By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service ROME — If a pilgrim walking to Rome for a Holy Year fell mortally ill far from home or a poor tenant farmer died working in a field or an unidentifiable victim of murder was found, a group of courageous Christians buried these anonymous or forgotten dead with […]
Pope Francis canonizes first married couple with children
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis called on people to replace their thirst for power with the joy of quiet and humble service, as he proclaimed four new saints, including the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux. All of Christ’s disciples, especially its pastors, are called to model themselves after Jesus and “suppress our instinctive desire […]
Ordinary and extraordinary: 2013 goes down in Vatican history
The helicopter carrying Pope Benedict XVI passes the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica as the retired pope returns to the Vatican May 2, 2013. Pope Benedict’s resignation and the election of Pope Francis are among the events of 2013 summarized in the Vatican’s annual report for that year. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) VATICAN CITY — […]
Pope is first to sign up for 2016 World Youth Day
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis was the first pilgrim to sign up for World Youth Day to be held in Krakow, Poland, launching the opening of registration. Accompanied by two Polish teenagers who wore World Youth Day 2016 T-shirts, the pope had to make a couple of attempts pressing the screen of a tablet before […]
Pope, washing inmates’ feet, asks them to pray for him
Pope Francis kisses the foot of a female inmate at Rome’s Rebibbia prison April 2. (CNS photo/Reuters via L’Osservatore Romano) VATICAN CITY — In a moving ceremony that recalled how Jesus loved the world so deeply that he lowered himself to serve and died for everyone’s sins, Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 […]
Pope Francis has given sheep and shepherds a renewed emphasis
A 13th-century mosaic of the Good Shepherd is seen in the Basilica of Santa Maria in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome March 5. The biblical metaphor of the Christian leader as a shepherd has taken on renewed emphasis with Pope Francis’ call for clergy to be “shepherds living with the smell of sheep.” (CNS photo/Paul […]
Experts say euthanasia threatens improvements in palliative end-of-life care
VATICAN CITY — Legalizing euthanasia risks undermining people’s access to loving, holistic care as they face the natural end of their life, many experts at a Vatican conference said. As more parts of the world, like in Quebec last year, pass right-to-die legislation allowing the terminally ill to request lethal drugs, euthanasia is being treated […]
Pope Francis: Do not be complicit, indifferent to tragedy of exploitation
VATICAN CITY — When shopping and when interacting with people on city streets, everyone can help fight the evil of modern-day slavery, Pope Francis said in his annual message for the World Day of Peace Jan. 1. “Together with the social responsibility of businesses, there is also the social responsibility of consumers,” the pope said. […]
Pope Francis gives three lessons from Mary: Be joyful, help others, never give up
Preparing for Albania: Pope Francis leaves after a private audience with Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania at the Vatican April 24. The pope will make Albania his first European destination Sept. 21. (CNS photo/Alessandra Tarantino, EPA) VATICAN CITY — When a mother has a birthday, children send their greetings and love, so make […]
Manaolana | Building bridges: Pope helps launch worldwide student social network
VATICAN CITY — The wisdom of “It takes a village to raise a child” has been lost as kids are either overprotected by permissive parents or neglected, Pope Francis said. “The educational partnership has been broken” as families, schools and society are “no longer united together for the child,” he said Sept. 4 after holding […]
