Papal Visit

Letter to White House becomes papal ticket for Minnesota Catholics

It started with a simple letter that Ryan Currens sent to President Barack Obama earlier this summer. The parish administrator at Church of Assumption in Richfield encouraged the chief executive to read Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, "Laudato Si'," which was published in June.

The famous popemobile: Pontiffs have hit the streets in style

There's perhaps no other signature vehicle in the world more well-known than the popemobile. Tall and boxy or sleek and chic, it's the one white ride that always catches people's eye, mostly because of the special passenger waving inside.

Visit to Cuban shrine gives pope quiet time for prayer

In one of the calmer, more intimate moments of his visit to Cuba, Pope Francis and the country's bishops offered special prayers to the Cuba's patroness, Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre.

Pope calls for ‘revolution of tenderness’ in Cuba

Pope Francis called Cuban to a "revolution of tenderness" as he celebrated Mass in the Minor Basilica of the Shrine of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, the country's patroness.

Chefs working at a ‘different level’ cooking for Pope Francis, homeless

Cooking for 1,900 people, no problem. Cooking for the pope? Now that requires extra care. Chefs Michael McDonald and Irshaad Ellis-Bey say they are up to the challenge.

Sisters get busy making 100,000 Communion hosts

The Monastery of the Poor Clares in Langhorne is abuzz with work to bake 100,000 hosts for holy Communion at the papal Mass Sept. 27. See the process through our rare access into the cloister.

Sisters make communion hosts, but pray full time

The Poor Clare nuns in Langhorne are baking altar breads for the papal Masses in Philadelphia. But their main work is prayer, especially for the World Meeting of Families.

Preparations on Ben Franklin Parkway hit high gear

Construction of the stage for the papal events and other work is proceeding on the parkway as Pope Francis' arrival in Philadelphia nears. See our photo gallery.

Pope’s use of Spanish may say something deeper

Pope Francis is expected to deliver speeches mostly in his native language during his visit to America. The mix of Spanish and English will be familiar to many of his listeners.

‘Minnesota’s Mother Teresa’ to get private papal audience in Washington

Mary Jo Copeland, 73, who founded Sharing and Caring Hands in 1985, will meet the pontiff in person, along with her husband, Dick, and Auxiliary Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of St. Paul and Minneapolis.