VATICAN CITY (CNS) – The Vatican confirmed that Pope Francis is planning to visit Turkey “in the last days of November” but said the length of his trip and his agenda in the country have yet to be determined. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, made the announcement to reporters Sept. 12, noting that a formal invitation from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had arrived at the Vatican earlier the same day.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis mourned the deaths of three Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary, who were murdered in two separate attacks in their residence in Burundi.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – War is just “senseless slaughter” and should never be seen as inevitable or a done deal, Pope Francis said.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Former Israeli President Shimon Peres asked Pope Francis to head a parallel U.N. called the “United Religions” to counter religious extremism in the world today.
In the days that followed Pope Francis’ Aug. 18 remarks on U.S. airstrikes earlier in the month against Islamic State, the buzz was about whether the pope had actually given his consent to them.
The prospects of Pope Francis visiting China are not very good, say experts who closely follow the church in China.
Sixth in a series
One of the unfortunate occurrences of the last 30 years is that a growing distance seems to have grown between some Catholic theologians and some members of the Catholic hierarchy.
Pope Francis lamented “tension and conflict” in Ukraine and prayed for “peace and tranquility” there on the country’s Independence Day.
SEOUL, South Korea (CNS) – Pope Francis told Korean Catholics that the reunification of their divided peninsula as well as the harmony of South Korean society depend on the practice of Gospel virtues, especially charity and forgiveness.
One of the dangers of a “sterile” form of celibacy is bitterness and gossip, Pope Francis said July 26 during a meeting with 123 priests working in the Diocese of Caserta and 19 bishops from Italy’s Campania region.
