by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – When Pope Benedict XVI answered a journalist’s 2010 question about condom use by offering a nuanced reflection on the ethical complexities of a hypothetical case, his words led to a worldwide media sensation, a clarification by the Vatican spokesman and a statement from the Congregation for the […]
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Pope Warns About Restricting Role of Women in the Church
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis said women’s “vocation and mission” today remain essentially connected to their capacity for motherhood but warned against unjustly restricting their participation in the Church or civil society on that basis. “Many things can change and have changed in our cultural and social evolution, but the […]
Pope Dedicates World to Mary
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Before a congregation of more than 100,000 in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis formally entrusted the world to Mary. “We are confident that each of us is precious in your sight,” the pope said Oct. 13, facing the statue of Mary that normally stands in the shrine […]
Assisi: Pope Makes First Visit to Birthplace Of His Papal Namesake
by Francis X. Rocca ASSISI, Italy (CNS) – Making his first pilgrimage as pope to the birthplace of his papal namesake, Pope Francis called on the whole Church to imitate St. Francis of Assisi, embracing poverty and stripping itself of the “spirit of world.” “A Christian cannot coexist with the spirit of the world,” he […]
Polls Say The Pope Is Popular
WASHINGTON (CNS) – A new poll shows that nearly 70 percent of U.S. Catholics agree with comments made by Pope Francis in his recent extensive interview with a Jesuit Italian journal where he stressed that Catholics cannot “insist only on issues related to abortion, gay marriage and the use of contraceptive methods.” According to the […]
Franciscan Charism Still Attracts Vocations
by Rhina Guidos WASHINGTON (CNS) – Up until a few weeks ago, Iliana Maldonado was a typical 20-something in the U.S. She had a steady job and income. On her days off, she went out with friends her age, regularly posting and commenting on Facebook from a Samsung Galaxy smartphone that she rarely left behind. […]
Pope Creates Permanent Council of Cardinals
by Francis X. Rocca VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis made his international advisory panel on Church governance a permanent council of cardinals, thereby emphasizing the importance and open-endedness of its work among his pontificate’s various efforts at reform. The Vatican made the announcement Sept. 30, a day before Pope Francis was scheduled to meet […]
John Paul II and John XXIII To Become Saints on April 27
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 […]
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 […]
Benedict Defends Record In a Dialogue with Atheist
by Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – In a letter to an atheistic Italian mathematician, retired Pope Benedict XVI defended his own handling of allegations of the sexual abuse of minors by clergy and politely criticized the logician’s total reliance on scientific facts for meaning. “I never sought to conceal these things,” the pope said […]