By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Celebrating Christmas Mass after opening the Holy Year 2025, Pope Francis said the birth of Jesus fills Christians with hope and the courage to work for peace and justice. “This is our hope: God is Emmanuel, God-with-us,” he said at the Mass Dec. 24 in St. […]
Pontiff urges Christians to remember past, current persecution
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Christians in Japan should keep alive the memory of the persecution their ancestors endured for their faith and should also pray for Christians suffering persecution around the world today, Pope Francis said. Meeting Nov. 30 with members of the Hidden Christians Research Association, the pope led […]
Newly appointed cardinals called to build unity
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Becoming a cardinal is an insistent call to put Jesus at the center of one’s life, to love the poor as he did and to strengthen the bonds of unity within the Catholic Church, Pope Francis said as he created 21 new cardinals from 17 nations. […]
Pope Francis approves simpler liturgical rites for deceased pontiffs
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, who will celebrate his 88th birthday this month, has approved simplified liturgical rites for the death of a pontiff. His body will rest in a zinc-lined wooden casket, according to the new rites. Recent popes had been buried inside a cypress wood coffin surrounded […]
St. Peter’s Basilica to gain ‘digital twin’ for Holy Year
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Aimed at reaching out to people unable to go to Rome for the Holy Year and helping the millions who are expected to visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican has teamed up with Microsoft and other specialized experts to create a “digital twin” of the church […]
Pope: Wayward world, church must seek Sacred Heart
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — A world that has become “heartless” and indifferent to greed and war, and a Catholic Church in need of revitalizing its missionary joy, need to open themselves up to Christ’s infinite love, Pope Francis wrote. By contemplating Jesus’ Sacred Heart, the faithful can be filled with […]
Pope won’t issue exhortation on final synod document
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — After members of the Synod of Bishops approved their final document, Pope Francis announced that he would not write the customary post-synodal apostolic exhortation but would offer the final document to the entire church to implement. “There are already highly concrete indications in the document that […]
Married couples should always seek Holy Spirit, pontiff says
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Because the Holy Spirit specializes in love and unity, Catholic couples should pray regularly for the Spirit to be present in their marriage, Pope Francis said. “Where the Holy Spirit enters, the capacity for self-giving is reborn,” the pope said at his weekly general audience Oct. […]
Pope creates 14 saints, calls on faithful to serve
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis called on the faithful to yearn to serve, not thirst for power, as he proclaimed 14 new saints, including Canada-born St. Marie-Leonie Paradis, founder of the Little Sisters of the Holy Family, and 11 martyrs. “Those who dominate do not win, only those who […]
Cardinals-designate are urged to embrace humility
Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis asked the new members of the College of Cardinals to cultivate a sense of prayer and closeness with God’s people, so they remain at the service of the church and their flocks. In a letter addressed to the 21 new cardinals, who will receive their red hats […]
