by Jill Ragar Esfeld PRAIRIE VILLAGE, Kan. (CNS) – Imagine a place filled with more than 400 children yet so quiet you can hear someone breathe. That was the scene at St. Ann School in Prairie Village – and the person doing the “breathing” was world-renowned opera star and Grammy Award winner Joyce DiDonato. “The […]
International News
Assisi: Pope Makes First Visit to Birthplace Of His Papal Namesake
by Francis X. Rocca ASSISI, Italy (CNS) – Making his first pilgrimage as pope to the birthplace of his papal namesake, Pope Francis called on the whole Church to imitate St. Francis of Assisi, embracing poverty and stripping itself of the “spirit of world.” “A Christian cannot coexist with the spirit of the world,” he […]
Polls Say The Pope Is Popular
WASHINGTON (CNS) – A new poll shows that nearly 70 percent of U.S. Catholics agree with comments made by Pope Francis in his recent extensive interview with a Jesuit Italian journal where he stressed that Catholics cannot “insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods.” According to the […]
Pope as Film Critic: Mention of a Fellini Favorite Makes Headlines Too
by Kurt Jensen Never has passing praise of a Federico Fellini film drawn so much attention. The bulk of the recent interview with Pope Francis by Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of the Italian journal La Civilta Cattolica, concerned how the Holy Father’s experience as a member of the Society of Jesus informs his papacy. […]
British Bishop Considers Sainthood for Chesterton
MANCHESTER, England (CNS) – The bishop of Northampton, England, has appointed a priest to investigate the possibility of opening the cause for sainthood of G.K. Chesterton, a British journalist and author of the early 20th century. The decision to investigate the cause followed numerous approaches from devotees of Chesterton, including many from the U.S. Chesterton […]
Pope Creates Permanent Council of Cardinals
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis made his international advisory panel on Church governance a permanent council of cardinals, thereby emphasizing the importance and open-endedness of its work among his pontificate’s various efforts at reform. The Vatican made the announcement Sept. 30, a day before Pope Francis was scheduled to meet […]
Pope Wants Church Closer to the People
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – In his latest wide-ranging interview, Pope Francis said that he aimed to make the Catholic Church less “Vatican-centric” and closer to the “people of God,” as well as more socially conscious and open to modern culture. He also revealed that he briefly considered turning down the papacy […]
John Paul II and John XXIII To Become Saints on April 27
by Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Recognizing that Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II have widespread reputations for holiness and that years of studying their lives and actions have proven their exceptional virtue, Pope Francis announced he would declare two of his predecessors saints at a single ceremony April 27, 2014. The pope […]
Pope: Don’t Obsess Over Moral Issues
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – In a lengthy and wide-ranging interview with one of his Jesuit confreres, Pope Francis spoke with characteristic frankness about the perils of overemphasizing Catholic teaching on sexual and medical ethics; the reasons for his deliberate and consultative governing style; and his highest priority for the Church today. […]
Communication, Not ‘Theological Brainwashing’
by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Helping the Church get the Gospel message out to the digital world depends more on a loving passion for reaching out to others than being tech savvy or a verbal warrior, Pope Francis told Catholic communicators. “I believe that the goal is to understand how to enter into […]