Vatican City
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Faith is lived with joyous gratitude, not slavelike duty, pope says
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published July 5, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—God always loves and generously gives first before asking for fidelity to his commandments—which are the words of a loving father showing people the right way to live, Pope Francis said. “Christian life is above all the grateful response to a generous father,” not a forced, joyless compliance to a series of obligations, […] Full Story
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Pope: In baptism, Holy Spirit, not magic, protects people from evil
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published May 2, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The sacrament of baptism isn’t a good luck charm but a gift from God that enables Christians to overcome evil, Pope Francis said. Those who receive the sacrament are given the strength to overcome “the temptation to separate from God, from his will, from communion with him (and) fall into the snares of […] Full Story
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Holiness means being loving, not boring, pope says in new document
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 23, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—God calls all Christians to be saints—not plastic statues of saints, but real people who make time for prayer and who show loving care for others in the simplest gestures, Pope Francis said in his new document on holiness. “Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, […] Full Story
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Repentant sinners need merciful confessors, not inquisitors, pope says
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published April 19, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Priests must give hope to men and women seeking forgiveness, encouraging them in their struggles away from the slippery slope of sin, Pope Francis said. Being merciful in the confessional helps penitents return to God without fear, even if they repeatedly stumble or slip on a path that “is filled with stones and […] Full Story
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Pope: Christians may be sinners, but they can’t be corrupt
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published April 11, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Though they may go to church and say they are people of faith, the corrupt and “mafioso” have absolutely nothing Christian about them, Pope Francis said. “They call themselves Christian, but they carry death in their souls and bring death to others,” the pope said during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s […] Full Story
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Easter shows the power of love, which renews the world, pope says
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 5, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Easter makes it clear that in the life of Jesus, but also in the lives of modern men and women, “death, solitude and fear” do not have the last word, Pope Francis said before giving his Easter blessing. “The words heard by the women at the tomb are also addressed to us: ‘Why […] Full Story
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Pope: At Mass, God accepts humble gifts, gives abundantly in return
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published March 9, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—God asks so little of people and yet, he gives so much in return, Pope Francis said. “He asks for our goodwill in daily life, he asks us for an open heart, he asks us to be willing to be better,” the pope said at his weekly general audience at the Vatican Feb. […] Full Story
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People have right to receive God’s word, so preach it well, pope says
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published February 22, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Everyone who goes to Mass has the right to hear the word of God in all its fullness, which means it must be read well and explained well with “fervor,” Pope Francis said. People have the right to hear God’s word in a way that “knocks at the heart and changes hearts,” he […] Full Story
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Five years a pope: Francis’ focus has been on outreach
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published February 22, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope just a few days after telling the College of Cardinals that the Catholic Church faced a clear choice between being a church that “goes out” or a church focused on its internal affairs. After the cardinal from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was elected March 13, 2013, and […] Full Story
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Readings at Mass offer God’s ‘real-time’ help, pope says
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published February 8, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Listening to the Scripture readings at Mass is hearing God speak directly to his people, offering spiritual sustenance and needed guidance for life’s difficult journey, Pope Francis said. For that reason, the prescribed texts should never be skipped or substituted during the Mass, lectors should read clearly and people should always listen with […] Full Story
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For New Year, pope urges help for refugees, respect for life
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published January 12, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis began the New Year praying the world would demonstrate a marked increase in solidarity and welcome for migrants and refugees. “Let’s not extinguish the hope in their hearts; let’s not suffocate their hopes for peace,” the pope said Jan. 1 before reciting the Angelus with a crowd gathered in St. Peter’s […] Full Story
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Guadalupe feast shows Mary’s closeness to those on margins
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published December 21, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which mirrored the indigenous people of the time, is a sign of Mary’s closeness to the marginalized, Pope Francis said. Like St. Juan Diego, who felt of no importance at being chosen by Mary because of his indigenous heritage, marginalized people in today’s world are often […] Full Story
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Keep hearts open, ready to hold Christ this Christmas, pope says
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published December 21, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Countries with low birthrates suffer from that awful disease called “demographic winter,” Pope Francis said in a morning homily. They do not have children for fear of undermining their economic well-being or they try to justify it with other reasons, he said in his homily during morning Mass Dec. 19 at the Domus […] Full Story | En Español
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In Myanmar and Bangladesh, pope calls for dialogue and respect for all
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published December 7, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—As on every papal trip, Pope Francis’ visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh included a mix of meetings with government officials and events focused firmly on the nations’ Catholic communities. The political implications of his Nov. 27-30 stay in Myanmar and his Nov. 30-Dec. 2 stop in Bangladesh grabbed the headlines mainly because of […] Full Story
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‘Invest in love,’ pope says on first World Day of the Poor
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published November 30, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—People have a basic choice in the way they live: either striving to build up treasures on earth or giving to others in order to gain heaven, Pope Francis said. “What we invest in love remains, the rest vanishes,” the pope said in his homily Nov. 19, the first World Day of the […] Full Story | En Español
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Stop taking smartphone snapshots during Mass
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published November 28, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The Mass is not a show, but a beautiful, transformative encounter with the true loving presence of Christ, Pope Francis said. That is why people need to focus their hearts on God, not focus their smartphones for pictures during Mass, he said. When the priest celebrating Mass says, “Let us lift up our […] Full Story | En Español
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In the end, everyone faces God with ‘empty hands,’ pope says
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published November 3, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—God waits for everyone, even the worst sinner who repents only with his dying breath, Pope Francis said. “Before God, we present ourselves with empty hands,” he said, meaning that all the good works people have or haven’t done throughout their lives aren’t measured to determine entry into heaven. “A word of humble […] Full Story
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Church can’t be blind, deaf to people with special needs, pope says
By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Published November 2, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The Catholic Church must be welcoming and creative in finding ways to not let people’s physical, psychological or intellectual limitations keep them from encountering God, Pope Francis said. “The church cannot be ‘mute’ or ‘tone deaf’ when it comes to the defense and promotion of people with disabilities,” he told differently abled individuals, […] Full Story
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Pope tops 40 million followers on Twitter, 5 million on Instagram
By MATTHEW FOWLER, Catholic News Service
Published October 25, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis’ @Pontifex Twitter accounts reached more than 40 million followers just a few months before the fifth anniversary of when Pope Benedict XVI launched the initiative. The papal Twitter accounts, in nine different languages, have grown by over 9 million followers in the past 12 months, representing the interest and attention of […] Full Story | En Español
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Nothing is in vain, nothing is resistant to love, pope says
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published October 23, 2017VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Christians are never pessimistic, resigned or weak, thinking life is an unstoppable train careening out of control, Pope Francis said. Throughout history, every day is seen as a gift from God and “every morning is a blank page that Christians start writing on” with their good works and charity, he said Oct. 11 […] Full Story
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