by Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – After giving a morning Mass homily on the virtue of poverty, Pope Francis held a private meeting Oct. 21 with a German bishop under fire for a massive building project that critics have denounced as extravagant. The Vatican press office announced the pope’s meeting with Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van […]
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Top-10 List of Words to Describe Pope Francis
by Carol Glatz No matter how some media may want to spin it, Pope Francis won’t fit into the political categories of left or right, and he will challenge everyone with the truth of the Gospel, said the Vatican’s media adviser. “Pope Francis is not a politically correct pope,” rather, he is “a loyal son […]
Pope Warns About Restricting Role of Women in the Church
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis said women’s “vocation and mission” today remain essentially connected to their capacity for motherhood but warned against unjustly restricting their participation in the Church or civil society on that basis. “Many things can change and have changed in our cultural and social evolution, but the […]
Pope Dedicates World to Mary
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Before a congregation of more than 100,000 in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis formally entrusted the world to Mary. “We are confident that each of us is precious in your sight,” the pope said Oct. 13, facing the statue of Mary that normally stands in the shrine […]
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 […]
The Pope’s Challenging Words
My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, The Lord often provides us with unexpected opportunities for reflection and prayer. My opportunity came this past week when I was hospitalized for a severe throat and upper respiratory infection. So, in this week when we celebrated the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, I had Pope […]
Encouraging Words from Pope to Catechists
by Theodore Musco I had the fortunate opportunity on Sept. 17 to be in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican as a delegate from the U.S. to the Year of Faith International Congress for Catechists. Joining me was Father Joseph Gibino, pastor of Holy Trinity parish, Whitestone. After a day filled with presentations […]
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. […]
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 […]