelus prayer. The lighting […] Full Story

• Stay close to the suffering, forgive one another, pope tells Latvians

  

  By Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service
  Published October 4, 2018

  AGLONA, Latvia (CNS)—What would Mary do? was the question Pope Francis, in effect, asked Latvian Catholics gathered at their nation’s popular Marian shrine. Celebrating Mass Sept. 24 at the Basilica of the Assumption, a shrine holding a beloved icon of the Mother of God in Aglona, 60 miles from the Russian border, Pope Francis insisted […] Full Story

• Silence is Christ’s response to lies, divisiveness, pope says at Mass

  

  By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
  Published September 6, 2018

  VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Jesus himself showed that the best way to respond to scandal and divisiveness is to stay silent and pray, Pope Francis said Sept. 3 as he resumed his early morning Masses with invited guests. “With people lacking goodwill, with people who seek only scandal, with those who look only for division, who want […] Full Story

• Vocations in Ireland have dwindled due to abuse scandal, pope says

  

  By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
  Published September 6, 2018

  VATICAN CITY (CNS)—While the faith of Catholics in Ireland is strong, the scandal of abuse and cover-up by church leaders has caused a decline in vocations to the priesthood and religious life, Pope Francis said. During his weekly general audience Aug. 29, the pope led pilgrims in praying a “Hail Mary” to Our Lady of […] Full Story