Pope Francis pledged Vatican City State would achieve net-zero carbon emissions before the year 2050, and he urged everyone in the world to be part of a new culture of care for others and the planet.
Pope Francis
Protestors At U.N. Accuse China’s Government of Brutality
Protestors representing ethnic minority groups under the control of China gathered Dec. 10 near the United Nations headquarters to assail China’s government for alleged crackdowns on friends and family in their homelands. Religious freedom was among their top concerns.
Pre-Natal Screening Can Lead to ‘Moral Ugliness’ of Aborting Disabled, Theologian Says
Brian Brock is Professor of Moral and Practical Theology at the University of Aberdeen. He is also a husband and father of three children, including Adam, who is 16, who has Down Syndrome and autism. He has written a wide range of scholarly essays on themes related to disability and is a Managing Editor of the “Journal of Religion and Disability.”
Pope Francis to Celebrate Early Mass Dec. 24 Because of COVID-19 Curfew
Pope Francis will celebrate the Vatican’s traditional Christmas “Mass during the Night” Dec. 24, but will begin the liturgy at 7:30 p.m. local time so that the few people invited to attend can get home in time to observe Italy’s 10 p.m. curfew.
Iraqi Archbishop Says Papal Visit a ‘Courageous’ Decision
Church leaders in Iraq have praised Pope Francis’ decision to come in March amid a pandemic as a brave decision, voicing hope that his presence in the country will send a much-needed message of peace and solidarity, and will encourage Christians to stay, despite present difficulties.
Pope Francis Says Catholics Can Receive Plenary Indulgence for Guadalupe Devotion
With the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe closed for her feast to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Pope Francis said Catholics still can receive a plenary indulgence Dec. 11 and 12 for their Marian devotion if they follow certain conditions.
‘Angels Unawares’ Called a Fitting Nativity for Brooklyn’s Immigrant Heritage
A duplicate rendering of “Angels Unawares” is touring the U.S., with a stop in Brooklyn to serve as the Nativity scene for the Diocese of Brooklyn in Grand Army Plaza of Prospect Park. Its unveiling is set for early Tuesday evening, Dec. 8, along with the annual Christmas tree lighting, also in the plaza.
Pope Francis Plans to Visit Iraq in March
Barring any obstacles caused by the global pandemic, Pope Francis is set to begin international travel again in 2021 by visiting Iraq in March, which would make him the first pope to visit this nation.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Did Not Lose His Voice, Says Archbishop Gänswein
Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the pope emeritus’ secretary, is denying media reports that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lost his voice.
Pope Says Disabled Persons Have a ‘Right’ to the Sacraments
Pope Francis weighed into a long-standing debate about whether people with intellectual disabilities should be able to receive the sacraments Thursday, saying the disabled are members of equal standing in the Catholic Church and, as such, have the same right to the sacraments as everyone else.