Pope Francis named 15 cardinal electors “from 14 nations of every continent, showing the inseparable link between the church of Rome and the particular churches present in the world.”
International News
Pope: Christmas Tree Touches Everyone
By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – God did not come to the world with arrogance to impose his might; he offered his powerful love through a fragile child, Pope Francis said. The Christmas tree and Nativity scene are reminders of this mystery of the Incarnation and they both carry “a message of light, hope […]
Vatican Played Key Role in Mending US-Cuban Relations
By Patricia Zapor WASHINGTON (CNS) – A not-insignificant part of the diplomatic coup pulled off by the White House and Cuban leaders Dec. 17 was that hardly anyone knew they had been working toward a reset in relations between the two neighbors and long-time antagonists. That the two nations had been negotiating in secret for […]
The Francis Factor: Pew Study Shows 43 Nations Continue to Have Positive View of the Pontiff
By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) – During the second year of his pontificate, Pope Francis was still feeling the love, and not just from Catholics or those from his homeland of Argentina. A Pew Research Center study released Dec. 11 showed that the pope has broad support across much of the world. Sixty percent of […]
Pope Says He Hopes to Travel to Middle East
By Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis deplored the “abuses and inhuman acts” of Islamic State militants, and called on all religious leaders to condemn them “unanimously and unambiguously.” He also said he hoped to travel to the Middle East to comfort persecuted Christians there. The pope’s words appeared in a Christmas […]
Pope Warns Curia on ‘Spiritual Alzheimer’s’
By Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis’ Christmas greeting to the Vatican bureaucracy this year was an extended warning against a host of spiritual ills to which he said Vatican officials are prone, including “spiritual Alzheimer’s,” “existential schizophrenia,” publicity-seeking, the “terrorism of gossip” and even a poor sense of humor. The pope […]
Filipinos Eagerly Await Pope’s Visit
By Carol Zimmermann WASHINGTON (CNS) – Filipino Catholics living in the U.S. say the pope’s upcoming visit to the Philippines will be a big boost for their homeland that has experienced so much suffering. “After all the travesties” the country has faced, the visit will provide a “flicker of light and a glimmer of hope,” […]
Peace Light Arrives With Message of Hope
An open flame, referred to as the Peace Light, arrived by plane in JFK Airport, Dec. 11 escorted by officials from Austrian Airlines. After a welcome ceremony at Our Lady of the Skies Chapel, the flame began its pilgrimage across the U.S. in trucks and cars, lighting wicks in homes, churches and community centers along […]
Increase in Tourism Not Happening in Bethlehem
By Judith Sudilovsky BETHLEHEM, West Bank (CNS) – Palestinian hopes for a tourism windfall following Pope Francis’ spring pilgrimage did not pan out because the Gaza war broke out shortly after his visit, Palestinian Tourism Minister Rula Ma’ay’a told journalists. At the start of the year, the Bethlehem tourism sector had experienced a 19 percent […]
Pope: Prepare for Christmas With Joy
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – No saint was ever known for having a “funeral face,” Pope Francis said; the joy of knowing one is loved by God and saved by Christ must be seen at least in a sense of peace, if not a smile. Celebrating the third Sunday of Advent, Gaudete Sunday, […]