The Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments asked priests to take special anti-COVID-19 precautions this year when distributing ashes on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, including sprinkling ashes on the top of people’s heads rather than using them to make a cross on people’s foreheads.
Pope Francis offered prayers for the people of the United States “shaken by the recent siege on Congress” and prayed for the five people who lost their lives “in those dramatic moments” when protesters stormed the Capitol Jan. 6.
Recognizing “the gifts of each baptized person” — women and men — Pope Francis ordered a change to canon law and liturgical norms so that women could be formally installed as lectors and acolytes.
Pope Francis during a Mass for the feast of the Epiphany advocated what he called an attitude of “theological realism,” which, he said, fosters trust in God and looks for deeper meaning rather than getting caught up in one’s own problems.
After the recent death of his Argentine countryman Diego Maradona, arguably the greatest soccer player of all time but also a man who spent much of his life battling personal demons, Pope Francis has addressed the superstar’s legacy.
After a 10-day stay in the hospital battling COVID-19, one of Pope Francis’s closest cardinals came home Jan. 1 to find a gift from the boss: An Argentinian steak.
At the beginning of a year people hope will mark the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis urged them to create a “culture of care,” including by sharing the gift of their time with others.
While he skipped morning Mass due to what the Vatican called a “painful sciatica,” Pope Francis was in the saddle again for his Angelus address later in the day, reflecting on the role of Mary as Mother of God and the need for a change in attitude at the end of a tumultuous year.
Known as a globe-trotting pope who conducts the bulk of his diplomacy through words and gestures during trips, Pope Francis found himself with extra time on his hands this past year with international travel brought to a halt by the coronavirus pandemic.
By learning the scriptures, local followers of the Focolare movement find ways to be like Jesus, which opens doors to serious exchanges between Catholics and other religions. Service to people in need is also key, so some members volunteered to assemble respirators soon after the COVID-19 pandemic reached New York City.
