Vatican City
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‘Everything changes’ with Christ’s birth, pope says
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published December 22, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The Annunciation—the Angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she will bear God’s son—was such a tremendous, history-changing event that preaching about it is extremely difficult, Pope Francis said. So, when the Gospel reading for daily Mass Dec. 20 was St. Luke’s version of the Annunciation, the pope basically devoted his homily to reading […] Full Story
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Pope leads prayers for peace in ‘tormented’ Syria
By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Published December 6, 2018VATICAN 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
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Pope: Idolatry empties lives, ruins hearts, which only Christ can revive
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
Published December 6, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Every heart enslaved by false idols and evil desires needs a “transplant” with a heart filled with love, joy, goodness, hope and generosity, Pope Francis said. “How does this ‘heart transplant’ happen? From an old heart to a new heart? Through the gift of new desires,” the pope said Nov. 28 during his […] Full Story
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Helping the poor is not a papal fad, but a duty, pope says
By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service
Published November 19, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS) — As the rich get richer, the increasing misery and cries of the poor are ignored every day, Pope Francis said. “We Christians cannot stand with arms folded in indifference” or thrown up in the air in helpless resignation, the pope said in his homily Nov. 18, the World Day of the […] Full Story
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For Catholics, St. Oscar Romero’s canonization a dream come true
By MELISSA VIDA and JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published October 24, 2018ROME (CNS)—For many pilgrims from El Salvador and for many Catholics who focus on the tie between faith and justice, waiting for the canonization of St. Oscar Romero was an exercise in patience. The declaration of the sainthood of the Salvadoran archbishop, who was assassinated while celebrating Mass in 1980, teaches men and women that […] Full Story | En Español
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‘Watering down’ church teaching won’t attract young people, cardinal says
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published October 19, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Just because some young people disagree with Catholic moral teaching, including in the area of sexuality, does not mean the church’s teachings are unclear or should change, Cardinal Robert Sarah told the Synod of Bishops. The church and its pastors should “courageously propose the Christian ideal corresponding to Catholic moral doctrine and not […] Full Story
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Pope accepts Cardinal Wuerl’s resignation as Washington archbishop
By Catholic News Service
Published October 12, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl as archbishop of Washington but did not name a successor. When the pope’s decision was announced Oct. 12, the Archdiocese of Washington released a letter from Pope Francis to the cardinal, making clear his support for Cardinal Wuerl’s ministry and leadership, but […] Full Story
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Love breaks chains of slavery to sin, pope says
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published September 20, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Only true love for God and neighbor can destroy the chains of greed, lust, anger and envy that enslave humankind, Pope Francis said. “True love is true freedom: It detaches from possession, rebuilds relationships, it knows how to welcome and value the neighbor, it transforms every struggle into a joyous gift and makes […] Full Story
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Listening church: Pope gives new vision for Synod of Bishops
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published September 20, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The Synod of Bishops increasingly should be a structure for listening to the Catholic faithful, demonstrating a local bishop’s concern for the entire church and a means of expressing all the bishops’ unity with the pope, Pope Francis said. Replacing Blessed Paul VI’s 1965 document that established the Synod of Bishops and building […] Full Story
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After meeting with pope, cardinal hopeful about addressing crisis
By GREG ERLANDSON, Catholic News Service
Published September 20, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston struck a determinedly hopeful tone after his long-awaited meeting with Pope Francis to discuss the growing sexual abuse crisis in the United States. “I myself am filled with hope,” he said, “but I also realize all these things might take purpose and time.” The cardinal spoke following […] Full Story
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U.S. bishops tell pope abuse scandal ‘lacerated’ the church
By CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE
Published September 16, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The leaders of the U.S. bishops’ conference said they shared with Pope Francis how the church in the United States has been “lacerated by the evil of sexual abuse.” “He listened very deeply from the heart,” said a statement released after the meeting Sept. 13. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, president of the U.S. […] Full Story
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Silence is Christ’s response to lies, divisiveness, pope says at Mass
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published September 6, 2018VATICAN 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
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Vocations in Ireland have dwindled due to abuse scandal, pope says
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published September 6, 2018VATICAN 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
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Is there truth in Archbishop Vigano’s text and how are Catholics to know?
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published August 29, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Catholics in the pews and even priests in the Vatican are confused about the long document Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano published claiming Pope Francis turned a blind eye to information he had about the sexual misconduct of now-Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick. Pope Francis’ response to journalists Aug. 26 that they should read the […] Full Story
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Former U.S. nuncio alleges broad cover-up of McCarrick’s misdeeds
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published August 29, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—A former apostolic nuncio to the United States accused church officials, including Pope Francis, of failing to act on accusations of abuse of conscience and power by now-Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick. In an open letter first published by Lifesite News and National Catholic Register Aug. 26, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, who served as […] Full Story
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Pope: Abuse victims’ outcry more powerful than efforts to silence them
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published August 23, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—“No effort must be spared” to prevent future cases of clerical sexual abuse and “to prevent the possibility of their being covered up,” Pope Francis said in a letter addressed “to the people of God.” “I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power […] Full Story | En Español
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Nuncio says U.S. bishops committed to addressing abuse scandal
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published August 23, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—The U.S. bishops are “deeply committed” to facing the reality of clerical sexual abuse and the history of covering it up, said the Vatican nuncio to the United States. “All of us bishops, priests and members of the church must find a real response to the problem. Just a juridical or organizational response […] Full Story
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Pope calls for respect for migrants amid rising number of deaths at sea
By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service
Published August 3, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—With the rising death toll of migrants and refugees attempting the treacherous voyage across the Mediterranean Sea, Pope Francis urged world leaders to act to prevent further tragedy. “I make a heartfelt appeal to the international community to act decisively and promptly in order to prevent such tragedies from recurring and to guarantee […] Full Story
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Pope accepts Cardinal McCarrick’s resignation as cardinal
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
Published August 3, 2018VATICAN CITY (CNS)—Pope Francis has accepted the resignation from the College of Cardinals of Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, retired archbishop of Washington, and has ordered him to maintain “a life of prayer and penance” until a canonical trial examines accusations that he sexually abused minors. The announcement came first from the U.S. Conference of Catholic […] Full Story
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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