In his first public address in almost a year, retired Pope Benedict XVI expressed his sincere gratefulness to Pope Francis, saying that his goodness “in every moment of my life here, touches me deeply.”
Pope Francis
Pope: Apology Is Due for Marginalizing Gays
Catholics and other Christians not only must apologize to the gay community, they must ask forgiveness of God for ways they have discriminated against homosexual persons or fostered hostility toward them, Pope Francis said.
Pope: Most People Don’t Understand Marriage
Raising a point he has raised before, and one also raised by now-retired Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis insisted that the validity of a marriage implies that a couple understands that sacramental marriage is a bond that truly binds them to another for their entire lives.
Mary Magdalene Now Has Her Own Feast
Recognizing St. Mary Magdalene’s role as the first to witness Christ’s resurrection and as a “true and authentic evangelizer,” Pope Francis raised the July 22 memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to a feast on the Church’s liturgical calendar, the Vatican announced.
Two New Saints: Pope Sees Sts. Mary Elizabeth and Stanislaus As Witnesses to God’s Mercy
Even in the midst of suffering and death, Christians can become witnesses of the resurrection and the power of God’s compassion, Pope Francis said as he proclaimed two new saints. In the Sunday Gospel reading, Jesus’ raising of a young widow’s child was not a magical performance but rather a reminder that he takes death upon himself to restore the suffering to new life, the pope said June 5.
Pope Tells Italian Bishops To Treasure Their Priests
In a talk to Italian bishops, Pope Francis suggested that they, before setting out a plan for the permanent formation of their priests, spend time in silence thinking about their priests and how they give of themselves and why they do it.
Pope to YouTubers: Stop Bullying
Help wipe out bullying and aggression by being better listeners and offering concrete gestures of tolerance and patience, Pope Francis told a group of top YouTubers from around the world.
Pope Meets Top Sunni Leader
After five years of tension and top-level silence, Pope Francis and the grand imam of one of the most important Sunni Muslim universities in the world embraced at the Vatican May 23.
What Pope Said About Women Deacons
Pope Francis “did not say he intends to introduce a diaconal ordination for women,” and he certainly did not speak about the ordination of women priests, the Vatican spokesman said.
Pope: Moral Concerns Guide Medical Research
Moral and ethical concerns must guide medical research so it will always be at the service of protecting human life and dignity, Pope Francis said. In that way, education and research can strive “to serve higher values, such as solidarity, generosity, magnanimity, sharing of knowledge, respect for human life, and fraternal and selfless love,” he said April 29, during an audience with people taking part in a conference on adult stem-cell research.