Vatican City
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Vatican note on blessings opens door to those seeking God, official says
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published December 31, 2023The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declaration on informally blessing same-sex couples or other non-married couples is a reminder that the Catholic Church and its pastors never close the door on people seeking God’s help, said a Vatican media commentary.
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At Christmas, God shows love through ‘littleness,’ not power, pope says
By JUSTIN McLELLAN, Catholic News Service
Published December 24, 2023“Tonight, our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once more rejected by the futile logic of war, by the clash of arms that even today prevents him from finding room in the world,” said Pope Francis Dec. 24 in his homily for Christmas Mass.
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At Christmas, God remains with us through war and poverty, pope says
By JUSTIN McLELLAN, Catholic News Service
Published December 15, 2023The Christmas season is a reminder to Christians that despite hardships, God chose to join himself to humanity and still remains by its side, Pope Francis said.
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Council to ask pope to authorize studies on key synod topics
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published December 14, 2023The council of the Synod of Bishops will ask Pope Francis to authorize studies on the need to update canon law, revise the rules for priestly formation, deepen a theological reflection on the diaconate and other topics.
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Pope prays for ‘just peace’ in Middle East and Ukraine
By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Published November 8, 2023As the wars, violence and deaths continue in Ukraine and in the Holy Land, Pope Francis again urged people to pray for peace. “Let us think about and pray for populations suffering from war,” he said Nov. 8 at the end of his weekly general audience.
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All Souls’ Day: Pope Francis remembers lives lost to war
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published November 2, 2023On the feast of All Souls, Pope Francis celebrated Mass at the Rome War Cemetery, saying that remembrance is part of hope.
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Synod synthesis shows agreement, divergences, including on ‘synodality’
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published November 2, 2023A report summarizing discussions at the assembly of the Synod of Bishops said the church may need more welcoming pastoral approaches, especially to people who feel excluded, but also acknowledged fears of betraying traditional church teachings and practices.
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‘Laudate Deum’: Planet mirrors a deeply flawed view of human life and activity
By GINA CHRISTIAN, OSV News
Published October 4, 2023Pope Francis warns the clock is ticking on the dangers of climate change–and both a paradigm shift and practical action are critically needed to avert looming disasters in nature and human society. The pope released his new apostolic exhortation “Laudate Deum” (“Praise God”) Oct. 4.
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U.S. delegates say prayer is key to synod
By MARIA WIERING, OSV News
Published October 4, 2023Bishop Kevin Rhoades is one of 14 U.S. bishops participating in the synod’s Oct. 4-29 general assembly meeting. Ten other voting nonbishop delegates appointed by Pope Francis also are attending from the United States and Canada, including four American laypeople.
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God has the same love for all, pope says at Angelus
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published September 25, 2023People often are tempted to think their relationship with God is some kind of commercial transaction where they buy God’s grace with their hard work, Pope Francis said at his Sunday Angelus.
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In letter to bishops, Vatican asks all faithful to pray for the synod
By JUSTIN MCLELLAN, Catholic News Service
Published September 22, 2023The Vatican is asking all baptized people, regardless of whether they will be in Rome, to participate in October’s assembly of the Synod of Bishops with their prayers.
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Guadalupe shows how faith is shared simply, with respect, pope says
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published August 23, 2023“As Mary shows, the Gospel is communicated in simplicity,” Pope Francis said at his Aug. 23 general audience. “Our Lady always chooses those who are simple.”
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Jesus does not abandon individuals or the church, pope says at Angelus
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published August 14, 2023Having faith does not mean there will be no difficulties in life, either for individuals or for the church as a whole, Pope Francis said, but it does mean knowing that Jesus is there to give courage.
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Pope to young people: To tackle life’s ups and downs, look to the elderly
By JUSTIN MCLELLAN, Catholic News Service
Published July 26, 2023The Gospel calls Christians to bring the elderly to the center of their lives and away from the margins of families, politics and financial markets that banish them as “unprofitable waste” in society, Pope Francis said.
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Pope names 21 cardinals, including U.S.-born Archbishop Prevost, and apostolic nuncio
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published July 9, 2023Pope Francis named 21 new cardinals, including U.S.-born Archbishop Robert F. Prevost, who took the helm at the Dicastery for Bishops in April, and French Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States. The pope announced the names after his recitation of the Angelus.
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Be modern prophets by guiding others to the Holy Spirit, pope asks
By JUSTIN MCLELLAN, Catholic News Service
Published July 3, 2023Christians are called to be modern-day prophets who guide others to see the Holy Spirit at work in everyday life and not to be superstitious people, Pope Francis said July 2 at the Angelus.
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Pope returns to Vatican, ‘is better than before,’ chief surgeon says
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published June 16, 2023Pope Francis has returned to the Vatican after a nine-day hospital stay and intends to go ahead with his planned trips abroad in August and September, according to his chief surgeon.
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Pope thanks well-wishers for prayers; Vatican says recovery going smoothly
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published June 9, 2023Pope Francis thanked people for prayers and messages of affection following his hernia surgery, said Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, in a statement the evening of June 9. Pope Francis spent the afternoon working and set aside time for prayer, and in the evening, he received the Eucharist.
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Pope to undergo surgery for hernia, expected to remain in hospital
By JUSTIN McCLELLAN, Catholic News Service
Published June 7, 2023Pope Francis was scheduled to undergo surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital June 7 to treat a hernia that had developed at an incision of a previous operation, the Vatican said.
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Those with political power must be ‘servants’ to citizens, pope says
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published May 30, 2023The greatest way of life is serving others, and those in political power must see themselves as servants, too, Pope Francis said during a May 29 ceremony.