For the second year in a row, few foreign pilgrims were in attendance at the traditional Palm Sunday procession from the Mount of Olives into the Old City of Jerusalem due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
International News
Pope Makes Surprise Outing to Marian Basilica on Eve of Holy Week
On April 13, Pope Francis, despite the Vatican’s repeated insistence that he is observing a two-month period of rest, made his fourth surprise outing in a week to pray at his favorite Roman basilica.
‘Pope of Surprises’ Puts in Unscripted Appearance at Palm Sunday Mass
Pope Francis made another surprise appearance in St. Peter’s Square at the end of Palm Sunday Mass on April 13, starting Holy Week.
Brooklyn Native’s Passion for ‘Rescuing’ Relics on Display
More than 500 “rescued” relics were displayed recently at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Oratory in Montclair, New Jersey.
On Palm Sunday, Recovering Pope Says to Carry the Cross With Compassion
By Justin McLellan VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Carrying the cross means more than bearing personal suffering — it means stepping into the pain of others and walking beside them, Pope Francis wrote at the start of Holy Week. “To carry the cross of Christ is never in vain,” he wrote in his homily for Palm […]
Pope’s Visit to Basilica is Sign of Improved Health, Press Office Says
Pope Francis’ surprise visit to St. Peter’s Basilica to pray and see ongoing restoration work is a clear sign that his condition is improving, the Vatican press office said. The 88-year-old pope, pushed in a wheelchair by his nurse and using a nasal cannula to deliver supplemental oxygen, entered the basilica just before 1 p.m. April 10. Vatican News said he went to the basilica to pray at the tomb of St. Pius X.
Britain’s Royal Couple Meet Pope Francis at the Vatican
Although they postponed their official state visit to the Vatican because of Pope Francis’ health, Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla met privately with the pope April 9, the Vatican press office said.
Diocesan Designer: The Remarkable Unsung Legacy of Church Architect Patrick Keely
Patrick Charles Keely designed and built more than 600 churches and religious buildings in Canada and the U.S., including, up until the time of his death in 1896, all of the 19th-century cathedrals in New England and 14 Catholic churches in Brooklyn.
Blueprints of Hope: The Story Behind Brooklyn’s Lost Cathedral
Famed 19th-century Irish-American church architect Patrick Keely built 19 major cathedrals in Canada and the U.S., including Newark, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Natchez, Mississippi, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Unfortunately, none of those elaborate Gothic-style landmarks are in Keely’s adopted city of Brooklyn, although he died in 1896 believing one of his designs would be built there.
Pope Sends Ambulances to Ukraine for Easter Amid Negotiation Efforts
As the Vatican attempts to engage both Ukrainian and Russian officials amid ongoing efforts to secure a ceasefire, Pope Francis is sending four ambulances to Ukraine filled with medical supplies for Easter.