Ugandan bishops lobbying for papal visit in 2014 to honor Ugandan martyrs
The Catholic bishops of Uganda are pushing for a visit by Pope Francis to their nation in 2014, when they will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the canonization of the Ugandan …
View ArticlePapal phone call comforts a traditionalist critic
Pope Francis has placed a personal phone call to a traditionalist Catholic writer who had criticized the Pontiff, assuring the journalist that he knew his criticisms were motivated by love …
View ArticleNew papal document expands powers of Financial Intelligence Authority
The Vatican has released a new motu proprio by Pope Francis expanding the powers of the Financial Information Authority (FIA). Established in 2010 by Pope Benedict, the FIA exercises …
View ArticlePapal condolences for flood victims in Sardinia
Pope Francis has sent his condolences and promised his prayers to the victims of flooding in Sardinia. In a telegram message to Archbishop Arrigo Miglio of Cagliari, the president of …
View ArticleFrench official praises papal teaching on environment
Nicholas Hulot, a French environmentalist who has served as President François Hollande’s “special envoy for the protection of the planet” since December, said that papal teaching on the …
View ArticlePapal reflections on rugby's lessons for life
Meeting on November 22 with the national rugby teams of Italy and Argentina, Pope Francis reflected on the importance of running toward a goal–in life as in sports. The idea of running …
View ArticleItalian journalist admits inaccuracies in controversial papal interview
The Italian journalist whose interview with Pope Francis caused an international sensation has revealed that he made up some of the answers that he attributed to the Pope. Eugenio …
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Three Surprising Papal Moves
Among the many new notes introduced by Pope Francis, we now have evidence of his willingness to correct his own errors or imprecise statements – and quite openly, too – something not always seen in...
View ArticlePapal trip to Holy Land is set for next year, but dates still not fixed
The Latin-rite Catholic Patriarch of Jerusalem has said that Pope Francis definitely plans to visit the Holy Land, although a date has not been set. “It’s certainly that he will be …
View ArticlePapal envoy challenges Latin America's missionaries to proclaim Gospel in...
Three thousand missionaries from 24 nations gathered in Maracaibo, Venezuela, from November 26 to December 1 for CAM 4-COMLA 9, the 4th American Missionary Congress and the 9th Latin …
View ArticlePapal almoner embraces new role, living with the poor
Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, who was named by Pope Francis to become the papal almoner, has followed the Pontiff’s instructions to redefine the traditional role, AP reports. The office …
View ArticlePapal preacher delivers first Advent Sermon on St. Francis and the Incarnation
Father Raniero Cantalamessa, the preacher to the pontifical household, delivered the first in a series of Advent Sermons on December 6. Father Cantalamessa’s theme for the sermon was …
View ArticleUSCCB welcomes papal commission on sex-abuse response
The president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has welcome Pope Francis’s decision to create a commission for the protection of minors. “The decision of Pope Francis …
View ArticlePapal appointment signals impending reform at Italian Episcopal Conference
Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Nunzio Galantino as secretary-general of the Italian Episcopal Conference but has done only on an interim basis. The Pope has traditionally chosen the …
View ArticleBackground: papal message for January 1, the World Day of Peace
On January 1, the Church commemorates the 47th World Day of Peace. Pope Francis’s message for the day is entitled “Fraternity, the Foundation and Pathway to Peace.” In his message for …
View Article6.6 million attended papal audiences, ceremonies in 2013
More than 6.6 million people attended Vatican liturgical ceremonies and audiences at which Pope Francis presided in 2013, the Vatican has announced. The prefecture of the papal …
View ArticleVatican spokesman scolds journalists who report papal 'opening' on same-sex...
The Vatican press office has decried attempts by some Italian journalists to portray a comment by Pope Francis as an opening to approval of same-sex unions. In a November 29 address to …
View ArticleIsraeli-Palestinian tensions complicate planning for papal trip to Holy Land
An aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned that “problems of a political nature” must be resolved before Pope Francis travels to the Holy Land in May. Nemer Hammas, the …
View ArticleVatican declines extradition for papal nuncio accused of abuse
The Vatican has refused a request from Polish prosecutors for the extradition of Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski, a Vatican diplomat who is under investigation for sexual abuse of children in …
View ArticleWire services see papal condemnation of abortion as gesture toward conservatives
When Pope Francis condemned abortion in his address to the Vatican diplomatic corps, wire-service reports suggested that the Pope’s statement was a gesture toward disgruntled conservative …
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