Pope’s Sunday focuses on need for peace, gift of Eucharist

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The horror of war, the valor of peacemaking and the gift of the Eucharist were on Pope Francis’ mind June 2, the day Italy celebrates its establishment as a republic and the day most dioceses around the world celebrated the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. Pope Francis began […]

Pope ends Marian month meeting children with cancer, praying rosary

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "Children are the ones Jesus loves most," Pope Francis told a group of young cancer patients and their parents at the Vatican May 31. The pope had invited the 22 children, who are being treated at the pediatric oncology ward of Rome's Gemelli Hospital, after they went on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France and sent Pope Francis drawings of the shrine's famous grotto because he had never been there.

Keeping up with Francis: The nuances of Vatican communications

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Of the various innovations that Pope Francis has already introduced into the way a pontiff lives and works, one of the most significant is his celebration of weekday morning Masses with invited guests. The practice is revealing of the new pope’s character and of how he understands his role as leader […]

Dialogues between rabbi, new pope tell much about Church’s future

“On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family and the Church in the Twenty-First Century” by Jorge Mario Bergoglio and Abraham Skorka. Image Books (New York, 2013). 256 pp., $22.   The publication of a book of informal yet profoundly thoughtful dialogues between a cardinal and a rabbi was a rare event when this […]

Eucharist nourishes, sustains and should transform people, pope says

ROME (CNS) -- In the Eucharist, Jesus makes himself the food that nourishes and sustains Catholics, even when the road gets rough, Pope Francis said before leading a Corpus Christi procession through the streets of Rome. Mass and participation in Corpus Christi processions are times for Catholics to reflect on how they follow Jesus and, particularly, what the Eucharist means to them, the pope said at Mass May 30 to celebrate the feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.

At Roman parish, pope gives children first Communion, catechism lesson

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Visiting an ordinary Rome parish for the first time as the city's bishop, Pope Francis gave a group of children their first Communion and a catechism lesson on the meaning of the Trinity.

Pope prays for Chinese Catholics, talks about loving one’s enemies

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — In the face of difficulty, it’s natural to hope just to get by, but being Christian means patiently enduring trials and overcoming oppression with love, Pope Francis said at a Mass that included special prayers for China. During the Mass May 24, Pope Francis concluded the prayers of the faithful with […]

Pope says Christians must recognize good others do, work with them

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Christians are called to welcome and cooperate with the good accomplished by members of other religions or no religion at all, promoting a culture of dialogue and peace, Pope Francis said. “We are all children of God — all of us. And God loves us — all of us,” the pope […]

Be courageous witnesses to the Gospel, pope says at audience

Vatican City, 22 May 2013 (VIS) – Pope Francis dedicated his Wednesday general audience catechesis to the Holy Spirit, without whom, “the Church could not live or carry out the mission that Jesus has entrusted us with, of going out and making disciples of all nations. Evangelisation is the Church’s mission, not just of a […]

At Pentecost vigil, pope shares personal stories of his faith

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — With humor and passion, Pope Francis shared highlights of his personal faith journey and explained some key points of his teaching to an enthusiastic crowd of representatives from Catholic lay movements. Celebrating a vigil on the eve of Pentecost with an estimated 200,000 people singing, chanting and waving their groups’ banners, […]