by Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Recognizing that Blessed John XXIII and John Paul II have widespread reputations for holiness and that years of studying their lives and actions have proven their exceptional virtue, Pope Francis announced he would declare two of his predecessors saints at a single ceremony April 27, 2014. The pope […]
Pope Francis
Representing Brooklyn To the Holy Father
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio has represented the Brooklyn Diocese in Rome on several occasions. Bishop DiMarzio greets Pope John Paul II during his 2004 ad limina visit to the Vatican… Pope Benedict XVI shakes hands with Bishop DiMarzio, during the pope’s general audience at the Vatican on July 6, 2005… Bishop DiMarzio meets Pope Francis for […]
Pope: Don’t Obsess Over Moral Issues
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – In a lengthy and wide-ranging interview with one of his Jesuit confreres, Pope Francis spoke with characteristic frankness about the perils of overemphasizing Catholic teaching on sexual and medical ethics; the reasons for his deliberate and consultative governing style; and his highest priority for the Church today. […]
Communication, Not ‘Theological Brainwashing’
by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Helping the Church get the Gospel message out to the digital world depends more on a loving passion for reaching out to others than being tech savvy or a verbal warrior, Pope Francis told Catholic communicators. “I believe that the goal is to understand how to enter into […]
On Sardinia, Pope Pleads For a More Just Economy
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Visiting an Italian region especially hard hit by the European economic crisis, Pope Francis blamed high unemployment on globalization driven by greed and said those who give charitable aid to the poor must treat their beneficiaries with dignity. “We want a just system, a system that lets […]
Is the Pope Saying Something New?
Reactions to a published interview with Pope Francis in last week’s America magazine have Church pundits puzzled, but they are at no loss for words in trying to explain what the Holy Father meant. The section that has received the most comments was: “We cannot insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and […]
Neither Rain Nor Sleet…
Umbrellas are seen as people shelter from the rain as Pope Francis is pictured on a large screen leading the Angelus from the window of his studio overlooking St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican Sept. 15.
Ring! Ring! It’s the Pope Calling!
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Picking up the telephone and calling people out of the blue is no big deal for Pope Francis, according to a Vatican official. Msgr. Dario Vigano, director of the Vatican Television Center, said the pope told him that the many calls the journalists have brought to light are just the tip […]
Future Pope Helped Save Argentine Dissidents
VATICAN CITY (CNS) – While a military-backed dictatorship in Argentina was conducting a clandestine war on suspected dissidents, then-Father Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the future pope, masterminded a secret strategy to save those being targeted, according to a new book. Titled “Bergoglio’s List: Those Saved by Pope Francis; Stories Never Told,” the book also includes the […]
Pope Writes Letter to Secular Italian Paper
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Writing in one of Italy’s major secular newspapers, Pope Francis called for a “sincere and rigorous dialogue” between the Church and nonbelievers as an “intimate and indispensable expression” of Christian love. The pope’s words appeared in a 2,600-word letter published in the Sept. 11 edition of the […]