Each month, Pope Francis entrusts two special intentions to his worldwide prayer network, known as the Apostleship of Prayer. Here are this month’s intentions.
Vatican
Vatican’s Dialogue With Religious Continues
More than a year after the conclusion of the Vatican’s apostolic visitation of U.S. communities of women religious, the Vatican began asking more than a dozen orders to send their superiors to Rome to discuss concerns that surfaced.
Pope: Most People Don’t Understand Marriage
Raising a point he has raised before, and one also raised by now-retired Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis insisted that the validity of a marriage implies that a couple understands that sacramental marriage is a bond that truly binds them to another for their entire lives.
Mary Magdalene Now Has Her Own Feast
Recognizing St. Mary Magdalene’s role as the first to witness Christ’s resurrection and as a “true and authentic evangelizer,” Pope Francis raised the July 22 memorial of St. Mary Magdalene to a feast on the Church’s liturgical calendar, the Vatican announced.
Suspects Arrested as Terror Threat Thwarted at Vatican
Italian authorities arrested six suspects who allegedly received orders from the Islamic State terrorist group to attack the Vatican and the Israeli embassy in Rome.
Vatican Suspends Outside Audit of Its Finances
Four months after announcing it had hired the firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to conduct an external audit of its finances, the Vatican has suspended the work underway.
Pope Asks Dioceses to Build ‘Monuments’ to Year of Mercy
Pope Francis asked Catholic dioceses around the world to set up a permanent memorial of the Year of Mercy by establishing a hospital, home for the aged or school in an under-served area.
Pope to Release Document on the Family April 8
The Vatican has set April 8 for the release of “Amoris Laetitia” (“The Joy of Love”), Pope Francis’ reflection on the family and family life. “Amoris Laetitia” is what is known as a “postsynodal apostolic exhortation,” a document addressed to the whole church reflecting on themes of church life and faith discussed at a gathering of the Synod of Bishops.
Vatican Undergoes Ecological Changes During Easter Season
During Holy Week and in the Easter season, the Vatican will take part in several initiatives highlighting the importance of ecology and the care for creation.
Brooklyn Priest, Who Is Serving at The Vatican, Is Named Monsignor
It was announced in Rome on Tuesday, March 1, that Pope Francis has named Brooklyn priest, Father Cuong M. Pham, as a monsignor.