News
Text of Pope Francis’ talk with Philadelphia prisioners
Read the address of the pope during his visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Northeast Philadelphia on Sunday, Sept. 27.
Theme for 2016 communications day to focus on mercy, dialogue
As the church celebrates the extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy, which begins Dec. 8, the pope also wanted to invite deeper reflection on the link between communication and mercy, said a statement from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. The Vatican announced the theme Sept. 29.
Text of papal address to bishops at St. Charles Seminary
Read Pope Francis' speech to bishops on Sunday at the seminary, in which he said "God weeps" over the sexual abuse of children, which "must no longer be held in secret," he said. He also called for pastors to tenderly "waste time" with families.
Statue of St. Junipero Serra defaced at California’s Carmel Mission
Days after St. Junipero Serra was canonized by Pope Francis in Washington, a statue of the 18th-century Franciscan missionary and other property at the Carmel Mission where the saint is buried, were defaced.
Connecticut composer’s song performed at closing Mass in Philadelphia
A song by composer Julian Revie, who has "been performing pretty much weekly" as a church organist since he was 11, was performed at the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families Sept. 27 in Philadelphia.
Text of pope’s talk at Festival of Families
Read excerpts of Pope Francis' impromptu remarks -- he departed from a prepared speech -- at Saturday night's Festival of Families in Philadelphia.
China’s media focus on Xi, black out papal visit to U.S.
Competing with Pope Francis was never going to be easy. So China's state media gave their leader a helping hand over the past week, all but ignoring the pope as President Xi Jinping made his own tour of the United States, reported ucanews.com.
Dublin to host next World Meeting of Families — in 2018
Irish pilgrims in Philadelphia shared their excitement after Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, announced the 2018 World Meeting of Families would be held in Dublin.
Pope asks youth to perform works of mercy in run-up to WYD
He asked that they not be afraid to experience God's "boundless mercy, so that in turn you may become apostles of mercy by your actions, words and prayers in our world, wounded by selfishness, hatred and so much despair."
‘A great blessing’ flowing all over city because of pope, says pilgrim
Two members of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico said they were delighted to see St. Kateri Tekakwitha's name etched onto a wall of John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls' High School in Philadelphia just outside a security checkpoint at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway Sept. 27.