To the delight of many, and perhaps the consternation of a few, the wheelchair-bound Pope Francis defied persistent rumors Sunday by not announcing his resignation during a visit to the tomb of the last pontiff to voluntarily step down before Pope Benedict XVI, instead offering locals a message of mercy and consolation amid suffering.
Pope Francis
Analysis: In Consistory’s Wake, Debunking Three Persistent Myths About Cardinals
On Saturday Pope Francis created 20 new cardinals, including 16 under the age of 80 and thus eligible to vote for the next pope. It was Pope Francis’ eighth consistory, and whenever we get a new crop of Princes of the Church, several chronic misconceptions tend to head once more into the breach.
Pope Creates 20 New Cardinals, Including San Diego Bishop
In a ceremony to create 20 new cardinals, Pope Francis encouraged the College of Cardinals to have the same spiritual zeal for all people, whether they are in positions of power or ordinary Christians.
For Tailor to Popes and Cardinals, a Consistory is ‘Fashion Week’
Even if the garments are hand-me-downs, like the one Archbishop Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires wore when Pope John Paul II made him a cardinal, the label is almost always the same.
ANALYSIS: This Week’s Papal Speculation Risks Fiddling While Everyplace but Rome Burns
Right now, we’re in the middle of what I’ve taken to calling “World Series Week” on the Vatican beat. We tend to reserve the “Super Bowl” metaphor for transition events, i.e., the death or resignation of a pope, but this is basically the next step down in terms of significance and media interest.
Pope Meeting Off as Russian Patriarch Cancels Visit to Kazakhstan
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who was expected to meet Pope Francis at the Congress of World and Traditional Religions in Kazakhstan, will not attend the interreligious gathering in September, a senior Russian Orthodox bishop said.
USCCB Official Sees Enthusiasm Building for WYD 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal
Much has changed in the world since the seminal World Youth Day 1993 event in Denver put the event firmly on the map among North American Catholics.
Pope Calls for End to Horror, Madness of War, on Anniversary in Ukraine
Marking the six-month anniversary of the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Pope Francis renewed his appeal for prayers for an end to “the horror of war.”
In Note to Nuns, Pope Says He is Doing Everything He Can For Ukraine
Pope Francis said he is doing everything he can for Ukraine, saying the world was witnessing “cruelty.”
History and Language: Why Some Words During Mass Have Changed
Some adjustments to prayers are subtle, leaving some Catholics asking, “why?” The answer is rooted in history, starting with the founding of the Church, when its ancient texts were written in Latin.