While many Catholic bishops insist that the Church must vigorously oppose the death penalty, not all Catholics agree, with almost half not sharing the sentiment.
Pope Francis
Pope Francis Sends Aid to Lebanon
Pope Francis has sent 250,000 euros ($295,000) to Lebanon to help the Catholic Church and Catholic charitable organizations assist people impacted by the massive explosion Aug. 4 in Beirut.
Pope Calls for Prayers for Lebanon After Deadly Explosion in Beirut
After a massive fire triggered a deadly explosion in Beirut, Pope Francis called for prayers and a united effort to help Lebanon overcome “this serious crisis.”
Bishops From Japan, U.S. Call Catholics to Work for Nuclear Disarmament
The path to true peace requires the world to abolish nuclear weapons, an American bishop and a Japanese archbishop said as the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings at the end of World War II approached.
Show Grandparents, The Elderly That You Care, Pope Tells Young People
Pope Francis called on young people to reach out to their grandparents or the elderly who may be lonely or on their own. “Do not leave them by themselves,” he said after praying the Angelus with visitors in St. Peter’s Square July 26.
Analysis: For Baseball’s Opening Day, a Vatican Fantasy Draft
Tomorrow is Opening Day of the COVID-shortened Major League Baseball season, and, like all red-blooded Americans, that has me thinking about fantasy drafts. If you’ve never played before, the idea is simple: You and a bunch of other people draft players to form a team, then track their statistical performance throughout the season. Whichever team has the best stats, wins.
Pope Francis ‘Pained’ By Decision to Turn Hagia Sophia Into Mosque
After receiving sharp criticism in recent days for not speaking out about protests in Hong Kong and the recent decision to revert Turkey’s famed Hagia Sophia from a museum into a mosque, Pope Francis broke his silence on the latter July 12, calling himself “pained” by the decision.
Pope: Migrants Seeking New Life End Up Instead in ‘Hell’ of Detention
Decrying the unimaginable “hell” migrants experience in detention centers, Pope Francis urged all Christians to examine how they do or don’t help — as Jesus commanded — the people God has placed in their path.
Analysis: Distinguishing Reporting From Spin on the Pope and Hong Kong
In a nutshell, commentators and news outlets known to be critical of Pope Francis are styling the omission as the latest chapter in what they see as the Vatican’s appeasement of China and its Communist leadership, generally linking it to a deal signed two years ago and shortly up for review that afforded Chinese authorities a role in the nomination of Catholic bishops.
Three New Saints-to-Be Capture Pope Francis’s Convictions
Pope Francis on June 19 advanced the sainthood causes of a handful of figures who, at first glance, might seem relevant only to small pockets within the Catholic Church.