Pope asks seminarians to be joyful, but realistic December 12, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, Vocations, World News Preparing for the priesthood, seminarians must remember both the joy of being called by God and the real sacrifices they will be called to make, Pope Francis told young men preparing for the priesthood at the seminary of Barcelona, Spain.
Doubt can be a step toward deeper faith, pope says December 12, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News Even the most fervent believers go through moments of doubt and questioning about God, and it is a good thing, Pope Francis said, because it helps one see that God does not fit into the little box people make for him.
Rome meeting focuses on grassroots efforts to promote nonviolence December 8, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Social Justice, Vatican, World News While many people involved with the Catholic Nonviolence Initiative continue to hope Pope Francis will issue an encyclical promoting nonviolence as a spirituality and way of life, they also know that Catholics already are engaged in teaching and supporting nonviolence in situations of conflict and exploitation around the globe.
Nothing is impossible for God, not even peace in Ukraine, pope says December 8, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News Pope Francis asked Catholics around the world to join him in entrusting to Mary “the universal desire for peace, especially for the martyred Ukraine, which is suffering so much.”
Ukrainians seek blessing for rehab center; pope urges action for peace December 7, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, War in Ukraine, World News The mayor of Lviv, Ukraine, and a team of doctors treating those injured in the war gave Pope Francis a cross with an embedded piece of shrapnel removed from the body of a young girl.
True love leads to freedom, not possessiveness, pope says December 7, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News True love of God or love of another person should lead to a sense of freedom, not to a need to possess or control, Pope Francis said.
Pope supports Jewish-Catholic project for social justice December 5, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, News, Vatican, World News Meeting with a delegation from the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the pope supported their proposal to launch a series of educational programs aimed at helping Christians and Jews in Latin America tap into their common spiritual heritage to become “agents of social change.”
Keep the creche in Christmas, pope urges December 5, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Advent, Christmas, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Stopping to gaze at and perhaps pray before a Nativity scene is one of the best ways to remember the real meaning of Christmas, Pope Francis said.
Being ‘inclusive’ of those with disabilities means valuing them, pope says December 5, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Disabilities Ministry, Feature, News, Vatican, World News Making churches accessible and services understandable is important, but having wheelchair ramps and sign-language interpreters is not enough for a parish to call itself “inclusive,” Pope Francis said.
Give joyful witness and lobby hard for families, pope tells Italian groups December 2, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Marriage & Family Life, News, Vatican, World News Italy’s declining birthrate is alarming, and groups that assist Italian families must do more both in terms of lobbying and witnessing to the joy of family life, Pope Francis said.
Migration must be managed, not stopped, pope tells European governments December 2, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, Immigration and Migration, News, Vatican, World News Migration across the Mediterranean Sea is as old as humanity, and while some governments say they want to stop that movement of people, it will not and should not happen, Pope Francis said.
Pope to travel to Congo, make ecumenical peace pilgrimage to South Sudan December 1, 2022By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Filed Under: Feature, News, Vatican, World News After postponing his trip last July, Pope Francis has rescheduled for Jan. 31-Feb. 5 his trip to Congo and his ecumenical visit to South Sudan, the Vatican announced.
