By Cindy WoodenCatholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV welcomed Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the Vatican for a unique visit combining ceremonial flourishes and a historic moment of prayer in the Sistine Chapel. According to Buckingham Palace, it was the first time since the Reformation in the early 16th […]
True charity is selfless and respects recipients’ dignity, pope says
By Cindy WoodenCatholic News Service VATICAN CITY — True Christian charity respects the person being assisted and sets no conditions for receiving help, Pope Leo XIV said. Charity involves both selfless giving and respect for human dignity of the other person, the pope said Sept. 1 as he met people involved in the Capuchin-sponsored Opera […]
‘Aspire to great things,’ pope tells youth at jubilee’s end
By Carol GlatzCatholic News Service ROME — The fullness of life depends on how much one joyfully welcomes and shares in life while also living with a constant yearning for those things that only come from God, Pope Leo XIV told young people. “Aspire to great things, to holiness, wherever you are. Do not settle […]
Watch out for fake Pope Leo XIV quotes and video, Vatican warns
Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — All the speeches and messages Pope Leo XIV has given since becoming pope May 8 are available on the Vatican website, which should be checked before sharing supposed quotes and videos, Vatican News said. The Vatican News site published the warning in several languages May 21 after a 36-minute […]
Compassion is a human, not religious issue, pope says
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Being religious does not automatically mean someone is compassionate, and yet for a Christian compassion is a clear sign of following Christ, Pope Leo XIV said. “Before being a religious matter, compassion is a question of humanity! Before being believers, we are called to be human,” […]
Changing of the garden
Pope Leo XIV’s coat of arms is reproduced in vibrant foliage at the Vatican By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — A new pope means a new papal coat of arms topped by the papal miter and a set of crossed keys. Most churches in Italy will soon be replacing the metal shield […]
Official portrait of Pope Leo XIV
This image is available free of charge and may only be reproduced for institutional purposes. No commercial use allowed. (Vatican Media / CNS)
Pope Leo XIV calls for ‘a united church’ at inaugural Mass
By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Launching his papacy with a call for reconciliation and communion, Pope Leo XIV formally began his ministry as the successor of St. Peter by calling for “a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.” “In this our […]
The busy life of a new pontiff
Click here to read about some of the activities that filled Pope Leo XIV’s first days of his pontificate.
New papal motto, coat of arms explained
Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV’s devotion to St. Augustine, his life and ministry as a member of the Augustinian order and his focus on the unity of the church are reflected in his episcopal motto and coat of arms. When he appeared on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica shortly after […]





