By Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis said that the Catholic Church must consider various ways to integrate the divorced and civilly remarried in the life of the Church – not merely allowing them to receive Communion, but letting them serve as eucharistic ministers and godparents – and to make it easier for […]
Pope Francis
Pope: Advent Is a Time For Silence and Service
ROME (CNS) – In the heart of Rome’s high-end shopping district, sparkling with Christmas lights and shiny baubles in the windows of famous designers, Pope Francis prayed that people would spend time in silence and in service as they prepare to celebrate Jesus’ birth. Celebrating the feast of the Immaculate Conception Dec. 8, Pope Francis […]
Pope Says End of World Will Not Be a Time of Destruction
Believing in eternity and in the final establishment of the kingdom of God, Christians throughout history – starting with the disciples – were filled with questions such as when the end will come and what will happen to the created world, Pope Francis said.
Advent Is About Encountering Jesus
In September Pope Francis celebrated “the blessing of long life” with thousands of senior citizens and their families. In his homily that day he spoke about the Visitation of the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth, calling it “a Gospel of encounter.”
In Turkey, Pope Visits ‘Invisible’ Christians
Ankara and Istanbul were gray and cold, at least compared to Rome, during Pope Francis’ Nov. 28-30 visit to Turkey. And the general reception, outside of the pope’s official meetings, was hardly warmer.
Changing Times Mean Change in Religious Life
By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Religious orders and the Vatican congregation that assists them must be bold in assessing whether current structures and practices help or hinder the proclamation of the Gospel, the pursuit of holiness and the service of the poor, Pope Francis said. “We must not be afraid to leave ‘old […]
Continuity of Papacy
Robert B Kaiser, a commentator on the Second Vatican Council, in his book, “Pope, Council, and World: The Story of Vatican II,” quotes the famous American Roman Catholic systematic theologian, Father John Courtney Murray, S.J., concerning Pope Saint John XXIII: “He (John XXIII) raised some questions himself – notably, the great, sprawling, ecumenical question – […]
Complex Issues Await Pope in Turkey
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Almost every papal trip abroad is a complex mix of the religious and political, and that will be especially true of Pope Francis’ Nov. 28-30 visit to Turkey. Given the country’s crucial geographic position straddling Europe and Asia, its historic importance for both Christianity and Islam and the wars now raging […]
Pope Encourages New Idealism for Europe
By Cindy Wooden STRASBOURG, France (CNS) – The project of European unity and cooperation, ensuring peace on the continent and helping others find peace as well, requires a real commitment to dialogue and respect for others, Pope Francis said. While the pope did not specifically mention the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia, both members […]
It’s Official! Pope Is Coming to US
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis said he would attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September, making it the first confirmed stop on what is expected to be a more extensive papal visit to North America, including a stop in New York. The pope made the announcement Nov. 17 in a speech […]