Confession is ‘encounter of love’ that fights evil, pope tells priests March 26, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments In a world where “there is no shortage of hotbeds of hatred and revenge,” Pope Francis told priests and seminarians that “we confessors must multiply the ‘hotbeds of mercy,'” by making it easy for people to access the sacrament of reconciliation.
Pope, World Council of Churches’ leaders talk about war, divisions March 24, 2023By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Recognizing how war and political differences can increase Christian divisions, believers must keep their focus on Christ and his Gospel, said members of a delegation of the World Council of Churches that met with Pope Francis.
Pre-Vatican II Mass was formed by ‘clericalization,’ says papal preacher March 24, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Lent, News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments Clericalization led to the separation of the clergy from the faithful in the church’s liturgy celebrated before the Second Vatican Council, said Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the papal household.
Memorial to modern Christian martyrs opens in Rome March 24, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, Vatican, World News The Community of Sant’Egidio, which cares for the basilica and the shrine, hosted an event March 23 to dedicate a new exposition space among the ruins in the crypt as a museum and memorial to the new martyrs of both the 20th and 21st centuries.
Pope advances sainthood causes of six candidates March 24, 2023By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, Vatican, World News Pope Francis has advanced the sainthood causes of five women and a priest.
Avoid polarizing debate, promote healthy scientific discussion, pope says March 24, 2023By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News When presenting its moral teachings on bioethics, the church needs to avoid falling into the “extremist dynamics of polarization” seen in media debates, Pope Francis said.
Vatican envoy warns UN General Assembly racism mutating and ‘reemerging’ globally March 23, 2023By James Martone OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, Racial Justice, Vatican, World News The “distorted” thought that one person is better than another goes against Catholic teachings and flies in the face of universal principles laid out in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Holy See’s United Nations envoy told a U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York.
AI and the meaning of life: Tech industry turns to religious leaders March 23, 2023By Justin McLellan Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News According to Father Phillip Larrey, dean of the philosophy department at the Rome’s Pontifical Lateran University, Silicon Valley techies are posing those questions to ethicists and religious leaders as artificial intelligence develops rapidly and is used in myriad ways impacting people’s daily lives.
Pope calls European bishops to be prophetic voices for peace March 23, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News While promoting dialogue and building relationships with leaders of the European Union contribute to peace, bishops in EU countries also must be prophetic in denouncing war and encouraging all possible efforts to restore peace, Pope Francis said.
Pope asks Catholics to renew consecration of world to Mary every March 25 March 23, 2023By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Pope Francis has invited Catholics worldwide to renew the act of consecrating the church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine, to Mary every March 25, the feast of the Annunciation.
Confession, indulgences express and strengthen communion, speakers say March 22, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News, Worship & Sacraments The Catholic Church’s ministry of granting absolution for sins and indulgences to remove the punishments those sins deserve is a ministry that builds communion, said speakers at a Vatican course.
Pope: Without power of Holy Spirit, evangelization is empty advertising March 22, 2023By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service Filed Under: Evangelization, Feature, News, Vatican, World News To evangelize well, the faithful need to dialogue with God, let the Holy Spirit renew their hearts and lives, and then dialogue with today’s world, Pope Francis said.
