Jubilee countdown: Preparations for 2025 Holy Year move into high gear May 10, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News For more than 700 years, the Catholic Church has celebrated “jubilee” or “holy” years as special times to renew people’s faith and experience God’s forgiveness, particularly by going on pilgrimage.
Holy Year 2025 holds ecumenical promise, pope says May 10, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Pope Francis’ document proclaiming the Holy Year 2025 draws special attention to the ecumenical possibilities of the celebration, especially since the jubilee coincides with celebrations of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.
Proclaiming Holy Year, pope says it is time to strengthen and share hope May 9, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The document, called a “bull of indiction,” specifies that the holy year will open at the Vatican Dec. 24 this year and close Jan. 6, 2026, the feast of Epiphany. Pope Francis also asked bishops around the world to inaugurate the Holy Year in their dioceses Dec. 29 this year and celebrate the conclusion of the Jubilee locally Dec. 28, 2025.
Vatican to publish updated norms for investigating alleged apparitions May 7, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith will publish its new norms for the discernment of apparitions and other supernatural phenomena May 17, the Vatican press office said.
Pope asks Catholic groups to help young people learn a trade, get a job May 6, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News As young people across the globe feel increasingly adrift and overlooked, Catholic religious orders and agencies must redouble their efforts to help young people stay in school, learn a trade and find a decent job, Pope Francis said.
Global group of pastors looks at parishes, synodality and mission April 30, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Synodality, Vatican, World News The collaboration of laity and priests in the life of a parish and in outreach to the surrounding community “is not a strategy,” but the result of taking the sacraments of baptism and confirmation seriously rather than allowing it to remain “a beautiful principle, a virtuous and pious intention,” a Canadian theologian told hundreds of pastors.
Synod asks pastors to share stories, see how God is at work April 29, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Synodality, Vatican, World News By sharing their own stories and those of their parishes, pastors from around the world can help each other see where God is present and, perhaps, discover new paths the Lord wants Catholics to embark on to share the Gospel with the world, said Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops.
Love makes individuals and the world better, pope says April 29, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Seniors, Vatican, World News Meeting with thousands of Italian grandparents and their children and grandchildren, Pope Francis insisted repeatedly, “Love makes us better.”
Italian leader says pope will join G7 discussion on AI April 26, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced that Pope Francis would participate in a G7 “outreach” discussion on artificial intelligence when the leaders of the world’s leading industrialized nations countries meet in southern Italy in mid-June.
Top Vatican cardinal says Pope Francis’ reforms will continue April 25, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News The reform projects launched by Pope Francis — reforming not just institutions like the Roman Curia, but attitudes and pastoral approaches — will not be reversed, even though some may take different forms in the future, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.
Faith, hope, love are antidote to pride, pope says at audience April 24, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News While the virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance are the marks of a righteous individual, the virtues of faith, hope and love emphasize a connection to other people fueled by belief in God and reliance on prayer, Pope Francis said.
Build church unity, favor reconciliation, pope tells pilgrims April 22, 2024By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: News, Vatican, World News Pope Pius VII, a prisoner of Napoleon from 1809 to 1814, endured humiliation but successfully resisted all attempts to fracture the unity of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis said.
