Jesus accepts a person’s fragility so they can accept others, pope says March 1, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Disabilities Ministry, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Jesus did not teach his disciples to organize agencies and structures to help vulnerable people, but gave the example of encountering them, listening to them and helping them as individuals and not “categories” of people in need, Pope Francis said.
Pope has full day of appointments after going to hospital for tests February 29, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The day after Pope Francis paid a brief visit to Rome’s Gemelli Isola Hospital for “diagnostic tests,” he had a full morning of audiences, including a meeting with bishops from Italy’s Emilia Romagna region making their “ad limina” visits to the Vatican.
Pope makes brief trip to hospital for unspecified tests February 28, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis paid a brief visit to Rome’s Gemelli Isola Hospital Feb. 28 for “diagnostic tests,” the Vatican press office said, without providing specifics.
Still sick, pope has aide read his audience talk on envy and pride February 28, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Arriving in a wheelchair instead of walking with his cane, Pope Francis began his weekly general audience by telling visitors and pilgrims, “I’m still a bit sick,” so an aide would read his prepared text.
After meeting with Masons, bishop reaffirms Catholics cannot join February 28, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News After participating in a seminar on the Catholic Church and the Freemasons, an Italian bishop reaffirmed that Catholics who belong to Masonic lodges are in a “serious state of sin” and cannot receive Communion.
Pope cancels another day of meetings because of flu symptoms February 27, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Saying Pope Francis was continuing to experience “mild flu-like symptoms,” the Vatican announced he had canceled his appointments again Feb. 26.
Pope asks Sagrada Família foundation to make prayer a priority February 20, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Spain’s top tourist attraction, the Sagrada Família basilica in Barcelona, must give priority to ensuring it is a place where people are inspired to pray, Pope Francis said.
Vatican announces synod assembly dates; formation of study groups February 19, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Synodality, Vatican, World News The second assembly of the Synod of Bishops on synodality will meet Oct. 2-27 and will be preceded by several formal studies coordinated by the synod general secretariat working with various offices of the Roman Curia.
Pope gives seminarians Lenten goals February 16, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Lent, News, Vatican, World News During Lent, Pope Francis said, Catholics — and especially Catholic seminarians — should rediscover the joy of simplicity, pay less attention to their appearance than to their prayer lives and make a special effort to get along with everyone they live with.
Lenten retreat: Book helps people explore pope’s teaching on belonging February 16, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Books, Feature, Lent, News, World News Pope Francis’s concern for migrants and refugees, his focus on ecology, his calls to “go out” to share the good news of salvation, even his support for the controversial possibility of informally blessing LGBTQ+ couples flow from his conviction that people need to know they belong to God, to one another and to creation.
Israeli embassy objects to cardinal’s remarks on Gaza death toll February 14, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Conflict in the Middle East, Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Israeli Embassy to the Holy See has defined as “regrettable” remarks by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, saying that Israel’s attacks on Gaza have been excessive.
Laziness is a symptom of ‘acedia,’ a dangerous vice, pope says February 14, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The vice of “acedia,” often translated as “sloth,” can cause laziness, but it is much more than that; it is a lack of caring for anything and being bored with everything, even one’s relationship with God, Pope Francis said.
