New cardinals say building church unity is urgent need September 29, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Speaking to Catholic News Service Sept. 29, the eve of his induction into the College of Cardinals, the French prelate insisted the key to Catholic unity is “not to take refuge in ideologies.”
God has the same love for all, pope says at Angelus September 25, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News People often are tempted to think their relationship with God is some kind of commercial transaction where they buy God’s grace with their hard work, Pope Francis said.
Inside, outside: Synod to focus on the church and its role in the world September 24, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Bishops, Feature, News, Synodality, Vatican, World News Unlike earlier meetings of the Synod of Bishops, which focused on a specific issue or a specific region of the world, the “synod on synodality” is focused on the church itself: Who belongs? How are leadership and authority exercised? How does the church discern God’s call? How can it fulfill its mandate to share the Gospel with a changing world?
Indiscriminate destruction in Ukraine is a ‘crime,’ pope says September 22, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Crisis in Ukraine, Feature, News, Vatican, World News In a message to an ecumenical meeting at a historic Benedictine abbey in Hungary, Pope Francis said Russia’s war on Ukraine is a reminder of what the Second Vatican Council taught: “Any act of war aimed indiscriminately at the destruction of entire cities or of extensive areas along with their population is a crime against God and man himself.”
Pope names two Chinese bishops to synod; Vatican publishes synod schedule September 22, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Synodality, Vatican, World News On the recommendation of the Catholic bishops of mainland China in consultation with the Chinese government, Pope Francis has named two bishops from the country’s mainland as members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
Vatican, Lutheran officials call for joint study of Augsburg Confession September 20, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News During an ecumenical prayer service at the assembly of the Lutheran World Federation, the Vatican’s chief ecumenist and the federation’s general secretary formally called for a joint reflection on the Augsburg Confession, a fundamental statement of Lutheran faith.
Pope meets U.S. leaders patiently building ‘culture of solidarity’ September 16, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, Vatican, World News The pope spoke about how the groups associated with the West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation in the United States take issues patiently, “atom by atom,” and end up building something that “penetrates” and changes entire communities.
Doctrine is ‘treasure’ that must be defended, cardinal-designate says September 15, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News When Pope Francis said he wanted the focus of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to be “something very different” from the dicastery’s reputation as a stringent watchdog, he was not saying anything goes, Cardinal-designate Víctor Fernández, the dicastery’s new prefect, said in an interview.
Pope says Christian unity advances with prayer, study, joint work September 14, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Scholars from different Christian churches who have studied together the New Testament letters of St. Paul are engaging in “courageous and prophetic work,” Pope Francis told them.
Be ‘beggars for peace,’ pope says September 13, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News In a message to religious and political leaders gathered at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, Pope Francis pleaded with ordinary citizens and governing officials to have the “audacity of peace.”
Cardinal Zuppi visits China as envoy promoting peace in Ukraine September 12, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Crisis in Ukraine, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Italian Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who said Pope Francis tapped him not to mediate but to encourage dialogue that could end Russia’s war on Ukraine, flew to China Sept. 12, Italian media reported.
Pope prays Ulma family will inspire people to care for those in need September 11, 2023By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Saints, Vatican, World News Risking and ultimately losing their lives to shelter Jews persecuted by the Nazis, “the martyrs Józef and Wiktoria Ulma and their seven children” were models of “evangelical love,” Pope Francis said.
