Vatican City
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Sept. 1 is World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published August 20, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Like their Orthodox brothers and sisters, Catholics formally will mark Sept. 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Pope Francis has decided. The day of prayer, the pope said, will give individuals and communities an opportunity to implore God’s help in protecting creation and an opportunity to ask […]
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World’s mayors head to Vatican, vow to tackle climate change, poverty
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published August 7, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—After decades of world leaders trying to set global goals to address climate change and extreme poverty, city mayors gathered at the Vatican to pledge they will take real action and lead the fight on their streets. Pope Francis told the mayors that they were important because they were at the “grass roots” […] Full Story
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Pope’s visits to Cuba, U.S. to highlight families, charity, tolerance
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published July 23, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—In word and deed, Pope Francis will take his vision of a Catholic’s approach to family life, parish life, charity, economics, immigration and good governance to Cuba and the United States during a Sept. 19-27 visit. Visiting both Cuba and the United States on the same trip not only acknowledges his role in […] Full Story
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Pope tells parents to be mindful of their children’s suffering
By LAURA IERACI, Catholic News Service
Published July 9, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The deep hurts that spouses inflict on each other cause great suffering to their children and, in some cases, lead to a separation that is “morally necessary” to protect spouses and children from more serious forms of violence, Pope Francis said during his general audience in St. Peter’s Square June 24. Continuing a […] Full Story
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What to do? The pope’s practical tips for helping the environment
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published June 25, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home” is a call for global action as well as an appeal for deep inner conversion. He points to numerous ways world organizations, nations and communities must move forward and the way individuals—believers and people of good will—should see, think, feel and act. […]
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All creation sings God’s praise, but people are silencing it, pope says
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published June 25, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The earth, which was created to support life and give praise to God, is crying out with pain because human activity is destroying it, Pope Francis says in his long-awaited encyclical, “Laudato Si’, on Care for Our Common Home.” All who believe in God and all people of good will have an obligation […]
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Pope: Christian hope, love are answer to ‘darkness of death’
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published June 25, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Christian hope and faith in the afterlife mean the sting of losing a loved one does not have to leave behind a poisonous venom in our lives, Pope Francis said. “Our loved ones have not disappeared into dark nothingness: Hope assures us that that they are in God’s good and strong hands. Love […]
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Former nuncio will face Vatican trial on charges of abuse, child porn
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published June 15, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—A former Vatican nuncio will stand trial in a Vatican court on charges of the sexual abuse of minors and possession of child pornography. Jozef Wesolowski, the laicized former nuncio to the Dominican Republic, is accused of “a number of offenses” committed between 2008 and the date of his arrest in September 2014. […]
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Pope OKs plan to investigate, judge bishops who fail to act on abuse
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published June 12, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)–Pope Francis has approved new procedures for the Vatican to investigate and judge claims of “abuse of office” by bishops who allegedly failed to protect minors and vulnerable adults from sex abuse. The procedures will include a new “judicial section” within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that has a papal […] Full Story
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Mother and son: Pope Francis shares personal, intimate devotion to Mary
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published May 28, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—From Easter to Pentecost—and especially during the Marian month of May—Catholics recite the “Regina Coeli” prayer “with the emotion of children who are happy because their mother is happy” that Jesus has risen from the dead, Pope Francis said. Although his devotion to the Mother of God is profound, it is simple in […]
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Pope: God will judge people on care for poor, the planet
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published May 28, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The powerful of the earth will face God’s judgment and will be asked to account for how they cared for the poor and how they cared for the environment so that it could produce food for all, Pope Francis said. “The planet has enough food for all, but it seems that there is […] Full Story
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Papal push: Caritas leader sees ‘Francis effect’ at work on the ground
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published May 14, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Catholic charities around the world have no doubt about the reality of a “Francis effect” on their work. Because of the ongoing global economic crisis, most of the 164 national Catholic charities that form the Caritas Internationalis confederation report no significant increase in donations. However, the secretary-general of the Vatican-based network says Pope […] Full Story
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Pope: Newlyweds ‘courageous’; marriage is ‘great act of faith’
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published May 14, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—A Christian marriage isn’t just a big ceremony held in a church with nice flowers and everyone wearing fancy clothes and taking lots of pictures, Pope Francis said. Marriage is an act of faith between a man and woman who are both fragile and limited, but courageous enough to follow Christ and seek […]
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No boring homilies, pope tells 19 new priests at ordination
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published May 1, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Ordaining 19 men to the priesthood, Pope Francis not only told them to make sure their homilies were not boring, but he offered them advice on how to ensure their preaching would touch people: Speak from your heart. Priests are called to nourish the faithful, he said, so they must ensure “that your […] Full Story
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Pope prays for quake victims, sends donation, urges solidarity
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published April 30, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis offered his prayers to all of those affected by a deadly earthquake in Nepal, encouraged rescue and emergency workers in their efforts and sent an initial donation of $100,000. More than 5,000 people were known to have been killed, as of April 28, and more than 1 million people were left […] Full Story
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Pope: Children are never a mistake, adults must sacrifice for them
By LAURA IERACI, Catholic News Service
Published April 16, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Children are never a “mistake” and no sacrifice is too great for an adult to make so that children can feel their worth, Pope Francis said. During his weekly general audience in a chilly, but sunny St. Peter’s Square April 8, the pope continued his series of talks about the family, dedicating a […] Full Story
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Term ‘genocide’ angers Turkey, while pope says memory leads to healing
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published April 16, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide, Pope Francis said atrocities from the past have to be recognized—not hidden or denied—for true reconciliation and healing to come to the world. However, Turkey’s top government officials criticized the pope’s use of the term “genocide”—citing a 2001 joint statement by St. John Paul II […]
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Pope warns religious against ‘crisis of quality’ in consecrated life
By LAURA IERACI, Catholic News Service
Published April 16, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Despite fewer vocations to consecrated life, those responsible for formation in religious institutes must know how to say no to unsuitable candidates, so as to avoid a “graver crisis of quality” down the road, said Pope Francis. During an audience with about 1,300 novice directors and other formation ministers at the Vatican April […] Full Story
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Humility is key to understanding Easter, sharing its joy, pope says
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 10, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—To enter Christ’s empty tomb like the disciples and see that he has risen, Christians today also must “bend down,” Pope Francis said in his Easter message. “Love has triumphed over hatred. Life has conquered death. Light has dispelled the darkness,” he told tens of thousands of rain-drenched pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square […]
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Pope joins homeless people for private tour of Sistine Chapel
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published April 2, 2015VATICAN CITY (CNS)—While enjoying a private visit to the Sistine Chapel, a group of VIP guests—homeless people who live around the Vatican—were surprised by a visit from Pope Francis. The 150 visitors had just reached the Sistine Chapel at about 5 p.m. March 26, when Pope Francis walked through the door. “Welcome,” the pope said. […] Full Story
