Marking the feast of the Baptism of the Lord as he always does by celebrating Mass in the Sistine Chapel, Pope Francis baptized 16 infants Sunday, telling their parents that the children are examples of how to receive faith.
Pope Francis
Ex-Alabama Priest Who Fled Country With a Teenage Girl Is Laicized
A Mobile, Alabama, priest who left the United States with a teenage woman last summer under murky circumstances, and who returned last fall, has been officially laicized effective immediately, the archdiocese announced on Jan. 5.
Pope Sends Condolences to Victims of Two Suicide Bombings in Iran
Pope Francis expressed his condolences and prayers after two bombings in Kerman, Iran, claimed the lives of 84 people and wounded scores more at a memorial for an assassinated Iranian military officer.
Church and World Must ‘Respect, Defend, Esteem’ Women, Pope Says
The world and the Catholic Church must respect and defend women and foster a motherly care for others to end dehumanizing cycles of violence, Pope Francis said.
Late Pope Benedict Remembered on First Anniversary of His Death
As an expression of ongoing affection and gratitude for the late Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis led tens of thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square in a round of applause for his predecessor on the first anniversary of his death.
Vatican Note on Blessing Same-Sex Couples Draws Mixed US Reaction
In the hours that followed release of a Vatican note outlining the pastoral grounds for same-sex blessings, reactions among American Catholics seemed to run the gamut from styling it as a major step forward to insisting on hitting the brakes, on the grounds that not much has really changed.
Pope Condemns Attack on Gaza Parish Where Israeli Sniper Killed 2 Christian Women
Following the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s denouncement of a series of attacks on Christians in Gaza by Israeli forces Dec. 16, including the killing of a mother and daughter at a Catholic parish, Pope Francis and numerous bishops across the globe also condemned the attack, calling for peace.
Pope Francis Allows Blessings of Same-Sex Couples
Pope Francis is allowing ordained ministers to bless same-sex couples as long as it isn’t confused with the sacrament of marriage, according to a new document issued by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith Dec. 18.
Cardinal Sentenced to 5 and a Half Years in Jail in Vatican ‘Trial of the Century’
In the long-awaited denouement of the Vatican’s “trial of the century,” which has been seen widely as a litmus test of Pope Francis’ press for reform, a Vatican tribunal Saturday sentenced Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu to five years and six months in prison for his role in various financial crimes.
Palestinian Ambassador Lauds Pope’s Description of Gaza War as ‘Defeat’
Palestine’s ambassador to the Holy See has lauded Pope Francis’ description of the current war in Gaza as “defeat” and has called for both a cease-fire and an end to Israeli settlements, urging international leaders to do more.