Vatican City
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Pope condemns ‘blind violence,’ offers prayers after Brussels attacks
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published March 22, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis, condemning the “blind violence” of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, offered his prayers to the victims, the injured, their families and all those offering assistance in the aftermath of the bombings. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, sent the pope’s condolences March 22 to Archbishop Jozef De Kesel of Mechelen-Brussels. […]
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Give fragments of life, not doctrine, says preacher of Curia retreat
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published March 18, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Jesus’ call to be the salt of the earth is a reminder to his disciples to preach hope and life and not be wrapped up in dogmatic conundrums, a Servite priest told the pope and Vatican officials. “We are salt that has lost its flavor if we are not resolute men, if we […] Full Story
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Mother Teresa to be canonized Sept. 4
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published March 17, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis will declare Blessed Teresa of Kolkata a saint at the Vatican Sept. 4. The date was announced March 15 during an “ordinary public consistory,” a meeting of the pope, cardinals and promoters of sainthood causes that formally ends the sainthood process. At the same consistory, the pope set June 5 as […] Full Story
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Pope: Giving to the poor is essential during jubilee year
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published February 19, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—A jubilee year that does not open people’s wallets to share what they have with others is not a true jubilee, Pope Francis said. “This pope isn’t inventing that,” he insisted. “It’s in the Bible.” At his weekly general audience Feb. 10 in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis spoke about the description of […]
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Pope: Live your faith during Lent, perform works of mercy
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published February 5, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Lent is a time of conversion and a time to deepen one’s faith, demonstrating and sharing it through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, Pope Francis said. “Faith finds expression in concrete everyday actions meant to help our neighbors in body and spirit,” the pope said in his message for Lent, which […]
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Don’t be afraid to show concern, fight poverty, pope tells global leaders
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published February 5, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Don’t be afraid of acting fairly and compassionately toward the poor, Pope Francis said in a written message to global business leaders attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. And do not let the sweeping innovations in robotics, science and technology “lead to the destruction of the human person—to be replaced by […]
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In new series on mercy, pope says God’s love ‘takes the first step’
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published January 21, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—God’s mercy is constant and limitless; he is faithful in his mercy for his children, even when they are unfaithful, Pope Francis said. The greatness and power of God unfolds in his “love for us, who are so small, so incapable,” he said at his weekly general audience Jan. 13. In his first […] Full Story
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Church’s credibility found in showing mercy, pope says in new book
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published January 21, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Being ministers of God’s mercy, church members overcome “prejudice and rigidity,” taking risks like Jesus did in order to heal and to save, Pope Francis said. In Jesus’ day, lepers were cast out of the community “to avoid contamination: the healthy needed to be protected,” but Jesus, at his own risk, “goes up […]
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Video messages of pope’s prayer intentions hit social media
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published January 8, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis will deliver his monthly prayer intentions on video over social media as part of a Jesuit-run global prayer network. The new video messages, featuring the pope asking for prayers and action on various challenges facing the world today, begin Jan. 6, the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. Often people […] Full Story
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God’s mercy knows ‘no limits,’ frees people from despair, pope says
By CAROL GLATZ and JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published January 7, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—God’s ability to forgive “knows no limits” as his mercy frees people from bitterness and despair, Pope Francis said. “The church’s forgiveness must be every bit as broad as that offered by Jesus on the cross and by Mary at his feet. There is no other way,” he said after opening the Holy […]
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Singing is good for the soul, pope tells young choristers
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published January 7, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Singing is good for one’s soul and, as St. Augustine says, Christian life is not a sad path but a joyous one that is done “singing and walking,” Pope Francis said. “Remember this: Sing and walk,” the pope said Dec. 31 to 6,000 young choristers, their families, friends and choirmasters from 18 countries. […]
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New Vatican document reflects on Catholic-Jewish relations
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published January 1, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Catholics are called to witness to their faith in Jesus before all people, including Jews, but the Catholic Church “neither conducts nor supports” any institutional missionary initiative directed toward Jews, says a new document from a Vatican commission. How God will save the Jews if they do not explicitly believe in Christ is […]
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Jubilee spree: Year of Mercy beefs up pope’s already busy year
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published January 1, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—When Pope Francis established the Year of Mercy, a full slate of Jubilee events were slotted into his already packed calendar for 2016. A typical “business as usual” year for a pope is already full with meetings, liturgies and foreign trips. But then add the extraordinary Jubilee Year, which will run until Nov. […]
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Pope recognizes miracle needed to declare Mother Teresa a saint
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published January 1, 2016VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis has approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Teresa of Kolkata, thus paving the way for her canonization. Pope Francis signed the decree for Blessed Teresa’s cause and advanced three other sainthood causes Dec. 17, the Vatican announced. Although the date for the canonization ceremony will be officially announced […]
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Pope: Be a missionary by first being example of love, humanity
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published December 10, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Missionary spirit is manifested by preaching love, humanity and faith through one’s witness and not through proselytism, Pope Francis said. Faith in Jesus Christ is shared first through “witness then with words,” the pope said Dec. 2 at his weekly general audience. The pope dedicated his audience to reflecting on his trip to […]
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Pope wants Year of Mercy to tenderly transform the world
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published December 10, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—When Pope Francis planned the Year of Mercy and the opening of the Holy Door, he did not mean to give the starting signal for a frenzied wave of pilgrims to Rome. More than call to sign up for an Eternal City package tour, the pope is inviting people to strike out on […]
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Pray for peace, weep for world at war, Pope Francis implores
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published November 26, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—“Jesus wept.” Pope Francis opened his morning homily with those words as he spoke about the wars and violence engulfing numerous parts of the world. The Gospel reading for Nov. 19 began, “As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If this day you only knew what […]
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Pope says Year of Mercy will be time to heal, to help, to forgive
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published November 26, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Mercy is what makes God perfect and all-powerful, Pope Francis said in his document officially proclaiming the 2015-2016 extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy. “If God limited himself to only justice, he would cease to be God, and would instead be like human beings who ask merely that the law be respected,” the pope […]
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Mysterious path of Beatitudes leads to happiness, pope says
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published November 12, 2015ROME (CNS)—While the Beatitudes can seem counterintuitive, Jesus knew that the poor in spirit, those who mourn or are persecuted and those who work for peace and justice are those who are open to experiencing God’s love and mercy, Pope Francis said. Celebrating an evening Mass Nov. 1, All Saints Day, amid the tombs of […] Full Story
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Pope: World expects believers to work together for peace
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published November 12, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The world expects all people of religious faith to work with everyone for a better future, Pope Francis told representatives of major religions. “We can walk together taking care of each other and of creation” in joint projects that fight poverty, war and corruption and help people live in dignity, he told them […]
