Pope Francis welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Vatican July 4, and the two discussed the ongoing wars in Eastern Ukraine and in Syria, the Vatican said. Russia plays a major role in both conflicts.
Pope Francis
With Miracle Confirmed in Sheen Cause, Plans for Beatification Can Begin
With “overwhelming joy,” Bishop Daniel R. Jenky of Peoria announced July 6 that Pope Francis had approved a miracle attributed to the intercession of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.
Pope Praises Trump-Jong-un Meeting as Example of ‘Culture of Encounter’
“In these last few hours, we have seen in Korea a good example of the culture of encounter,” Pope Francis said in his Sunday Angelus general address at the Vatican, which occurred a few hours local time after a meeting between Trump and Jong-un.
Give Your Lives for Your Flocks, Pope Tells Archbishops
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Blessing bands of wool that archbishops will wear around their shoulders, Pope Francis said, “It is a sign that the shepherds do not live for themselves but for the sheep.” “It is a sign that, in order to possess life, we have to lose it, give it away,” […]
Secrecy of Confession Must Never Be Violated, Vatican Says
In the light of “a worrying negative prejudice” against the Catholic Church, Pope Francis ordered the publication of a document affirming the absolute secrecy of everything said in confession and calling on priests to defend it at all costs, even at the cost of their lives.
Pope Announces Themes for Upcoming WYD Celebrations
Announcing the themes for the next three World Youth Day celebrations, Pope Francis called on young men and women to meditate on the path of Christian life that God has called them to walk.
On Corpus Christi, Pope Says Eucharist Is the Antidote to Selfishness
On the Catholic feast of Corpus Christi Sunday, Pope Francis said that in a culture obsessed with profit and personal gain, the Eucharist is a remedy for selfishness, inviting people to imitate Christ in sharing themselves with and for others.
NY Cardinal Says Vatican-Israel Ties Have Made ‘World a Better Place’
Reflecting on the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Holy See and Israel, New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan hailed the occasion as an international achievement that has “quite literally made the world a better place.”
California’s Bishops Call for Ecological Conversion on ‘Laudato Si’ Milestone
Timed to mark the 4th anniversary of Laudato si’ -Pope Francis’s landmark document on the environment – the Catholic bishops of California have released a major pastoral statement calling for statewide ecological conversion.
Married Priests Officially on the Agenda During Amazon Synod
Whenever he’s been approached about the issue, Pope Francis is clear that priestly celibacy is not up for grabs, despite the fact that it is a discipline and not doctrine.